Laurelton Web Site

Where are all the train riders? Where are those of us who stood on the platforms of Laurelton and Rosedale stations and waited for the Long Island Railroad to take us to school?. Where are those of us, who had our own culture, the culture of P.S. 156, and Merrick Road, later to become Merrick Blvd? What happened to those of us who made the choice to go to Far Rockaway and opt for the train instead of the bus to Andrew Jackson High School, thus sublimating ourselves to the overwhelming culture of the Rockawayites? Even now, as I log onto the site, it is overwhelmingly of the Rockaways, the public schools they attended, the shops they frequented and the friends they made.

Let's hear about what happened to that vibrant culture, the kids from Laurelton, who went to Chung's Chinese restaurant and Safran's delicatessen and the Woolworths on the corner of 129th street and Merrick Road. How many remember going to Jamaica to the Valencia theater, with it's fantastic sky-like ceiling filled with stars and clouds, or for our first part time jobs in Macy's or the many shops along Jamaica Ave? Who among you remember the "Itch" our Laurelton movie house and meeting friends there? Is anyone as old as I am who can remember when the Bee Line bus ran along Merrick Road, before it became a Blvd, and the city busses ran on it? Does anyone out there remember Walter's taxi or Marder's pharmacy, and who among you can tell me what happened to P.S. 156, where I made my first friends? Where are you all? I remember Laurelton, and my Irish, German, and Jewish friends as the great melting pot of my youth. I remember going to St. Claire's church in Rosedale with my Catholic friends, because Laurelton didn't have one Catholic church.

I brag about my childhood with anyone who will listen, but where have you all gone?

BTW, I graduated from P.S. 156 in June of 1946. I know it's a long time ago, but there must be some of my classmates a) who are still living, and b) who have learned to use a computer. Let's hear it for Laurelton. We were always in the minority, but that doesn't mean we should remain invisible.

Hello Skip, I just came across the Laurelton site on my computer so I thought I'd put in my 2 cents worth. My parents moved to Laurelton in 1936 when I was 14. My dad had a fruit and vegetable store at 224-11 141st Ave. We lived in 5 rooms behind the store (2 brothers and a sister) I graduated from St Mary Magdalene's grammar school and was fortunate to win a 4 year scholarship to St John's Prep (at that time at Lewis And Willoughby in Brooklyn) worth then about $400.00! I delivered clothing from the tailor shop that was just on the west side or the rr trestle on 243st after school on my bike for 5 cents a delivery. That was my carfare to Jamaica and then on the el to Bklyn. I went to Queens College (up in Jamaica Estates) for 2 years until the war interrupted. I joined the Air Force (at that time it was still part of the U.S. Army) I flew a P-51 on escort missions for B-24s over Germany. I was shot down by ground fire while strafing an airfield after leaving the bombers on the return trip and after evading for two days I was captured and spent the last three months as a POW.

I married in 1948 and we had 2 sons and a daughter. I worked for my uncles at a wholesale grocery they owned in Brooklyn and when they retired I bought it from them. My younger son, Steven, worked with me and took over when I retired in 1978. I have had a full and happy life and I thank God every day for the beautiful family he blessed me with: eight grandchildren and now two great-greats! I live in Rosedale now (since 1945) and spend my time reading,playing games on the computer and reminiscing about "the good old days. God Bless America.

I just found your web site but there are no recent posts so want to be sure it is active. I lived in Laurelton from about 1951 to 1975, always at the same house, 225th st between 135 and 137 avenues. I will be glad to share of myself too, if this is still active. I went to PS156, grades1-6, then JHS59, 7-9, then Andrew Jackson 10-12. Bar Mitzvah from Laurelton Jewish Center...will be the 50th anniversary of my Bar Mitzvah soon.
Thanks.

Barry E. Pitegoff Email Address: barryp227@gmail.com

Hi Skip,

My maiden name was Romanowicz and I have a sister Janet and a brother John. We lived first on 233rd Street - next door to the Rothbards and across from the Horowitz family and up the block from the DesGaines on the corner of 233rd street and 139th Avenue in a big corner house with about 100 rose bushes from about the late 1950's. Attended 156 from Kindergarten with Mrs. Rockower and Mrs. Robinson and then through 4th grade (remember learning French with a Queens accent with Mrs. Schwartz). Then in about 1965/66 or so we moved to Long Island but my mother hated the Island and so we moved back to Laurelton - this time on 230th Street between 138-139th Avenue where we lived until 1974.

We had a lot of great times in both houses. Stickball on the corners, stoop ball, hide and seek, listening for Eddie the Good Humour man and the Doogan man to deliver the milk. I remember playing in 156 school yard tag and the huge Great Dane on the corner next to the school. since the Bungalo Bar man always came at dinner time, we were not allowed to buy from him and actually made up a really sad song about his ice cream. I remember playing hide and seek in the backyards and having block parties where the entire block came out and celebrated together.

Like Calvin Polivy, I too remember Lloyd and Dwight Hutchinson and on my corner there were two brothers whose mother taught piano and who we thought was the most beautiful woman in the world. My next door neighbors on 230th street was Isla (?) Bates and her family and we had a lot of good times together. I was really sad when we made the move to Long Island in 1974 and never felt anything but a true Queens Person. I am now back in Queens, Jackson Heights, and love it.

Donna Mulvany Email Address: Donna.Mulvany@skadden.com

My aunt and uncle, Hilda and Lenny Strauss, lived across the street from Marty, his brother Barry, and mom Annie Lebu. In the summers my Uncle Lenny would get a game of softball going in the middle of the street. Being significantly younger than the Lebu boys (not so much any more), that was the only time I would interact with them. My cousins are Jeffrey Strauss (deceased), Natalie and Diane Strauss. Others in the game and from the block I recall who would have known Marty are next door neighbor Lois Pohl, Larry Rudin, and Joel and Harvey Brind. There was always a lot going on on that block. Great memories.

My condolences to Marty's wife, children and family.

I did not live in Laurelton - our school was called St. Albans. Our home street backed up to Andrew Jackson when it was listed as St. Albans. Later years was called Cambria Heights. I too am looking for classmates. So far - none of responded. There were students from Laurelton who attended my High School. Graduated from St. Albans grammar school: High School: 1942 graduated - 1946 graduated from High School. Sure would love to correspond - remember some of the places you listed in your site. Hope to hear from you. First time going on this site so I hope to hear from some old friends.

Hi every one. My name is Al Rubinstein I did not grow up in Lauralton, but was around there a lot in that the school that I went to P.S. 135 asked me to leave in the 4 grade around 1973. My new school was for now what they now call special education children. It was more of a wear house for kids that got into fights. A lot of the kids came from Lauralton/ Rosedale area. I got to see the neighborhoods because the bus would go thought the area. I also went to Happy Woods daycamp in Rosedale by or in Brookville Park. Once again the bus would go by the neighborhoods.

The questions that I have are, On Francis Lewis Blvd close to Andrew Jackson H.S. is a water of electrical substation. In the very front was a brick cut out and there was a plack to someone or something. It was stolen and I remembered this because I was the last kid off the bus and the driver had made some comments about the changes to the area. Any one remember the plaque? The second question is was there a Jewish Temple within 4 blocks of Jamaica Ave on Francis Lewis blvd. I have done some research and found out that one of the building up there used to be a VFW.

I LIVED AT 133-87 HOOK CREEK BLVD ROSEDALE 1938-1962. MY FAMILY OWNED MULVANEY'S TAVERN FROM 1938 TO ABOUT 1960. I WORKED AS BARTENDER IN THE 60'S PART TIME AS I ATTENDED ST JOHN SCHOOL OF PHARMACY. I HAVE MANY MEMORIES OF THIS FAMILY ORIENTED TAVERN IN WHICH MY FATHER/MOTHER WORKED JACK/ANNA LAMBE , GRANDFATHER/MOTHER MIKE/CATHERINE MULVANEY. UNCLE/AUNT JOHN/WINNIE MULVANEY. OTHER PLACES I WORKED IN ROSEDALE/LAURELTON - ? CLEANERS/NEXT MOE'S CANDY STORE NEAR ST. CLARE'S CATHOLIC CHURCH WHICH MY FAMILY ATTENDED. BOEING BROTHERS BEER DISTRIBUTOR. REXALL PHARMACY MERRICK RD. CAMERA STORE IN GREEN ACRES. GOOD FRIENDS JOE/JACK STEIN, LARRY BOESEN, ED BOELLER, JIM TOLLE. JIM HENRY LOIS JACOCKS,FLORENCE MCSWEENEY, JAY ?, BILL CUNNIGHAM ETC. I ATTENDED PS38 FOR ONE YEAR AND THEN GRADUATED FROM HOLY NAME OF MARY IN VALLEY STREAM, BISHOP LOUGHLIN HS BROOKLYN AND ST. JOHNS SCHOOL PHARMACY IN JAMACIA. WORKED FOR BURROUGHS WELLCOME IN TUCKAHOE GEIGY PHAMACETICAL IN SUFFERN AND BURROUGS WELLCOME IN GREENVILLE NC I AM NOW RETIRED TO WILMINGTON/WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH NORTH CAROLINA
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

What a great website. I just spent the better part of an evening reading what people wrote. I wish there were more people from Rosedale who participated.

My name is Fran Solecki nee Rosen and I went to PS 138 and then on to Andrew Jackson.I graduated in 1959 and lived in Rosedale until 2004. I am currently living in Glen Oaks but only until January as I just bought a home in the Sebastian area of Florida. Growing up in Rosedale I lived on 147th Rd. I also remember what a great town it was and how life was much more simpler back then. I remember taking a school bus to school and praying it broke down by the cemetery so we could walk home and skip school. Rode my bike to where ever I wanted to go even to Rockaway Beach down Snake Road. After I married (my name became Pomerance back then) I bought a house in Rosedale on 149th Road and my 3 children went to PS 195 and then Springfield Gardens Jr High and then High School. It was a great place to raise my children. As my children were growing up I joined and became active in the various PTA's and then the School Board and the Ambulance Corp. If anyone remembers me or cares to contact me I would love to here from them. My e-mail is fsolecki@gmail.com.

Greetings Skip,

I was born in Brooklyn Jewish Hospital on March 8,1964 and moved into Laurelton 6 months later. I attended 156 and later Jamaica High. Though now called Kings County (the hospital), I believe that PS 156 was monickered The Laurelton School. Minor changes all in all.I write because of a picture I saw on your wonderful site which literally brought me to tears, and my knees. I remember waking up the morning after the owner of Stanleys was murdered and calling all my friends to meet me at the store. I was horrified to see not just his store but the entire block gone due to a fire that was set to destroy evidence of the murder. It was my belief that the owner was in fact Stanley, a crothcetty old man who always seemed like you were bothering him by coming into his store. He had this 300 year old Beagle that was fat as a pig and always appeared to be on his last legs. But we patronized him daily. Bubble gum, sponge balls, comic books and baseball cards all in abundance. The store was always a mess, but he knew where everything was. If it were still there today, in the same condition it would be a candidate for the shoe 'Hoarders'. I will NEVER forget the feeling I got in my stomach when we all arrived at the store. It was surreal. Almost like a dream. I only heard the store burned. When I got there is when we found out the guy had been murdered. He lived in the back of the store and the belief was that he surprised robbers and they killed him. Back then, however, the neighborhood was predominently black, and the rummor started that there were some kids who didn't like a white man running a store in the neighborhood. What ever the case I want to say to you thank you and bless you for this site. I really have nothing but memories to contribute, and most of the folks contributing are from a time a little before mine, but my k-12 years and then some were spent in this town, and now I can relive some of the memories.

Before I sign off, can you tell me what, if anything, was under the traffic circle on 225 st just north of the LIRR station? I've been told that all the sewage pipes for south Queens meet and becom one large pipe going to Jamaica Bay, but cannot get confirmation. Please post that question so someone who might know can contact me. I live in Ft Worth Tx now but get back to NY every now and again. My email is SUNDANCKIDD@yahoo.com. I welcome any and all emails. Again thank you and god bless.

PS- What is the current function of the old LJC?

Matt Email Address: SUNDANCKIDD@yahoo.com

Hi Skip,

I registered a week or so ago but I’m not sure I used the right address. I’ll send similar material again.

My parents and I moved to 134-36 233rd Street on May 28, 1928. It was still pretty sandy although the newly arriving residents were busily applying topsoil and sod. Our neighbor, Mr. Paul Johnsen was out front watering his new lawn as we drove up to our new house. At age 3, I remember that moment vividly.

I began kindergarten in 1930 at PS 38. By 1931 PS 156 had been completed and I went there to first grade. My teacher was Bessie S. Lee. Second grade was Mrs. Frank. Other teachers I recall were Mrs. Mormile, Mrs. Sears, Mrs. Cross, Mrs. Wilde and Mrs. Wenhold. Joseph Baron was the principal.

By the seventh and eighth grade I was quite interested in candid photography. I had many pictures of our baseball team, general school activities and teachers in the classroom. Mrs. Wenhold did not approve of me snapping her during a music class while in full throat at all. She confiscated my camera and sent me to see Mr. Baron. He too was an amateur photographer and while returning my camera, suggested I pursue more acceptable photographic activities. To help me along, he gave an application form for the New York City public school photography contest. I entered and won three or four blue ribbons plus a cash award! I’ve always thought Mr. Baron did a superb job in that circumstance as an educator and guidance counselor!

Our class graduated in June of 1938. For many years I had the class picture and the leather bound autograph album containing the signatures of my classmates, teachers and friends. Those were lost on one of the moves I made in the ensuing years.

I began Andrew Jackson HS Sept. 1938 and would have graduated with the Class of 1942 had our family not moved from Laurelton to upstate New York on November 27, 1941, ten days before Pearl Harbor which as it happens, was my 17th birthday! I graduated at the high school I transferred to in Chautauqua County, NY.

Some names I remember who were in my class were; Francis Porter, Lita Friedman (our Valedictorian), Eileen McDonald, Warren Carroll, Philip Spitz, Ralph Barasch, Arne Larsen, Owen Rogde, Bernard Marks and Elizabeth Neidermaier.

Others in the neighborhood were Gus Isler, Gertrude Galligan, Marilyn (Mickey) Barlow, Shirley Feldzenfeld, Alvin Dolan, Carlo Solferino, Sonny Maiello, Alice Muller, Albert and Robert Koehler, Stanley Prudowski, Frank Morris and Eileen Raines. I know there were many more.

Reading some of the entries here on this fascinating site I saw a few mentions of the Valencia Theatre in Jamaica. Many years I wrote a paper on the theatre’s design. It was among the last of the “palace” type theatres, featuring moonlit Spanish gardens beneath a sky full of twinkling stars. The designer was John Ebersole. With the advent of sound and the Depression, movie houses became quite different venues.

As for famous people living in the area, one I haven’t seen mentioned was Ray Collins. During the 30’s he lived on 233rd. He was part of the cast of Orson Welles’ radio program, “The Mercury Theater.” With the advent of television, Ray found his niche as Inspector Tragg on “The Perry Mason – Detective” show.

This site triggers so many memories for me, I’ll not bore you with more of them. Laurelton was a great place to live and grow up. If any of you recall any of the people I’ve listed, or know their whereabouts, I’d appreciate your dropping me a line. Thanks.

Don Curtis - Email Address: dcurtis12@cox.net

Hi Skip – I moved to Laurelton from Astoria in 1959, in the middle of sixth grade. Mr. Gambino was my teacher for the rest of that year. I was a shy kid but Laurelton became my safe haven until we were forced by my dad’s work to move to Hollywood, Ca. in the middle of my junior year of high school (Jackson). I don’t think I ever got over it! I guess I wasn’t the only one who loved our neck of the woods. In junior high I worked at a card store on Merrick Blvd. called The Colony I think and got ‘fired’ because I took to long to help an old lady find a card. I lived on 229th street between The Kerman’s and the Levin’s and across the street from the Narby’s. I was in the band with Mr. Haber and took clarinet lessons from Mr. Pendel (a down the street neighbor). I learned to ride a bike with no hands and thought I was so cool when I could turn corners without using the handlebars! “Meet you half way” was a constant refrain – meeting a girl friend between her house and mine. Susan Gluck, Jill Mendelsohn, Paul Marx, Claire Weitz, Judy Tannenbaum strike clear images in my mind. Teachers like Ms Rosenkrantz, Mr. Meehan, those crazy math teacher-sisters, Sugar and ??, that incredible chorus teacher – we sang Exodus on stage and I thought I’d gone to heaven –some crazy French teacher who made us bring in all our green stamps! – and so many others! I’ve stayed in touch with Susan and a few others but was never part of a ‘crowd’. I hung out with my French teacher, Mrs. Pilgrim, almost every day after high school. I remember ‘Sing’ and how amazing the kids who wrote and choreographed the material were. I lived in southern and then northern California for years and now live in Portland, Maine. It is wonderful to hear everybody’s great memories of what I still consider home! Thanks for creating this site.

Dear Skip,

My family moved to Springfield Gardens in 1945, I was 2 ears old. I started school in 1949, at St. Mary Magdalene's I graduated in 1957. I went to Archbishop Malloy H.S. in the Brentwood section of Jamaica. My phone number was LA 5-3488. I remember hanging with Charlie Gerardi, not with his brother Freddie. We hung out on the corner of 225 st and Merrick road (Ed and Lills). with a bunch of other guys, whose names i cannot remember. I remember the parties at Charlies house, about once a month when his parents would go away for the weekend. Nuff said. I also had Tom Ryan as a friend, also My fires true love Diane Tomanelli, who I dated for several tumultuous years, from about 1960 until 1964, the last breakup.

I would like to get in touch with anyone who remembers me. People like Bobby Hoffman, Bobby Hoffmann, Maureen O'hallorne. I also used to hang out at the rock shop next to the bar on 219 th St. Mr Ted Fredericks owned this shop. We became friends along with his wife and Daughter. Mr and Mrs Fredericks, have passed on in the last few years, but their daughter and I have made contact with each other after 45 years.
If you want to know more about Carol Fredericks, just google her name. I have also gotten in contact with Tom Dunphy,after 45 years also. Tom is retired U.S. Air force, and lives in Nebraska. I hung around most all of Laurelton, and yes I do miss it. All for now,

Edward Krolikowski - Email Address: skee194302@yahoo.com

Dear Skip, I didn't go to FRHS, but some of my most vivid memories are of going to FR to swim, usually to Beach 35th Street, starting during WWII when I was in PS 156. Shortly after the war began, the surf started to wash up oily driftwood and tar balls from torpedoed merchant vessels. U- boats came undersea to within almost shouting distance of the beach. They were especially dangerous before the blackout system was enforced. Background light from the City as a whole as well as from boardwalk shops and walking lights was ideal for forming a silhouette of a ship. Much later, during a 1949 heat wave, I went to sleep at the beach with some other guys. (Most people did not yet have home AC.) One who went was Bob Builder, who is registered on this site. Bad idea! The night was noisy, chilly, and damp.Changing the subject, I also have a lot of memories of biking to Hook Creek Boulevard and the area where there is now a large shopping mall across the Sunrise Highway. The most southern part of this neighborhood was marshland and a place where I went crabbing.( Probably polluted, but what did I know?) In the middle of this unoccupied wasteland was a a 3-story edifice ,The [something] Inn, which was widely regarded as a house of ill-repute. To the east was an airfield used by a an aircraft manufacturing plant that after the war first became a drive- in movie theatre and later the aforesaid shopping mall(where someone was killed a few years ago during a sales day stampede). I also remember making a sharp retort to an inebriated, adult bigot, while riding home on the Q5 bus, during Jackie Robinson's first season at Brooklyn.

I read with interest about Laurelton's history and it brought back a lot of memories. Although I lived in Rosedale, I spent a lot of time there. I'm Gary London. I was born 3/31/45 at Park Hospital in St. Albans. It was very small. My mother had the whole second floor to herself. Her 12 day visit cost ninety five dollars! I think the rates have gone up since.
The day after she brought me home, FDR died. My parents were married in Buffalo where my brother Jim was born in 1936. My father went to trade school and they moved to Queens in 1936 and got a job with Granado Appliance repairing radios. He never worked anywhere else until his death in 1976. They moved to 243rd street in "the back" of Rosedale (south of Conduit Ave.) and stayed there until moving to a two family at 134-38 241 Street, one block from Brookville. Granado, by the way, which was owned by Les Mansley and a long Laurelton staple was supposed to be "Granada" but the sign was incorrectly lettered and they left it that way. The original Granado was on Merrick Rd. I know in the city it is Merrick Blvd. but most of us called it Rd, was near 234th street. Then they moved to the corner of Merrick and Francis Lewis. It was an old supermarket. I being there as a youngster when it was being gutted. Granado stayed there until moving to Valley Stream where it still is in business, being run by Ernie and Greg, Les' sons. A Martin Paint store replaced Granado.

The 241st. house was two family. But the owners lost it and my parents took it over. We had a border living upstairs but the downstairs was too small for a family of four and it became single family in 1950. My brother and I both went to P.S. 38, a half block from home. What a horrible school. They had these old workhorses as teachers and it is
guessed they let the have the end of their careers in a nice lily white school. The principal was the legendary Mertie M. Cool, who weighed over 300 pounds and barely five feet tall. She treated everybody like 38 was a concentration camp. She once bawled out the parents in the audience at a graduation glass for applauding for each of the only 32
graduates. She didn't want to waste the time.I was told after I left 38, that Miss Cool would not accept the grant money from the city to maintain the school. "I'm not wasting my tax money on that place!" What a gem. Coming home from a field trip on the bus, I began singing "Around Miss Cool in 80 days." The teachers all joined in. Among the teachers was Justina Murphy, maybe the most unattractive woman on earth. She had a bad temper and she hated everyone that wasn't in her class. I was in the 7th grade when she taught the 8th (thank God). We were playing a softball game one day and my buddy Dick Schaefer, playing right field ran past the centerfielder who was asleep and made a great rolling catch, costing Murphy's class three runs. She yelled at him saying he had no right to catch that ball! One teacher, Mrs. Houston had us working in the garden all year. We didn't learn anything. The last two years, 7th and 8th, I had Miss Flack, a music teacher. All we did was sing. When we got to high school, one of the Jackson teachers had a bunch of us in her math class.She wondered why we didn't know anything. I remember every week we had a fire drill and an air raid siren alert because Khruschev was going to bomb us! It's amazing we weren't paranoid.

Across from Brookville Blvd was Twin Ponds or "Twinnies" as we called it. I walked through the vacant lot behind my house and crossed Brookville and went fishing. We used to catch lots of carp. It was great. Then around 1954, they widened the parkway and the ponds dried up. They use to ice skate in the winter and Jim's friend Eddie Campbell
fell in one night I remember. The parkway project made things a mess. Two houses were moved from north of Merrick several blocks near St. Clare's church. They were moved on railroad tracks and it took a long time. I still know which two houses they are. I wonder if the current owners are aware of it? They had to build a temporary wooden bridge while the new ones were installed. I remember one day traffic was stopped for blocks. A woman was too scared to drive over it. Another motorist had to take the wheel.

Laurelton was like a small city. I understand the name was for a housing development that never got built. Laurelton's mail was handled up to 232nd Street by Springfield Gardens, higher up by Rosedale. Laurelton was the name of the phone exchange. There was lots of shopping in Laurelton. In fact you could by a new Nash at Herman Motors by the Texaco station on Laurelton Parkway. There was a used car lot on Merrick between 229th and 230th streets. It was run by a bald headed guy. For years I yelled "Hey Baldy" from my Andrew Jackson school bus. He tried to run after the bus but never caught it. I guess he was gonna deny his folicle shortcomings! Homeyer Ford was near 219th Street I think, then there was Laurel Chevrolet.

I made a lot of trips to Laurelton. There was virtually no stores in Rosedale. I walked with my mother and she pushed my old baby carriage to carry the groceries. Right at the corner was Tommy Lynch's custard stand. Us kids were lucky, we could get ice cream without crossing the street. The there was Jo-Art's fruit stand. Joe Cuneo was Italian but he always had an Irish brogue and told everybody his name was O'Riley. I have no idea why. Then came Valerio's beer distributorship. Then we crossed Brookville and walked over the bridge. The Sunrise supermarket was across the street. Things went downhill later when it became Grand Union. Next door was the Diamond ravioli store and
the Laurelton Luncheonette. Melo's cleaners was there a long time. Many of the next stores changed over the years. I remember a toy store. Then came Twin Pond's Bakery and on the corner the candy store. My parents were good friends with the Jack Resnicks who owned it. They moved to run another business but they rented it first to Al Burd,
then Moe and Shirley Weissman and then Manny and Zelda Borenstein. At Manny's & Zelda's it was like the TV show Cheers with egg creams the attraction instead of beer. Many of us spent a lot of time there and a lot of laughs. Dankner's pharmacy was in the next block. My father liked to buy presents there because they gift wrapped everything. Then came the 'second candy store." It was run by concentration camp survivors who used to stand in front of the store so passersby would see the ID's etched on them.

Crossing 233rd street was Kearn's bicycle shop. Mrs. Kearns was quite a card, kind of a 50's Roseanne. I remember her husband went to Basso's next door, bought a rope and hung himself. Next to the barber shop was the Atlantic meat market and Jacob's Deli. the Jacobs were from Germany like most deli owners and had great goodies. Drutt's Men's store was next. Mr.and Mrs. Drutt were like all the older Jewish store owners you see in movies. There were nice people. My mother used to buy shirts in there and they let her pay a dollar a week. I remember across Merrick when they built the bank. It was called Springfield Gardens first. There was another branch on the corner of Merrick and Springfield. Also on that side was Zlotnick's shoe repair. He was a nice man. He always donated an award at PS 38 graduations. The highlight was Whelan's drug store. They had a refrigerated drawer where they had Hershey's bars. There was nothing better on a hot day than an ice cold almond bar, for six cents. Loomis hardware and Wong's take out restaurant were regular stops. The Ridgewood bank was across from Granado and it was help up one day and the cops used Granado across the street as a HQ. I almost forget Eddie's variety store in which he sold a lot of cheap junk.

The next block was a nightmare. That's where the A & P was. Since we had a small freezer, my mother had to shop almost every day. In the A & P, butchers waited on you and the women used to fight like cats and dogs to get waited on. I was happy when my mother chose Dilberts or Bohack instead. There was an appliance store on 229th & Merrick but I can't remember the name of it. There was nothing like stopping in Raab's lunchenette on a hot day. There were the first store to have AC and it used to be freezing there. The Laurelton theater was on that block and we spent many days there. A true legend was Zickerman's Hardware. They had everything, if they could find it. We seldom went beyond the movie theater. I do remember there was a photography store by 225th next to the Chinese restaurant. I ended up working at the post office one year. It was a dump.
The Woolworth's on 229th and Merrick was a regular stop. I can still remember how it smelled. I was happy when Joliz record store opened by the show repair. I think it was 227th and Merrick. Thinking back a few blocks, Laurelton was very small town. When you walked past Schindler's shoe store, the owner would look at your feet to see if you were wearing his product. They had a box you stuck your feet in and it took X-rays to see if they fit right. Not only didn't that make any sense but the government outlawed them for safety.

Then in 1958, Green Acres shopping center was built and our days at Laurelton, except for Manny & Zelda's were pretty much gone. Green Acres was built on the site of Curtiss Field. My brother flew his model airplanes there. Speaking of planes, during WWII, a plan crashed (think it was military) into the farm which later become the supermarket between Laurelton Parkway and 234th St. My grandmother took my brother to see it. This reminds me of the dog kennel by 233rd. I remember when the Rosedale bowling alley was built in 1960. Sadly it's gone. I bowled at Pavillon in VS where Texas Guinan used to have her night club. The alleys in Green Acres and Valley Strean Rec. are all gone too. I have read several time that the first McDonalds was on Brookville and Merrick. That is wrong. It was Merrick and 243rd. It was not an eat in. They tore it down and built the one across the street. That corner for years was O'Connor's tavern. They tried to build a school there before realizing the noise from the airplanes would make it impractical. For years the unbuilt school lay there before finally putting up office buildings. The airplane noise was unbearable. When the wind blew from the south, they flew right over our house. You couldn't sleep, watch TV and talk on the phone. Complaining to a local politician, he told my mother that she shouldn't have moved so close to the airport. She explained that the house was there long before Idlewild. One other memory was not of Laurelton but I bet a few of you went there. There was a Richard's drive-in on Sunrise Hwy in RVC. I think it is where the King Kullen is. They had great hot dogs on a seeded roll. A dog and a milk shake were fifty cents! There were lots of memories and reading this site helped me remember. I hope I help some recall some things too. I'm not far away. I moved from Rosedale to Valley Stream in 1984.

Gary London Email Address: Racewriter771@aol.com

My family moved to laurelton in 1945 when I was three years old. Attended kindergarten at 156. Spent the rest of elementary school at 38 in rosedale. I rmember my third grade teacher, Mrs. Hiel. ( think hiel hitler) she was cynical and mean. I remember my first little girl friend whom I met in the 2nd grade., diane huebner. Loved her for years. reconnected with her forty years later. very pleasant experience. during the high school years hung out in rosedale( brookville park, twin ponds, pizza king) with the bad and wanna be bad boys. remember the fist fights and weekly parties in rosedale. also hung out in raabs sweet shop, corner of 228 and merrick. my puerto rican girl friend lived right up the block. on my 17th birthday, had a savage fight with mike teague, a recently released punk who had insisted on making passes at my puerto rican girl friend vickey vega. I bloodied him up good! . Left laurelton after high school years. lived in lynbrook. eventually calmed down and went to college ( st johns). My family founded Christopher Robin Academy on 223 st. I acquired the school years later and administered it until my retirement in 2006. touched many lives and made a lot of money. living now in rockville center. enjoying life and looking back with a smile.

I lived at on 230Th Place & 138 Avenue from the mid 1930s to 1952 when I graduated college and went to Princeton,NJ with my wife to start my engineering life which took me all over the world. My sister lived on 228 Street & Merrick Blvd. where her husband practiced dentistry and raised her family. I went via the LIRR to Brooklyn Tech HS. and later to college at Brooklyn Poly. I now live in Los Altos, Ca. The picture of PS 156 brought back memories of basketball games with buddies like Bob Cousy who went on to Holy Cross and later starred for the Boston Celtics. We played for the Jewish Center vs other teams. There were stables in Rosedale and we rode the horses to beaches since rural life had not yet been taken over by the city.

Hi Skip:

I came across your website looking for an old friend and it brought back to really nice memories. I never lived in Laurelton but came to know it well. My father operated a Kosher butcher shop next to Mulvaney's Tavern from the mid-40's to 1959. Cutler Bros. was it's name and I spent many summer days on a bike delivering orders to his customers. I believe the name of the Italian restaurant was Capri, not Carpi as shown on your site. Good food - they actually bought some of their meat from my father - at least the meatballs were Kosher.

Dennis Cutler Email Address: dect4e@juno.com

My name is Donna Noble. I was Donna Thomas. My address was 219-19 134th Rd. Laurelton, NY 14113. My father was in the Air Force so we lived there only 2 years between 1967 & 1969. I was born 1961. I went to St Mary Magdalene Catholic School. I remember riding the bus on Merrick Blvd with my grandmother. I remember riding the L downtown. I got my ears pierced when I lived in NY. I remember a really bad snow storm I think the winter of 1967 and the snow was above the cars. I live in Colorado and don't ever remember a snowstorm that bad here. I remember the day MLK was shot. St Margaret Teresa was my teacher. I remember lining up in the morning by height when it was time to go in. There were two sets of twins who were shorter than me. One each in my class and one each in the other first grade. I had a friend who lived down the street name Cheryl . I remember two boys in my class. Glen Ramos and Anthony something. I remember the cloak room. I remember milk time. My church had Bingo. I also remember for lunch my mom would put an orange in my lunch and a straw. She had squeezed it so I got juice. Cool. I will talk to my sister when I get home to see what memories she has.
I went on Bing Maps and saw the view of my house.

I can be reached at donna.noble@qwest.com I am also on Facebook. (DMN)

Remember the movie West Side Story?..... I remember walking down the street with my friends re-enacting the song and dance......... Ice Skating at Twin Ponds, playing in the Park and hanging out at "the Greens". Playing Stoop Ball, Stick Ball, Hand Ball and bottle tops. Sledding by the Parkway, Hanging out in Green Acres, bowling, going to the movies, riding my bike ....... and eating Pizza and Chinese. Oh and lets not forget Walcliff for rolla skating and swimming in the summer.
Who remembers ME ??

Marla BERENHAUS Banta
older brother Steve and younger brother Scott
email me at MarlaGenealogy@aol.com

Hello Laurelton "kids" (especially LJC alumni). I am happy to report that I happened to find Rabbi Saul Teplitz living happily in retirement in South Florida. My wife and I visited him, and his wife, a few months ago. Although he did not remember what was served at our wedding in 1957 (neither do I), he is in pretty good shape and it was very pleasant to briefly re-capture a little lost youth.

What a delightful finding!! I was "Googling" my old H.S. fraternity, AZA, when the 156 website came up. Life for me in Laurelton was fantastic. Even when they took a couple of years to put in the sewer system and ripped up all of the streets, we had a blast. P.S. 156 itself was a great experience, but what the people and streets of Laurelton had to offer were equally fantastic. Traveling to Far Rockaway H.S. on the L.I.R.R. daily, living with the real "Fonzees," being able to slip into Manhattan as a teenager, safely I might say, and growing up with the Merrick Road culture, made us all better people as we matured. I could go on, but I would be preaching to the choir.

My family moved out to Merrick in 1954, so I graduated from Mepham H.S., but that did not negate the benefits of growing up in Laurelton. My life has been blessed with education, a professional degree ( I am a retired surgeon), a wonderful family ( 1 wife of 52 years, 3 children all off the payroll, and 7 grandchildren of dubious personalities ), but my story inevitably starts back one way or other to the P.S.156 school yard, Mr. Shields shop class, the matron herding the kids in the movie theatre, or Shary's (?sp) bakery on Merrick Road. What a life. Thanks to you all for putting this website together. What fun to think of those days.

Gary L. Schechter, M.D. Williamsburg, VA Email Address gls1939@live.com

Skip, I was looking for the spelling of Charlotte Russe a delicious sponge cake and whipped cream treat that Woolworth’s used to sell.

I came across your Laurelton site. I grew up in a non-English speaking German neighborhood (children had to speak English and were not allowed to speak German) in Glendale, NY off Myrtle avenue – went to St. Pancreas school and church and yes I remember the Valencia theater. I was 9 years old when we moved to Jamaica. I was one of 6 children and we lived at 69th place. Mrs. Holser was the landlady upstairs. When the 6th child was due, Mom & Dad (a Police Sgt. In NY) had to find a house. The war was over and they finally could buy a home. Mr. Bock was the ice man who lived next door (but we had a refrigerator). The coal man would come and deliver and on our birthday we could have seltzer water and syrup.

During the war with ration coupons, we had to take turn going to the grocery store to buy detergent. My Dad worked down near the slaughter houses in NY, so we were lucky to have meat and he made sure his 3 sisters and Mom and Dad did too.

So many memories – a good childhood in the neighborhood – we would take the trolley on Myrtle Avenue to Forest Park. The Monpoly game never quit on the front stoop and whoever had to go to dinner, someone would fill in.

Thanks for the memories. I now live in So. California, but still enjoy going back to the East Coast.

Virginia Cook Email Address: sterlingorg@sbcglobal.net

Skip,

I just stumbled on your website and it brought back nothing but good memories. I grew up in Laurelton...I spent my early years in the Garden Apartments and then moved in my grandparents house at 130-29 233rd Street. My grandparents were the Borucks, who were involved with Temple Beth El. My mother Carol, and my aunt Lois went to PS 38. That's where I went to school until I moved to NJ in 1972. I have great memories of my time in Laurelton. Walking to school, passing all the stores on Merrick Road, getting Egg Creams with my grandfather, going to the bakery(don't remember the name) playing stickball at PS 38, playing punchball wherever we could, football games on the grass at 38. Anytime I go to see relatives on LI, I take my kids past the old house. They say "you grew up there??", and I tell them about how much fun it was. I remember going to see Lew Alcindor(Kareem Abdul Jabbar) play basketball in the school yard. I could go on forever...

Anyway, great job on the website and hopefully someone from the old neighbor remembers me and gets in touch.

Thanks!!

Alan Feldman
130-29 233rd St.(old Address) Email Address: Alan.Feldman@yrclogistics.com

My name is Joe Ferrara and I grew up with my sister Pat, and brother Tom at 131-29 227th St. My family moved there in 1953 and moved in 1970. I went to
PS132, JHS59 and Andrew Jackson. My friends at the time were Jay Katz, Stan Marcus, Marty Reich, Mark Sauerhoff, Larry Stark, Rita Smith, Paula Katz,
Johnny Butera, Barbara & Steven Katz, Gary Weintraub, Eddie Rothlein, Kenny Hason, Arnie Feldman, Alex Papako, Michael Fisher, George Burner, Mark Weiner, Bonnie and Andrea Kwardowitz(spelling?), Cynthia Dilbert, Jerry and David Robbins, Steven Kessler, Janet Marcune, and the one I married Claudia Lahti. I know I have forgotten many others but hopefully people will recognize some of the names and reply with their own lists. We hung out by the Depot and Burt and Daves doing nothing and everything. The best times of my life were spent in Laurelton, and you cannot seem to explain it to people today without gettting the "look" like "what are you talking about?".

How can you explain the good old days without sounding like you come from another planet? Yet Laurelton stands out as being the one place that I've ever
heard of that still has hundreds, if not thousands of people still going to reunions of a town not a school. Where growing up was a magical experience
that can never be duplicated. What a wonderfull time and childhood I had there. It has been a great trip back in time to read all the letters sent in. THANK YOU FOR SHARING IT.

I remember a few places, like the old laundromat on the corner of maybe 229 or 230th street, south side. I used to hang out there in the 60's with a gang called the Warlords. (probably better forgotten)

Skip,

I showed my 88 year old uncle, (Edward Gannon), the pictures about Capt. Engerer. He said it was the first $1.00 he ever earned, delivering fliers, all around Laurelton, advertising the Sunday shows.

Bill Lederer Email Address: lederer123@optonline.net

Hi Skip,

My parents moved into our home at 135-08 227th St two months before I was born in 1952. We lived there until I graduated from Springfield Gardens High School in 1970. After attending PS 156 from K-6th grade, I was in the transition class at JH 59 when it turned from 7-9th grade to a 6-8 and was in the first 9th grade at the new Springfield Gardens High School. Saturday mornings found me at the Laurelton Theater watching the movie with the matron in the white coat and flashlight keeping us in order. I’d then go to the pizza place on the corner of 227th and Merrick Rd to have a slice and a drink all for a quarter. Mrs. Goldschmidt was my fifth and sixth grade teacher. I now live in Portland Oregon and teach a second/third grade mixed age class of wonderfully diverse children- I have ten languages in my classroom. I’ve been trying to find three friends from my Laurelton days but have been unsuccessful. Does anyone know how I can contact Arlene Gottesfeld, Mary Stabile, and Ellen Shaddock (sp)? Arlene and Ellen lived in Laurelton and Mary lived in Rosedale. I know Mary lived in Mass for a while and I think moved to the South. Arlene lived in San Antonio, TX for many years but no longer lives there- I heard she might have returned to NY. The last time I connected with Ellen she still lived in NY. I’ll be in NY in mid January 2010 so I would love to be able to reconnect with them. Thanks for hosting this site- it’s wonderful to hear about all these Laurelton memories. Take care,

Thanks Skip, I know it must be a hard job to update all the inputs you get. I am lucky I still can see the keyborad , I made it to 80 last March. Some clam diggers from back on L. I. came out for the party.

Again thanks for all your hard work. I had received 4 e-mails that knew about my Uncle and the dog kennel.

I just spoke to my cousin Ernest Engerer jr. he graduated for Jackson. It was his 89 birthday and he is doing great . Lives in Elmont with his wife and now has 7 grandkids all fromhis 4 Daughters. HE IS VERY LUCKY THAT HE DID NOT FOLLOW HIS FATHERS FOOTS STEPS. LION TRAINING IS NOT A LONG TERM JOB.

I know most of the folks came to Laurelton a few years after he went on the road with his circus and cats. His dog kennel caused lots of problems for folks living near by - with the dogs barking and the cats howling in the night . I remember it all . Lucky my Father moved to Valley Stream when I was about 10.

If anyone is in my cousin Ernie's age bracket 89, I can send them a photo from the L. I PRESS showing Ernest Engerer jr. at 18 years of age in the Lion's cage training a cat and it reads "Andrew Jackson highschool student training lions".

Lucky for Ernie, the U. S. Army drafted him , and gave him a better job. Training dogs. End on Story time .

Skip - next to Silver's Candy Store was Mark K. Leeds, Attorney (224-19)and next to Mark Leeds was Leeds of Laurelton Real Estate (224-17) next to
Tramontano's Hardware.

Ken Leeds Email Address: TopNYesq@aol.com

This might seem like a strange request but I was wondering if anyone had an ORIGINAL PIONEER 1960 YEARBOOK from AJHS (Jackson H.S) that they would be willing to part with. Unfortunately I was unable to buy one at that time and have been using a "xerox copy" for many, many years. I will gladly pay for it and shipping costs to Florida. Thanks,

I graduated from PS 156, from Mrs. Seligson's 6th grade class, in 1961. Our entire class made "SP" and that was big news. I remember bringing "milk money" and "bank money" and having to freeze for 1 minute when the bell rang outside, before lining up. I remember the strange little garden outside in the playground. I remember indoor recess games, standing on big white circles painted on the black floor. I remember eating lunch in the auditorium with my farmhouse lunchbox and thermos. I really wanted the pink and blue fairytale lunchbox.

At JHS 59 my friends were Rita Simon, Ronnie Kanner, Linda Lee, Susan Bayliss and Raymond Wong. We had bus passes for the Q5 that came in different colors each month, that we saved. Ronnie and I were bathroom monitors, and someone stole our pocketbooks with our collection of bus passes. We lived at 135-25 227 St. The boy-next-door was Neal Dreznin, and I sat on the bar of his bike and we rode all over town. Ms. Schneider, the 3rd grade teacher, lived on our block. There was an ex-jockey who kept a horse, and occasionally he would drive down the street riding a sulky. On our street we had Big Barbara and Little Barbara, Neal Dreznin, David Kaback, David Scher, my family (Reba, Jay and Hope Harris) and more. The boys had endless games of catch and stoop ball. All the kids would play games in the street till the lights came on: I Declare War, Scully, Ringo Levio, Ghost. Then we'd sit on the front porches and play "Cars." Whoever picked white or black was sure to win. In the summer we sold lemonade on Merrick Road, and once we dug up the backyard for a minigolf course, and charged admission to play. I'd like to give a shout-out to Mrs. Rand, the ever-patient children's librarian on 225th St.

Our family was a member of the Young Israel of Laurelton. I remember Good Food grocery, Oscar Krieger's butcher, and the printing store where my mom worked with Connie Najmark. We lived back to back with the Vims, and across from Rabbi Romineck, the Finks and the Benjamins. I remember with fondness these friends from the Young Israel: Paula and Gary Katz, Ruthy & Phyllis Gluckman. Jerome & Barry & Phyllis Schwartz, Rena & Alan Jochnowitz, Eddie Parver, Mindy & Ephraim & Yossi Weinblatt, Joey Mayerhoff, Lisa Benjamin, Danny & Ira & Philip Goldschmidt, Leslie Pearl, Chaim & Meyer Fisher, Esther Fried, Merrill Silverstein, Sally Rottenstreich, Doris & Michael Kreisler, the Breitbart girls, Marilyn & Kenny Povodator, Leslie Pearl and more. We had Brownies and Girl Scouts and Little League and Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. We proudly marched each year in the Memorial Day Parade. We had backyard BarBQ's with lots of lighter fluid. We had jobs baby sitting, lawn mowing, delivering newspapers, assisting in youth groups and washing cars.

Laurelton was, and is, a beautiful neighborhood, and I have only the best memories.
Reba Harris (now Solomon) living in Plainview Email Address: theShviger@gmail.com

I was searching the internet for a vendor in Laurelton and I stumbled across the Laurelton website. I grew up in Laurelton, went to 156 and 231 and then off to Jamaica High School. I went to 156 in the early 80's. Also was in the girl scouts for years at the Good Lutheran. I have recently moved to Bellerose, but one thing has remained consistent my place of worship. You know it as the old Laurelton Theater, but from the age of 8 I have attended this church. It kept me off the streets, and I've learned so much at this ministry. God blessed us last year to renovate the building from the middle of 227th to the end of the block (use to be Gordon's photographers). Would love for you to stop by to see the renovation at our Street Festival, Saturday, July 18th, 12:00-6:00pm (flyer attached).

I'm just a proud member that grew up in this neighborhood and love my church and after I saw all of the reflections down memory lane, just wanted to give you an update.

Sophia Bryan Email Address: sophiabryan@hotmail.com

I remember the store between Stanley's Toy Store and Estelle Peck on the North side between 230 and FLB. It was Stumpfs Hardware run by Gus Stumpf and his son Harry .

Kenyon Riches Email Address: kariches@verizon.net

My name is Jay Safran my parents owned Safran's Delicatessen on Merrick road next to Dilberts Grocery Store on the corner of Francis Louis Blvd. I am living in Wesley Chapel Florida a suburb of Tampa . I need a favor from you if you don't mind . Can you change my e-mail address is jaysaf021989@hotmail.com. Would like to hear from anyone who remembers me. I graduated from PS 156 in 1951 and Andrew Jackson HS 1955. I was a member of MU Sigma fraterity Laurelton Chapter. I would like if anyone has heard from Ira Feldman. Thanks Jay

Jay Safran Email Address: jaysaf021989@hotmail.com

Greetings Skip:

I hope you guys still post on here. My name is Chris DeWald and I used to live at 139-11 Springfield Blvd. Like others , I remember my phone number. It was Laurelton 5-3789. I was born in Jamaica Hospital. I lived above a Dr's office. His name was Irving Yarvin and my mother was the nurse. I attended St Mary Magdalenes and graduated in 1969. Since I seemed to get stabbed going to school either under the train tressels or by Corseys market, my parents moved to Sag harbor. Anyone remember the duck and cover drills? Someone mentioned the Funeral Home across from Bohacks. My father, William, had his funeral service there. I eventually went into the military and am now retired from civil service in Virginia. Great Web Site. My e-mail addy is dewald55@verizon.net

I was two years ahead of you at PS 156, but left Lauralton in January of 1952 and lost touch with everyone I knew. The recollections of my first three and one half years of grammar school are hazy, but I do remember with affection Bruce Zeitlin, Rosemarie Vacarro, and seeing my first movie, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" in the theatre on Merrick Road. I lived on 244th Street. I'd like to donate something to the web site. let me know how to do that.

Hi Skip,

Thank you so much for your website. You enabled lots of people to reconnect. There will be a Jackson reunion from the '60's Mar. 18-22, 2010 on a cruise starting in Miami.

I started thinking of all the things about Laurelton that I loved. It was the parades that happened at the drop of a hat. We had them for Memorial Day, Labor Day, any time a synagogue got a new Torah, the fourth of July. We always met at P.S. 156 and marched all over town stopping at all the churches, synagogues, civic associations and War Veteran posts. It was the four synagogues, the 10 kosher butcher shops. I loved the Jewish Community House. I became a Bat Mitzvah there. I remember the lessons before it. I loved the Friday night services and the junior congregation. I remember getting kicked out for talking on Shabbat mornings and high holidays.

I remember going to Dr. Fine and Dr. Kaveller (spelling?)Dr. Tesch and my husband went to Dr. Robbins. Did anyone else go to them? Does anyone remember the Laurelton Young Adult Group/ATID? We have great memories of it.

Do you remember the bagel place and the appetizing stores? How about Stanley's toy store? What about the movie theater and ice cream store?

I spent summers at 156 playing kickball and nok hockey.

Thanks for the memories.

Iris Krichefsky (Schachter) Email Address: folkdance@aol.com

Hi---Just found your site and as I was going through it I came upon the street guide and since I lived off Merrick and 227Th, two popular stores came to mind. I think there was the "Laurel Shoppe" on the corner of 227th (North side) and next to it a shoe repair shop where the employee worked by the front window and would "talk to us". Does anyone remember these stores???? This is a wonderful, wonderful site and I could spend hours just remembering all the great things we had back then.

Hi Skip,

Nice board you're running.

My name is Peter McGullam, and I lived on 222nd Street near 131st Avenue from 1960 until the late '60s. I have warm memories of friends and teachers from JHS 59 (James Morris, Mr. Buchanan, who got our chorus on the Dave Garroway show, with Harry Belafonte!) and Andrew Jackson High, not to mention the Epiphany Lutheran Church (Rev. Ted Grant, the Graf family, the Smileys; the James Morris family; the Fensterers), Bob Richter, Idan Simowitz (from Jackson). I count as best friends, to this day, Milton Forrest (from Springfield Gardens) and Fred Schultz (from 225th Street; neighbors were the Brede family.

I've had no luck contacting one friend, a few years older (probably born around 1944): George Morgan, whose family lived on 226th Street near 131st Avenue. He moved, I believe, to Nashville around 1970. If anyone on this board remembers him (he had no siblings), I'd appreciate info. If you remember me, drop me a line!

Peter McGullam, Huntington NY Email Address: pmhuntington@gmail.com

Hello, Skip very interesting and well done site with lots of history. I am trying to track down Kern's Bicycle shop which is referred to as a neighborhood business a couple times on the site. Does anyone know what its location was? I have an address of 1101 W. Broadway, but I don't see any such address in Laurelton (indeed in Queens, except perhaps for 11-01 Broadway in Long Island City). There is an 1101 W. Broadway in Woodmere. Is it possible Kern's Bicycle Shop was there? Thanks,

Dear Skip,

I am reading the messages on your site. . .and it's like an acid flash. how many people can remember not only their addresses but their telephone numbers!

I was born in 1944 and we moved to 130-28-225th Street when i was 2 months old. I have no idea what class I would have been in because from the first day of kindergarden I knew I wanted to be nothing so much as a truant! The ITCH! The magnificent \VALENCIA! MOVIES to learn all about life!

I know Mrs. Flinka was principal (i think my mother bought her 11 thousand chatchkes -- bribes -- so I wouldn't get expelled).

My friends were judy hertzendorf, joyce sunilla, betty chang (of chang's restaurant). and I remember the schwartz twins, donny and wally? And even though i'd have to look down right now to see what i'm wearing, my telephone number was LA 8 1453.

That attached house, is still the house in my dreams (although i looked in the window recently and i'd bet the farm that is a functioning house of repute that is ill). And who knew that bernie madoff lived on 228th street? feh.

My name was Ronni Warren and i'd kill to hear from anyone who is 65 and still alive. What a great and emotionally charged website. Best,

Ronni Warren Ashcroft Santa Fe, New Mexico Email Address: RWarrenAsh@aol.com

Great site. But I was wondering. One of the options was PS 38 but nothing was listed. I went to PS 38 from the 6th to 8th grade (1955 to 1958) and then moved to Far Rockaway and graduated from there in 1961. There's such an unusual crossover since kids in Laurelton were given the choice - Andrew Jackson or Far Rock.

I would love to find friends from PS 38 like Annette Gissi (who was my best friend all those years) Lois Boruck, Avis Goldstone, Peter Gamar, Carmine Lanzaro, Barbara Ehrlich (sp?), Joel Weinstein, Ruth Sohlberg (sp?), Linda Pearson and many others whose names elude me now.

I lived at 131-12 234th Street. My brother also went to PS 38 but he is three years behind me. His name is Robert Mirsky, AKA Butchie. I now live in Santa Barbara, CA and my named is Eileen Barish, nee Mirsky. Maybe there are some old friends living in California. But I'd like to hear from any of you. Thanks for this posting.

Hi,

I lived in laurelton in the 40's thru 60's. i lived on 232 st off merrick road. My memory is waning with the years but some of my happiest years were spent there. There is a site that is trying to make a store map of these times and there are a few things i can add. I went to bassos deli where they were yankee fans and listened to a cleveland yankee game there. We also bought our christmas trees from basso and i remember fondly we as a family walked it home and mom made us hot chocalate with marshmellows. Something not mentioned was across merrick road from 232 was a tomato farm with horses and we played ball there and picked tomatoes. Later stores were added and no one mentions this lot or farm. There was a haberdasher store there owned by my next door neighbor and a chinese restaurant where i would get a 60 cent lunch paid for by my press route which I had running the length of 232 street 98 papers i was never so rich again.

I was an acquaintence of jacky kerns and remember his father a jovial looking character who i felt was always in his cups. My good friend was charlie sterry whose father owned sterrys bar where we would go and listen to him sing vaudeville and irish songs while playing the drum sticks on a wooden piece of bar. My bedroom was on the ground level and I would often hear mr sterry whistling at night walking home after the close of his bar for the night. I went to ps 156 and then on to woodrow wilson hs while most went to andrew jackson. Since the city bars closed early we would often go to bars in nassau like the trees lounge in valley stream which I believe was made famous years later by steve buschemi. We would sometimes go to tony's and get a 60 cent small pizza which I could eat myself. My brother worked for a while in the italian shoemaker mentioned and always hated that the guy would spit on the floor. When I walked to the movie I passed a chinese restaurant that had a beautiful fish tank with some kind of small eel looking fish that would come out from hiding every so often. As a kid I was fascinated by it. Inside they had flags and posters of free china during the war. Everyone was patriotic and many windows had blue stars in them.

I remember there was a canteen around the corner along merrick road that I was too young to enter at the time but remembered the teenagers hanging out at. I remember vj day when everyone went up to merrick road and the streets were jammed with celebration. Iremember trudging thru knee high snow in the blizzard of 47 i think, to ps 156. Schools were not closed for snow in the city.

More thoughts float in and out but that's all II can do for now. Keep up the memories. Keep up the good work. Fondly,

Thanks for the wonderful site. I'm a Laurelton resident. It has come to my attention that Bernie Madoff spent his childhood years here. Would anyone be able to tell me a bit more about this? His father's name was Ralph Madoff. Thank you,

Skip:

Thanks a big bunch for keeping this web site up. It allowed Tom Smith to find me a few months ago and last month when my wife Liz and I were in Palm Beach, FL on vacation:

1. We contacted and visited Warren Colozzo and his wife Adele. Warren and I had not seen each other since our grade school graduation June, 1949 - almost 60 years ! We both are fine and reminisced an entire afternoon away. Warren is retired after a career as a professional roller-skater (it all started at the Elmont Rink after WW II, owner of some roller rinks, PanAm, and then the Palm Beach County police.

2. The next day we visited with Ada Mae "Bunny" Wayne, married name Weinberg. Unfortunately Bunny's husband died last year. She is permanently down in Del Ray Beach now, after leaving Chicago. Two children, two grandchildren. Another visit packed with laughs.

All the best,

Paul S. Frommer, PS-156 Class of 1949 Email Address: frommerclu@comcast.net

It's a small world! Tonight I was at a party in Simi Valley California. A girl asked me what part of NY I was from, the accent is so recognizable! I said Queens she asked where, I said Laurelton, she looked at me and said her parents owned the Jewish Deli on Merrick and Francis Lewis!!!! Unbelievable! I spent many a wonderful lunch and dinner there! We enjoyed talking about the old neighborhood. Back then she lived in Valley Stream, but the restaurant was in Laurelton, next door was that little Italian pastry shop. I e mailed her the web site and I hope she enjoys reading all about Laurelton memories. Thanks

Recently found the Laurelton web site. Lot's of fun going back in time, and stirring up old memories. My name is Laurie Kerner Beller, I graduated Andrew Jackson in 1964, was very active in Sing. I lived in Rosedale, but most of my friends were Laureltonians. I went to a 60's reunion a number of years ago. First a tour of the school, and then in the evening , an event at Huntington Town House. I thought it was very disorganized, and it was hard to connect with people. Hopefully at some point there will be another. Jackson was such a large school, it was hard to have a one on one at the function. The Town House is huge, and the affair was a bit disorganized. If anyone is out there from this time frame, please respond. Thank you, L.

The Store Map---1950's early 60's:

Dilbert's was a grocery store on the North side of Merrick, I think between 226th and 227th- not between 230th and FSB. My older brother Barry worked there for a time. It was owned by a local family who had a son about our age-cannot recall his name now. They later opened a branch in Rockville Center. I think Dilberts was on the same block--if not next door--as Handler's Candy Store--owned by parents of Sigma Phi, Alpha Pi brother Artie Handler, also his younger (??) brother Howie. They lived behind the store and we spent hours hanging out there. Right around the corner on 226th Street was Tom's barber shop.

A door or two west of the Laurelton Theatre was also a barber shop opened by a barber who once worked at Tom's and struck out on his own--I can see his face but cannot remember his name. Very handsome distinguished looking guy with perfectly coiffed gray hair. The beauty parlor on that block was owned by the Myer's family--their son Barry is one of ours. I think he lives somewhere in Fla. now.

I also worked at the Busy Bee, along with lots of others (Stan Officina, Larry Frank, etc.)--Northeast corner of FSB & Merrick across from the Ridgewood Bank--behind the counter as a soda jerk and short order cook and "making" the weekend newspapers (loved it--everyone in the world came in sooner or later--to grab a an egg cream, cherry coke, lime ricky, malted, ice cream, milk shake, burger, fries and chat, then hung out on the corner in front, just like in legend, plotting their next move, waiting to see and be seen and doing "Doo-Wopp" under the street light). I remember other stores on that block did include the 4 Star bakery and a kosher sit down deli--can't remember the name and, of course, Stanley's toy store and hobby shop on the corner of 230th Street. Remember the owner so well. Kindly guy with dark hair. Heard he was killed in a robbery there a long time ago. Anyone have confirmation or details of that rumor??? I think there was a travel agency next door to the Ridgewood Savings Bank.

And who can forget Mulvaney's Tavern. Hate to admit how many wasted nights there were on that shuffle board machine, drinking beer and whatever after a long day at one of the local race tracks or a hard day of poker games. Gosh, some of us were real bums, weren't we??

On corner of 231st Street and Merrick---Northwest side on the corner was indeed Korn's where we bought all our Boy Scout gear, baseball mitts, jeans and khaki pants. Next to that-towards FSB I think was some kind of furniture store. Then Dial Drug Store owned by ????--where Michael Ginsberg and I think, Larry Frank. worked as a delivery boys.

Across the street, near Capri, was Feldman's Butcher Shop, an old fashion biz with saw dust on the floor where I worked awhile for a buck an hour and nickel tips as a delivery boy--on a broken down old bike with a huge basket. Also worked as a bus boy at Capri. Mamma used to fix the greatest dinners
for the waiters, bus boys and kitchen staff every night before the dinner crowd came in. Terrific. Never had it better!!

Gosh, what age does to you. Took for granted I would remember with precision all those places and people forever. Now, cannot dredge it all up without help. Anyone???

Stephen A. Somerstein Email Address: sas@53ppwlaw.com

Hi Skip

A few Laurelton Buddies from the 1960's got together and came up with names of our fellow classmates in PS 156. We all graduated in June, 1965. Can you please post this message we would like to see what old classmates will get in contact with us.

Thanks,

Kurt, Mike, Glen

The Decade Was The 1960's...........The Place Laurelton, Queens. We had great times and we were to young to figure out that town would be home even though most of us moved away. Remember Weekends at The Laurelton Movies......Our First Library Cards at the Queens Public Library Laurelton Branch? Most of us had friends that are like family and the relationships are still going strong all these years later...........

PS 156 - Remember the class trips to Museums, Ferry Rides and The World's Fair? The weekly class punch-ball game! The Friday afternoon free time to make models and listen to records. These things don't happen anymore......But PS 156 made us some great memories. Unfortunately all school pictures are gone a casualty of the move out of Laurelton in 1970's. If anyone has the class pictures from 1965 graduating class, please post them.

PS 156 STAFF
Mary Curto
Mrs.Lefkowitz
Mrs Belle Baumritter
Mr. Gruamann
Mr. Sal Gambino
Mr. Nobel
Mrs.Goldsmith
Mr. Joseph Kiely Principal
Mrs Donahue
Mrs Pratt
Mrs Nicolason (Monitors)
Mrs Sobel

STUDENTS
Chris Schoenfeld
Ilyne Fried
Dan Blumenthal
Norman Silverman
Larry Kilman
Anthony Cerulli
Dennis Kelly
Dan Blumenthal
Anthony Cerulli
Dennis Kelly
Vinnie Vivo
Dan Kramer
Hazel Terry
Norman Silverman
Ilyne Fried
John Zangler
Dan Blumenthal
Anthony Cerulli
Dennis Kelly
Vinnie Vivo
Dan Kramer
Hazel Terry
Gloria Black
Nancy Amsel
Susan Markman
Ursula Tartaglia
Gerald Shapiro
Steven Narby
Anita Ginsberg
Anthony LaTasso
Peter Sauro
Esther Robles
Florence Santoro
Martin ?
Gary Patick
Howard Brezenoff
Frank Dinardi
Jason Smolen
Steve Snyder
Michael Mercurio
Mary Green
Eugene Rubin
Neil Rauch
Steven Phillips
Janet Prager
Diane DeLuca

If you are listed above......contact us at
laurelton1960@yahoo.com

Kurt Gorsetman 232-15 Mentone Ave
Mike Taliercio 138-06 233rd Street 723-6898
Glen Gorsetman 232-15 Mentone Ave

The addresses above were our old ones in Laurelton they are not current......

Hi!

Don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but for anyone who remembers Wong's Chinese Restaurant, it's alive and well in Rockville Centre. It's run by his son but he told me the elder Mr. Wong still comes into the restaurant. Food is still as good!

Ann Feuerstein Ostrofsky'59 Email Address: ANNO63@aol.com

Thank you for the wonderful website.

Does anyone know anything about the “Gypsy Lady” who always dressed in black (heavy makeup and loads of jewelry) and walked up and down Merrick Road? I remember being with friends and we all stared at her when she passed by. Whenever I watch the movie Sunset Boulevard I have flashbacks of her!

Maralin Feldman (Falik) Email Address: maralin@voteess.com

Skip,

Good old Laurelton and Springfield Gardens. I graduated from St. Mary Magdalenes in 1957. When I was 14, I worked in the Laurelton Bagel Bakery. It was before they opened the retail store. The only way to get to it was down the alley behind Wong's Garden on the corner of 225th Street. Carmines Pizza was on the southwest corner of 227th Street, on the same block as the movies. A slice of pizza was 15 cents and a soda was 10 cents. You would get it in a cone shaped paper cup with a metal base.

We tried to save some money in the Ridgewood Savings Bank, on the southwest corner of Merrick Road and Francis Lewis Boulevard. It was always cool inside. You had to be on good behavior because Mr. Gatty, the tall thin security guard would be watching you through those black framed eye glasses. When it was your turn, you would give your green pass book to Mr. Quinn, the cashier. You gave him some money and he would write the amount in the big book and in your pass book. Then stamp it with the ink pad. Besides normal saving accounts, we had special "Christmas Club" accounts, where we would save money all year and take it out in December to buy Christmas presents.

It looks like a number of people walked many of the same streets in good old Laurelton and Springfield Gardens. I grew up at 231-18-129th Ave. It was about four blocks north of Merrick Road, two doors off Francis Lewis Boulevard. Casual Clothes was on the north side of Merrick Road, between FSB and 231st Street. Mr. Silvers candy store was on the north west corner of 225th Street. If it was Saturday, (movie day) back in 1957. I would be heading up FSB, first past the little record store and the barber shop and then past the luncheonette on the corner. First it was called Pollicks, then it was Lil Eds, then Bert and Daves. I would then head west on Merrick Road, past Safrans Kosher Deli, ( checking out the hot dogs permanently being grilled in the window.) Then past Stanleys Toy store on the corner of 230 St. One more block to Woolworths, ( going in one door, past the soda machine, and out the other door. Cross the street and another block.

First stopping at Raabs to meet up with the gang. Also to check and see if anyone had one of those colored flyers the movie gave out. If you matched the color with the one hanging up in the ticket booth, you got in for free. Never in my life did I ever get one. Now to the candy store to get some treats for the show. You never got any in the theater, it was way to expensive. Now past Wedgewood Studio and we are at the itch. The affectionate name for the Laurelton Theater.

Lets see, the theater had a marques that overhung the sidewalk. The ticket booth was on the left. You bought your ticket and went through the glass doors. Up the inclined vestibule to the one open door where they collected the tickets, (usually all the way on the right). Now, on the right were the seats. The first section was the smoking section, then the large middle section and then on to the childrens section. The Matron made you go to the childrens section.

On the left was the soda machine then the candy counter. The Bon Bons and other ice creams were on the left, then the candies and then the popcorn. The popcorn was never fresh popped; it came in large plastic bags that were stored in the room to the left of the screen, in front of the childrens section. Then it was put in the glass box with one light bulb to heat up the popcorn. Ten cents for a bag. To the right of the candy stand was the door to get into the stand, then the water fountain, then the large stairway upstairs.

Upstairs was a long hallway. Nothing on the right side. On the left was first the girls bathroom, then Mr. Bells office, (the manager), then the projection room, with the bright arc lights of the projector and large metal containers the film came in. Walter Nathan was the projectionist. He had two sons, Alan and David. Finally the boys bathroom all the way at the end.

Now if you really wanted a treat, take the Q5 bus into Jamaica and walk down Jamaica Avenue to the Valencia Theater. What a grand place that was, with the suits of armor, ceiling full of clouds and stars and an upstairs balcony. Dont forget the pond full of gold fish. After the movie you walked down to the end of the block, made a right, then a half a block to the bus terminal. If you had any money left, you played a couple of games in the arcade at the terminal. Then outside to catch the Q5 bus that took you back to Laurelton.

Bill Lederer Email Address: lederer123@optonline.net

I was searching the internet for a vendor in Laurelton and I stumbled across the Laurelton website. I grew up in Laurelton, went to 156 and 231 and then off to Jamaica High School. I went to 156 in the early 80's. Also was in the girl scouts for years at the Good Lutheran. I have recently moved to Bellerose, but one thing has remained consistent my place of worship. You know it as the old Laurelton Theater, but from the age of 8 I have attended this church. It kept me off the streets, and I've learned so much at this ministry. God blessed us last year to renovate the building from the middle of 227th to the end of the block (use to be Gordon's photographers). Would love for you to stop by to see the renovation at our Street Festival, Saturday, July 18th, 12:00-6:00pm (flyers attached).

I'm just a proud member that grew up in this neighborhood and love my church and after I saw all of the reflections down memory lane, just wanted to give you an update.

Sadly, I cannot claim to be a "landsman" from your hometown. I came across your site and was so intrigued by the number of people who took the time to reminisce about growing up in Laurelton that I printed out 23 pages of the individual comments from people.

Reading these items I was impressed by the main theme: the school that all remembered. I suppose the reason this was noted is that I am a retired school principal and some 15 years after leaving the classroom, I still have a lot of the teacher in me. When I read how many remembered their teacher with love and appreciation I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Hey, I too am a teacher as if this would let me also reap some of the affection even if only by association.

The mention of Jewish classes brought memories of my going three times a week to our local chader. There was no mentioning of the darn hard work preparing for bar mitzva. One or two mentioned the synagogue and how one is now a church. Here too one of the oldest synagogues was sold to a church group and here too the Mogen David was left in place.

The snarly store keeper had a counterpart here for there were some stores that welcomed the big penny and nickel spenders while other stores were shunned by us.

As a matter of fact I have been assembling a printed record of my growing up in Ottawa which in many respects resembled your town and indeed every town that is remembered how it was 60-70 years ago. Time kindly erases many of the things that at the time they took place, seemed to be very unfair, terrible and never-ending.

I have a wonderful wife; we'll be 53 years married in August. Our daughter is a Family Doctor and she has two daughters who are the pride and joy of their Bubby and Zaideh.

I do have an active hobby that I started only a while back. I collect pins and so if anyone reading this wants to be kind to a Canadian reader of Skip's Web Site, a pin from your city, town or whatever will be terrific ! With best wishes for a continued success in this project' There is a Jewish comment that is applicable here: Yasher Koach!

Skip,

I enjoyed your site very much, it brought back fond memories. We moved to Laurelton in 1953, when I was 7. We first lived in the garden apts. I don't remember the address Then we moved to 130 -?- 223St. I went to St. Mary Magdalene's and graduated in 1960. I remember Mr. Silver's candy store on the corner of 224 or 225 Street, the library where I loved to go into Adult area where I could curl up in a big leather chair and read.

Going to the movies on Saturday and being there for 2 features, cartoons, newsreel and coming attractions. I never heard of it being called the "itch. Their was a great Jewish deli near Francis Lewis Blvd. I remember getting the best Sundae at the soda shop at the corner of Frances Lewis Blvd. and down from there on FLB was a record shop. There also was a clothing store around there called "Casual"

We used to fish in Twin Ponds with bamboo poles and we used worms to fish with. There were always these beautiful gold fish in the ponds, but of course we never caught one. In the winter we would ice skate at Twin Ponds. We too would walk to Green Acres and when I was older we'd go to the Sunrise Drive In.

It was a great place grow up. All the kids on the block, boys and girls, would play punch ball, stick ball, touch football. Having parties in someone's basement. It was great place to grow up.

We moved from Laurelton in 1970 and I always missed living there.

Lynn Kiely Email Address: kielygrp@valstar.net

Hi Skip, I lived in Laurelton from 1948 to 1967. I am fascinated with the recent Bernie Madoff story and its Laurelton connection. Does anyone know where Bernie lived and went to school? The only Laureltonites I keep up with now are my siblings and a few woman I went to JHS 59 with. The rest are all wonderful memories. Thanks if you know any info about Madoff. I am just very curious because someone said he lived near my house on 229th street and I don't remember him.Thanks,

I just discovered your website and boy what memories are there. I was born at Jamacia Hospital (the one that has been torn down) and raised at 131-66 222nd Street. We were the only Chinese family besides the Chang's who owned the House of Chang on Merrick Blvd and also in Valley Stream. Two doors down was a kid named Bobby who was mentally challenged but was great. He would stand next to a great Maple tree all day long watching us. Next door to me were the Kopetski's and upstairs were the Mauceri's. On the other side were the Grace's and across the street were the Anderson's. On the corner were the Lenihan's. Around the corner were the LoMaglio's (Phyllis, Judy and MaryJane). We all grew up together. Some of us went to St. Mary Magdellan's; the others went to public school. Tragedy did strike the Lenihan's as their oldest daughter Mary Ellen was killed hitchhiking to D.C. back in 1969.

I remember getting the mail at the post office for my Dad every day during the summer. Dad and I used to walk past the bagel store and go to the local pizzeria. 25 cents bought you a slice with soda and then we would go next door for a cherry ice. Don't remember the names of these places but do have those nice memories. Woolworth was my favorite store to do some Xmas shopping and Bohack's supermarket was right on the corner of 222nd Street. There was a funeral parlor right across the street from there too as I recall. My dentist was Dr. Desiderio and his son, Mark went to St. Mary Magdellan's with me. Hope some of the old gang reads this. Please email me. Would love to hear from you.

Pauline Email address: sihyan628@aol.com

Hello Skip;

I'd like to share my Laurelton Experience

I grew up on 217 and 131st ave, about 1/2 block off Springfield Blvd. My phone number was LA7-7487. I went to St. Mary Madeline Catholic School until they shut their doors in '73. I then went to p.s. 132 but after getting into a few scuffles, my mother had me and my brothers bussed to p.s. 188 in Kingsbury. I then attended JHS 172 then Martin Van Buren in Queens Village where I graduated in '84.

I do recall going to the movie house in Merrick Road many times. My parents would drop us off on Sat afternoon I think so they can spend some time alone. The major feature would be preempted with a Bug Bunny cartoon. I can't remember all the movies but Willard (yuck) and Jaws is what sticks out the most.

I recall Twin Ponds bakery. The candy store on Merrick road where we would get candy necklaces and whistle pops, Keyfood on 225 and Merrick, the bike shop, Ridgewood Savings bank on 229 (I think) where I had my very first, passbook savings account, and Woolworth five and dime are the places I recall the most. I've always loved to walk and made many foot trips to Green Acres, Woolworth's, the movies and friends homes. Today I live in FL and unfortunately the only walking around here is from the front door to the car or for leisure.

A dark moment in Laurelton;

I was wondering if anyone knew an African American paperboy in Laurelton named Ricky, (don't know his last name). He was about 11 or 12 in 1972 when he was hit by a car while riding his bike to deliver papers. He used to hang around my older brothers and of all their friends, was the nicest to me. I was very young and although I really liked him, I didn't know too much about him. I was wondering if anyone here also knew of him or kept in touch with his family. Any information would be great.

Does anyone recall, the O'Leary's (John, Rose, Teresa, Cathleen and Timmy) the Vetirosa's (sp?), (Annette, Diane, Billy), Nepaletano's (Kevin, Frances, Kathleen, Danny, David), Linda Taylor, or the O'Mara's?

It's great walking down memory lane.

Carolyn Gallagher Email Address: sohoyank@yahoo.com

HI Skip,

I came to the Laurelton sight just by chance and enjoyed very much reading about the beautiful town. I work in Valley Stream and often pass through Laurelton and Rosedale. My dad, Ray, opened Dairy Mart, at 230-04 Merrick Blvd in December 1952, (LA 8-9557). It was between 230th Street and Francis Lewis Blvd, second store from the corner of 230th. The dairy and appetizing store had the best pickled lox and catering in town. My dad even candled his own eggs in the back room for a long time. There were two great high school students working for him over the years...Marsha and Moose (Ronnie).Those two taught me how to run the register and from time to time I helped out in the store. It was always fun.
Dad and Shep used to buy overstock containers to pack their appetizing in. I remember one time a customer asking for some more of the delicious pineapple ice cream, that turned out to be frozen potato salad.

Dad stayed there for over 10 years and then moved on, but made some everlasting friends. His partner at that time was Sheppy who stayed in the Laurelton location for a while longer until he was held up and robbed. He later closed Dairy Mart to open Sheppy's of Merrick. By the way, the Dairy Mart name was never changed to Sheppy's.

The store next door to Dairy Mart was Utopia Kosher Meats, and there was a Paint store directly next door on the other side, right on the corner, for awhile.

You have my permission to contact me and include this in the Laurelton sight, if interested.

Judy Email Address: JudyS618@aol.com

Many thanks for your kind words about my memoir. I have been reading all the Laurelton web sites with much pleasure and I think I can add some information to some of the queries about the Laurelton movie theater. I moved to Laurelton in 1931 when I was 10 years old. At that time my parents did not think I was old enough to go to the movies. (How things have changed!) I began to go to Saturday matinees (double feature, cartoons, and a "chapter") when I was 13 (1933-1934) so the date 1932 for the building of the theater may very well be correct. The admission price was ten cents. There was never an organ (only fancy palaces like the Valencia in Jamaica had organs), there was always a "matron" in a white uniform to keep order, there was a small stage behind the screen (my sister Sena vouches for this), and you could stay all day and watch the whole program over again if your mother didn't send somebody to get you out of there!

The Laurelton Theatre was already known to us as "the Itch" and I would like to say something about that. Like many slang terms the origin of this usage
is unknown, so people make up plausible explanations (like the programs were so long you were itching to get out, etc) which then become what language scholars call "folk etymology." I have not been able to find out anything about this usage from any of the sources I presently have available to me. If someone does know of a slang dictionary or a book of English usage that has some information I would be really happy to know of it (English is my
hobby, as you have probably already figured out).

Laurelton was not the only theatre to be known by that name. It was part of a chain of small neighborhood theaters in Queens and Nassau County, some of whom were also known as "the Itch." I was once visiting a small town in upstate New York and heard someone refer to their neighborhood theater as
"the Itch," so apparently it is (or was) a slang term for any small neighborhood theater, used to distinguish it from any large, expensive movie palace.

And now for the good stuff! The OWNERS of the Laurelton Theatre and the chain of which it was a part LIVED IN LAURELTON. They were two families
named Kerner and Baker; I believe they were brothers-in-law. I did not know them personally, but I did know their three handsome sons, Marvin and Arnold Kerner and Stewart (Stewie) Baker, who were local heart throbs not only because of their good looks but because of the ineffable glamour of their
"Hollywood" connection and also because if you were good friends of theirs they could get you into "the Itch" for free! Sadly, that never happened to
me.

Annette Landau Email Address: ahlandau@dslextreme.com

Thank you so much for the Laurelton page! I went to P.S. 156 from 1962-1965 for the 4,5 and 6th grades. I've happily reconnected with one classmate
and would welcome hearing from others who had Mrs. Schwartz, Miss Trustey and Mrs. Parver.

This is truly a wonderful website. Thank you Skip. My memories of Laurelton (156 class of '63?) include many of those already mentioned. I lived a few houses behind Stanley's (230th and 133rd) and remember well the store, "Stanley" and the fire.

In perusing the memories already posted I did not find any about "Twin Ponds." I remember going with my friends "fishing" at Twin Ponds - a ridiculous notion since no fish could possibly live in these fetid waters. However that did not stop us. We took crude fishing poles (bamboo sticks with some string and a wire hook) but did not use bait since there was nothing to catch. We sat and waited for what I do not know. Eventually we "caught" up some weeds from the bottom of the pond, called it a great catch and walked home.

Also, no one ever mentioned Schultzie's candy store on 228th and Merrick or the candy/malt shop at Francis Lewis and Merrick. Was that Dave and somethings? Burt and Dave's maybe? Help me someone!

I have a fifth grade class picture circa 1961 of Ms Miller's class at 156. I will dig it out and submit it to you for inclusion on the site.

Keep up the great work.

Art Weiss (AJHS '68) Email Address: weiss60@msn.com

My name is Larry Schwarz and I live in South Jordan, Utah( a bedroom suburb of salt lake city) I just discovered the Laurelton website. I lived in Laurelton as a very young boy from birth in 1952 to fall 1958. We lived at 130-28 229th street. I have very fond memories of those years. The house we lived in was actually owned by my grandmother. As my grandmother was getting ill in the late 1950s she sold the house as she needed the money for her care. My parents wanted a house of their own so we moved to North Woodmere.

I remember Woolworths, Raabs lunchonette, The jewish deli, Schultzes candy store, Marders pharmacy, Teddys lunchonette. Many memories. My grandmother was Elizabeth Urdang, and my parents were Charles and Geraldine Schwarz. I don't know if these names ring a bell. On a recent trip to New York I rented a car and drove down 229th street. Laurelton is still a very well kept up neighborhood.

I would like to help, share my memories with others. If there is a reunion I would try to fly in for it. I also remember a little ice cream stand at the corner of Merrick rd and the cross Island. I think it was actually in Rosedale. My father took my brother and I there for ice cream often. It was loud as it was right under the landing approach to Idewild ( now known as jfk).

Please let me know if I can do anything. Finding that website, what a pleasant stroll down memory lane. By the way, is it possible somehow to go into the house at 130-28 229th street ( with current owners permission of course) I would love to see the house again. I have very vivid memories still and even after all these years could describe the layout of the house. Best Regards,

If you ever decide to have a contest for the oldest memoirs I am probably in danger of winning it. My name is Annette Henkin Landau. I moved to Laurelton in 1931 when I was 10 years old. (All you geniuses from PS 156 can do the arithmetic yourselves.) I lived at 226-31 Mentone Ave. with my parents (Ben and Bess Henkin) and my siblings, Howard and Sena (now Blatman). Our cousins, the Goldbergs (Lenore, Irwin, Joel) lived next door. Our houses were (and still are) attached to each other but not to anyone else. We all went to PS 156. I remember the Principal, Mr.Joseph Baron, Mrs.Hedderman, Mrs. McArthur, Mrs. Weinberger, Mrs.David, Ms.Vaillant, Ms. Mulhall, Ms. Merriam, & the Domestic Science teacher, Ms.McKay. I graduated in 1933, went to Jamaica H.S. (Andrew Jackson did not yet exist), and graduated in the first graduating class of Queens College in 1941. I grew up to be an English teacher, a librarian, a sometimes published writer, and a mother of three.

I married Philip Landau in 1942. He lived at 227-04 138th Ave., went to Far Rockaway High School and NYU. He died in 1987 after having famously managed he Sherry-Netherland Hotel in Manhattan for 35 years.

Some time in the 1980's New York magazine ran a contest about growing up in New York neighborhoods. I submitted an article called "Growing Up American: Laurelton in the 1930's." It got an honorable mention. I always thought I had had a magical childhood in Laurelton (I am so pleased that so many other Laureltonians did too), and I still like the article, so I am attaching it
to this letter in hopes that you won't think it too long for the Laurelton website. (It runs about 6 pages, but it does concern material that seems not to have appeared before.)

I moved to California a few months ago and would be happy to hear from Laureltonians past, present, and future.

I came to the Laurelton site just by chance and enjoyed very much reading about the beautiful town. My dad, Ray, opened Dairy Mart, at 230-04 Merrick Blvd about December 1952. It was between 230th Street and Francis Lewis Blvd. The dairy and appetizing store had the best pickled lox, herring and catering in town. My dad even candled his own eggs in the back room for a long time. Dad stayed there for over 10 years and then moved on, but made some everlasting friends. His partner at that time was Sheppy who stayed in the Laurelton location for a while longer until he opened Sheppy's of Merrick. The store next door to Dairy Mart was Utopia Kosher Meats, and there was a Paint store next door on the corner of Merrick and 230th Street, for awhile. I lived and still work in Valley Stream. I often run into friends and keep in touch with family who grew up and remember Laurelton and will be delighted to visit this website.

Judy Email Address: JudyS618@aol.com

I am a Laurelton girl from the 50s. Actually my parents moved to Laurelton in1946 when I was one year old. I have a younger sister named Andrea. We lived at 130-12 220th street. Our phone no. was LA 5-3331. We went to PS132. Lots of kids went to 132 from Laurelton. But we were from the edge of Laurelton, not the middle like most of the other bloggers. I remember Mrs. Flinker the principal. My teachers were Mrs. Shapiro, Mrs. Fleck, Mrs. Barruco, Mrs. Powell, Mrs. Donahue and Mrs. Hart who shared my fourth grade year because Mrs. Donahue went on a lengthy well earned vacation. My favorite of all was Mrs. Ganz, my fifth grade teacher. She must be a bright light on the other side of the veil because she loved us all so much.

My class was the first to ever go to JHS 59 as seventh graders. We spent the first quarter of that school year at PS 132 and then we were moved into the brand new school. Does anyone remember Mr. Haber? He was the girls' heartthrob. I also loved Mr. Austern, Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Ross who was energetic and funny and made history come alive. My mom sent me to The Mary Louis Academy after 59 because she was afraid that I was too shy for Andrew Jackson.

Okay so here were the Merrick Rd. stores from my end of Laurelton. We had Bob's delicatessen with the best potato salad I ever ate. Our pharmacy was Nemo's which had a cubbyhole in it where your taxes could be paid. We had a little bitty Bohack, a butcher in a separate building, a Chinese laundry and a candy store where we bought birthday presents and our school supplies.

Someone said there was no Catholic church in Laurelton. On our end, we went to St. Mary Magdalene. Was that not considered Laurelton? That's where we made our communion and were confirmed. Indeed, most of my classmates were Jewish so on the Jewish holidays, there were only three or four kids in each classroom. Shortly after, the Jewish fall holidays were made into school holidays which made a lot of sense.

My friends on our end were Linda and Sheila Heifetz, Patricia and Anna Mary Mechella, Geraldine Hertzberg, Lynn and Barbara Hochman, Kenneth Messina and Cynthia Brody. I knew Steven Taub and his sister Linda but they moved in the second wave. The Girardi boys were Charlie and Freddy. Carol Ann Smiley and her brother Johnny lived nearby. Diane DiPaolo and her big sister Marie Ann lived across the street.

Funny how I can remember things from long ago but I can't remember where my glasses are today. Blessings and good luck to all the wonderful people of Laurelton. I live in Las Cruces, New Mexico now, where the streets have names, not numbers, and the kids never go outside to play.

Hello,

I'm Arthur Goldstein (Otto). I lived at 130-58 226 St, attended PS 156; Yes, Mrs. Wenhold, Tom Ryan, etc. I went to AJHS for 2 years and waS asked to leave. I ended up at Far Rockaway High School and graduated with the Class of 1954. I went on to Texas Western College to play football. Then I transfered to Colorado State and graduated in 1958.

I live in Commack, New York and Tamarac, Florida. I'm still in touch with some of the Laurelton group; Bob Yaffee, Len Wasserman, Irv Wein, Len Satnick. Where are all the others? (In Florida?) Please contact me.

Arthur Goldstein Email Address: agolds1581@aol.com

Hey all, just wanted to share some more good thoughts. I had a few different circles of friends that I moved with; the jocks who all played basketball day and night in the park (PS 156 schoolyard) and at Mitchell Gentilella's house in his driveway. Alot of people hung out there although poor Mitch was the brunt of many cruel jokes those days (he always wore black pants and a white t-shirt...kinda strange). Gene "duba" Rubin, Scott Rotter, Hank Greenburg, Jane Hochman (who I had a crush on for years...but then who didn't!), Scott...Stanley's uncle (the retarded older guy who stared at people but would never hurt a fly) More names than I can remember I'm sure.

I also would go "across the bridge" into Rosedale where I had another set of friends. Kevin Peterson, (who I played in a garage band with), Martha Corrado, Felix Gaglia, and a bunch more. I wont name all the Rosedale crowd because after all, this is the Laurelton Site!

One thing I always appreciated was growing up where the neighborhood was a melting pot as the years went on. Moving from Brooklyn as a young kid, Laurelton was one complexion for many years. After it began to change and expand, I always felt comfortable. It was home no matter what, right? I carry that with me to this day. Anyway, I'll cut it short for today but..."I'll be back"!

How nice to learn of the Laurelton Web site. Here is vintage Laurelton information going way back in time. I am Chickie Stein Evans, my brother is William George Stein, known then as George. We both graduated Far Rockaway High school, me in Jan. of 1949 and my brother George in 1950. Our parents moved to Laurelton about 1927. They were pioneers in that new town. Our father, Dr. William Stein was the first and only Dr. in town until he was drafted into the army in 1942. For the duration of the war we lived in Texas and Arkansas returning to Laurelton after the armistice. Dr. Stein or Dr. Bill as he at times was known with his wife Charlotte first opened his office on Merrick Road and 230th St., in the only professional building at the time built about 1929. In that small medical building there was an Optometrist Dr. George Coon (daughters, Gloria and Zelda) and a Dentist Dr. Murray Charnoff.(daughters Lois and ?) Our family lived in the corner house on 229th street and 130th Ave until 1963. It was at that time Dr. Stein suffered a heart attack and moved to Miami Florida where he lived 11 more years. Our mother Charlotte Stein worked in his office as secretary and nurse for the entire time he was practicing. She passed away in Miami in 1987.

Laurelton then, was like living in paradise. We had the first T.V. set in town purchased in l942. It was a very small box, with a T.V. program sent on a penny postcard weekly or monthly. The programming consisted of boxing, and our living room was packed with viewers for each showing. Most of the early day memories are similar to those mentioned on the site. However two outstanding happenings have not been noted. One was the tragic death of a school friend who was sucked under the LIRR train as we waited for the train to take us to Far Rockaway High School. We were about 15 at the time. It was a horrible thing to witness and to this day I have a phobia of trains.

The other, much earlier in time was the unforgettable and once in a lifetime event of the Block Party on 229th Street in 1942. Tommy Dorsey and his band along with Dinah Shore and a relatively unknown singer from Hoboken, New Jersey named Frank Sinatra, were there to entertain the hundreds of soldiers for whom this party was given; the purpose being to sell war bonds. We remember Frank Sinatra coming over to our house and playing pool in our basement. Each home set up tables outside and dinner was served to each soldier. We had the honor of feeding the entire band and entertainers. What a day that was.

I remember the dancing in the street and wonderful music as if it were yesterday. If there is anyone out there with memories of that time or the Stein family? There are many people I would love to touch base with. Especially close friends of the time and those who lived on my street. You know who you are. Please contact Chickie STEIN Evans Email address: jochik@aol.com

I cannot tell you the pleasure I got when I tripped over this website. I bet you read that a lot! My name is Charles Weinblatt and I lived at 228-10 138th Ave. for about 20 yrs. ('62-82). Right around the corner from the schoolyard, or what my gang called the park.

I attended PS 156, IS 59, and SGHS for 2 yrs. I left SGHS at age 16 in '75. I was somewhat of a rough kid and had a basketball jones and hung around with the likes of Scott Rodder, Gene "duba" Rubin, Ray "the dog" Domian and some other characters as well. I will spare naming them in this post. I used to spend time hanging out in front of Sal's Candy Store on Merrick Blvd (not sure of the street, 229th maybe?) and playing ball day and night in the park.

I will break into this community gently so I will end my first thoughts here. More to come, you can count on it! Thanks for putting this blog up. I have my own as well; "copspeak.blogspot.com". Different from this but still just blogging! Be well.

Hi Skip,

Well, where to begin...My name is Lee Miller and I lived in Laurelton (130-29 229th St.) from 1933 until I married Phil Kagan - formerly Cohen in 1952. I was in the P.S. 156 class of '46, then went to Far Rockaway High for one year. The last 3 years at a girls boarding school in PA.

My brothers, Marvin, class of '39 (deceased in 1993 ) and Ira, class of '44 also went to P.S. 156. Ira is a retired Dr.

Memories...I still am friends with Dee Laurie and Chickie Stein (her Dad was Dr. Stein) I would love to hear from so many childhood friends:

Stanley Seidel (sp?), Stuart Stein, Iris Weinbaum, Babe Fine, Ruth and Joannie Greenberg, Chester Schapiro, Anita and Marlene Vos, Rosalie Kiernan (sp?)

Do you remember -
The spinach farm?
The playground on the Cross Island Pkwy?
King Kullen?
The sand lots at the end of 229th St.?
The tire swing near the cemetery?
The haunted houses?

And, on and on. Memories...

I was born Burton Goldreyer in 1934. My parents, Sylvia and Lou Goldreyer moved from Brooklyn to Rosedale in about 1938. My brother Jerry and I lived at 243-07 130th Rd. for the next 16 years until we married and moved out. I spent most of my leisure time in Laurelton as I grew up. I went to P.S.38 in Rosedale and was thrilled to see someone who mentioned the very tough 8th grade teacher Justina B. Murphy.

I was among about 5% of the Rosedale students who were Jewish. There were three Jews in my class in grade school and they were all named Burton! Burton Chertok (Buzzy), Burton Goldreyer (Butch) and Burton Tucker. Burt Tucker had no nickname but he was a great drop kicker! Other names I remember from grade school were Danny Proctor& Danny Reese. I graduated P.S.38 in Jan. 1948 and went right to the LIRR and Far Rockaway High School. I was Bar Mitzvahed by Rabbi Teplitz in the LJC and joined SKN and remember very well all my friends from Laurelton. A year or two ahead of me in SKN was Herbie Frommer and the unbelievably funny Teddy Watt. Teddy was a great athlete and our SKN softball team was always very happy when he came to the plate. Some of my other friends from Laurelton included Dave Cherin, Sandy Smitt, Seymour Kaufman, Donny Bachman. If any of these people read this letter I'd love to hear from them.

Sandy Smitt and I lived at the basketball courts at P.S.156 and we also played our softball games there. I was on the other side of the Twin Ponds and walked or rode my bike about ten miles a day to get where I wanted to go. I remember the "Itch" and the main street of Merrick Rd. very well. By the way someone mentioned Brookdale Park. It wasn't Brookdale Park it was Brookville park. The Twin Ponds were pretty gross even when I was a kid and if you stepped foot in them you'd probably cut your foot on a broken bottle.

During World War II we were young enough to believe the movies that war was fun and we spent many an afternoon playing war on our porch in between games of stickball and three feet to Germany take.

Laurelton had a real small town feel to it in those days and the memories are great. After Far Rockaway I went to Queens College (Where I met my wife of over 52 years) and then on to City College living at home and commuting to College. I graduated from CCNY as a Mechanical Engineer, got my Masters from Columbia University married in 1956, had 4 kids (and now 6 grandchildren and one on the way) had a good career as one of the largest Mechanical Contractors in New York and recently retired in Glen Cove. I'd love to hear from anyone that remembers me from those years in Laurelton.

Burt Reyer (formerly known as Butch Goldreyer) E-Mail Addressa: papaburt@aol.com

Dear fellow Laureltonites and ex-Laureltonites,

It's really awesome to find this website. I've read just about every posting here and have been flooded with more Laurelton memories than I knew I still had in me. My family and I lived at 131-45 227th street between 1964 and the first week of 1970. I can't believe I still remember our old phone number, LA7-1489. Yes, phone numbers started with two letters back then and most families had just one phone. I was 5 when we moved there and 11 when we left, so some critical growing up years were spent in Laurelton.

My best friends were Mark Rappaport, Dave Kerzner and Robert Shless. All three lived on 227th. I still have vivid memories of walking to PS 132 every morning along 131st Ave. Then, walking home for lunch (and watching Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons on channel 11), then schlepping all the way back to school. Can you imagine any kid doing all that walking today?? Other names of kids in school were Barbara Guttmann, Marcy something or other......, a girl named Anique, Bennet Dressler.....

I still have some of my class photos from those years. As I recall, I had Mrs. Middlemiss for 2nd grade, (I've never met anyone else with that last name again!),
Mrs Friedman for 3rd, Mrs Kerner for 4th and I can't remember who it was for fifth although I can still picture her face and her white hair.

I DO, however, have very vivid memories of Mr. Moses, the school's vice principle. He absolutely terrified me! He had a real tough-guy presence and I had an instinctive fear of him. Somehow, he found out about this and arranged a meeting with me. I thought I was going to pee in my pants! The dreaded Mr. Moses and I alone in his office! Yikes! Well, we talked for quite a while and he explained that there was absolutely no reason to be afraid of him - as long as I behaved, that is. After this chat, every time he passed me in the school yard, he would give me a knowing wink or a smile. It was very cool to have this personal connection with someone I previously dreaded for years.

Some of my favorite memories from those times are of biking around the neighborhood. I used to bike all over - sometimes going as far south as the border of JFK airport, where there was a hole in the chain-link fence so I could take my bike through and zoom around the JFK parking lots, weaving in and around rows of parked cars (any one of which would now be a desirable classic).

Brookville park was another favorite place to bike to. I remember that a kid drowned in one of the lakes around '66 or '67, which gave the park a kind of haunted feeling for me. Other places I would bike to were Stanley's on Merrick Blvd. Stanley's had an amazing array of stuff which appealed to grade school kids. This is were I bought all my baseball cards, Monkees cards, Batman cards, Munsters cards, those spooky "Is It True?" cards, bubble gum, candy, all sorts of car models, Pinkie handballs and the occasional Hot Wheel. (which I still collect, by the way).

When Wham-O brought out the first Superballs, Stanley's had them! They came only in black and had a little "atomic" logo molded into them. This was also were I bought my first Magic Markers when they were a brand new item. Also, I used to buy "pastels" at Stanley's. Pastels were soft, colored sticks you could draw with.

I remember the supermarkets on Merrick Blvd very well. There was the Key Food, Bohak's, the A&P (with sawdust sprinkled on the floor that gave it a woody smell) and my favorite, the Good Food store. The Good Food was run by German Jews who had concentration camp numbers tattooed on their arms. I remember asking my parents about the tattoos because I didn't know what they were at first. This is how I learned of the Holocaust.

Very close to the Good Food was Woolworth's. Filled with every kind of bric-a-brac imaginable, I used to enjoy browsing the aisles searching for hidden goodies and treasures.

My friends and I used to bike to the Laurelton library (225th street?) on the other side of Merrick Blvd. In third grade (1966) we discovered a large unabridged dictionary and would leaf through it looking for curse words. Inevitably, one of the librarians would tell us in no uncertain terms to leave as we giggled all the way to the door.

On Sundays, my parents would often take us to the Laurelton theater. We would walk there from our house on 227th. As I recall, they used to show old Warner Brothers cartoons and family-friendly movies on the weekends. I think we saw every Disney film ever produced in the 1960s at that theater. "Herbie, The Love Bug" and "The Jungle Book were faves.

I had my very first Big Mac in 1967, when McDonald's opened a franchise on Merrick Road, just over the city line in Valley Stream. It cost 35 cents. Amazing! The early McDonalds had no seating, so the whole family ate sitting in my dad's aging 1953 Pontiac Chieftain in the parking lot munching on this greasy but delicious food.

One of my most vivid memories took place on a warm spring day in 1968, when I was in fourth grade. I walked to PS 132 like any other day and was hanging out with some friends by the little stairway from the street to the schoolyard. I noticed immediately that everybody was acting strangely. No kids were playing on the schoolyard and everyone seemed really downcast. Some of the girls were actually crying. I asked somebody what was going on and they replied that "Kennedy was shot". I thought that was rather odd since Kennedy was shot years ago. Why was everybody so upset about it now? Somebody filled me in that John Kennedy had a brother, Robert, who was assassinated last night in Los Angeles. Oh, man! First King, then this. 1968 was such a year of turmoil.

Another PS 132 memory was the teacher's strike of 1968, It lasted for weeks and we had to sit in the library and read books and magazines while Albert Shanker negotiated a settlement with the city. Every now and then, somebody would bring in some colored paper and that sweet-smelling
white school glue so we could create collages. It was one of the most BORING times of my life!

Well, enough memories for now. Hope my ramblings have stirred up a few Laurelton reminiscences for you, too.

Sincerely,

Andy Bologowsky Email Address: andybologovsky@optonline.net

...great website. My name is Eric Brown. I lived at 130-11 229th St. and I graduated PS 156 in 1965 (Mr. Lustig) . I went to JHS 59 for a year, and then moved to Forest Hills. About 5-10 years ago, I was in touch for a short time with Richard Grabonic, Barbara Frey, Bonnie Mayo, Paul Colte, Mitchel Boxer and Michael Blumburg. I am recently in touch with Marc Ponoman, Bonnie Ackerman, Ronnie Jacobs, and Meri Goodman. I am always in touch with Alan Trottner, Barbara Klugsberg, and Howie Spero. So... lets have a reunion. Anyone up for it?????

Eric Email Address: Kidinvs@aol.com

I just Googled someone I went to PS 176 with, and I found his name in a Laurelton web site. How can I post my name there too?

My name is Sharon Swerdlow. I went to PS 176 from kindergarten until sixth grade. I was fiftenn years old when my parents moved us away from Laurelton in 1965. I had the most wonderful friends there, and I'd love to connect with them again. I lived in Laurelton, on 235th Street, from 1955, when I was five, until 1965 when I was fifteen.

After PS 176, I went to JHS 59, and then just as I was ready for Andrew Jackson High School, my parents moved us away, into Astoria, NY, where I now still live.

But I didn't just stay in Astoria. I moved to Los Angeles for over ten years, and I have two grown children who were born in Los Angeles. My husband died in 1990.

Now, I've been a physical therapist for over thirty years, and I work in NYC public schools as a physical therapist. I have six very small dogs (a family of husband, wife, and kids), and a house in Astoria, but oh, how I still do miss my house and my friends from Laurelton.

Thank you for your web site. I am so happy there is a way to re find all my old friends and class mates from "my first Alma Mater", and from the best neighborhood I ever lived in - Laurelton!

Sincerely,

Sharon Swerdlow Email Address: conradkitty@aol.com

Hi Skip. Tripped on your site, and was delighted to find it! We were earlier residents than most here, my father bought the house at 133-30 222nd St just after returning from service in the US Army in 1945, and it was my first home, having been brought from the hospital (Springfield Sanitarium) to the new home. We lived on the corner of Merrick Road and 222nd. I went to P.S. 132 when Mrs. Flinker was principal and I will have to sit and ponder, I might remember some other names as well, other than she and Mrs. Baroucho (sp?)

My best friend was Marion Edelson but I haven't seen her since we moved to Baldwin L. I. in 1956. I remember Dr. Friedlander and Dr. Berlin, was a constant patron of the library, reading every horse and dog story on the shelves. I used to go in the alley behind the bagel bakery where the employees would toss bagels at us, I haven't had as good a bagel since!

My maiden name is McComb, and I would love to hear from someone who remembers me from the old hood, where, I have to agree, I spent a magical childhood, even though I didn't know it at the time. I didn't live there a heck of a long time, but I have a lot of memories. I now live in Old Town, Florida.

Hi Skip

Thanks for the opportunity to keep the memories of Laurelton alive. My name is Michael Rauch, and along with an older brother Neil, and sister Linda, lived at 138-32 229th street. What a great place to grow up... There are so many things I continue to remember to this day.

I remember some of my closes friends at the time were David Zuber, Andy Krugman, David Abrams, Gary Sass, Robert Ehrlich, Michael Moskowitz, Gary Eisenberg, Scott Chroman, Eric Alperin to name a few.

I remember walking to Mentone Avenue, which the last time I saw it became small townhouses. There the gang would go to the candy store, get a haircut or walk the railroad tracks and leave a penny on the rail. Smart move! One could always be assured that by simply walking the streets around town, one would always find a friend or two to strike up a game of stick ball, hide and seek, stoop ball, or kick the can. It was truly a town where everybody knew your name.

I remember walking to PS 156 as my home was only a few short blocks away. I remember climbing over the fence on the weekends if locked right by Randy Wasoff's house... right across from David Zuber's house, the one with the big dog King (?). We would play endless hours of basketball, if my brother Neil’s and his friends didn't claim first dibbs, stick ball or Frisbee. Then there were countless hours of touch football in front of David Abrams house complete with hash marks on the ground and rows of cars that somehow never got smashed by the balls or us. I remember the day of JFK's assassination when a dark cloud came over 156 and we were all dismissed with a brief explanation and sad faces abound.

I also remember all the days and nights spent at the Laurelton Jewish Center with many times centered around playing basketball at Mike Moskowitz's homemade hoop and many a game of ball on the pumas and salients.... I actually had a couple of pretty good years when I wasn't trying to keep up with David Abrams and Eric Alperin. I remember spending the high holidays at the LJC which really became an opportunity to spend much of the day on the steps with good friends.

Then there was Merrick Road...something for everyone. I remember the service station where I would ride (229th street) to put air in my bicycle tires. Or go to Woolworths where I can still smell the sawdust on the floor… or going to the pizza place, the movie theater, Stanley’s or the House of Chang ( I always preferred the one at Green Acres better!) I remember walking home from my orthodontists appointments to stop at Chicken Delight for an incredible bag of French fries. I also remember spending many a day at McDonalds and watch the sign show over 1 million hamburgers served. Or riding my bike to Green Acres and sharing numerous days at the bowling alley or pizza place where I could probably eat four to five Sicilian slices.

Then there were the school days. From Mrs. Gyves’ wedding, had a crush on her to typing classes in ’59, to the eraser machine in the basement of 156 to movies and assemblies in 156, to being on the school newspaper the echo at 59, to walking a mile or two (seemed like more) to catch a bus to go to Springfield Gardens High School (and our kids complain now??? ) , to the Laurelton Little League (did I ever hate dropping balls in right field), and lets not forget Halloween, a night that never seemed to end. I even remember being on the SGHS golf team, though I think I was chosen as the fifth man on cause we simply needed another guy; got to watch Eric Halperin hit some pretty damn good shots at Messina Golf Course. And of course there was IG5 and SP2 where we all skipped 8th grade and went directly to 9th. Not the greatest move looking back as I graduated much younger than most but we all stuck together and had a pretty good time. Perhaps someone will read this and let me know if you the 1974 yearbook to SGHS, I would love to copy it as mine is long since gone.

In 2006, about 30 of us from the Laurelton Years had a terrific reunion in Manhattan organized by David Abrams, Andy Krugman, Mindy Chozick to name a few. It was a great time seeing old friends like David Zuber, Mike Moskowitz, Gary Eisenberg, Mona Rosenberg, Lori and Mindy Chozick, Susan Feilich, Wendy Spero, Robin Baruch, Laura Glass, Scott Chroman, Andre Kloetz, Alan Gallay and many, many more. It was as if time stood still for a few hours and we all reminisced as it we had just seen each other a few days ago, with a few pounds and wrinkles put on, but I thought we all looked pretty darn good. Perhaps that follow up trip or reunion will take fire once again. Regardless, I had a great time and it was a lot of fun to get together once again after so many years.

So… to all of us who knew Laurelton, grew up on its streets and look back with fond memories, it was a great place to call home.

Thanks for the memories…. Keep in touch!

Michael Rauch Email Address: dr.michaelrauch@verizon.net

Skip, please post the following on your website:

I am very fond of this website, having moved to Laurelton in 1967 as a baby and growing up there through the 70's. I attended P.S. 156 for my entire elementary school education and graduated in 1978.

I read the post by Denise from January 3, 2008 and just wanted to let you know that she made an error when she posted that Ms. Talish had died of cancer. Ms. Talish was my 6th grade teacher. Ms. Talish is alive and well because I have communicated with her via email. In fact, I just received an email from her this morning. She is 61 years old now and retired from teaching in 2002.

Janice Jackson Email Address: jajack2000@yahoo.com

Thank you for this site, I came across it quite by accident.. Today is my Father's Yeurzeit.. it's 30 years since he passed away and I was feeling nostalgic and started Googling.. and here you were.. I've read most of the blogs but I'm older than most of the others. My family were truly pioneers to the FAR AWay land of Queens..I was one year old in 1939 when we moved from Brooklyn to Laurelton to a rented house on 224 th street one ave off merrick Rd. ( 133 or 134) My brother started school at PS132. The houses were attached and had brick stoops.. they sat up on small hills. Our neighbors were the Burdicks ( Joe and ?) and their two daughters Marilyn and ?. (I want to say Nancy) . Joe was a builder and was building homes on the belt parkway service rd. known as Laurelton parkway.. he was building up between 130-131 avenues. He wanted to sell houses..

But before that.. I live in the attached house from ages 1-almost 3 and today I could draw you a sketch of the layout as it was then. I remember a friend Bobby Schindler who lived closer to Merrick Rd on the Avenue.. In May of 1941 we moved into one of Joes houses on the Plush Parkway street.. The house cost $7,500 and required a down payment of $300.. My dad didn't have $300 dollars so "Joe paid it because he could sell better if people were buying there .. He had a BIG house at the beginning of the street. The other original owners were the Kissels ( son Jay) Nadels ( two daughters one much older than any of us and the younger one was Regina) Pollack, Nat and Sylvia ( three daughters Nancy, Barbara and Cynthia) and the last house was the Miller's John (from England) and Belle and two children Donald and Susan.. Our house was 130-28 and was between the Kissel's and Nadels. My dad was very active in the Laurelton Jewish Center from the inception and went up the ranks until he became VP but reneged on the Presidency because it would interfere with playing golf. We were good friends of Rabbi Teplitz, & Cantor Kleinberg. The kids on our side of town from the Parkway up to about 320 ave went to PS 38 in Rosedale. So that limited my knowing a lot of the kids from 156.. but many of us met up during the years of Far Rockaway High School.

At PS38 we had smaller classes.. From 236th street I remember Jay Raab brother Kenny, Susan Katz, brothers Jerry and Lanny, David Mencher brother Bart and sister Harriet. Jimmy Quinlin, his father was a policeman and whenever we played with fire in the empty lots and cook "Mickies"Potatos in the fire or pop corn in a rusted can and I came home smelling of fire my mother would ask, the preverbal question, ""Were You playing with fire"? Not me, I was just watching Jimmy Quinlin, and Francis Gannon, RIGHT!! I used to walk the picket fence that went from my street to their street along the empty lot, or climb on Riva Kaulter Garage roof, which was just behind the fence separating our yards from the ones on the next street, and then jump down.. I remember Halloween when we asked Susan Katz's mother "Trick or Treat" and she said trick.. SO we went to the side of the house and opened the basement window, put the hose through the window and turned it on and left.. She was truly ticked off.. and called our mothers.. my mother's response was, You just should have given them candy.. I remember that Susan's Mom had an old car with a rumble seat and we used to play in it.. one day jerry got into it and released the brake and started rolling down the street.. Regina, the mom, jumped into the car and pulled the brake as we were all running after the car. Today we'd all be in Juvy Hall... then it was Just KIds...

Laurelton was a paradise for families .. kids played outside all day after school, no parents interfered with our games or rules or where we were, Everyone's mother was the same as if she was yours .. You ate wherever anyone offered you lunch, we followed everyone's rules no matter if they were different from your own house. My mother was most permissive, she allowed me to cross the service road at age 3-4 and go to the park abutting the Highway by myself.. with doll carriage, skates, bikes, and never even thought about the dangers.. I didn't like having that much freedom.. It made me feel uncared about.. Proving that children need guidelines.. I was known as the Tom boy.. I once went to school ( 3 rd grade) Mrs. Sturgess wearing a starched plaid dress, two neatly tied braids, cowboy boots and two holsters with cap pistols strapped on.. Mrs. Sturgess asked me if my mother was awake when I left.. she wasn't.. she was only awake long enough to do my hair.. All the accoutrements went on after she went back to sleep..

I remember Twi pond, my first ice skates ( Stanley's Toy store) Rader drugs, Dr william Stein, his wife Charlotte and their children ( much older) Bill JR. and Charlotte( Chickie) House calls $3.00 Office visits $2.00 Dr Stein chain smoked and his fingers were stained from nicotine.. he as a staunch proponent of NO Smoking..

The Casual Shop was a favorite of my mom, Al Korn's boys shop was where my brother got his clothes and Renny Korn taught me to drive.. Lil and Ed's candy store, best selection of cigars and my dad bought me my first risque book called Tom Boy he didn't know what was in it but all the kids knew and we all had the "Bad things" dog eared.. No one mentioned the Buster Brown Shoe Store next to Sharrie's Bakery,, owner was Mrs Kaufman and her sister, Mrs. Kaufman was a widow and her son Seymour was my brother's best friend.. along with kenny winkler, Stewie Waddler, Ira Golden. He lives in Florida in pembroke Pines and is married to Beverly. can't rembmber her maiden name. How about Ellen Seplow, lived across from 156 she's my brother's age.. I have one brother , Junior ( Charles, Charlie) and a foster sister Ruth.. Does anyone remember just after the war when people were asked to take in refugee children from Europe? My parents took in an 11 1/2 year old girl from Vienna.. I was four.. to this day we are still sisters.. she lives in Chicago and has great grand children.. I had friends from ps38 that lived on both sides of the parkway.. helene Chertock, Meryl Petrie whose mother made rag curls in her beautiful blond hair everyday.. I was so jealous.. my hair was brown and kinky.. and my mother hated it so I always felt not pretty.. Helene had a brother Bertrum other wise known as Buzzy.. He made model airplanes from scratch.. with motors..

Marie Pitsios, Mary ann Gallo took me to St Claire's to her catechism class.. She had twin brother and sister.. my first love from the shanty town below 133 ave. was Paddy Dugan in first grade his grand dad walked us to school with his shaleglh.. Does anyone remember the beverage distributor on conduit Ave Bonning Brothers? Gerard was in my class.. Richard Bocchicho wore Buster Brown collared shirts and ties.. he was so handsome. One of the girls in my class was Flora Disadore.. Remember lining up our in the playground and marching into school.. jumping over lunch boxes, playing hand ball, I played with the boys,

In High School we were 17 girls that got together every friday night for a girls night.. Sue Wendroff Denenberg, Marion Ostrower, mom had hot marble cake and was sure we would get something bad when we ate it hot from the oven. , Ruthie Craft, Nancy Brady, Marjore Davis,Carol Fogel, Brenda Tursky, etc.. Too many to remember..

I could go on and on but everyone who grew up there regardless of the year has fond memories.. If anyone knows me contact me..

I saw the Laurelton website - how interesting! I lived at 130-36 226th Street (recently visited the block and spoke with the current homeowner), from about 1961 - 1970. My friends were Maxine Solomon, Helene Wells, Ronnie Kanner and others. Barbara Leventhal, another friend, lived on 227 or 228 Street, and left for Paris after school, where she married and had a child. I'm trying to get in touch with her, but can't find her. Her married name may have been Parmentier. Please post my note, including my email address st32549@hotmail.com, so anyone who wants can get in touch with me.

Susan Tenenbaum Email Address: st32549@hotmail.com

hi skip,

my name is denise. my family moved to springfield gardens in august 1969. my parents still live there, in the big white house near the corner on 139th and springfield boulevard. i remember, our neighbors on one side were the gunthers, and they had a daughter who i thought was so cool! on the other side was the thompsons, whose son tony went on to be the drummer for both chic and the police. across the street was valerie and roy davidson, and down the street was monica hicks, whose brother quentin worked with a singer called shannon who sang let the music play and give me tonight. how funny is it that years later, mrs hicks married mr davidson???

i went to ps 156 from 1969 to 1976, jhs 231 until 1978 and then stuyvesant (the old building) to 1981. one of my teachers there was the infamous frank mccourt, but that's not a laurelton story...

my teachers at 156 were mrs robinson/mrs moore/miss siebel - kindergarten, mrs rose - 1st, mrs brown - 2nd, ms goret - 3rd, mrs hersh - 4th, mrs freeman - 5th and ms talish - 6th. the principals were mr kiley and then mr guss. mr sussman was the mean assistant principal who yelled at everyone.

my best friend up til the 2nd grade was maryke alburg, but she moved away suddenly. until about 2 years ago, i thought she and her family had been kidnapped. we used to walk to school together, but one morning, no one was at her house. because our mothers were also friends, you'd have thought my mom would have known they were moving, but i guess she didn't. anyway, i found maryke last christmas, and found out she had not been kidnapped. we spent about 4 hours catching up, laughing and crying over days long past.

i remember competing with danny pomerantz in the third grade. he was the smartest boy and i couldn't stand it when he got better grades than i did. i also remember that from kindergarten, i was in LOVE with a boy named david spence. however, in the 5th grade, he called me a creature from the vomitland, so it was all over. miss talish was my favorite teacher at 156. she told me that even though i was black, i was the smartest girl she'd ever had in her class, and if i didn't make it, she'd want to know WHY. when i went back to 156 to tell her i'd been accepted at dartmouth college, i was absolutely devastated to learn she'd died of cancer some months earlier.

later my best friend was patricia milanes, who i called paddy. what a pair we were! i remember cherise dyal, renee rubens, maetee jordan - the best female athlete i ever knew, jackie dudley - who is an atty now, andrienne codner and teri arrington, the prettiest girl in class. richard coleman, jay parker (who got shot), roger shelton, chauncey byers, donn lloyd... emil blanco, richard dianna, rachel zupa, cathy mcmahon... and that's only from ps 156.

from the age of 10 until i graduated from high school, i worked as a page at the queensborough public library with mrs thompson the children's librarian, mrs meecham, who had a funny eye. i loved to read, and i used to sometimes take out 6 books at a time. mrs thompson used to give me all the old books - my parents still have some of them moldering in the basement.

when i went to 231, there was this huge deal about "the annex". all the white kids left the main school and went there, i can't remember when. all i remember is that when i started 7/8 SP classes, there were white kids in my class, but before the year was out, there were NONE. there was a guidance counsellor whose name i don't remember, who told me not to apply for the specialized high schools. she said i'd never get in. i can't tell you how gratifying it was that i was one of only 3 who got in, me, kenneth pederson and joanne taylor. only joanne and i went - i don't know what happened to kenneth pederson. jo and i are still friends, and she now lives in westchester county. coincidentally, both our daughters are named cameron taylor, but we never knew until after her cam was born, a year after mine.

despite the fact that most of the people on your site are a bit older, all the stories i read here brought back such good memories. i sat here for HOURS reading them, thinking back to the good old days. isn't it amazing how i can remember the first and last names of mostly ALL the people i went to elementary school with, but can't remember where i put my car keys!

sorry this is so long, but it's also so cathartic - to get this out! there's so much more i remember, names and places, but it would take forever to write. thanks for the wonderful site, and please, keep up the good work!

sincerely,

Hi Skip,

Thanks so much for this extravaganza of a site! I'm Michael Levitt and I lived at 224-15 135th. Avenue. The house was on the corner of 135th. Ave. and 225th. Street. This was 4 houses down from the Laurelton Public Library. Hey...remember Miss Rand?? Anyway, my sister, Carol, who is several years older than I, graduated from Jackson HS. My parents, Fred and Roberta both died many years ago. I went to PS 156, JH 59, and graduated from Springfield Gardens HS. I was in the "first of the first" graduating classes,January, 1968!

So many memories return when reading all the postings. Some of my favorites are Silver's Candy Store (2c strip of candy dots), Wong's Garden (egg rolls), Four Star Bakery (picking up Challah or rye bread), Bar Mitzvah at Temple Beth-El under Rabbi Millstein, (with the Coke machine dispensing the small bottles in the back), playing handball at Mentone Ave. park, ice skating at Twin Ponds during the winter and searching for small fish, there, during the summer. I remember Kenny Lane, and Lew Kestenbaum, living next door to Barbara Carol and the Rudolf family, living across the street from the Diamond's, the Gallay's, Katz's, Meizlich's, and across from the Zipstein's and Abramowitz's.

BTW, if anyone knows the whereabouts of my first best friend, Jerry Diamond, who went to college at Wesleyan (I think), let me know. I'd really like to contact him.

In many ways living in Laurelton in the 50s and 60s, offered a great beginning to us all. I can be reached at: mlevitt4@yahoo.com Best to everyone!!

I just came upon the site by information from my cousin Monroe Weiss. I spent almost 2 consecutive hours reading the wonderful memories from people I knew and many that I did not ever meet. Here is my story:

We moved to Laurelton (130-41 233 Street ) in Sept. of 1938. That was one week after the BIG HURRICANE. I was almost nine my brother Herb was five and my cousins Dorothy was 2 years older than me and Monroe Weiss was 2 years younger.

There was a functioning farm between us an Merrick Road. We used to cut across the farm on our way to school (PS 38 ) in Rosedale. It was such a wonderful time because the great depression was just coming to a close and life seemed so beautiful. But then came Pearl Harbor. As traumatic as that was we still had our school functions like dances and the basketball team at Andrew Jackson. The great Bob Cousey was the star of the team and as you all might know he went on to be a hall of famer.

The names of stores that several people mentioned brought back such memories. I delivered drugs for the Marder Drug store. When I started there he had a soda fountain but soon closed it as he said I ate all the profits.

How about Buster's gas station on Merrick Road. I sometimes worked there part time as did my friend Dick Schreiber, whom I am still very close with. Anyone remember Billy Bernstein, who left school to join the Navy became a gunner on a Navy plane and subsequently moved to the west coast and spent his entire career with the Lawrence Livermore Laboratories working on atomic energy projects.

One of my fondest memories was the semi-pro baseball team that played weekends in Sherwood Oval, a ball park on Merrick and Springfield Blvd. They gave us kids a season pass for the bleachers for the unheard of sum of $ 1 per season. We rode our bikes there,could talk to the players, they didn't ask for money when we asked for their autograph and when the game was over we were allowed to walk on the field. Try that today and you get a night in jail.

Anybody remember Norman Bilsky? He was one our "gang."

That's enough for now as I need to rest and conjure up some more visions of my past. There is lots more to tell and hopefully I will sit down again and do some more reminiscing.

PS: There was a Laurelton reunion last year in So. Florida that I could not attend but I have a list of who was there. Perhaps you might want to communicate with Bob Harrow (our gang ) as he was there. I let him know about this site so maybe he too will contribute.

Kenneth Winkler Email Address: kwink4455@aol.com

As I watched my kids trick or treat when they were young, I was always reminded of my days of trick or treating in Laurelton. Am I mistaken...or were we out for hours on end with pillow cases that were filled with candy? Of course there was soaping and chalking, but I recall all evening walks around the neighborhoods to get as much candy as we could!

Dear Skip,

This is a terrific web page. I lived in Laurelton from 1948 - 1969, graduated from PS 156, JHS 59 and Andrew Jackson High School, class of '63. My address was 139-48 229th Street. I even remember the phone number - LA 8-0736. I still remember the names of my friends in elementary school - Debby Usadi, Maxine Roth, Helen Rothbaum, Zola Stevens and Vicki Kimmel.

My family often ate at Chang's Chinese Restaurant (my brother Rick went to Jackson with Betty Chang), I walked to the Laurelton Public Library, went to Raab's on Merrick Road, and went under the scary underpass by Mentone Avenue to get to the Q5A bus. I think we used to get hamburgers at a place called the Train Depot or something like that where the burgers came around on a track.

I especially remember Halloween. In those days, you were able to go out with your friends after dark to unfamiliar streets and we ate the candy while we were walking around. We didn't worry then.

One great memory of Andrew Jackson was participating in "Sing!" I also remember being in a group called the Choristers in junior high. The director was a man named S. Carroll Buchanan and he was amazing.

I now live in West Islip and hope to read more memories on your web page.

Ilene (Ross) Reynolds Email Address: ilene147@gmail.com

Hi Skip

I was just in Laurelton. Can’t believe how things have changed. I went down 231 street where I lived for many years and the homes are still lovely. Merrick Road, however, is a different story. The great memories (Raabs, drug stores on every block from 228 street to 234 street, the Parkway Diner) prevailed over the reality of what I saw. Sometimes it’s good to live in the past.

Skip, we all appreciate the time and effort you put into maintaining the Laurelton web site. Thank you,

Mark Churchin Email Address: markc@lexusofaustin.com

Skip,

Hey....is anyone out there from 226th Street and 138th Avenue. My family (the Greenhill's) lived there for about 25 years and my brother Billy and I went to PS 156, JHS 59 and AJHS. Our phone number was LA-7-1934. If anyone remembers us please email me.

Louise Greenhill Anderson Email Address: landerson1@cox.net

I'm wondering if there are any people out there who attended P.S. 156 in the late 60's early 70's. I attended the school from K- 5 and then my family moved to great neck, New York. I have lots of fond memories of Laurelton; the library, a neighborhood candy store that was fairly close to my house, riding my bike with the neighborhood kids, looking at the 2 great danes owned by some neighbors down the block, going to the movies and buying pizza and soda all for under $1.00, trick or treating around the neighborhood and many of my teachers at school. I remember a babysitter named Fran ( who lived on my block on the corner), who had a really cool bag made from a pair of old denim jeans and a guitar strap!

I lived at 139-15, 227th St. There was an empty lot across the street from my house with 3 tree stumps where we would play tag. I had Mrs. Robinson for kindergarten, Mrs. Connelly for first grade, Ms. Klein for second grade, Mrs. Carr for third, Mrs. Hirsch for fourth and Mr. Grutman for fifth. I remember the cubbies in kindergarten, the kitchen area with the fruit made out of wood, the empty chlorox bleach containers we had to bring in for our cubbies, and taking naps on blue blankets. I remember the smell of the cafeteria and going down to the basement to clean the erasers from the chalkboards. Dressing up for assemblies on Fridays in blue skirt, white shirt and red bow. Mr. Kiley the school principal who seemed very stern. Not being able to wear pants to school until the latter part of elementary school. Playing piano for the school play and singing Christmas carols in school! Watching the flight into space in the auditorium.

Some of the classmates and neighbors I remember and would love to hear from are Yvette Acevedo, Robin Brooks, Janet McGrath, Philip Broomfield, Mark Verde, Jennifer Gulden, Jeffery Lane and of course all the Lutzkers.

Thanks for hosting this site. I enjoyed reading the memories of people who lived in Laurelton, even if it was before "my time".

Charna Silverman Email Address: vonce@aol.com

Hello Skip,

My name is Cynthia (Cochran) Richardson. I grew up in Laurelton. My family moved to Laurelton from the Bronx in July 1972. I was six years old. I lived at 131-67 232nd Street. My parents still live there today. I attended P.S. 156 from 1972-1978, Tri Community JHS 231 from 1978-1980 and Benjamin Cardozo H.S. from 1980-1984. I have fond memories of living in Laurelton. I remember Mr. Stanly. I use to go to his candy store after school. I can still remember the smell of candy and magazines in his store. He was a very nice man and was like a granddad to me. It saddened me deeply when he was killed and his store was burned.

I remember the Laurelton Movie Theater. I remember the bakery near 234th street. My mom used to buy my birthday cakes there. My favorite cake was the Vanilla with pineapple filling. You can’t find cakes like that anymore at least here in Virginia! I remember Gail’s and Larry’s store on the corner of 234th St. I always thought Gail was kind of mean! But her husband Larry was very nice. I remember the Deli between 231 and 230th St. They made great sandwiches! I remember going to Mrs. Green’s candy store. It was between 233rd and 234th street. Her crazy son use to play tricks on us all the time and the Ice cream store next door had the best Italian Ices.

I would like to know what happened or the where abouts of my teachers at 156. Mr. Guss was the principal; Mr. Sussman was the asst. Principal. He was a tough guy. If he came to your classroom, you had a problem! Ms. Mantasty ( Not sure if spell correctly) was my first grade teacher. I remember how my friends and I would go visit her after school. She lived around the corner from me on 231st street and 130th ave. Mrs. Bagoloff was my second grade teacher, Mrs. Izzo was my third grade teacher and my fourth grade teacher was Mrs. Donahue but she became very ill and had to stop teaching. She was my favorite teacher. Mr. Roth was my 5th grade teacher and Mrs. Gill was my 6th grade teacher. I can remember being Mrs. Robinson’s kindergarten helper. Everybody loved Mrs. Robinson!

My husband Eric is also from Laurelton. He lived 137-03 223rd St. His mother lives there today. He has fond memories of going to the music store on Merrick blvd. Playing basketball at Montebello Park. Buying toys from Mr. Stanley’s store. He attended P.S. 37 from 1973-78, and Tri Community JHS 231 from 78-80, and Art and Design H.S. from 80-84. Do you have any info on P.S. 37? We have so many fine memories and it is so nice to find this site. The pictures are amazing and I’m so impressed with the History of Laurelton. Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to go down memory lane.

Cynthia Email Address: ridge@earthlink.net

A co-worker sent me this link to Laurelton. Your surname sounds very familiar, I recall a Eric Weinstock, who with Hank Simon went to school with my brother, Mark Rerek. Our family lived on 226th street from 1958 to 1974. I recall mostly the London Plane trees and Swamp Maple trees with their seed pods we called "poly-noses" because we could peel the green pods and stick them on ours noses. As far as P.S. 132 and IS 156, well that would be more my brother's area of expertise. P.S. 132 was less than a positive experience and my family found it necessary to place me in a private school.

I recall Marder's pharmacy as well as the bagel place on Merrick Road. My brother and I had to fetch a dozen bagels and the NY Times which in my impossibly small hands was like toting a complete Oxford dictionary. High school saw us going to Martin Luther High School in Maspeth. That involved the Q-5 to 169th Street to the E or F to the EE or GG to Grand Avenue Newtown. No small schlep indeed.

What most stays with me is the fact that my first best friend happened to be a African American. Growing up in the sixties and experiencing integration was both a blessing and ultimately a huge disappointment. At first, those who broke the color barrier were civil service workers as were my parents. For us kids, we bonded as all children do and played ceaseless games of basket ball in the alley between 226th and 225th streets. I also recall the many parties our neighbors had with wonderful conversations and great food. As the later flux of new neighbors came in so did some very bad habits. Gangs and drugs started to appear and by the time I was a junior in high school, and the neighborhood became pocketed with some very nasty folks. My brother was mugged, and our home was burglarized. Graffiti started to appear on Merrick Road and a stabbing occurred across the street. My folks had enough in 1974.

So it is with much regret that we left our Tudor home with two working fireplaces and a sunken living room. That and a spacious back yard with Lilac trees and Mimosas. I do not take with me a portrait of prejudice, rather it is the outcome of generations of poverty and what it can do to neighborhoods. It is ironic that my liberal parents had to be caught between the two forces. Ultimately, one has to decide what is best for one's family. Like the promise that the civil rights movement held and what ultimately came of Dr. King's dream me and many other families lived it in an obscure neighborhood in Queens. All the best,

Bruce Rerek Email Address: bruceatridge@earthlink.net
former resident of 130-56 226th Street/Laurelton N.Y./11413

We lived on 232 st. across tom Temple Beth-El. P.S. 156, 59 and Jackson. Those were great years in Laurelton.

Shep Woda Email Address: shepwoda@optonline.net

Hi Skip,

Heard about your Laurelton site. I guess I'm considered one of the old timers. My husband & I lived at 130-05 228th St.from 1959 to 1972. Our children were Howie and Wendy. They both attended PS 156, Jr. High 59 and Andrew Jackson. Our next door neighbors were the Rieders . I still keep in
touch with Paula who lives in Oceanside, L.I.

My family moved in 1972 first to Stamford, Conn., and then to Nashua, N.H. where we lived till 2000. Bill passed away 1993 and I decided to move to Westlake Village, California to be near Wendy, her husband and my two grandsons. Howie lives in Davis, Calif. I believe he has a blurb on this
site with his details. There was noting like living in Laurelton. When I see all the problems with children today, I think how free our kids were in those years. We let our children out to play without having to worry if anybody was watching them. They knew to come home when it started to get
dark. We made great friends, some of whom I still keep in contact with.

We are getting on in years, but those memories will always be with me. We had a great life in Laurelton. Thanks loads for keeping this site going.

Renee Spero Email Address: rsnh16@lafn.org

Hello,

I just found this Laurelton, NY site & reading some of the comments brought tears to my eyes!

I lived on 133rd Ave & 221st during 1957-1963......and remember playing with all kinds of children at the time even though I had a very prejudiced Italian father! I was raised Catholic & went to
St. Mary Magdalene for 6 years. Before that I went to the public school but cannot remember the name. I had a good friend who was Jewish & we used to go to the temple down the street all of the time. Weren't those days so much more simpler then today?

I am now married and living in PA on a big beautiful farm. Who would have ever thought that a medium income girl could wind up in the country! I remember riding my bicycle all over the place, roller skating (key skates) in the street, playing potsie.....and all other kinds of things kids did during that time. Ah & those trips to Rockaway were the best!!!

I'd love to hear from anyone, anywhere who lived in Laurelton during the time I did! Thanks so much for putting up this wonderful website!

Phyllis (LoMaglio) Snook Email Address: countryladyofpa@yahoo.com

I grew up at 131-41 231 st. in Laurelton, and I remember Racklas's (spelling?) store at the corner and Rose's deli on Merrick. I went to St. Claire's and left for Michigan in the 8th grade in 1958. We used to walk to school over the expressway. There was the Laurelton theatre up on Merrick.

Carol Shafran Schwartz here.....it is no longer 3:30 in the morning and I went back to your WONDERFUL web site......I just love it.....I told my new son-in-law (today) about growing up in Laurelton and he was amazed that a town could have such a hold on people. It does!!!

I lived at 130-69 226th street. My brother Lester (Andrew Jackson '59, my sister Mariylin "67) I was a cheerleader at Jackson, active in Sing and in OPL, good old Green and Gray, I still remember some of the songs (which is really weird, since sometimes I don't remember my name!!!) It is so wonderful to read the notes sent by people that I knew a lifetime ago....

My best and closest friends were, and some still are, Adrienne Sklar, Maxine Bergman, Debbie(Donna) Klur, Larry Frank, Jerry Sobel, Marcia Straubing.

Friday nights after the basketball games...all the cheerleaders and friends met at Mario's for pizza...the best ever (certainly better than anything you could ever get in California)

Meeting friends at Lill Eds...if our parents only knew how we hung out there! Catching the bus in front of Marder's Pharmacy to go shopping in Jamaica with friends like Marcia Straubing, Maxine Bergman, Debbie (Donna) Klur and Adrienne Sklar and Carolyn Walton. I could go on and on!

Still living in Laurelton, NY! Hello to all and what a great idea! For those who might not remember the Spence Family, we were the first Black Jewish Family in Laurelton and attended the Laurelton Jewish Center. We have so many great memories growing up on 225th St. in Laurelton, hope to hear from some long lost friends!

Hi Skip,

I just spent a very pleasurable afternoon traveling down memory lane on your website. My family lived in Laurelton from 1950-1960. My name is Linda Danielson, but I was Linda Taub when I lived at 219-20 130th Ave, phone # LA8-6888. I went to PS 132 with a great bunch of kids. I "graduated" from the 6th grade in 1960 and would have gone to JHS 59 but we moved to North Woodmere that summer. My older brother Steve Taub went to PS 132, JHS 59, and Andrew Jackson High School.

I, too, remember growing up in Laurelton with great fondness. We had wonderful neighbors on our street, and they all looked out for each other's children. You always felt perfectly safe, and doors were seldom locked. We played stickball in the street and stoopball with our Spaldeens and stayed out late on summer nights to catch fireflies in jars.

My teachers were Mrs Bernstein for kindergarten, Mrs Middlemiss for 1st grade, Mrs Feuerstein for 2nd grade, I "skipped" 3rd grade along with a small group of kids, then had Mrs Buratt for 4th grade, Mrs Semon for 5th, and I can't remember the name of my 6th grade teacher. Does anyone remember the May Pole celebration in the school yard every spring? Does anyone remember the fantastic field trips we would take into Manhattan to see the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the Statue of Liberty?

My best friend was Susie Schwartz (parents Renata and Paul Schwartz) who lived on 221st St. I would love to hear from anyone who knows what happened to Susie. I would love to hear from anyone for that matter. Our neighbors on 130th Ave between 219th St and 220th St included the Heifitz family (Mildred and Louis, with daughers Sheila and ??), the Messinas, the Driscolls (Frances and Billy and I used to play Roy Rogers), the Zuckers, the Brodys.

Once I read about it here, I vividly remembered Merrick Ave and the stores and restaurants everyone mentioned. What a kick that was!! I haven't been back to the old neighborhood since I left in 1960...hard to believe that was 47 years ago. Now I'm living in Minnesota, another planet.

Thanks,

Just found this site last week and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of wonderful memories came flooding back. The best part was that I found one of my closest friends from high school and we have been having a great time catching up on the last forty-nine years. My family lived in Laurelton from 1946-about 1968. I graduated from 156 in 1954 and from Far Rockaway in 1958. My brother Bob is four years younger. My parents were active in the Laurelton Jewish Center. My father was a doctor and although his office was in Springfield Gardens many people from town were his patients. We lived on the corner of 227th St. and 135 Ave.

This site led me to register at the Far Rockaway site as well and there I found another close friend. This has been quite a week for memory lane. I am looking forward to finding more of my "old" friends and hoping that some of them will find me.

A bit of input on the store locations in the 50's and 60's. I know that there was a children's clothing shop called Myron's and I think that it was near Striderite. Also, Dr. Ephram Rothenberg, DDS had his office on the lower level of his house on 227 St. There is a possibility that his son may have opened an office on Merrick Road. Thank you so much.

Hey Skip, one of my fondest memories of Laurelton was when the Concord started to fly in J.F.K. Airport. I was in the third or fourth grade and on the eastern side of the third floor facing towards the Laurelton Parkway the classroom would vibrate so much that you could see your pencil move across the table. I loved it, all of the students would rise from their seats and stare at awe because of this unique style of aircraft and no matter how loud Mrs. Karr would yell the power of the two turbojet engines would drown her out. This was before the F.A.A. incorporated the Noise Abatement Law. Maybe this was the reason why I became an aircraft technician. I’ve traveled around the world repairing Boeing and Douglass aircraft and I’m still amazed when the B747 or any other large aircraft fly over 225th street in route to land at Kennedy Airport. One more thing before I go, as a kid growing up in the 80’s my friends and I would literally scour every block especially on Merrick Blvd. I’m not sure but it might be my imagination, but I could swear that I would see a guy walking up on Merrick and take pictures on every corner. If it was I do remember and thanks again every time I look at a picture I would see something different.

Hey Skip, Thank you for the Photos of Laurelton. It was a sad day in my heart when Stanly was murdered and his store burnt down. I was a Little kid back then and whenever I visit my aunt's house around the corner, I would run to Stanley's store with less than the required amount of money and return with a fist full of candy. Today my sister lives in my mothers house on 225st. between 137th and 138th and I am glad to say my memories are awakened whenever I visit. I can't believe that I'm talking about memories and I only 40yrs old. Thanks again.

Skip, Thanks to you for this wonderful, memorable website and to Gary Woods for the wonderful photos which I just saw today. What a walk down memory lane. The photos are great especially of Merrick Blvd and Stanleys store. Thanks so much for sharing them with us.

Barbara Klugsberg Email Address: jsternberg@yahoo.com

Hi Skip, My name is Philip Silberstein and I lived at 134-55 233 St back in the 40's and graduated from PS 156 in either 1948 or '49. This site is fantastic. I remember when Green Acres was still the remains of an old potato farm and we had a ball field there. We also played ball at Brookvile Park (if we could get the field) There were empty lots that we could convert to ball fields all over the place back then. In 1947 a hurricane blew down the fences around Sherwood Oval and we started playing there also.

Had a friend on 233rd St by the name of Julius Caesar (his nickname was Bob) I'd love to find him and catch up. He once goaded me into getting a great grade in a chemistry class that we were both in because I wanted to compete with this genius of a kid. But as good as my final grade was .... his was even better! (I think he ended up with a 98 for the YEAR!

My first job was for Dave Dankner at Dankners Pharmacy right around the corner. I was a delivery boy and he was very patient with me. Whenever a delivery took me to the vacinity of the school yard at PS 156 .... I would stop and play stick ball for a couple of hours. He paid me my 25 cents an hour for that time also. What a guy! Eventually he had his brother Sam there also and Sam took over the deliveries, but Dave kept me on anyway ...... doing odds and ends and helping behind the counter.
Again .... thanks for the site!

I googled this question: " Does anyone remember Silver's candy store in Laurelton?" and found YOU! Now, I am a PS 132 graduate, and an Andrew Jackson HS (only for a year) person! But I still can share some memories with you!!! I remember, of course, the Valencia and Marder's pharmacy. Also, Sharon's bakery. Do you remember that? (used to love the charlotte russe's) . I certainly rode the bus on Merrick Rd. Went roller-skating somewhere in the direction of Jamaica (won a turkey at that roller-skating rink and fell skating my way over to claim it!) I remember the Chinese restaurant on the corner of 225th St, but I remember it being called Wong's. (I lived on 225th Street 132-05 I think)

I graduated from 132 in 1954. (So, I'm younger than someone, after all!) I cannot believe that I found Laureltonians!!!

I have immensely wonderful memories of growing up there!!! I will tell about Silver's candy store when you get back to me!

Jane Green Email Address: Janeagreen@comcast.net

P.S. 156 is a memory that you could never forget. So many memories and friendships began there and live on 55 years later. I still remain friends with RENEE WEINER. We were in Kindergarten together. Mrs. Beatty and Mrs. Ready and the piano that was in the classroom. Remember cookies and milk and the cookies were coconut marshmallow with a vanilla cookies on the bottom. They came in pink and white. Do you remember the smell that was always in the cafeteria? The teachers like Miss Heller, Mrs. Greenstein, Mr. Krauss and Mrs. Baumritter, and more. Many fond memories were established at PS 156.

Marlene Watt (Pinsker) Email Address: wattishot@yahoo.com

This is a great site. I don't think you know me. I went to PS156 and graduated in 1948 and then to FRHS. My parents owned the Liquor store at 231st St. and Merrick Road. I went Roller Skating at Walcliff Roller Ring until Springfield Roller Rink opened. I was in the Skating club for a couple of years. I lived at 138-55-229th st on the corner of 139th Ave. I remember going to the bowling alleys above the Ford car dealer. My father didn't like for me to go but you know how It was. I can remember going with some of my friends from one end of Merrick Road to the other end of Merrick eating along the way, egg creams, pretzels, egg rolls, bagels, I don't remember if there were any pizza places at that time. Well that's it for now. Again thanks for this site.

Morton Gudel Email Address: LEDUGM@aol.com

Skip,

My name is Nancy Goodman Miller. I stumbled onto this website purely by accident, by Googling the names of some of my old classmates!! I lived in Laurelton from 1958-1971. I attended PS 156, IS 59, and five months of Springfield Gardens HS, until my family moved to Seaford. Talk about culture shock!!

I have so many incredibly found memories of Laurelton, I am not sure where to begin. I lived at 138-19, 222 St. My closest friends were Nancy Steinmetz, Lori Flashburg and Linda Jacobs, and on 223 St., Elizabeth Boris, Naomi Loewenstein, Nadine Lewis, and Diane (I can't remember her last name right now!). My classmates included Laura Glass, Nadine Grodofsky, Lori and Mindy Chozick, Eric Alperin, David Abrams, David Alpert, David Zuber, Alan Gallay, Andre Kloetz and many, many more. I noticed that Mike Moskowitz posted on this site, but never mentioned me...thanks, Mike, I must have really made an impression!! I remember them all like it was just yesterday.

- Mrs. Rognen for Kindergarten
- Hearing about JFK's assassination in 1st grade.
- Playing circle games in the basement of the school, where actual circles were painted on the floor.
- Teachers opening the windows with long poles that hooked into the latches, which were SO high   up!
- Clapping erasers in the playground.
- Miss Karr for third grade...she was SO sweet.
- Mrs. Schwartz, also known as Madame Noir, teaching IG 4, and having us perform "A Christmas   Carol", even though most of us were Jewish (I still remember all the songs!).
- Mrs. Gyves' (Ms. Trusty) wedding during IG 5.
- There was a teachers' strike, I think in 5th grade, and we missed like the 1st 2 months of school. - ---- Someone taught us outside of school, but I don't remember where, or who it was.
- Junior Congregation at LJC, they gave us stamps each week we attended, which we kept in a   book.
- Walking home for lunch every day, and watching the end of "Love of Life" and the beginning of   "Search for Tomorrow."
- Sharing a slice of pizza and a soda with my sister for $1, and I swear we had enough left over for an   Italian Ice!
- Having Muscular Dystrophy carnivals, and walking into every store on Merrick Road for prize   donations (and no one told us no!)
- Riding bikes everywhere, including, once we were in middle school, Green Acres Shopping Center!
- Sleeping with the windows open, hanging out with the neighbors on beach chairs in driveways late   at night in the summer, staying busy all summer long without the benefit of camp, private lessons   or computers.
- Going to the candy store a few blocks away, under the LIRR train trestle, and getting a handful of   penny candy. I vaguely remember there was a grocery store nearby that had a fire, and I could hear   the sirens the night it happened while I was trying to go to sleep.
- Incredible snowstorms that covered the cyclone fences between our houses, so that you could   walk across everyone's backyards.
- Crying in the backyard the day we moved to Seaford.

I really could go on and on. I lived the rest of my teens in Seaford, attended Nassau CC and Oswego State, and moved south, first to Charlotte NC, then back to Boston for grad school, and finally Atlanta, where I have lived longer now than I lived in NY. I would love to hear from old friends. My
e-mail is normsnan@comcast.net.

Thank you SO MUCH for maintaining this site!!

Sincerely,

Hi Skip,

The article is self-explanatory. I'm the young guy carrying the Torah on the left. Growing up in Laurelton was a kind of mix of Mayberry and Fiddler on the Roof. I have only good memories. Hope to find time to scan some more "rare" stuff. Click here to view the article.

Best,

Carl Perkal Springfield Gardens H.S. 1969 Email Address: carl@sikkuy.org.il
Also graduate P.S. 156 and JHS 59

Carl - Please accept my apology for the long delay getting your letter and article posted.

Hi Again Skip,

Another memory for the site. When President Kennedy was assassinated, I was sitting in art appreciation with Mrs. Bryant making a macaroni collage. The principal of JHS 59, Benjamin F. Davies got on the loudspeaker and announced that "boys and girls, I have a very sad announcement to make, your president has been shot…". We all turned to each other and said, "Raymond Wong was shot?" Raymond was the president of the student organization (GO?) and in JHS 59 it would certainly not have been impossible for someone to have been shot. In my sister's class, they all turned to look at Raymond as if to say, "you were shot?" Then Davies continued, "…President Kennedy has been shot…" and we all understood what had really happened. Does anyone else remember this?

Carl Perkal

I just read about the death of Rabbi Dick. It is hard to believe- I just emailed with him after reconnecting on this site. He was my first Hebrew teacher- and helped me to catch up in my studies so that I could be Bat Mitzvah-I didn't start studies til age 11- I also babysat for him when his first child was born. I'm sorry to hear that he is gone.

Hey Skip...thanks again for all your hard work on this website...I lived in Laurelton until 1970, at 131-30 229th St., and changed high schools from Jackson to Van Buren...I still miss my old gang of friends and would love to get in touch with them: Roberta Scheinman, Marilyn Krisnowich, Sue Grossman, Mindy Heyman, Lisa Steinbrenner, Nancy Diamond, and Debbie Weinstock just to name a few. Also wanted to know if a reunion was being planned for 2007-trying to make arrangements to get there. Thanks, Karen Kushner-alumni PS 156, IS 59 and 2 years at Jackson (1968 to1970)
ps.. It was great to see Joel Kimmel in one of your photos as he was a neighbor who lived 2 doors down.

If anyone knows anything about a 2007 reunion, please let me and Karen know. Thanks, Skip.

My name is Linda Rovetto (nee Linda Hudes). My address was 131-65 228 Street and I graduated P S 156 in 1956 and AJHS in 1960 and would like to find Lester Walshin, Joyce Linneman and Nita Galub. Both Joyce and Nita lived on 228 Street and were a year behind me. I believe Lester lived off of Francis Lewis Blvd around 125th Avenue.

I now live in Clermont, Florida (a "bedroom" community or Orlando) and have 2 sons and 1 grandson. Both of my children live in Florida, one 1 Weston and 1 in Orlando

I would love to hear from anyone who remembers me.

Stephen,

If your family subscribed to the Long Island Press, in 1957, I delivered it. My route was Francis Lewis Blvd to about 237th Street, then 121st Ave to 129th Ave. I lived on 129th Ave, two doors east of FLB.

I would pick up my papers on 233rd Street and Merrick Road, behind Sterry's. Then fold them against that whitewall, pack them in the big basket, on my bike and peddle to my route. I remember delivering the Sunday papers way before the sun came up. Sometimes pulling them on my slid, in the snow. I remember coming off a curb, just north of Merrick, and braking my front axel, ( an occupational hazard because of the weight of the papers). A kind milk man helped me. Loading my bike and papers in his truck and taking me home.

Bill Lederer Email Address: bill.lederer@verizon.net

What great work you've done in helping us Laurelton folks catch up with each other and share memories. Thanks so much. Here's a little poem that goes around in my head every time someone mentions P.S. 156. I'd like to share it with others and read if anyone else remembers it. In 7th and 8th grade we must have all experienced Mrs. Wilde, Mrs. Wenhold, and Mrs. Cross among others. So here goes:

Wilde is wild
And Cross is cross
But Wenhold beats them
She's the boss.

Carol Gross Hittleman (1954) Email Address: chitt@optonline.net

It was great hearing a little history about the Laurelton Bagel Bakery. Although it was much earlier, and owned by another person it was nice reading about that store. Yes, i remember that huge vat that they boiled the bagels in! One time my sister and i were left in "charge" of the store while my boyfriend Harvey (who was the current owners son) had to make a delivery of some of those Bull Bagels. well...bedlam ensued! Harvey left some dough on the work bench. it was a significant amount i recall. My sister and I wanted to help out, and with the comedic out comes of Lucy and Ethel we proceeded to "roll 'em out". What a mistake that was. The dough had yeast in it
of course, so with our punching on it feverishly of course it started to grow some more and eventually engulfed that work bench. And to add insult to injury it was now "walking off" the damned bench!!!. we tried in vain to push it back up to no avail. Our 16 year old minds (twins) at the time decided to just roll as fast as we could and throw them in the kettle. The result was huge, deformed blobs that I don't think any human would even consider buttering.....Thank goodness Harvey came back soon and the look on his face still makes me laugh!! he was horrified, angry and laughing all at once. His father was less forgiving.....it was soon thereafter our young romance ended. To this day I think it was that bagel caper.....oh well. guess it was destiny. Thanks For your reply.

Bonnie Email Address: WyIdfem@aol.com

Hi Skip

There was mention regarding the death of Rabbi Dick Schachet who I am sure had posted on the site some time ago. Here is his obituary and other links. I hope that you can post this as I am sure there are many who remember him well. Regards,

Rabbi Richard Schachet died September 20th, 2006 in an accident on I-15 while returning from a trip to California. He was a good friend who will be greatly missed.

Dear Skip,

I see you already have posted a reminiscence from Gene (a/k/a Harry, long ago a/k/a Butch) Flowerman, who lived up the street from me. I lived on 231st Street, on the southernmost block, around the corner from Mentone Avenue. There was a block of stores on 141st Avenue: Pape's Delicatessen, a candy store on the far corner, and an Italian barber in the middle of the block.

I went to P.S. 156, then in 1963 to J.H.S. 59. Took the test to get into Stuyvesant rather than take my chances at Andrew Jackson.

Belonged to Boy Scout Troop 404, with Artie Appel as scoutmaster. Artie either owned a liquor store or worked for a liquor distributor. Anyway, I bet ours was the only Scout troop in America that sported Four Roses lapel pins through the buttonhole of our left pockets!

My teachers at P.S. 156 were Mrs. Seligson in 6th grade, Mrs. Halperin in 5th, Mrs. Hersh in 4th, Mrs. Schneider in 3rd, Miss Schlussman in 2nd, and Mrs. Nobile in 1st. Think my kindergarten teacher's name was Mrs. Reddy (or Redi, or Ready).

Kids on the block when I was growing up were Neil and Mitchell Cherin, Lois Romano, Gene and Rose Flowerman, Judith and Richard Schulkind, Haljay Smollar, who had a sister, and Rhoda Moskowitz and her brother, whose name also escapes me.

While most of the kids from my childhood had moved out by 1968, my folks held on. Matter of fact, my father was still living there when he died at home in 1998, at the age of 92.

Anyone from that 1950s to mid-60s period whose path might have crossed mine can reach me at RalphW42@cox.net.

Ralph Williams, Somers, Conn. Email Address: RalphW42@cox.net

My name is Steve Dichter and I also lived in the attached houses on 125th Avenue. My grandfather - Bill Appelbaum - and some other investors guys threw the block-up on the remains of an old potato farm across Frances Lewis Boulevard from Montefiore Cemetery in around 1948. My family immigrated from Brooklyn in 1949, when I was about 2 1/2. Of course, I went to P.S. 176. My teachers, beginning in 1952, were Miss Hunt, Miss Zareko, Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Nagel, Mrs.. Petty, and Mr. Solomon. The principal was Mrs. Manbeck. My sister, Carole, and brother, Barry, followed me at 176. I next went to P.S. 147 in Cambria Heights, then to Jackson (Class of '65), Queens College and off to the University of Virginia for law school. I have lived and practiced in Phoenix, Arizona for the past 30-odd years. My wife was Barbara Gidseg, of Alpha Lambda Phi, who died in 1977 just before she reached her 30th birthday.

Some of the people on the block were the Serotas (Brian and Robin), the Lipke's (Butch), Jay and Howard Margoles, Robert Schmaltz, the Simowitz's (Idan), the Kasens (Alan) (who moved to California in 1953), the Moskowitz's (who changed their names to Miller and cut-up a dozen of my Spaldeens hit over their roof), the Weilands (Geoff and Kenny), Eli and Ruby Skrilloff (in-laws of either Burt or Dave, I can't remember which) who bought the Rackliff's store (Lil'Eds), the Kriegers (Stuart), the Polichecks (Roy), the Malcoms (Holly), the Lightmans (Marc), the Brickhouses, the Friedmans, and others, whose names have faded in my memory.

The block had around 48 houses and almost everyone of them had 3 kids so the "Ring-a-leevio" and hide-and seek games on soft summer nights were legendary, if only on the block, and the snow ball fights lasted through most snowy weekend days. Given the sloping driveways and the porches, it was always fun to jump off the porches into the snow drifts. Idiots that we were, we also took advantage of the snow to play tackle football on the street. (I was "Y.A." and Serota was "Schofner" - not to date ourselves as too old. This was made possible because the Sanitation workers plowing the streets by-passed 125th Avenue unless they were first "gifted", generally with a bottle of something our parents had in the basement.

While I have a lot of memories about the street, one seems apropos this mid-October as the baseball play-offs are ongoing. We had been at school hiding early versions of portable radios in book bags on October 11, 1955 and got out of school in time to catch the end of game 7 of the Series that memorable year. I can distinctly remember that when Howard grounded to Reese who threw to Hodges and Brooklyn won the Series, virtually every house emptied into the street and everyone was dancing and cheering. Butchy (Edward) Lipke, a well-known Giant fan the year before when they swept, ran down his stoop, swung from his maple tree limb (each house was issued one maple tree) and shouted for all to hear, "I'm a Dodger's fan, I'm a Dodger's fan." He was belted with rocks.

I have been back to Laurelton a few times since leaving for law school in 1968. Once in 1986 and once in 2000. While it was, and is, obvious that Laurelton is no longer the predominantly Jewish neighborhood it was 50-odd years ago, it is still a very tidy, well-kept place, populated by middle-class people on the go and on the rise.

Anyone who would like to pick-up a chat can reach me at sdichter@hcdglaw.com or smdichter@cox.net.

Stephen M. Dichter

Bonnie,

I guess you could label my memories of the Laurelton Bagel Bakery, “the early days”. I worked there when I was 14. That was in 1957. A number of my friends and I worked as “packers”. We called ourselves “The Bagel Brothers”. There was myself, Jimmy Almer, Billy Flynn, Pat Murphy, Billy Gentile and a couple of others I can’t remember. Putting, I think, about 13 dozen bagels in large paper bags. There were only two types, Regular and Bull bagels. Bulls were larger and were sold to dinners. They were delivered to a number of stores and dinners on Long Island. The bakery had one delivery van. The driver's name was Jerry. He would deliver the bagels and on weekends, bialys that we got from some other bakery. We never made them. The owners were Harry Wexler and Benny Marshall. They were both good men. I do remember one was better than the other though. We made $1 an hour. When the “better” one would pay us, he would always round up. If I worked 23 hours, he would give me $25. He would always keep the refrigerator full of fresh fruit for us.

Back in those days they didn’t have the retail store in the front. The only way in was through the alley behind Wong’s Garden. People would come to the back door and buy bagels. Most of the money went to our “beer and soda fund”. Some people would ask for the ones that fell on the floor. They said they wanted to feed them to their dogs. We always laughed at that. Any bagels that fell on the floor went back in the bins with all the others. Also, Sunday was the really big day. It wasn’t possible to bake enough bagels to meet the demand. Extra bagels we made each night, during the week, and we would put them in a number of freezers in the basement. On Sunday morning we would mix them in with the fresh ones. No one ever knew the difference.

The oven was a large brick one. After they were "kettled", the bagels were placed and wooden blocks, put in the oven, flipped once and then taken out on a long wooden paddle and flopped into the bins. I do remember that oven being replaced with a much smaller one. It was called a “traveler” oven. There were a number of small shelves that revolved like a Ferris wheel.

I don’t know when the store in front opened. That was for another “crew” to enjoy.

Bill Lederer Email Address: bill.lederer@verizon.net

Hello All!

I did not grow up in Laurelton, I grew up in Valley Stream. But my first boyfriend, Harvey's family owned the Laurelton Bagel Bakery. Many times I worked the cash machine there and sneaked lots of donuts and bagels!!! Does anyone remember the family who owned it; Milton and Iris. Harvey, their son went on to become a famous bagel store owner in Florida. I went on to marry another and raise three great kids. Any memories of the bakery would be great.

Bonnie Smith Email Address: WyIdfem@aol.com

Dear Skip,

I start this e-mail as so many others have, I heard about your site from my sister-in-law in Stormville, New York, who heard about it from her brother in Florida. The world is really small! I have read each entry and felt as if I knew each person. Not all names were familiar, but yet we all led the same wonderful life. Laurelton has always brought the memories of happy times to mind. I remember the sledding down the ponds, the bag full of Chicken Delight fries, the smell of Kent Dry Cleaners, the smell of burnt leaves that my Mom would rake and burn in front of our house and many more happy memories. My favorite hang out was the laundry mart on 230th and Merrick. My playmates were Maureen Kelly, Mark LaMendola, Bobby Columbin, Tommy Brynes and many more. I remember Anthony Kerns from the Bike Shop on 233rd Street and Mulvaney's Bar and Grill. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better childhood. Thanks for making my day complete with your site. If anyone wants to write who might remember me, I lived at 134-43 233rd Street. God bless.

Skip,

I lived in Laurelton from November 1952 until I enlisted in the Marine Corps in October 1961. I attended P.S. 176 in Cambria Heights (5th & 6th grades, Mrs. Florence Manbeck was the Principal) P.S. 156 (7th & 8th grades, Mr. Joseph Kiley was the principal) and was a member of AJHS's graduating class of 1960. I remember having great teachers, who despite being grossly underpaid, took their jobs seriously and were inspiring role models. Laurelton was a wonderful place in the 1950's. Overall, safe and secure with really great neighbors. My closest friends were Arnold Weiss,
(his wife of 42 years) Eileen Adler, Carol Lewis, Barry and Helene Heck, Jane (Nicole) Wedgewood, Sandra Kessler & Stephen Rayburn. (Please dear friends, do not take umbrage to the order of listing your names. Each of you have a special place in my heart, to this very day.)

Super Neighbors on 130th Avenue were the families; Trell, Berman, Austin, Minsky, Weinrib, Schwartz, Dickman, Halperin, Prager & Neigo. (Once again I beg forgiveness for names
overlooked.) Places; Sam's Luncheonette (owned and operated by Penny Rosenberg's dad.)
Kern's Bicycle Shop The House of Chang (Lenny Levine, waited on tables, part time. I knew his parents as well as his grandparents. Lenny and his sister Sharon were born in the same
apartment building, as I, in Brooklyn, 1775 East 13th Street, just off Kings Highway. : ) If I recall correctly, his grandparents owned Sharry's Bakery on Merrick Road. The Laurelton Theater, Raab's, Wedgewood Studio (Jane Nicole 's dad's place.), the Ridgewood Savings Bank. Another point of interest was Sterry's. Eileen was in my AJHS graduating class. I used to pop in when on leave to have a few beers and be entertained by her folks, who, if I recall correctly, were former vaudevillians. There is so much more that I'd like to relate, but not enough available time to do these great memories, proper justice.

Howard Hiller Email Address: Hill8322@cs.com
Formerly of 234-09 130th Avenue.

Hi,

My maiden name is Ruth Silverman and I have just discovered this web site. Much to my surprise and delight I have just finished reading all of the postings. WOW, that was terrific. The love for Laurelton is just overwhelming. My family lived in Laurelton from 1938 until 1974.
We lived at 135-32 Francis Lewis Blvd.

My parents Sylvia and Max Silverman were founding members of the Laurelton Jewish Center.
My brother Stuart, sister Rebecca and I attended PS 156 but each of us attended different high schools. My brother attended Jamaica, my sister Andrew Jackson and I Far Rockaway.
I have just recently reconnected with two childhood friends, Harriet Schwartz and Bayla Kirsch.
I would love to hear from others who remember us. My brother, sister and I each still live in the greater metropolitan area. Looking forward to e-mail's.

Ruth Silverman Email Address: DRRUTHIE@aol.com

Hi All Former Lauretlonites.

Steve Plotkin here, currently of Parker Colorado (a burb of Denver) .... formerly of 137-18 Francis Lewis Blvd. Lived across the street from Mark and Gary Eisenberg, Scott Tranes, and Richard and Gary Rothbard .... Next door to Susie and Francie Fuchs, Stu and Margie Leventhal, and Andrea Zietlin. Currently engineering for Lockheed-Martin - "We're building you a new spaceship". Between Denver and Laurelton - lived in Margate and Coral Springs, Florida, Algonquin (Chicagoland) Illinois. Laurelton was the best!

Love this site - brings back very good memories.

Since leaving Laurelton (circa 1972), I've seen Bob Gelman, Bob Gazzerro, Mark Eisenberg, Brian Fine ... bumped into Shelly Weber. Corresponded with Howie Shulman, David Rothbard, Rickie Maller, Diana Mittler (teacher @ 59) Would love to hear from Joel Esner, Ian Kashinsky, Jeff Langer, Brian Mednick, and Janet Demarinis - amongst others.

Regards to all,

Steve Plotkin Email Address: SPlot84734@aol.com

My name is Lorrel (Sauerhoff) Hochhauser. I lived at 131-20 227th Street. My sister is Ellen, and brother is Mark. I live in Merrick, after moving from Laurelton. I am the mother of four sons (one deceased) and blessed with seven wonderful grandchildren—all living in the area. It was exciting to find the Laurelton website. It certainly brings back many fond memories and good times. My family moved here when I was 15— I had fun riding the LIRR to Far Rockaway HS—graduated in 1956. I enjoyed walks along Merrick Road & going to the movies, shopping at Sharry’s Bakery, Zickerman’s Hardware Store, Raab’s Ice Cream Shop. My neighbors were the Ferrara’s (still good friends with Pat), Reich, Margolis and Stark. I would love to hear from anyone who remembers me.

This is Vera Belicove Gitten, FRHS '56. I've checked in before. Just wanted to let you all know that my son and I drove through Laurelton about a month ago and I was pleasantly surprised. Except for
Merrick Blvd. ( or Road as I'm sure that's what it was called "in the day") which looked pretty seedy, the streets looked pretty good and were well maintained. Most of the homes looked well kept and I was particularly impressed with the islands in the middle of the avenues. I don't remember them being well tended with flowers growing. I didn't recognize any stores from the past on Merrick,but that's not surprising since it's almost 50 years since I left Laurelton to be married. (1959 )

Vera Belicove Gitten Email Address: veragit@webtv.net

Skip,

After taking the time to read through every post in the "memories" section, I have had a change of heart regarding posting my name. Please pardon my guarded initial response. I think it was partially just a "world-we-live-in" reflex to be distrustful of posting personal information publicly and partially the discomfort of the subject matter which was addressed in my email.

After reading through every one's responses (as I had previously only canvassed a few random entries), it became clear to me that the spirit of your visitors is overwhelmingly one of reverence for a special time and place in their lives...a sentiment that I share. It also became apparent that I clearly was not alone in feeling compelled to address what was obviously being passed over by the majority of those who responded. It's important to me to state for the record that, while undoubtedly, the era prior to the mid-to-late 60's was different, the era from that point through the late 70's was special in it's own right. My original email may not have illustrated that point clearly enough.

With that in mind, here are just some random images and memories that remind me of a childhood that, as has been echoed repeatedly, I readily brag about...and am not always believed!

Playing baseball, football, red rover, hide and seek, freeze tag, running bases, ring and run (LOL), SWAT/The Rookies/Army (basically cops & robbers with a theme), or wrestling on the block with all the kids on the block.....when we played baseball on the block home plate was the manhole cover, 1st and 3rd were the driveways on either side of the street and we'd put a dirt pile or draw a box in chalk for 2nd base. A home run was if you hit the ball above and beyond the top of the street light!

The families...the Velvett's, the Harding's, the Goldman's, the Gregory's, the Patton's, the Richards', the Haynes', the Daniels', the Anderson's, the Biggs', the Miller's, the Savage's, the Abbott's, the Fulcher's, the Omad's, the Henderson's, the Newman's; the Moiese's, the Strong's, and from around the corner, the Fleming's, the Ferrara's; the Johnson's, the Mack's......playing in the "little park" at the base of the belt parkway overpass at 130th ave, across from the last stop of the Q4A, especially in the winter when we would go sledding down the hill..........walking or riding the bike paths that ran all along the belt parkway...especially at "dunebuggy hill", a series of consecutive dips along the path that culminated in a relatively steep hill that we always rode down at break-neck speed over by the interchange for the Belt and Southern state near the Rosedale/Elmont border...also playing on the tarzan swing set up over the little brook next to the belt that ran from Rosedale all the way to Brookville Park.

Walking to Rosedale lanes, Green Acres, Carvel's in Elmont, or waaaaay out to Walcliffe's roller rink in the dead of winter.........the ORIGINAL McDonald's, which was an drive-up and was located on the corner where there is currently a building called Cross Island Plaza...before the moved next door to the bowling alley.........getting my candy and comics from Gails and Larry's, which used to be Manny and Zelda's, where my father exposed me to a wonderful beverage called an Egg Cream....to this day, when I go anyplace that serves them, I MUST have one!........getting my bikes from Bellites (?spelling?), Twin Ponds bakery, House Of Chang, Chicken Delight, A&P and later Grand Union and Consumers, Martin Paint, the movies on Merrick, going to the dentist on Merrick and Springfield.

BOTH movie theatres on Jamaica Ave (there was another one directly across the street from the Valencia), the LL train which was an elevated line that ran straight down Jamaica Ave to 169th street........hearing the Air Raid sirens in Elmont being tested periodically, seeing (and hearing) the Concorde fly over the house during the test flights at Kennedy........the original Good Humor man with the small truck, he had to get out and open the freezer in the back of the truck to serve you. He had the gumball machines on the side of the truck that dispensed pistachios. Later, he was replaced by Joe's Pony Express truck. Mr. Softee only came around once in a while.........going to school at PS 176 and IS 59........block parties with rides, music, games and food........the Belt overpass at 130th ave was not just the Rosedale/Cambria-Laurelton border, but it was also the racial divide for awhile....with kids occasionally getting chased back to their respective sides if they crossed the bridge....it was mainly the older kids (and parents) that got into; my siblings were in their teens and they seemed to have a much rougher go of it then the kids in my age group...we all seemed to get along a lot better........

Whew!!!....didn't plan on saying this much, but it all just kept coming back to me........anyway, please feel free to post....

Sincerely,

Greetings,

I came across your webpage quite by accident and was immediately intrigued by what I found. Having lived in that specific area from the age of 3 through my early teens (236th Street and 128th Ave...officially Cambria Heights, but was really on the border of both Laurelton and Rosedale) and the vicinity practically all my life (Hollis and more recently moved back to Cambria), it was extremely interesting to read accounts and see pictures of life in the area from yester-year. Several of the memories shared by the people who sent emails contain landmarks that I remember as a child.

For as enjoyable as those things were, I would be remiss if I didn't also point out how much of a reminder it was of the ugly nature of the "white flight" that happened as a result of African-American families like mine migrating to those sections of Queens. When I moved to 236th St., it was 1968 and we were one of maybe 3 black families on the block...with the rest being white. I'd say by 1975, those numbers had almost completely reversed themselves. Having lived through the transition, I certainly understand some of the concerns and fears that fueled the mass exodus, but it bears pointing out that a lot of those anxieties were unfounded. The block that I was raised on is just as clean, quiet and attractive as when I moved there in '68...which is true for the majority of the area. Admittedly, the main thoroughfares (and the immediately surrounding blocks) have decayed, but I think a significant portion of the blame for that can be placed on the haste in which families and businesses removed themselves from the community. There were a handful of white families who opted (or had no choice but to) stay and have lived "normal" lives in the community.

The question that I have always asked myself when the subject comes up is, "what would have happened if people would have tried to work it out instead of running in fear and contempt?....What if people would have stayed?!?!?"

I loved that neighborhood growing up and I still think it's a great area to live in Queens....that's why I moved back. But in terms of commerce, the community really suffered when the businesses started closing their doors. I remember the movies on Merrick Blvd., I remember the soda shops like Gail & Larry's, I remember the Drive-In out in Green Acres, Zickerman's Hardware, etc, etc. Had more of the families stayed, I believe the businesses would have too.

In retrospect, I guess there's no way to say for sure how things would have truly played out, but it always seemed shameful to me that more people (on both sides of this particular fence) didn't show more patience and/or tolerance. It may be somewhat naive on my behalf, but I really believe the community could have survived integration and been even richer for it's diversity.....but that's just this man's opinion.

I'd sincerely be interested to know how you or any of your visitors see it in hindsight?

Thanks for posting the page.

It's been a long time - that's for sure. I have mostly sweet memories of Laurelton. I do remember how the Laurelton theater used to give out the multi- colored postcards and post the winning "color" in the ticket booth, offering free admission to the movies for the Saturday matinee.

I remember going to Helen and Sam with my good friend, Jeffrey Zipstein, and ordering a cherry coke. Sam got furious at Helen because he claimed that the cherry syrup should not be given for free since it cost them and how he felt that she should charge us two or three cents more than for a regular coke.

I remember punch ball at 156 - not that I ever could play - and I remember that the two best punchball players were Scott Surrey and the "Punchball King," Danny Kramer. Stickball, punchball and Bungalow Bar (which tasted like "tar" for some reason).

I remember assemblies with white shirts and red ties, singing "What Makes a Good American" in the 156 auditorium. I remember Mr. Gambino and Mr. Noble's "A Christmas Carol," which he put on EVERY year. I remember Mr. Meehan at JHS 59. He had written a play that satirized the school administration. Our English class practiced and practiced and then the administration cancelled it. We sang "I am the very Model of a Junior High School Principal" and that was not to the principal's liking.

I remember working on cars in Roger Goldstein's driveway (I even did my brakes- with some help of course.) I remember the track "perverts" and our gambling casino which we set up in the basement.

I remember buying pizza at Carmine's and Tony's with the money I got by having Jeff do my haircuts. I remember Woolworth's where I bought my copy of Seargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I remember Good Food, a grocery/supermarket which offered Kosher food. I remember working at the plastic slip cover place- who the heck uses plastic slip covers now!???

I remember seemingly perfect summer days that dragged on as I sat on the curb with my friends and made dams to stop the water as it flowed into the sewer. I remember the early dismissals for "religious instruction." I remember the kosher egg rolls at the Laurelton Deli, prepared without pork and so offbeat. I remember egg creams and malteds and wax lips and wax coca cola mini-bottles that contained an unidentifiable colored liquid. I remember Lik-A-Maid and Turkish Taffy and the dot candy that came on strips of paper and I remember feeling that having 50 cents was enough to buy so much candy that I might burst.

I remember Halloweens where block after autumn block were filled with houses with treasures and possibly apples with raiser blades in them.

I remember being in the Mop Tops with Richard D'Argennio and Barry Crackow and Jeff Zipstein and going from class to class with absurd mop like wigs. I played the accordion and took lessons from Mr. Pendle. His son Vinnie was a musician.

I remember my great friend Harold Gendelman moving to Woodmere and I remember his murder at the age of 35 when a criminal robbed his store in Middletown, new York.

I remember art with Mr. Berman, music with Mr. Antosofski and English with Ms. Sullivan, who got me my first teaching job. I remember "Brainfield Gardens High School" and the valedictorian's attack on Polatnick and his long, nasty rebuttal. I remember thinking prom was corny and the prom was cancelled at Springfield because many other students agreed.

I remember a Laurelton that was the ideal neighborhood in which to grow up and how that small town existence no longer exists anywhere in New York City.

I remember going on my first date ( a blind date with Bonnie Colman set up by Laurie Cutler and Joel Gallay) which evolved into my current marriage which now approaches the 30 year mark.

I remember Laurelton and the memories live in me like a light that shines with purity and awe.

With an hour to spare today I accidentally hit on your site. What great luck! I have to tell you that as I read the posts, and relived so many wonderful memories of my young years I started to cry. For a lot of reasons. The time gone by; the shared memories; so many generations who had that same feeling for the time and the place we called Laurelton. I sometimes wondered if I imagined all of it. Could it really have been so ideal!? Well it was! and you all are my validation. How lucky we were.
I lived at 131-56 226th St. My phone number was La 8 6056. My name was Sheila Friedman. I went to P.S. 132 then to FRHS for 3 years and to Jackson for the last year. I graduated in 1949 February. Rapid Advancement put me ahead a bit.

I remember so much and so much more since reading the posts. Like Tom, the barber who would come to our house to cut my dad's hair and shave him after a heart attack confined him to bed.
I remember watching pizzas flying through the air at Tony's Pizza. (We were not allowed in there because liquor was served) Shari's Bakery who made great charlotte Russe. The Wedgewood Studio who took my first glamour shots draped in a dark shawl. (I was 16 at the time) Safrans Deli and the Samuels cleaner. Rabs candy store, ( where I once got a Baby Ruth bar with little white moving things in it..yuck!) We used to buy cigarettes for a penny a piece and then go into the Itch so we could smoke in peace, (until my smart Mom came in to find me) In that big snow storm in the 40s I remember my dad climbing out the second floor window with the shovel to clear the front door. Does anyone remember the Teen age club on Merrick Road up around 231st st. called, I think, the king of clubs? Rabbi Teplitz nearly had a fit. He warned all the parents that our Jewish kids and the Gentile kids would certainly intermarry and live a life of strife. That put an end to it fast but while we had it we had a great time. Music, dancing, hanging out. We even had a paper.

My first job was in Jamaica. I worked after school at 15 in a dress store called Dorfs. He thought I was 16. I was so proud that I looked older then. My closest friends were; Marilyn Heller, Elane Merberg, Marilyn Mazarin, Gertie and Sarah Markowitz. I got bumped out of TBS sorority because I dated a fellow one of the sisters had a crush on. She later married him. Can't remember his name. Others in town I knew and partied with from time to time were; Ray Ritter, Stan Goldberg, Larry Hahn, Larry Kornbluth, Avi Silverman, Mort Blou, Mousy Nadleman, Gillie Hoffman, Stanley Malken,( his folks had a cleaning store in Rosedale near Mentone.) I remember Whitey's Farm where there were horses to rent. I didn't have the money to rent so I worked it off shoveling you know what into mounds near the outside of the barn. Of course I always ended up with the most thunderous grey in the stable. Not the most easy ride but a ride nonetheless. I did that for a while until the horse took the bit and after racing back to the stable, jumping the irrigation lines and messing up the farm on the way, he stopped short depositing me right into the middle of the biggest mound. Even hosing me didn't get rid of the smell. My Mom said finished. She just didn't have a sense of humor.

My cousins lived right next door to me. They were Herb and Irwin Friezer. Judy Lovin was on my other side. Joyce Jacobs backed up to us on 225th St. What ever happened to Bob Friedman? and Tommy Angona and Joyce Speilvogal and all the others named. Do kids still go ice skating on twin pond in the winter? Oh what a time we had. Life was so joyful then. I remember the day the war ended and guys running up and down the street stopping to kiss the girls standing there. I remember my first love, Arthur Oken. He had a band at FRHS and played for the dances until he was drafted. He was a terrific musician (Sax all kinds), and would take me to Birdland and sit in with the greats. He was a great guy.

I have lived in Atlanta Georgia for the last 42 years. My husband, Buddy and I had 2 sons. Buddy died in 1992. He was from Forest Hills. Maybe someone might remember Buddy Butler and his best pal, Jack Gordon? Two characters always in search of a plot. It's been a wonderful life and it continues to be so. After all, I am a Laurelton girl and who could ask for a better start. If you remember me or know where these former friends are please give me info. Till then I'll keep up with the Laurelton posts .

Dear Skip:

My daughter found your wonderful site! There was a note from Howie Katz in which he asks about many of his old buddies --- Avram Silverman, for one. Unfortunately, Av died in July, 1988. We were married in 1952, and I remember many members of your old gang. Eventually, we lost touch, though we remained on Long Island --- even lived in Laurelton for a while. Av taught social studies at the East Northport Junior High School for many years. We lived in Smithtown then. I remained there until I retired in 1995 and moved to Northampton, Massachusetts. I now live in Florida. I know Av would have been awed by news of all of you Laureltonians. I'm so sorry he couldn't see it.

Marcia Silverman Email Address: mrs@tampabay.rr.com

I'm Jay Safran and my parents owned Safran' Deli on Merrick Rd. Thanks for this great website. I have made contact with friends from PS156 class of 1951. My nephew told me about it . It has brought back so many memories. I belonged to Mu Sigma . I graduated from Andrew Jackson HS in 1951. If anyone remembers me I would love to hear from you. You can reach me at Jsafr@tampabay.rr.com. I can't wait to here from you.

Hi Skip,

My formative years in good old Laurelton started in 1947 (the BIG snow) when I was 8, at 130-41 235th Street. My family included parents Sol (deceased) and Freda Haar (92 and still feisty), and siblings Floyd and Andrea. Guys on the block included the Gargens (Billy, Jimmy), the Pearlmutters (she was Jerry Lewis' aunt), the Campbell's, the Fox's, the Berkowitz's, the Koppelman's (still close with Charley Koppelman and Artie Berkowitz) Building forts during the winter and playing stickball in the summer were big activities until we discovered girls.

My aunt was Estelle Peck of Estelle Peck's Dress Shop on Merrick, her son Jeff is my cousin and my grandfather was the tailor. Went to P.S. 38 and then FRHS. Girls included Eva Seplow, Barbara Starin, Marion "the Flash" Flashberg (what a body!!), Eve Weiss. Other "buds" included Jack Gartner, Barry and Marty Baum, Alice Lang, "Willy" Wilner, Howie Sklar, Dave Weinroth and the rest from Mu Sigma fraternity. Alan Fershteneger introduced me to smoking at age 12 down at the Laurelton Parkway, and ------------------stole my virginity.

Great memories of Raabs, the "Itch", the Valencia, the Alden and the first job on Jamaica Ave. Anyway, Laurelton was an unforgettable place to grow up in and recent revisits confirm that the blocks still look the same. Am now retired after a 40 year career designing stores in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean and am a tennis instructor for junior players. Can be reached at Steveoncourt@aol.com

Good job Skip!!

Steve Haar Email Address: Steveoncourt@aol.com

Hi everybody! My name is Louis Green and I lived at 135-43-230 Street. I graduated from P. S. 156 in 1953 and from Far Rockaway High School in 1957. I lived at home while going to Queens College in 1961. I have a younger sister, Susan , and she and my parents are living in Del Ray Beach, Florida. I would appreciate hearing from any of my contemporaries. I am currently living in San Francisco and my e-mail address is: lou@citygums.com. Yes, I became a periodontist after being influenced by my dentist Dr. Katz (?232nd st.) One thing I did not see mentioned was the home of boy scout troop 233. Who remembers the name of the building across the street from P.S.156 that housed that scout troop? I also distinctly remember Lil-Ed”s on Merrick Boulevard where I would go for a black and white ice cream soda and be politically correct!

Hi... I'm Vera Belicove Gitten P.S.156 "52 and FRHS '56. I've written before, but I just wanted to say that my son and I took a ride through Laurelton a couple of weeks ago and I was pleasantly surprised. The streets and homes seemed to be kept in a similar condition as when I left in1959. Of course most homes looked "shrunken" but in good condition. The islands along the avenues were nicely landscaped and the houses that we once thought of as so large, are not big at all. The only major difference was on Merrick Blvd. (nee Road). I recognized nothing except for the Bank on the corner of 230th(?) that I think was called Ridgewood. It looked just about the same. Many of the stores had metal gates and shutters. I found THAT to be pretty depressing.

Vera Belicove Gitten Email Address: veragit@webtv.net

My name is Marcus Jansen. I attended PS 156 in Laurelton with Mrs. Robinson. I was wondering if she was still around. We lived in Laurelton 1969-1979. It was a great place to live. We belonged to the Westindien - German community and many friends like Dona, Allan and Paul Weisenfeld, Sonya and Hubert Ralls, Shawn, etc. were there at the time. Was wondering if anyone remembered.

Ok, how many people hung out of Merrick Road between Francis Lewis Blvd and 230th Street? Please help me out with the order of the stores located on that great block, (remembering different stores were there at different times). I’m sure I have some that weren’t on that block too, besides missing some.

Let’s begin on the North side:

-The luncheonette, first Pollick’s then Lil Ed’s then Bert & Dave’s Busy Bee
-Orlando’s Bakery
-Safran’s Kosher Deli
-L&N Grocery
-Dilberts market
-Flo J’s Yarns & Notions
-Buster Brown Shoes
-Estelle Peck’s Dress Store
-Stanley’s Toy

On the South side:

-Ridgewood Savings bank
-Harry’s Men’s Shop
-A&P
-?
-Carwood Appliances

I’m trying to map out as many stores that were between the Parkway and Springfield Blvd in the late 50’s early 60’s.

This is a wonderful website. I've been checking it out for a couple of years and the recent explosion of activity has finally inspired me to contribute.

My name is Carl Lederman. Moved to Laurelton in 1949 and my parents stayed until 1982. We lived at 139-15 222 St. Phone number was LA5-6570. Graduated from 156 in '59, JHS 59 in '61 and AJHS in '64. It was a magical time.Teachers at 156 were Koslan, Belfi, Frank, Schneider, Lawson, Krauss, and Baumritter. Home room teachers at 59 were Judy Bell in 7th grade and Marty Groffman in 9th. Friends included Sandy Siegel, Zander Rubin (LA7-1998, can't believe I remember that), Chuck Cohen, Marty Rosenthal, Elliot Gordon, Paul Seid, Richard Sokolow,Jerry Huchital, Kenny Minkoff (still the smartest person I've ever known), David Rosen, Ronnie Salinger, and Bobby Jones. Margery Lesk, Linda Lippman and Eleanor Melnick were in my class every single year at 156. Remember Caroline Rubin, Madelynn Berman and Beth Weinsten among others. Had a crush on Margery in 6th grade. The Shermers lived next door, Jeff, Susan, Steven and Michael, and their cousins', Kenny and Ronny Hason were around the corner. Played PAL baseball with them when I was 8.The neighborhood bully was Dickie Warshaw who lived on 223rd near Elliott Cohen and Steve Futterman.

Loved to buy baseball cards at Al's, later Eddie's candy store at 224th and 141st Ave. Still have them. Remember the "Ball Playing Pohibited" (sic) sign just above the stickball strike zone painted on the wall of the store.

Loved Tom the barber and Miss Rand the librarian. Played punchball in the little schoolyard where Joel Corwin was the big star. Payed softball in the after school center. Looked up to 6th graders Steve Harwin, Jeffrey Peck, and Manny Solomon in 5th grade and co-captained a team in 6th grade with Jerry Huchital. I remember endless games of stickball and basketball. Was in the Cub Scouts where Barry Feldman's dad Sam was the head honcho. Remember cruising 228th St on our bikes looking to blast Maxine Weinsten with our pea shooters. Still have a pencil point in my palm where she jabbed me in 6 grade.

Can remember going to the bagel bakery on Sunday morning with my dad. Favorite restaurants were House of Chang, where I liked the little umbrellas, and Ferdinands Italian place on S Conduit Ave. Always preferred Pizza La Tosca to Carmine's and loved Shari's Bakery as well as the Laurelton Deli. My Mom used to give me money once a week to get a burger on Merrick Rd at a place near the movie we called the Greek's. I too remember the double feature of "The Incredible Shrinking Man",and "The Giant Mantis" which were the first movies I saw without my parents. The giant mantis died from fumes in the Holland Tunnel. Liked to buy Bon Bons at the movie.

Used to play tackle football without pads at "the weeds" near the railroad tracks on 225th St. Played British Bulldog in Sandy Siegel's backyard. Won a bowling league at Rosedale Lanes in '61 on a team with Zander Rubin and Bobby Jones. Can remember going to the Garden by bus and subway and using our G.O. cards for 50 cent seats in the balcony where we watched dreadful Knick teams led by Richie Guerin. Was very proud that Emmette Bryant's wife taught at 59. Remember the excellent 59 basketball team led by Stilt Sizemore and Lefty Hubbard. Still have the Harry Belafonte album cut with the JHS 59 Glee Club. Thought Mrs Krantz, Mr Blatt, and George Cohen were the best teachers I had.

Just a few more memories of a different time:

Bread and cupcake deliveries from the Dugan's man... White rock soda deliveries... The green stuff Tom the barber put in your hair, and Police Gazette articles at the barbershop which were always about Nazis alive and hiding in South America. The smell of new baseball card packs...Home deliveries by the white Rael Drug Store car. The store was owned by Teri Firemark's dad, Sam.
Dr. Tesch the dentist across from the barbershop... Good Humor and Bungalow Bar trucks coming by twice a day in the summer.

I remember hearing about the Kennedy shooting while at the candy store. Everything seemed different after that. Went off to college and never really returned to Laurelton. Went to med school, got married, had a kid, and now practice radiology in Washington, D.C. Lost touch with just about everyone. If anybody remembers, and still cares, drop me a line.

Skip

Thank you so much for the memories........My name is Marlene Watt I lived at 135-34 226th St. LA 5 -3404. I went to P.S 156, JHS 59, then Andrew Jackson HS.

I would love to thank Bill Odin for the graduation picture of P.S 156 for 1955. Much to my amazement it was my brother's class. What a wonderful sight to see since he passed away in l998. His name was Sam Watt. He had worked at Marder's pharmacy since he was 15 years old. Most of Laurelton past and present remember him.

I have enjoyed seeing names that I have not heard or thought of for many years. It sure does bring you back to your childhood. Growing up in Laurelton was a wonderful childhood.

If you know me or knew my brother please email at wattishot@yahoo.com I would love to hear from you.......

Marlene Watt Email Address: wattishot@yahoo.com

There was a Chinese Restaurant on the north side of Merrick Road; at 232nd St. I can never remember the name of it. We never ate there, only had “take out” from the House of Chang. When I worked in the Bagel Bakery between 225th and 226th streets, I traded the cooks in the back of Wong’s Garden, (on the corner), some bagels for some egg rolls.

If it was Saturday, (movie day). I would be heading up Merrick Road, past Safran’s Kosher Deli, ( checking out the hot dogs permanently being grilled in the window.) Then past Stanley’s Toy store on the corner of 230 St. One more block to Woolworth’s, ( going in one door, past the soda machine, and out the other door. Cross the street and another block.

First stopping at Raabs to meet up with the “gang”. Also to check and see if anyone had one of those colored flyers the movie gave out. If you matched the color with the one hanging up in the ticket booth, you got in for free. Never in my life did I ever get one. Now to the candy store to get some treats for the show. You never got any in the theater, it was way to expensive. Now past Wedgewood Studio and we are at the “itch”. The affectionate name for the Laurelton Theater.

Let’s see, the theater had a marques that overhung the sidewalk. The ticket booth was on the left. You bought your ticket and went through the glass doors. Up the inclined vestibule to the one open door where they collected the tickets, (usually all the way on the right). Now, on the right were the seats. The first section was the smoking section, then the large middle section and then on to the children’s section.

On the left was the soda machine then the candy counter. The Bon Bons and other ice creams were on the left, then the candies and then the popcorn. The popcorn was never fresh popped; it came in large plastic bags that were stored in the room to the left of the screen, in front of the children’s section. Then it was put in the glass box with one light bulb to heat it up. Ten cents for a bag. To the right of the candy stand was the door to get into the stand, then the water fountain, then the large stairway upstairs.

Upstairs was a long hallway. Nothing on the right side. On the left was first the girl’s bathroom, then Mr. Bell’s office, (the manager), then the projection room, with the bright arc lights of the projector and large metal containers the film came in. Walter Nathan was the projectionist. He had two sons, Alan and David. Finally the boy’s bathroom all the way at the end.

Now if you really wanted a treat, take the Q5 bus into Jamaica and walk down Jamaica Avenue to the Valencia Theater. What a grand place that was, with the suits of armor, ceiling full of clouds and stars and an upstairs balcony. Don’t forget the pond full of gold fish. After the movie you walked down to the end of the block, made a right, then a half a block to the bus terminal. If you had any money left, you played a couple of games in the arcade at the terminal. Then outside to catch the Q5 bus that took you back to Laurelton.

Bill Lederer Email Address: bill.lederer@verizon.net

Thank you for doing this. I will never forget growing up in Laurelton. I have such fond memories and so many of the events are still so vivid in my mind. When I try to describe what growing up in Laurelton was like to friends, it is hard for them to fathom the connection. I have now lived in the neighborhood I live in now longer than the 20 years I lived in Laurelton but have never felt the warmth, friendships or passion as I did in Laurelton. The life experiences are imprinted forever. I lived at 121-19 235th St. I went to PS176, JHS59 and AJHS. In HS I was in AOL sorority. How can any of us forget Sing? So many memories, I could write forever. I have an older brother Steve Rifkin, AJHS'60 and two younger sisters Abbe& Charlene Rifkin. We moved when they were young. Abbe is the one who told me about this.

Sue's desire was that any responses to her letter be sent to me at skip@laureltonnewyork.net and I will post them on this site. Thank you Sue, and thanks to all of you who contributed both financially as well as with your photos and memories.

Hi Skip,

Thank you for this wonderful website. It is good to know that so many people have such fond memories of Laurelton. I am part of the "next wave" of Laureltonites, as my parents moved there in 1967, when I was two years old. Like someone who wrote in to the website recently, my family is African-American. I would like to try to help dispel a myth that seems to exist. After the community became Black, it remained a wonderful place, and did not deteriorate. I, too, recall Woolworths, House of Chang, the movie theatre, Marder's and Zuckerman's. My dad frequented Zuckerman's for tools, nuts, and bolts. I have precious memories of walking down Merrick with my mom and sister to Casual Department store. My mother would always remark that the clothing was high quality, much like what you could get on the Lower East Side in Manhattan. We lived in Laurelton for ten years, and in that time it was also safe...like a Mayberry. We played skelly, Chinese and American handball (games they have never heard of in Chicago, where I live now!) safely until the street lights came on...and beyond. I walked many blocks to IS 59 daily, and never felt threatened.

Families had two parents and the dad always worked, and most times the mom's did too. The kids were headed for good high schools and were college bound. I, myself, attended an ivy league school for undergrad, and then went on to grad school. I still keep in touch with MANY African-American friends and acquaintances who spent the 60's, 70's, and sometimes the 80's in Laurelton. The vast majority have completed college and have successful professional careers...and also have fond memories of Laurelton, although most of their parents have moved to retire in places like Florida, Cape Cod, Maryland, and Missouri.

Needless to say, I dispute the conclusion that Laurelton went down when the complexion of the people changed. I would challenge others to question why white people made the decision to leave so suddenly. What message did it send to children whose little friends suddenly disappeared like a Houdini trick? In fact the black families that moved in had shared values and similar income levels to the pre-existing Laurelton families.

When my family moved from Laurelton in 1977, it was to be closer to my mom's publishing job in Manhattan. It was also to raise children in a racially mixed community, because they knew the value of living in a community that resembled the world population. We moved to Roosevelt Island, a planned community between Manhattan and Queens. We traded a nice sized house on 226th st. for a co-op 2 bedroom apartment overlooking the east river (you give some to get some...) Roosevelt Island is racially, ethnically, and socio-economically mixed, and has been for over 30 years. This integration was important to my upbringing. I currently live in a racially mixed community in Chicago with my husband and three children.

I sometimes wonder if we could have had a Roosevelt Island-type community in Laurelton. Either way, it was a great place to live and grow! Thank you for reading my rather longwinded piece!

Sincerely,

Courtney (previously from 131-31 226 street) Email Address: dlfrancis9@aol.com

Hi Skip:

I lived in Laurelton at 228-54 Mentone Avenue from first grade to the end of 5th grade (l954-1958) attended PS l56 and had wonderful memories of my time there.

I don't know if you have anyone out there who attended PS l56 during this period, but I would sure be interested to know.

I can remember going to the theater on Merrick Road and seeing a double feature of the Incredible Shrinking Man and the Deadly Mantis. I remember shopping at Woolworths on Merrick Road and eating at the House of Chang. I remember two huge Irish setters standing guard on Francis Lewis boulevard, not allowing me to get home for lunch.

More memories to come - hope some people I went to school with are out there.

Joyce Weinstein Rabinowitz Email Address: joysella@yahoo.com

Hi,

This is a great site and has helped me put together some pieces of a broken puzzle.

My family is African-American and we moved from Rochdale Village to Laurelton in 1968 when I was five years old. We lived on 226th Street between 131st & 133rd. Rochdale was nice and I think my parents wanted to live in a similar community (with racially diverse, socially conscious people who were education-oriented). We were outgrowing our apartment and needed a house, and Laurelton seemed like the perfect place. In 1968 the block was mixed but slowly the white families moved out, and by the mid â€˜70s the neighborhood was predominantly black. Why would our neighbors want to move away from us, I wondered? I recall looking for my playmates, only to learn that their families had moved away.

Curiously, my Laurelton experiences were similar to other posters on this board. I attended PS 30, 132, IS 59 but went to Brooklyn Tech HS (girls became eligible sometime in the 70s). I had Mrs. Kerner and Mrs. Semon in 4th and 5th grades, respectively, but the teacher I will never forget was Mr. Morris, the English teacher from IS 59. He made every boy in the class wear a tie.

We went to the Laurelton Theatre, bought school supplies and pink Spalding balls from Stanley's (I even remember the dog!). We got our camp and scouting gear from the Casual Department store and played punchball, stoopball, double-dutch and football in the street 'til the lights came on. On special occasions my mother would buy a delicious chocolate layer cake from Four Star Bakery and on hot summer days we got Ices and an almond horn from the Italian bakery (what was the name?). And I vaguely remember my mother buying sewing notions at Woolworths. If you walked down my block in the 70s, you would have seen kids playing outside, folks coming home from work and nicely maintained homes.

To the posted who wrote, "the angry and poorly educated element in the black community spawned the dissolution of white Laurelton." I strongly disagree. Both my brother and I earned college and graduate degrees and have had successful careers, as have many of my black Laurelton friends. I even earned my BA degree in Urban Studies because I was particularly curious about "white flight" based on my Laurelton experiences. Laurelton changed for a number of reasons -- chalk it up to the unscrupulous banks and shady real estate companies who were block-busting in the 60s and inflicting fear on residents about blacks coming to town. And, to top it off, in the mid to late 70s, the city began having financial difficulties, schools declined, another wave of stable homeowners moved out and long-established small businesses shut down due to competition from suburban malls. But this happened throughout the US not just in Laurelton.

I left Laurelton for college in 1980 and returned briefly in 1984. From 1985 thru 1989, while living in Rhode Island, I often met New Yorkers but one of my fondest memories is of an encounter I had with a client who I learned attended Andrew Jackson and had just been to her reunion. She was white and probably 10 years older than me, but we had a bond. Laurelton was our connection. I eventually returned to Queens, where I reside today. Although everyone in my family has left Laurelton, I think we all have some fond memories. I was just there on the 4th of July and its new Caribbean community seems to be thriving.

I often wonder what it would have been like if more white families had stayed. Maybe it would have been awesome.

Regards,

Pam Skinner Email Address: Leggycat@aol.com

P.S. Hi to Lisa who attended PS 132. You were in my 4th grade class!

Hi Skip:

I lived in Laurelton at 228-54 Mentone Avenue from first grade to the end of 5th grade (l954-1958) attended PS l56 and had wonderful memories of my time there. I don't know if you have anyone out there who attended PS 156 during this period, but I would sure be interested to know. I can remember going to the theater on Merrick Road and seeing a double feature of the Incredible Shrinking Man and the Deadly Mantis. I remember shopping at Woolworths on Merrick Road and eating at the House of Chang. I remember two huge Irish setters standing guard on Francis Lewis boulevard, not allowing me to get home for lunch. More memories to come - hope some people I went to school with are out there.

Joyce Weinstein Rabinowitz Email Address: joysella@yahoo.com

Hi, My name is Lance Wallach and I attended P.S. 176 J.H.S 59 and Jackson Class of 71. I lived at 231-03 125 Ave. The attached house block where all the kids came to play. Some of my friends were Charles Berger, Farrell Brickhouse, Stanley Bellis, Bruce Friedman, Sandy Kreger, Bruce Friedman and his brother Roy, The Twins, Paul and David Ross, Howard Wells, Steven Liebowitz, whose father became my stepfather after my father died, Anthony Salerno, David Weiss, Phillip Towger, etc., etc. Remember stoopball, and trying to get your ball out of the sewer? One of my key employees now lives in Laurelton and it is great to go back. The stores are different but the houses look the same. We used to play wiffleball in the driveway. Kids would come from all over to try to play in one of our games. How about playing softball on the island by the cemetery.?

Lance Wallach Email Address: LAWALLACH@aol.com

Hi, Everyone - What a great site! I lived on Jamaica Bay, across from JFK - then it was Idlewild Airport. Anyone remember back that far? I later rode the train with a pleasant young woman, Virginia Schneider, who lived in Laurelton and whose Dad was the Queens County Sewer Commissioner around mid 1950's. Can anyone help me get back in touch with her? I remember also those suspended conversations when the planes would fly over our house, low enough in the evening to light up my bedroom, and the best pizza I've ever had at Pizza King. And how about Weston's, the first fast hamburger place on Burnside Blvd., on the way to Far Rockaway? My name is Barney Shields and I can be emailed at deettagg@aol.com . Thanks for the memories!

Hey everyone- I have a small world thing. Do you remember Robbins Candy Store on Merrick Rd. between 231 and 232 street.

Well I met Mr. Robbins daughter here in Portland and lo and behold, Mr. Robbins is still alive. More than that, he is visiting his daughter next week, and I am joining them for a reminiscing dinner and bbq. Will write more about it after our dinner..

Also had dinner with John DePillis in Riverside last week and met Barbara Rose in Las Vegas.
If you want to know a bit more about me, I have a web page at www.rabbiris.com.
(Am moving back to Vegas soon)

Dick Schachet Email Address: LVRabbi@comcast.net

Hi Folks,

My name is Marv Merein. One of my friends, Andy Litsky, from Cambria Heights just sent me the link to the Laurelton web site. Reading the notes is great fun and I can not believe all the years it covers. I read notes from people who lived there in the 1930’s all the way to a current resident who said a recent home sold for $320,000 compared to $9,600 in 1942.

Laurelton was a bit like Camelot, it was nearly a perfect place to live in the 1960’s. There were 100’s of friends, places to “hang-out” and a place to make friends for life. I met my wife in Laurelton as did my two brother-in-laws. It was a simpler life where boys and girls passed their time playing games outside with low tech equipment and flexible rules. Our parents let us go out and play after our school and asked that we come home for dinner. In the summer we stayed outside long past the sun went down and no one carried a cell phone or pager.

I have lived and work all over the world and I can say no place has touched the ‘glow” of Laurelton. In some regards Laurelton in the 60’s was like a Jewish ghetto and life centered on the Laurelton Jewish Center or the JCH or for that matter the Chinese restaurant. My favorite “hang-out” was the Laurelton Library although I never entered it in the four years I was at Jackson. High school fraternities and sororities served to build life-long friendships and adventures exploded into our lives with thrills and excitement.

Thank you to all of those who contributed so generously to the emails included in the website.

Marv Merein Email Address: marvin.merein@cox.net

PS 156, JHS 59, Andrew Jackson class of 1967

Hi - I lived at 134-23 225 ST. -across from the library- from 1957-1971 when I got married. I went to 156, 59 and Jackson '67-
I loved Carmines pizza and tell my kids that all pizza is judged by that- Thanks for the site- the memories flood back - I was in Sigma Chi sorority in HS - and remember the SAR conclaves-

Robin Gallay Fremer Email Address: rfremer@columbus.rr.com

My name was Abbe Rifkin (still is, I work under my maiden name), and I lived at 121-19 235 Street. I have an older brother, Steven (AJHS Class of '60 or '61, I'm not sure) and an older sister, Brenda (AJHS, Class of '68). Neither my younger sister, Charlene, or I attended AJHS, as we moved to Miami Beach at the end of 7th grade (1970), but we all attended P.S. 176 and JHS 59.

I have very definite, very fond memories of Laurelton, and I am sad that my children did not grow up in the kind of neighborhood that I did (it's a different time now, that's for sure--I barely know my neighbors!). Burt and Dave's (I remember when it was Lil' Ed's or something like that), the Laurelton theater and 50-cent Saturday morning movies (and matrons who threw your behind out if you talked too much), the bagel shop where you could watch them make bagels from the window), the toy store, Dr. Rubenstein (his car would come down the street and every kid would disappear into their houses and cower under the bed), Marder Drugs (bought my first box of sanitary pads there, discretely packaged in brown paper--like no one knew what you had), Casual Department store, ringoleeveo, fireflies, kickball, and peaches in the summer, and snowmen, shoveling the sidewalk, and angels in the winter.

I graduated from 176 in 1968, and fondly remember Mr. LaMont, Miss Altman for kindergarten (remember cray-pas crayons, and how you were special if you got to use them?), Mrs. Blauschild for first, Mrs. Manfre for second, Mrs. Cuscione and Mrs. Atwell for third, Miss Hermer for fourth grade, and Mrs. Clarke for fifth. I remember falling in love in sixth grade at 59, and crying hysterically when we left for Florida because I feared I'd never have any friends again (but, of course, I did). I live in Pembroke Pines, Florida (a suburb of Hollywood/Fort Lauderdale) with my husband and the youngest of my two daughters (the eldest, 21, is in college and the youngest is 17 and starting her senior year in high school. I'm an attorney, and have been a prosecutor since graduating from law school, specializing in high profile capital murder cases.

Abbe Rifkin Email Address: Abbeandscott@aol.com

My name is Howie Spero. My sister Wendy linked me up with this site - talk about jogged memories from the past, wow. I hadn't reflected on Laurelton life in a quarter lifetime. I lived at 130-05 228th St, a memorable 7 block walk to PS156. I share memories of many of you, listening to the loudspeaker announce the assassination of Pres. Kennedy during 5th grade and playing hooky on Sat mornings from the LJC. For a lot of the time, the Boy Scouts (troop 225) were a source of sanity and escape to the boony's out in Suffolk County ..:) I.S. 59 was a blur although I have somewhat fond memories of Jackson ('71) before I left Laurelton for my travels westward (I now live in Davis, CA). Names like Bruce Kessler and Neil Rauch bring back memories of asphalt softball and punch ball in the P.S 156 schoolyard as well as the centerfield fenced garden that was a pain when a young Barry Bonds wannabe placed our one and only ball into the garden in dead center field. Does anyone else remember walking into Stanley's store on the corner of 230th and Merrick Blvd to ask for balsa wood - theresponse was always......entertaining and energetic?

I haven't finished reading all of the postings so I'm sure that some of the above has been repeated before. Nevertheless, the memories of Laurelton are fond and I reflect on the simpler times when a day away from home tramping around Laurelton as a 12 year old did not bring out the FBI and police to locate a missing child.

I'm currently living in Washington DC where I'm on temporary leave from the University of California Davis, running a science program at the National Science Foundation. Drop a line to this email if you remember me - I'd love to catch up with many of you.

Thanks Skip for putting this forum together.

Hi Skip, My brother called me to let me know that he was posted on a page about Laurelton, Queens NY. He told me to go to Google to look him up. I can not find his blog. (not sure if blog is the right word) Is this the only web sight for Laurelton?

Anyway just to let you know that my family moved to Laurelton from Inwood Manhattan in 1961 and I was 13 years old. My brothers were a bit younger. Louis Basher who posted a blog was only 5 years old and my brother Richard Basher was 8 years old. Another brother Harry was born in 1966.
We lived at 139 33 229th Street, in Laurelton about 5 blocks south of Merrick Blvd. and not far from the LIRR on 225th Street (I think). I was in the 9th grade and attended a Junior High School on Springfield Blvd. I think the number was 59. After that I attended Andrew Jackson High School and I graduated in 1965, at the age of 17. In 1966 I traveled to Manhattan to work. In 1968 I met my husband at a Purim Dance at the Laurelton Jewish Center. We married in June of 1969 and moved to Brooklyn.

We lived in two locations in Brooklyn for 25 years and we now live in Bellmore L.I. with our children and grandchildren. My husband Jack had lived in Springfield Gardens and when he met me his family was living in Arverne, Queens. My name was Gail Joan Basher and my married name is Holzman. I had many wonderful friends in Laurelton, but unfortunately I have lost contact with them. Some names that I remember are Lynette Brown, Eileen Arshansky, Wilma ?? , Yvette Brody??, and Jessica ? ??Martinson, also Paul Donato. Thank you for your time. you can contact me at gajobh@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon.

Hi to all!!! What memories this site brings back. I lived at 135-02 232 St. (1964-1973) and later at 235-06 131 Ave. I worked at Chicken Delight and Danny's Taxi. My brother Eddie Reiff lives in Georgia now and I am in Suffolk County. I remember Murray's candy store, the bike shop, Burt & Dave's (before and after the fire), Mr. EDD's, the Laurelton Kosher Deli, Ridgewwod and Meadowbrook Banks, P.S. 156, IS 59 and SGHS! I used to hang out with Lori and Larry Ribler, Micheal and Andrew Blumenthal, Leslie Ginsburg, Marla Malkman, Susan Berman, Jay Pickus, Elliot Mallemuth. Remember Donna Berman, she is a Rabbi and teacher. Remember the Blue Light Patrol? La Tosca, Pendl's music center, Franks Barber Shop, boy what a flood of memories.

I would like to hear from anyone who I went to school with or remembers either my brother or myself.

William Reiff Email Address: metman41@yahoo.com

Hi all,

What a cool site! I can't believe how many names and streets and places that were mentioned sounded so familiar to me, like it was only yesterday!!!

My name is Nikki but in growing up and in high school I used my middle name, Jane. Maiden name was Wedgewood. Andrew Jackson HS grad 1960. My dad owned Wedgewood Studios (photography studio on Merrick Rd). I remember Raab's drug store, Kern's bicycle store, Sam's candy store, Changs restaurant, A&P supermarket where my mom shopped. Grew up and lived at 130-20 234th Street! I can't believe how many names on this site lived so near me!!!

My friends were (in no particular order) Carol Lewis, Howie Hiller, Helene Hech, Bonnie Grey, Margie Slott, Eileen McDonald, Penny (her father owned Sam's candy store and what a treat it was to go there!!), Steve, and some others where the names escape me. I played cards (usually Hearts) very often with Carol, her mom, Howie, and some others. I remember Penny & Eileen hangin' out at Kern's bike store and asking me to go. My dad was very strict, and mostly I wasn't allowed. There were many parties in our family's basements. Helene's twin brother (Barry) had old films and made them into videos. Some 9 or 10 years ago, there was a mini Laurelton reunion where I got to see some of the names I mentioned again. We met twice, about a year or two apart, at a restaurant on Long Island. It was then Helene's brother gave us each copies of the videos. I get such a kick outa watching them!! Anyway, I lived in Laurelton for about 21 years; then lived in Queens a few years, lived in the "Y" on West 50th Street in NYC a few times while going to school, then working, and then spent 34 years of my life on Long Island (Levittown). Three years ago, my "better half" (Jim) and myself moved to the Poconos in Pa, where we live in a beautiful gated community, surrounded by nature and clean fresh air!

I have 2 sons (one married, one single) both who live on Long Island. Married son has 3 kids. My email address is after my first grandchild, Megan!

I am still in touch via email with Carol, Howie, Helene, Margie, & Eileen. I will be sending them the link to this site.

Would love to hear from anyone who remembers me and wants to reminisce.

:) Nikki (Jane Wedgewood) Email Address: Megansoma@aol.com

Hi, I remember "Milk Period" but in P.S.176 we had cookies covered in pink or white icing or pretzel rods. There was one girl in our class, Sheila who wouldn't buy any cookies because they weren't kosher so Miss Hermer , the meanest and most frightening teacher I've ever encountered, got us kosher cookies. From that day on I saw my teacher in a new light. She was the one who introduced me to the French language, French culture, and to the joy of eating cavier and dates.
I'm in touch with several of my old schoolmates but I'm still searching for the following people: Linda Kramer, Eddie Finemen, Vivian Keister, Arden Sue Travitz. Last of all does anyone have any information about Henry Solganik who taught French in JHS 59?

Deborah Gelfand Goren Email Address: debgor2@yahoo.com

Hello, I lived 234-11 129 Avenue. I graduated from Andrew Jackson 1960. Went to 156 for six months. Laurelton was the most magical place to grow up in. I don't think that there was another town like it. We were safe, happy and soooooooooo innocent. Everyone knew everyone and there was no peer pressure. Unfortunately life will never be that pure and wonderful again. I now live in Tamarac, Florida. I am in touch with several people from school. My brother is Henry Kessler class of 58, my name is Sandra Kessler Brandt.

WHAT A WONDERFUL WEBSITE THAT I FOUND BY ACCIDENT. My name is Jeff Goodman and I lived at 131-62 225 St. from 1948 to 1964. I went to PS 132, JHS 59, and Andrew Jackson where I g raduated in 1964. Now I live in Boca Raton Fl with my wife of 28 years. I just loved Carmine's pizza, Raab's ice cream , Mr. Singer's candy store at 225 and Merrick. The Laurelton movie theater was 25 cents on Saturday and it was 25 cartoons. There were these ugly matrons in white outfits that escorted you out if you were too noisy. One day, I threw an ice cream cone at the screen. It was worth getting thrown out for that.

Remember bon bons? Couldn't watch a movie without that. My favorite movie was an Abbott and Costello flick. Life was so wonderful back then. It is just too bad we were too young to really appreciate it. Please contact me at Jefbg@aol.com to exchange more fond memories. Hello to you all. This website made my day.

I am tying to locate some additional pictures and stories from my Grandfather Harold's Raab's Luncheonette or Raab's ice cream parlor. It was located on Merrick Road. My Dad is turning 60 on 3/17/06 and he would be overwhelmed with stories and/or photos from him past. Anything you can find or remember, please send me an email. Thank you - Jill Raab, daughter of Joseph Raab.

Hi, my name is Sherry Axelrod, 138-19-230 Street, LA 5-4275, and FI 1-1544. Great site, brought back great memories. I went to PS 156, JSH 59 and graduated AJHS in ’65. I have an older brother Paul, who went to Far Rockaway and AJHS. Our family was extremely active in the LJC, my father Irving was the Rabbi’s right hand man for the High Holidays, and during the year, was the one who was always throwing the kids out of the service for being too noisy.

About 2 years ago, I drove through Laurelton to show my new husband where I grew up. Though everything looked smaller, and the four very long blocks to Merrick Road seem shorter, the houses and property looked great. The islands were we walked the dogs and never “picked up” were beautifully landscaped, and in fact, there were signs in front of some of the houses, and on the islands that announced the winners of a Laurelton Beautification Contest. Of course, the hardest to look at was our beloved Laurelton Jewish Center…it is now a church with bars on the beautiful stained glass windows. I live in Boynton Beach, FL to a wonderful Rabbi, and we will be relocating within the year to Costa Rica.

Hello, everyone - my name is Pamela Melusky (formerly Pamela Glasner) and I grew up in Laurelton. My address was 138-25-234th St. My house backed up to the Belt Parkway - in fact, there was an exit off the Parkway right behind my house. The turn was so sharp that if you took it too fast, you ran the risk of ending up in my backyard. I remember laying in bed on school mornings, waiting to hear the screech of tires as some careless driver struggled to maintain control of his car. I got so used to hearing that sound that I actually considered it bad luck if the day did not start out that way.

Speaking of noise, we were not too far from Kennedy Airport, and we were in the path of a runway. The planes were so low by the time they passed over our block that we’d have to routinely pause in our conversations and wait for the plane to pass - or the person you were speaking with would not be able to hear you. Sundays were especially tough, as flights would come in every two minutes. Anyone who lived in line with the airport knew not to show your house on Sundays if you were trying to sell it!

Directly behind my house was Laurelton Parkway, the service road for the Belt. Then there was an area we called “The Greens”, where we played for hours every day during the summer, and where the best sledding was in the winter. Right next to that was “Twin Ponds”, where we all learned to ice skate and where, occasionally, someone would fall thru the thin ice at the pond's edge near the bridge.

Cross the bridge into Rosedale, where (when I got older) I caught the bus for JHS 59 and later Springfield Gardens HS, and we’d pass St. Claire’s Church and Catholic school and, of course, Manny’s - the Candy Store where we’d buy Bazooka gum for a penny, or baseball cards with a slice of rock-hard nasty gum inside, or pink-colored ball for punch-ball - I personally liked the Pensy-Pinky (if I’m spelling it correctly); my brother liked the Spaulding. And, of course, we’d buy our Archie comics. And - last but never least - Egg Creams!

I remember we had phone numbers that started with names - like Laurelton 7-7942 (mine) and Fieldstone 1-3413 (my friend Nancy’s). And our zip codes were 5 digits long, but we only needed the last 2 digits to mail something. We had a milk box next to the side door in the alleyway - a white-uniformed man would deliver the milk in glass bottles with paper caps on them, early in the mornings.

As soon as school was out, my friends and I would play outside all day long - we’d be gone from early morning until dinner time - and my mom never worried where I was or if some crazy person might abduct me. In fact, all the mothers would throw the kids out! It would never have occurred to any of us to spend a day in front of a TV unless we were sick in bed.

Sometimes we’d walk to Green Acres and shop; sometimes we’d just hang out at Twin Ponds; sometimes we’d take a bus into Jamaica and just walk around; sometimes we’d take a different bus and go to Rockaway Beach. My Great Uncle Jack had a house on Beach 33rd Street. We’d leave our stuff there and walk to the beach, spend the entire day there and come home in time for supper.

We used to get ahold of some lumber and 4 wheels and make a “Go-Kart”, a simple contraption shaped like the letter “I”. I was always the person in the rear providing the power to move us forward (we all called it “Pammy Power”) and the breaks to stop us. I guess I must gone through a lot of shoes . . .

Then at night we’d sit on the stoop (usually mine or Diane Ritter's) and listen to the Beatles on our record players, or catch lightning bugs, or just sit and talk about the latest clothing styles to come across from England (remember Twiggy?).

At 11 years old my friends and I went, unescorted by adults, to the World’s Fair in Flushing. Just three 11-year-old girls. Our parents gave us spending money for the day, directions as to which busses to take, and sent us on our way. I can’t imagine doing that now, if I had a child of that age . . .

My best friends on the block were Nancy Amsel (across the street from me), Diane Ritter (next door), Ellen Keltz (down the street, at the corner) and Susan Muchnick (across the street). Brad Packer also lived across the street, and Billy Bird lived on the corner, across from Ellen Keltz. I lived there from 1955 (my parents bought the house just before my 2nd birthday) until 1971 when I graduated from high school.

I graduated from PS 156 in 1965, JHS 59 in 1967 and SHGS in 1971. I was accepted at City College, but never went, because my parents brought me to CT. Actually, moving to CT was more like an Exodus: first the Rabbi moved, then the Glicks, then the Glasners.

I have friends now, but have never, since I left there, had the kind of friends, or felt that same assumed welcome - that knowledge that you are welcome to just walk into someone’s house, sleep over, have a meal, ask permission of a parent not yours and know that that permission is as good as you own parent’s, because they’re like an extended family . . . . and I still, at 52, miss that.

When I was about 12, I had a very vivid, frightening dream that has always stuck with me. In the dream, I had stayed away from my block for a long time and when I finally returned - still a little girl - you know how dreams are - no-one recognized me and (the very strange thing) all of the houses looked small, as though they had shrunk. It was one of those dreams that stays with you for years, for whatever reason. After my family moved out of Laurelton in 1971, it was years before I went back. But go back I did, fourteen years later, with some friends from Connecticut. And my dream came crashing back into my head. Only now it was real. No-one knew who I was - every house on the block had changed hands - and all the houses looked tiny to me! Maybe it was simply perspective - when you’re small, everything looks big, I guess. It was the most powerful case of Déjà vu!

Sometimes I wonder how my life would have turned out if my parents had not moved me to New England. Sometimes I think I might have been happier. Not that I’m not happy now - I have a wonderful husband; my son is the finest human being who was born in the year 1977; I love what I am doing for a living; I have the proverbial house in the country with a cat and two dogs and a two-car garage. I just think that, perhaps, a transplant of that sort, into such a dramatically different world, particularly when one has no say in the matter, is a trauma that always leaves one wondering . . . .

Well, I did not mean to sound maudlin. After all, life is what you make it - and mine is fine, indeed. I think I would like a reunion - a Laurelton reunion. Perhaps we could have it somewhere near the old neighborhood, then have a bus take us through the neighborhood, block by block.

I’d love to hear from anyone who remembers me or any of what I have mentioned above.

February 11, 2006

The Life of Riley could apply to Old Laurelton. We didn't have air conditioning but it really wasn't that bad. We didn't have money but who cared? (maybe our parents did). We played ball in the hot sun for hours, probably ruining our skin. What, me worry? We worked menial part-time jobs and attended college because we were told we had to, often resulting in living in a rut, but music was a great escape (do kids have that escape nowadays?).

Those were the old days, but we liked it. We found crazy things to occupy our time, like sledding down towards the freeway near the bridges, running across the same freeways, throwing eggs down at the cars (getting caught and threatened by a motorcycle cop to put me on the bike and bring me to jail-yeah, right), exploring the tunnels in between the freeways and Brookville Park, almost suffocating to death in 1967 when some kids set the picnic benches in there on fire, and lying to our folks about the smell, saying we rolled in burnt leaves). Running around the streets of Laurelton at night talking on walkie-talkies and nearly getting mugged, living on the handball courts near So.Conduit Ave and Laurelton Parkway. Putting pennies on the railroad track, cheating death or injury on the third rail. If our parents only knew....but I'm sure your kids are thinking the same thing about you nowadays!

Jeffrey Lyons said that 1963 was the last summer of innocence. So true. Life changed after Lee Harvey decided to make a name for himself. Guns were no longer available for purchase through magazines. People were skeptical of government. Viet Nam fed cynicism. The world seemed to be in chaos. Right now I'm into doo-wop, have been for 6 years. It's the music that started it all and was there before The Beatles. It's a peaceful change from the rock and roll I've collected for 25 years. It's so innocent. It reminds me of Laurelton, where I lived from 1962-1975. We had a few celebs living there as well. I heard that Paul Simon bought his mom a home on 225th st. Orlando Cepeda, Sam DeLuca, Dick Tiger, and though it was Rosedale I'm including Ron Turcotte, lived there. A little north in Cambria Heights could be found the Shangra-Las, leading the pack. Kareem shopped at the supermarket where I worked, as did his 6' 2" mom. So did a famous jockey. No one mentioned the 1964 visit to the Laurelton Jewish Center by Robert Kennedy. I grabbed his arm and he looked a little disturbed, but he was nice about it. Gary Pattick took the yamulke from Kennedy's head. I often wonder if he still has it. Kennedy stood on the moving car. It was cool.

We had fun back then. The good years for me were from 1962-1972. The changes brought in gangs, and muggings. Stanley was allegedly murdered in his store, the suspect someone I played ball with! My brother got mugged, my co-worker got mugged where my brother got mugged, and I developed really good side-vision due to walking home from work at midnight. There were tragedies in the 1960's there. Every town has them. Harry Bernstein, who went with the beautiful Wendy Fox, was murdered in Hollis. Michael Trewitt's family had a double tragedy. Tommy DeOrta(sp?) was shot on 232nd st. and Mentone, a bullet hole in the stucco of a house for years. The gang was called The Aristocrats, hardly scary by today's standards, but it had some trouble-makers. The real gangs would later use weapons, not fists.

But there are so many fond memories and old friends. That's where i read my favorite book, Huckleberry Finn, and would explore Twin Ponds' caves and the wild areas near Laurelton Parkway and use the tree swing there near the park. Al Fintz has done a fantastic job in getting people together on the web. Al, my brother and I do recall when you fell into Spencer Weiss's pool over 40 years ago. It was like a small town, like Mayberry. Neighbors were friendly with each other. Porches were in the front, not the back.

Let me rattle off a few names-Steve Barrett, Brendan Russell and his little brother Shaun Shaun the Leprechaun, all the Trewitt boys, Henry Rodriguez, Gary Saltzman, Andy Calavetta, Michael Sher(Mike, forgive Andy and I for throwing your mom's baking soda cookies across the street-they tasted like baking soda!), Robert Stegmann, Paul Bedrey, Ronnie Kerschenbaum and brother Charlie, Robert Freiberg, Robert Gottlieb, David Kahn, Mark Goret, Scott Rotter, Hal Smollar, Eric and Darrell Taylor, Debbie and Gail and brother McGrath, Pete Calcarra, Al Lapoff, Phil Shadakofsky and Shelly K. too, Dan Kramer, David Berkowitz, Robert Hirsch and his cute little sister Jody, Mike Spano, the Mosteller girls, Mark and Barb Rosenthal, Jay Pincus, Jon Lakritz, Arlene Gottesfeld, and the Jerkins boys-I didn't know your dad trained world famous race-horses! Gino Taliercio, and my newly adopted brother Mike Taliercio!

Well I could write for hours. My name is Glen Gorsetman and I graduated from PS156 in 1964, JHS 59 in 1966, and SGHS in Jan. 1970. Hey, Marie Nelson- I had a crush on you! Debbie Kagan too. Ellen Shapiro - va va voom! But it was just my imagination, running away with me...Go to Classmates.com people to see the names of old classmates. My brother Kurt, who sings great like Tom Jones, lived on Mentone Ave. We looked Italian but aren't. This is a fun website.

February 11, 2006

Hi, my name is Steve Schwartz and also stumbled on this website while "googeling". I grew up in Laurelton from 1955-1968. I lived on 234 st. and 130 ave. I attended PS176, JHS59, and Jackson. Many of the names from this "side of the tracks "are all familiar and a real blast to see from the past. Graduated from Jackson in 70 and still keep in touch with old friends-Andy Sheffrin, Steve Kapit.Many of the names mentioned in other postings bring back plenty of memories. Names like Postman, Kramer, Zidbeck, Rubin were all guys we played basketball with at the PS176 yard.Teachers such as Mrs. Sladon, Mrs.Simonetti, who used to put you on her lap and spank you for your birthday (couldn't get away with that today), Mr.Kariss, Mr Solsberg and Miss Hermer, who would sew up your pockets if you kept your hands in them, all bring back memories. We had some great stickball games behind PS176 in an area known as Box Canyon. I remember Eddie Geier going down into one of those below ground pits to retrieve the pensy pinkies and threatening to leave him down there.

Some other stores on Merrick Road not previously talked about, but deserving of honorable mention were Manny and Zelda's candy store ,which made the best egg creams in Laurelton. Also Pizza La Tosca ,where in 1965, you could get a slice and a coke for 25 cents. Social Barber Shop was a landmark as well where during the same era, one got a crew cut for 75cents and u tipped the barber 25 cents. (if you were sharp way back when, you tried to wait for the owner to give you the haircut, thus saving the 25 cent tip for pizza and soda at the above pizza establishment. Last but not least, Chicken Delight was a great place to get off the Q-5 bus after school to get a bag of french fries for 25 cents. (the grease was included in the price.)

Lastly, other names of schoolmates, from this era who may not have made the Laurelton reunion in 1999: Sheryl Postman, Robin Serota, Joan Sklersky, Ann Bauman, Elaine Reicher, Jill Glassman, Helen Lashnick, Marc Lessinger, Alan Honigman, etc. If anyone out there knowsthe whereabouts of some of these folks, please contact.

Thanks to this WEB page I had the most wonderful experience yesterday. A dear friend of my parents, Anita Turk, found me on this site awhile back and yesterday hosted a luncheon with many of my parents other friends (It's been between 25-40 years since I saw them). She contacted me and I was invited to join them, what a wonderful day full of precious memories. In attendance was Marilyn Levy, BettyLee Spear, Florence Lichtman, Florence Kaufman, Ethel and Marty Silverman and hosted by Norman and Anita Turk, who were in Florida just for a few days. Had it not been for this site this never would of happened, thank you so much Skip for providing us with this site.

February 3, 2006

Hello! I am Michael Storey and I posted back in April of 2005 but since then my e-mail address has changed to mikersto@yahoo.com. I was in Mrs. Nichols 5th grade class at p.s. 156 and classmates were Stuart Smoller, Neil Rothman, Merrill Kramer, Joel Swirling, Vincent Oliveri, Steven Parker, Omar Marti, John Biondililo, and Elaine Kessler. If any of you see this or anyone knows them - e-mail please. Thank you. Mike.

I write to you today to tell you about a story that took place several years ago...many actually. On a bright brisk fall day I was heading to Beth David cemetery for the funeral of family member. I was driving down from our home in New Hampshire with my wife Fern and three children and since we were early, I took a detour to "Laurelton" to show my familythe "Hood".

Well to be sure as my car crept down 139th avenue towards 230th street memories came back one after the other. Looking at those postage stamp size houses brought back many many giant memories.

I remembered throwing fire crackers at a passing police car and getting caught....only with the intervention of Captain Al Kirsch (230th street) did I just get a warning.

I remembered lunch recess ps 156 and playing in the "yard" and getting the Laurelton Movie colored handbill of the movie the following Saturday...if your color matched....you got in free!

I remember crowding into the hallway in PS 156 to watch the first space shot that took Alan Sheppard into space.

I remember climbing the chain link fence at 156 to get into the inner yard to play ball.

I remember playing Chinese handball (ass's up), scully, stoopball (ass's up). It still hurts to think about it!

I remember getting turned down for my first date ...... by the girl's mother!

The blackout, assassination, HURRICANE DONNA, riding my bike to Far Rockaway, going to Green Acres to bowl a couple of games. My paper route!

Getting my drivers license and picking up Kenny Lane at the LIRR station. GETTING into my first accident with Norman Levenson and two girls in my fathers brand new BUICK on the Cross Island Parkway!

Getting off the bus from "59 and getting a slice or eggroll. Good Pizza in NEW YORK!

Lot's of good memories. Laurelton was a family town and although I recognize very few names on this blog, the 38 years since I moved from the "hood" didn't seem to move as fast before my visit as it seemed after my visit.

By the way, as my car approached my old home I slowed to a crawl.... a elderly woman was walking from my old house with a grocery cart. I jumped out of the car in my dark suit and sunglasses in an effort to introduce myself..... my family thought I was nuts as I startled the women. she put up her hands...she thought I was a cop!

I explained to her that I once lived in the house and her response was "bullXXXX". I guess I was typecast! What a switch!

Now I live in New Hampshire in the sticks..... lost contact with all my Laurelton roots, hardly knowing any neighbors after being on this street for 20 years. My children never played stickball, scully, Chinese handball or stoopball .......Hollis New Hampshire is no Laurelton. I wonder if Laurelton is still Laurelton? Does anybody know?

Since finding this site earlier today, I have been unable to concentrate on work. Reading some of the posts have brought back incredible memories of my years in Laurelton. My name is Michael Moskowitz ("Mosk" to most back then), and I lived on 228th Street and (I think) 137th Ave.from 1965 to 1971. My family moved (thankfully), to Plainview within weeks of my entering Springfield Gardens HS.

It is amazing how the memories rush back once someone opens the floodgates. I too lived across the street from Laurelton Jewish Center like Bruce Kessler (I actually think we lived in the same 2-family house with his family on the bottom), one block from PS 156. I moved in during third grade.
My teacher was Ms. Gyves. Our entire class went to her wedding. If I recall correctly, it was my first wedding, as well as my first time in a church. Ms. Gyves (I cannot recall if that was her maiden or married name since it changed mid-year), was quite attractive to the 3rd grade boys and we were
all a little disappointed when she got married. Then came the "IG" years of 4th and 5th grade where we studied French and the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Since everyone I knew was in "IG," we were in the same class for 3 straight years. PS 156 was a great school, with a great school yard. Almost every day after school we played either basketball, baseball or stickball there or went to each others houses. I remember the back walls furthest away from the school where we chalked in the strike zone for our stickball games. Across the street from the schoolyard lived one of my best friends at the time, David Zuber, who, no doubt, has gone on to do great things. I remember thousands of touch football games in front of David Abrams' house on 229th Street (or was it 227th). My friends may remember many basketball games in front of my house shooting at the basket which was nailed to a tree (very high tech). I also remember how we were never home, stayed out all night (at least till 2 or 3 a.m.) for bar and bat mitzvah's and never had any adult supervision, yet we all survived. My kids never leave the house without an adult and they are going on 11 and 13. It is sad how that part of growing up has changed.

I read a posting by Steven Bruckenthal, who I met at IS 59. He listed the names of many of my closest friends from those early days who I would love to hear from if they see this posting. They are as follows:

David Abrams, Eric Alperin, Lori Chozick, Mindy Chozick, J.Scott Chroman, Gary Eisenberg, Susan Feilich, Laura Glass, Andy Krugman, Rhonda Meserole, Wendy Orshan, Michael Rauch, Wendy Spero, David Zuber.

FYI, the only person I have seen since moving in 1971 was Gary Eisenberg.We went to college together for a while and he used to live in Muttontown, near where I now live. As I write this, I remember he lived on Francis Lewis Blvd. and we had our Cub Scout meetings in his house. I remember the Kool-Aid his mom used to serve us.

I live on Long Island and work in New York City. I can be reached at mlm@weltmosk.com

This is Ron Cowen, then called Ronald Cowen, who graduated from P.S. 132 in 1968. First, Happy New Year 2006 to everyone! I've posted to the site once before, and I just wanted to encourage people who went to P.S. 132 to post their memories. After all, not everyone went to P.S. 156. Thanks,

What great fun it is to reminisce the great days we had growing up in Laurelton. I hope that one of these days someone will plan another reunion like the one we had about 15 years ago in Hewlett.

I and two other old Laurelton guys get together every couple of months for dinner in a nice restaurant in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The three of us are: Bob Berkal, Saul Drubin, Art Kern (me), and occasionally Bob Fidlow. How about some of you old pals - and certainly Gals too - joining us. We would love to see and hear first hand from any or all of you. Anyone who is available please email me and be sure to put LAURELTON on your subject line so I don't delete it as spam. By the way, my wife and I live in Watchung, NJ.

Dear Skip,

Howie Katz looking for an answer or two. I've got two photos of my former street, 227th, 131st Avenue looking North and South, from 1951. That's the year before I left my home at 131-45. I was in my sophomore year at N.Y.U. College of Dentistry, and was married that year to my former wife. I forgot that the streets were "one way" and which way Merrick Road was. I know my old house does not show in these photos since it was half way (up or down) from the corner, but it would help the image in the memory bank of my old homestead that meant so much to me growing up there from 1929 on. It was a long time for me to be in our "center of the universe." Those visions still sustain me to this very day.
As our common shared past are almost universal, the same fondness and love is most comforting in this age of violence and unflinching hate. Where tolerance and being a good neighbor were our watchwords, the contrast is blindingly stark. Would someone post the site for me or contact me at katz4bike@aol.com. I would look upon that as a great kindness. Thanks in advance. Howie. P.S., Have a great holiday and healthy New Year.

It was great to read down the website and remember the wonderful years growing up in Laurelton. We lived at 227-08 139th Avenue from 1952 - 1964. And yes, I too remember our phone number: LA8 0909. I've already reconnected with several classmates (PS 156 and JHS 59) and would love to hear from others. I'd be especially interested in memories of LJC, Rabbi Howard Singer and the book he wrote (and we used in class) With Mind and Heart.

Today is Nov. 22, 2005, a day that will be remembered by every American, the day that President John F. Kennedy was killed. It is just like yesterday when we were in PS. 156 and Mr. Kiley announced on the PA system the dreadful news.

It is hard to believe that 42 years have passed, but I am sure that we can all remember where we were at that moment in time and what we were doing. It is just one of those things that binds us together, like our memories of Laurelton.

To each of us it was a very special place. We all have our memories of our classmates, teachers, and people who touched our lives and enriched them.

Skip, I thank you for maintaining this website so that we can reminisce, and stop every so often and smile and remember those good old days..love to hear from friends

Barbara Klugsberg Email Address: jsternberg@yahoo.com
Andrew Jackson Class of l973

Hi Skip, I was Gene Flowerman of 139-19 231st street what a place it was. I'm 55 now and living in Escondido Ca. and now called Harry Flowerman. I Remember the old times in Laurelton playing base ball on a street and yelling "car car" so we would all get out of the way. And people asking why we let some small kids play and the answer was "It's his ball" those were the days. Halloween was fun we could go door to door without our parents worrying. I had a 1930 Ford as my first car in 1966 and got it running in 1967. It was a fun car slow and cold in the winter. I drove it all over the place and moved it to California with me. I been looking for a Paul Levinson from Laurelton who was one of my buddies. any buddy who remembers me email hflowerman@aol.comHarry Flowerman Email Address: hflowerman@aol.com

Found this site by accident and have enjoyed the memories. Loved hearing from my old classmates. Thanks! 2 kids from Laurelton who got married.

Hal Smollar and Sally LaMendola Email Address: smollar_s@firn.edu

I'm looking for anyone with any pictures or memories of my dad or anyone in his family. He grew up in Cambria Heights...his parents were Italian, and he was one of five children. There was Laura, Joseph, Michael, Julia and Rosemarie. Their last name was Di Vilio. My father was Michael, and his nickname was Mickey. His father built houses...and one of them was on 118-11 219th St. in Cambria Heights. I can remember some of the neighbors...My dad was born in 1939...just to give you an idea of grades and years. Any pictures or memories would be great. My dad has passed and I have very little to remember him by. Thank you.

I just found the Laurelton site today and while I am waiting for my shutters to be put on, had some free time to "surf"! Although I don't remember your name, you have mentioned many people I do remember. I grew up in Laurelton, having moved there from the Bronx in 1938. Our first house was a rental on 226 St. (north side) in an attached row house on the second block in from Merrick Rd. After that when my Dad got on his feet a little more (very bad depression years), we moved to 131-78-229 St, and then to 135-47-228 St. We were diagonally across from PS 156 and the LJC. My parents sold the house the year I married(1952) to the LJC. I used to baby-sit for Rabbi Teplitz' two children. My Dad played cards weekly with Irving Masch who was a pharmacist at Rael Drug store. I am now living in Valencia Isles, Boynton Beach, and got a kick out of hearing from a local transplant. We are now full-timers here. I, too have had a long and interesting life and have such fond memories of Laurelton. I have a younger brother Alan, who also went to PS156. His name was Alan Margolish, and mine was Marcia Margolish. I graduated from PS 156 in 1944, went to FRHS for 2 years and transferred to Forest Hills High school where I graduated in 1948. My mom was very active in Hadassah and Red Cross during those awful war years, and I was married at the LJC in 1952, the first wedding in the "new" building. Hope this information is interesting to you. Will also post it on the web site. Best regards,

I have been checking the Laurelton page and have seen many names that sound so familiar. It may sound odd but I miss Laurelton. It was a special place for a lot of people. A town where everyone new everyone else. You didn’t have to worry if you went to a friends house at night or just took a walk. Life was just simpler then. Wouldn’t it be great to have that back again. We lived in other towns in Long Island and in Fl. And you never get that hometown feeling again. It truly was a special place to grow up. Don’t get me wrong all towns have there special problems but most of it was great. Friends made were lifelong, I still keep in touch with quite a few Cookie Linette Lasker, Toby Steigletz, Sandy Ridner, Howie Linette, Norman Samuels, Sue Weinstein then lost touch, Stuart Hess, Abbott Gerlerta etc. Sometimes you wonder what happened to certain classmates one being Howie Halyard-he had a wonderful voice, or Sam Buchannan, Steven Brooks. If any one would like to get in touch you can e mail.

This is such a nice site to check out. I have heard from several people that read my previous letter in August. Keep up the good work. I would love to hear from anyone that graduated from P.S. 132 in 1942 and AJHS in 1947. Mr. Blatt was my English teacher and was still there when my son graduated in 1967. He was then a guidance counselor.

Does anyone remember Phil Scire who lived on 227 Street North of Merrick Road or Dallas Smith who lived on 227 Street, South of Merrick Road?

Two friends who grew up here, went to JHS 59, and graduated
Andrew Jackson in 1962, would like to contact these very good friends of theirs. Can anyone email me for their contact info? For Lois Orlick, friends

A few Laurelton Buddies from the 1960's got together and came up with names of our fellow classmates in PS 156. We all graduated in June, 1965. Can you please post this message we would like to see what old classmates will get in contact with us.

The Decade Was The 1960's...........The Place Laurelton, Queens. We had great times and we were to young to figure out that town would be home even though most of us moved away. Remember Weekends at The Laurelton Movies......Our First Library Cards at the Queens Public Library Laurelton Branch? Most of us had friends that are like family and the relationships are still going strong all these years later...........

PS 156 - Remember the class trips to Museums, Ferry Rides and The World's Fair? The weekly class punch-ball game! The Friday afternoon free time to make models and listen to records. These things don't happen anymore......But PS 156 made us some great memories. Unfortunately all school pictures are gone a casualty of the move out of Laurelton in 1970's. If anyone has the class pictures from 1965 graduating class, please post them.

Larry Kilman
Gloria Black
Nancy Amsel
Susan Markman
Ursula Tartaglia
Gerald Shapiro
Steven Narby
Anita Ginsberg
Anthony LaTasso
Peter Sauro
Christian Shoenfeld
Norman Silverman
Ilyne Fried
John Zangler
Dan Blumenthal
Anthony Cerulli
Dennis Kelly
Vinnie Vivo
Dan Kramer
Hazel Terry
Esther Robles
Florence Santoro
Martin ?
Gary Patick
Howard Brezenoff
Frank Dinardi
Jason Smolen
Steve Snyder
Michael Mercurio
Mary Green
Eugene Rubin
Neil Rauch
Steven Phillips
Janet Prager
Diane DeLuca

Kurt Gorsetman 232-15 Mentone Ave
Mike Taliercio 138-06 233rd Street
Glen Gorsetman 232-15 Mentone Ave

The addresses above were our old ones in Laurelton they are not current......

I was referred to your site by one of my brother's. Reading the postings reminded me of what a "wonderful life" we had in our corner of Queens in the 1960's and early 70's. This has caused me to uncover old year books (the IS 59 yearbook was officially "The Senior Summit") and other memorabilia.

I am Paul Kleidman from 120-03 225th St Cambria Heights. As with Laurelton, Cambria Heights was a "small town" in the big city. Linden Blvd was to us what Merrick was to Laureltonians. The hardware store, was between 225th and 226th, and the super market (I believe a Bohack's) down around 221st. We had several bakery's (the German near the corner of 223rd the best), candy stores (penny candy, spaulding, baseball cards), a pizza place (near 224th St) and a go-cart store (around 228th).

We had great neighbors who watched out for each other. My cousins - Steve (who has posted to this site) and Ric, who lived several houses away, have been life long friends and inspirations. The Benders...Doug was my first hero....served in the navy and I believe on several missions to recover Apollo space crafts (remember those days) lived next door and were like family. Then there were the Menchise family - Nick is still in touch with my cousin Ric and Dave I believe is in Florida.

Those of us that lived south of Linden Blvd went to PS 176, not a better place to be nurtured. Mr. La Monte was the principle. I can still remember him telling me about JFK's assassination, and chastising me for kissing a fellow second grader in the hall. All the teachers were memorable: 1st - Mrs. Manfre; 2nd - Mrs. Hundley; 3rd - Mrs. Cuscione; 4th - Mrs. Simonetti (thanks for allowing me on the crossing guard in 4th grade); and 5th - Mrs. Clarke.

My first real friend were there: David Berger, Jay Kates, Adrienne Brown, Mondel Sealey, Leona Cohen (her dad was also my doctor), Amy Litsky, Joy Smilon, Carol Strom, David Leboff, Holly Popfsky, Barbara Bellis, and Barry Koch, to name as many as I can recall (or recalled from looking over a very old autograph book). Some of these were also my first "loves", such as they are between first and fifth grade.

In 1967 I was off to IS 59, and my real relationship with Laurelton. Until then, if you were from Cambria, you generally did not stray past 130th avenue (where the islands were present along Francis Louis Blvd), even on Halloween. Query: Those of you who have raised kids in the past twenty year, would you have allowed your kids to have gone as far and wide as we did, unsupervised, on Halloween? Probable not, which is further evidence of the magic of our time and place in history.

IS 59 was remarkable, not so much for the facilities, some what more so for the teachers, but certainly for the people. Thirty plus years after leaving there, and regrettable losing track of most of my classmates (thanks for being a trooper Billy), looking back through "The Senior Summit" there wasn't a classmate from 9 SP-1 that I didn't recall and have some memory of. This group consisted of: John Samuels III (a great artist), Darrell Dove (he took me to my first Nets game in the old arena), William Gazzerro (way to many memories to recall, since he was involved, one way or the other, in most), Steven Leeds, Harold Todd, Gary Thomas, James Menis, Gene Mattos, Jeff Azoulay, Mondell Sealey, Adrienne Brown, Susan DeMarines (amongst many memories, we'll leave it to the time I broke the lock on her fathers new car), Patricia Jamieson, three special friends - Leslie Weitzman, Merri Turk and Judy Kornbluh - each of whom provided invaluable guidance and support, Michele Moore, Sally LaMendola, Eugene and Alexander Godilo-Godlovsky (fellow PS 176ers), Richard Steinbeck, Debra Ilberman, Neil Rapppaport, Henry Simon (hope this finds you well) and Vicki Rader. The other 9 SP classes also had many friends, including transplants from Cambria like Jay, Barry and Leona.

After school and on weekends I remember cruising Merrick, J & S Pizza (now in Belrose across from the old bowling alley...stopping there occasionally on the way home from mom's in Franklin Square), the movie theatre, and dances and other functions at the LJC. I also remember sleep-overs with "raids" on some of the girls houses accessed by using the shortcut from Cambria to Laurelton thru the cemetery. To protect the innocent I make no mention of which of the girls houses we raided.

After IS 59 I went to Jackson, one of the few in those days (1970-1973) to do so. I made many new friends, some of whom I still keep in touch with, some of whom are still best friend...my brothers and cousins, as well as Charlie Cooper, and my brother Carl's best friend Chris Policano. However the days I spent at 59, and after school in Laurelton, were special.

I wax nostalgic for many reasons, not the least of which is, with my youngest daughter (I have three daughters, probable some cruel pay back for my years hanging out in Laurelton) off to high school next week, I realize how lucky we were. For all those of you that find this post, I hope this finds you well and happy, and this brings back just a moment of those days.

What a pleasure to find this gem of a site. Born, raised and schooled in Cambria Heights, 120-19 225 Street, I graduated PS 176 in 1968. But life did not really start until I went to IS 59 (when we started it still was JHS 59), and I met the residents of Laurelton, that turned into the friends and people that have molded me into the person that I am today.

Throughout my life, people tell me about the friends that they made in high school, or relationships forged in college. When I tell the stories of my adolescence, I tell the tales of Laurelton. Basketball, dancing (grinding) , stick ball, drinking (sorry mom), football at Alley Pond Park, sneaking through windows, (sorry to all the dads who now have daughters).

Cambria Heights, had great friends and great relatives. The 5 Bruckenthal/Kleidman BOYS...My brother Eric (Ric), the elder statesman of the clad, was 3 1/2 years my senior. The first in the family to wear the colors (Officer) of the school crossing guards, does it surprise any of us, that he is today the Chief of Police in Suffolk County. And all the boys followed in his foot steps, well as crossing guards and officers at least. Paul, Carl and Larry (Yogi) Kleidman, our three-first cousins, raised 4 houses down, all went through PS 176 and JHS/IS 59. I was right there in the middle of group...Cambria was the world to me...But then came 59!

Was I book smart, or as I insist, were the challenges of 59 more about getting us out alive...7SP2 and 9SP2 came calling...What did I know, I answered...What evolved were best friends, best romances, best experiences....We were black, we were white. We were Jewish, we were Catholics. We were male we were female. We would ride our bikes from Cambria Heights, the three miles to 156 and spend the day until the sun was long past gone in Laurelton. Our parents didn't know where we were, it was a time before cell phones, before concerns of what could happen, we were naive, and we were so very happy. First kisses, first sips, first of many things.
The summer of 1971, the year that we graduated from IS 59, a great year. A better summer...But what happened. I come home from camp, and it was a changed environment. Where did everyone go??? It was as if, all of my friends had moved away in two months...It was, as we know now, but in 1971 I had no idea, Andrew Jackson, and Springfield Gardens High Schools, were looming, and most of our parents had other ideas. Thus, the WHITE FLIGHT, that ended best times of my life. My Jackson career ended before it started, private school called, and soon we too took flight.

I go back to the old neighborhood, and think about the best times, the best friends, best girl friends. Where are they now...You try to stay in touch, a visit on the weekend, a college weekend, but we all went our separate ways. Other then my family, I have lost you all...Well except Chris Policano, who we've been trying to lose for years! Where are you now, my best friends, my allies, my partners in crime and sport. My true loves! I hope that life has been great to you all, and that my worse fears (you know who you are) did not come true! This will be in alphabetical order, but you know where you really stand on the list! This is even more appropriate that I write to you today. Today, my son, turns 14. He too has just ended his Middle School years, and as he enters high school, I see and I know, that his friends will be with him for life. I am so jealous!

David Abrams, Eric Alperin, Lori Chozick, Mindy Chozick, J.Scott Chroman, Gary Eisenberg
Paul Ehrlich, Susan Feilich, Andrea Friedman, Hank Greenberg, Laura Glass, Godfrey Headley
Jane Hockman, Jody Kleinman, Andre Kloetz, Andy Krugman, Keith Lyons, Amy Margolis
Rhoda Meserole, Michael Moskowitz, Wendy Orshan, Kenny Perlmutter, Michael Rauch
Mona Rosenberg, Carolyn Russoff, Elaine Salerno, Wendy Spero, David Zuber

Hi Skip: Although he lived in Cambria Heights (not Laurelton), entertainer Chuck McCann attended and graduated Andrew Jackson High School. Many people will remember his childrens' TV show on local NYC television. He was a contemporary of Sonny Fox and Sandy Becker. On an national level, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter. And many people will remember him from a commercial in the 1970s. A man opens a medicine cabinet in a bathroom and inside is someone who waves and says "Hi guy." That someone was Chuck McCann. He's also done a lot of other stuff. And the reason I bring it up now is that he is among the dozens of comedians featured in the documentary getting the biggest buzz of the summer -- The Aristocrats. It's a movie of lots of comedians telling the same dirty joke. Yes, it sounds stupid but it's hilarious. And included with people like George Carlin, Whoopie Goldberg, Robin Williams, Chris Rock, Phyllis Diller and just about every big name comedian you can think of -- is Chuck McCann.

Malcolm Kushner AJHS - Class of 1970 Email Address: mk@kushnergroup.com
I also went to PS 156 and JHS 59

What a trip down memory lane when I found this website on my email from a son of a friend.. I grew up at 137-40 232nd street and graduated PS 156 in 1957 and JHS 59 in 1960 and AJHS in 1963. I recognize many of the teachers and friends..

PS156 was the best with the best bunch of kids and teachers.. They even let us listen to the World Series on the room intercom and I remember hearing Don Larsen's perfect game in 1955. There was no TV. The best pitchers in town were on the stickball field at the schoolyard with the Pensy Pinkie curving into the chalked box on the wall. Billy Berkowitz was the star player. Punchball was another gerat sport and clearing the inner fence for a HR was a badge of honor

Since I went to Queens College I lived at home until 1967 and throughout my college years I worked as a weekend maitre d' at the House of Chang at Green Acres with Marshall Shapiro, the only 2 Caucasians working there. I am sure many of you ate there on Sundays as the food was great. If anyone knows Marshall's whereabouts (he lived North of Merrick around 226th) or of his cousin Jackie Coopersmith I would appreciate hearing from you. I have moved West but always will think of that great little town where my parents bought a house in 1943 for $3000.

I just recently 'bumped' into this site....and was surprised some people remember me. My name is Neil Rappaport....the one who lived at 133-27 226th street (right next to Tom's Barber Shop) from 1959 to 1973 (when we moved to San Diego). My parents owned Samuel Cleaners on Merrick Blvd (between 226th and 227th streets); I have an older brother, Howard, who attended schools in Laurelton straight through Andrew Jackson High School.

I attended PS 132 and wish I could find my old school pictures to jog my memory (which is poor). Max Gilman was (and still is) most oldest friend; he now lives in Merrick (Nassau county); over 47 years of friendship.....WOW. We lived down the block from the Kanowitz family but close to many families. At PS 132, I had Mrs. Fleck, Middlemiss, Reiff, Perlman, and Semon.....with lots of friends in all the same classes: Beth Brautman (thanks for remembering me), Robin Fader, Todd Herald, Craig Casey.....the absolutely brilliant Mitchell Novick and Richard Angrist (whom I'm sure when straight from elementary school to medical school). I.S. 59 friends combined the above with the PS 156 folks.....and some of those people were Leslie Weitzman, Merri Turk, Billy Gazerro (who didn't mention me, but I do remember lots of the same people he mentioned), Debbie Ilberman, Bernard Kavaler (who tried earlier to contact me).....and Judy Kornbluh (clearly a wonderful person!). I think I was in 6E5...and 7SP1 and 9SP1 (am I right?) Mrs. Krantz's going away present anyone? Regents exams? in Math, French, etc.

I was part of the smaller JCH (as opposed to you LJC folk)....and need to find my Bar Mitzvah pictures to remember exactly who attended; it was 1969 and I'm sure my double-breasted suit with my wild tie will always embarrass me (but that was the fashion then).
A group of us opted to attend Jamaica High School (class of '73) in order to avoid Andrew Jackson High School; catching the Q 5 every morning along with Leslie, Merri, Judy, Debbie (was I the only guy?). (Max had gotten accepted to Stuyvesant HS in the city). Lots of great times as a group, surviving a fairly difficult time in life and the crumbling environment around us; I was mugged several times and my dad was robbed at gunpoint once.

I've driven down Merrick Blvd only once since I moved away in 1973....I try to remember all the stores (eg., Stanleys, the bakeries, bagel bakery near the library, the Chinese Restaurants (which were always packed right after Yom Kippur, hmmmmm), the movies, the pizza places, etc). Thanks for the website b/c it does bring back fond memories.

I'm sure I've not mentioned some people specifically; my apologies....it's been a long time and a great distance for me. Regards to all.

Is anyone else struck by the contrast of the twoentries, side-by-side: Dorothy skipping around the auditorium versus the terrified rider of the Q 43? I think the reason "we" have been moved to convey our collective memories here is precisely because our idyllic place has disappeared - vanished - and few have been fortunate enough to replicate the life we had led. As Carol wrote: nobody believes our recollections! But, by logging on to this site, our memories of "the bliss" are confirmed by people we don't even know.

So what do we learn from these stories, and the disparities, and the poignant contrasts? Anyone?

I grew up @ 133 - 27 221st in Laurelton. I attended PS 132 and had Mrs. Bernstein,Mrs.Feldman, Mrs. Furman, Mrs. Stein & Mrs. Kerner as teachers. My brother & I were in SP until 6th grade. I was transferred to PS 184 in Whitestone during the whole busing crisis. If I thought I was minority in a predominantly black school. I was one as well in the predominantly white school I was bused to in Whitestone. We were of the very few Asians that lived in the neighborhood.

Mrs. Powell was the school librarian at the time. That was my favorite place to be. I tutored 3rd graders when I was in 5th & 6th grade. I remember it seemed strange that there was a synagogue in the neighborhood that was changing quickly. My neighbors were Italian,Irish and German....then Jamaican and so on. They moved away during the late 70's. I had friend's that
attended St. Claires. They were in uniforms while kids in my school touted the exploits of Mohammed Ali & Joe Frazier and wore a lot of double knit fabric. I learned that "ironed" hair did not mean that you actually ironed it on an ironing board. A school friend was knifed to death on 221st. for his coat in 1979. My mother was mugged in front of our house as she returned home from work.

My house was next to a supermarket called Bohack. I thought that to be a funny name back then. It was riddled with graffiti by a local gang known as the Black Spades. There was a candy store around the corner on Merrick Boulevard which later installed bullet proof glass. This was something that the liquor store across the street did as well. Broken glass bottles and bullet proof glass were to become synonymous with Merrick Boulevard. Woolworth's was still around and the old man Stanley shuffled along the wooden floors when I would go to buy a ball or look through the out dated wooden bins. I always bought my notebooks from there before the store was demolished. I'd walk to Green Acres or bike there along Merrick Blvd. We'd be extra careful
not to linger too long around J&S Pizza, the bowling alley or MacDonalds. There were rumors of people being chased through the neighborhood if they didn't live in Rosedale. We weren't allowed to go the local theater but we were allowed to take the bus or ride to Green Acres. Newberry's,Penny's, Kleins and Gimbels. That's where you got your school clothes.

My parents bought their house in the late 50's. My mother grew up in the city on the upper west side. I think they were surprised by the radical change that occurred so quickly in the neighborhood. We witnessed a gentrification without realizing it. I once found a syringe and white powder in an eyeglass case in the parking lot of the defunct Bohack;s..it had become an auto parts store. Our neighbor across the street, lived there for a long time before my family, had a son who had come home from Vietnam. He never worked. I used to think he was cool. He had a huge afro and all of his friends would stop by to hang out with him. His back yard was next to an old man's yard by the name of Emil. One day this cool man died of a drug over dose. He was a product of those times.

I was lucky to have my teachers nurture my scholastic and artistic abilities. I went on to a specialized highschool in NYC and graduated from a Pratt Institute with an Art degree. My sister and I witnessed racism on the Q76 & Q77 on a daily basis to and from school. I had to attend Bayside highschool for one day before entering the school I was to attend ( Art & Design ). On the way home before getting on the Q43, the sidewalk had been scribbled with colored chalk, " The Q43 to Africa ". This was the bus my sister had to take before finally transferring to Jamaica High.

I have not been to Laurelton in a long time.....the part of my life was smack in the middle of race conflicts and hormonal changes.

I went to PS 156 and then I went to Springfield Gardens JHS 59 and then I moved to Great Neck. I guess I graduated from 156 around 1962 and then I went to 2 year SP graduating from 59 about 1964. I remember being in an SP class with various teachers I remember like Mrs. Seltzer, Mrs. Murain, Mrs. Cohen who collected rocks from all 50 states, Mrs. Greenberg I think also. I took French in JHS so I was in the 2 year SP French group. I remember trick-or-treating for miles around until it became too dark, a house near the pond we ice-skated at with incredible indoor Christmas villages that we could wander into. I remember spelling bees, singing contests, and my crowning moment as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, skipping around the auditorium.

HiMy maiden name was Deborah Gelfand. I use to live at 121-34 238 St. I went to P.S.176. Who could forget Miss Herman ? She still gives me nightmares. Across the street lived Arlene and her brother Jerry Rouse. I also remember Jojo who was also known as little Jo, Big Jo who played the piano while his mother sung along and the Marcus family.

I'm looking for Susan Jacobs, Francis Einzcig, Arden Sue Traubitz, and Eddie Feinburg. I'd love to hear from any one who knew me then.
Deborah Goren Email Address: debgor2@yahoo.com

My eldest son, Howard Rigsby (Class of 67-AJHS) discovered this website. I grew up in Laurelton at 130-40 228 Street from 1929 to 1948 and graduated from AJHS in January of 1947.
I noticed quite a few references to my younger son, Robert (Whitey) Rigsby. He lives in Pennsylvania and has 7 children and one grandchild. My two girls graduated from SGHS. Nancy lives in North Carolina, Wendy lives near me in Zephyrhills and Howard lives in Woodstock, Illinois.I would love to hear from anyone from my era, especially if they live on the Gulf Coast of Florida. I am in Largo.

I went with Dallas Smith of 137-11 227 Street and have been trying to find out whatever happened to him. We were Puppy Love Sweethearts. He graduated from Rhodes in 1946.
Please keep in touch.

My Laurelton memories are pretty dim but would hope they'd be refreshed by some of you who might remember the Garson Family on 232 St. My parents were Sascha and Eli. We moved there from Sunnyside in either 1940 or 1941. My brother, Marvin was born there on the Sunday following Pearl Harbor. I remember my first day of school at P.S. 156. One of my friends was Judy Masch. I think her father's name was Irving. I also remember Ian and Jeffrey Mackler, sons of Mildred and Phil Mackler who lived on the other side of Merrick Rd. Also, Charles & Adrienne Bernstein, children of Ruby & Harry. Also, the Nagel sisters -- Barbara, Carol, & Ellen. And, of course, the Schackets.

Today I live in San Diego, CA with my husband Mac who actually lived in Laurelton for a year with his first wife in about 1970, long after I had left Laurelton for many other places. I've got 3 kids & 11 grandchildren. Although we spend most of our time in San Diego, we are at our Delray Beach, FL condo for about 12 weeks every year. Haven't seen Laurelton for at least half a century and wish that our family had stayed there longer. We left soon after The War ended.
We would love to be in contact with Laureltonians, particularly those who are now in Palm Beach County full time or part time (like we are) and hope that we can all get together for coffee at a Starbucks in Boca or on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. Looking forward to hearing from some of you.

Hi! My name is Scott Plakun. I was born in 1952, and grew up a 128-19 236 Street, next to Shelley Levine, who just turned me on to this site. So I'm also from "the other side" of Laurelton. I attended PS 176 (with memorable teachers like Mr Solzberg and Miss Herman), JHS 59 (the teacher I remember best from there was Mrs. Shula Hirsch: I don't remember whether she taught English or Math or Social Studies, I do remember she had published a book about the time she lived in Israel) and Andrew Jackson High School (Mr and Mrs Wolfson, Mr. La Rocca, Mrs. Leidner, Mr. Amatrudo, and who can forget SING! with Mrs Lifshey and Mrs Reich)

My circle of friends included Shelley, Caryn Katz (now living in Toronto), Debbie Cohen (last I heard, she was in the Chicago area), Malcolm Kushner (now in Santa Cruz), Steve Nelson (New Orleans), and a bunch of people I've completely lost touch with: Toni Bartelucci, Stephen Goods, Paul Tucker, Dennis Perman, Elliot Schwartz...

One of my fondest food memories of Laurelton is the Wong's Chinese take-out restaurant, which was "closed Mondays unless holiday falling on Monday", as I recall. I now live in San Francisco, where there's plenty of great Chinese food, but I really miss Wong's style of some specialties, including shrimp with lobster sauce, subgum pork with almonds, wor shoo opp, and those fabulous huge egg rolls!

Thanks for this website! This is Ron Cowen, (then known as Ronald Cowen) and I lived in Laurelton from birth until 1970, not long after my parents split up. I left Laurelton pretty abruptly when that happened and didn't stay in touch with people, but I'm very interested in making contact with friends from that era.

My address was 226-41 129th Ave (our backyard faced Montiefore Cemetery) and my phone was LA5-4300. I was pretty quiet and studious most of the time, so people may not remember me. My sister, four years older, is Elaine, and she went to Andrew Jackson High School. I went to P.S. 132 and I too recall Miss Rand at the library and her stories. I believe the dog at Stanley's was named Bowser, but I'm not sure.

Here's names of kids I went to school with at P.S. 132: Beryl Leonard, Bruce Mogul (or Mogle ?) Robin Ugelow, Keith Rosen, Susan Weiss, Albert Grant (he had a younger brother, Phillip, and Albert was a great cartoonist), Gary Rosenblatt (I seem to recall we visited his house on a school trip because his dad had an elaborate model railroad set up in the basement), Barry Rubin (only in JHS 59, though, I think), Robert Schless (not sure of spelling), Shelly Kastin, a Phyllis and a Rubin but don't recall their last names.

I had Mrs. Bernstein in kindergarten, Mrs. Rosenberg in the first grade, Mrs. Furman in the second, Mrs. Schiller in the third, then Mrs. Pollack/Mrs. Brown in the fourth-fifth. Mrs. Pollack was very beautiful and kind and she left in mid fourth-grade, around 1967, to have a baby. I recall Mrs. Brown and her love of Greek mythology, and when she brought in her Beagle, along with her daughter. Mrs. Merritt was the principle. We had French, which I loved, with Mme. Rubin. I graduated P.S. 132 in 1968.

I recall playing handball--"Chinese" against the sidewall of Woolworth's. Taking the Q5 to Green Acres Shopping Center--I remember at Green Acres leaving two ketchupy pennies as a tip at Newberry's and the pet department there, Karr's (or Carr's) bookshop, the maternity store where my 12-year-old friends and I would try to push each other into the shop.

At J.H. 59 I was in the "S.P." class. I remember Andrew Phillips, Barry Rubin, Lori and Mindy Chozick, David Zuber (only knew Andrew and Barry well; others just knew as classmates).
Some of my sister's friends were Joanne Miltz, Joanne Hoffman, Jody Agalore (sp?)

In my mind, I can still taste the Charlotte Russe's at Schary's bakery, see the freezer in that store with Louis Sherry ice-cream, and (I think) marble-chiffon cake.

I was scrolling through the Laurelton messages, and I was so surprised to see my own face! Thanks to Ken Gross - that's me in the front row with the strand of hair in my face. Debi Maller! My sister has posted on here and I thought I would as well. Residing now in New Jersey, I am a High School English teacher in Rahway ( challenging - yes). My son is going off to college in Sept and my daughter is going into High School. Im still in touch with Karen Landy and Irma Sklar, but that's about all from those days. I tried to contact a few people but had little luck.
Do any of you remember if SGHS had a prom in 1970??? I know I did not go to anything like that, but I don't recall there even being one.

From birth (1942) until 1954, I lived at 138-19 226th Street. Scrolling through the posts rekindled so many memories...all of them fond. To me, P.S. 156 recalls air raid drills, desks with ink wells, being sent to the principal's office, playing stickball against the schoolyard wall that was posted with "no ball playing by order of the Boards of Education." From reading what others have written, I wasn't the only kid that longed to hit a ball over the fence into the garden.

It was a different time. No parent made play-dates for their kids. I was told just to be home for
dinner. I walked to P.S. 156 every day and played ball with friends until dinner-time.

My earliest memory is the snowstorm in 1947. I was 5 years old. The snow was higher than I was. I remember waiting every night for the Bungalow Bar truck to come down 226th Street. And I remember my mother bringing knives outside to be sharpened regularly by a man who had a truck with a grinding wheel inside.

I haven't been back to Laurelton in 50 years. Reading this site brought me back.

Mark Ponemon here!!! This wonderful website was passed along to me by a friend of mine Barbara Sternberg. Yes I finally checked it out :)

My run down is so similar to so many of you. PS 156, JHS 59 and SGHS class of 71. It was such a wonderful experience growing up in Laurelton. I too played ball at PS 156. I remember playing until it was too dark to see the ball. Going through sneakers because of the pitching toe rubbing out playing stickball. Climbing into the little schoolyard to play punch-ball. I wasn't much of a fence climber back then but later on because of my training as a youth I could hop the main fence at Tottenville HS on Staten Island in order to play softball with my sons and their friends. (Some kids never grow up).

Who can forget the memorial day parades through the neighborhood and stopping at each house of worship where a memorial wreath would be dedicated. What about Toms barber shop on 226. Everyone it seemed got their haircut there. Being Bar Mitzvah'd at the LJC by Rabbi Singer and of course Cantor Kleinberg who taught you the notes and didn't make a tape for you to follow. Though for Purim he would cut a record because there just wasn't enough time to learn.

I look back and remember the jobs that I had as a teenager; I worked at Purrfect Cleaners, I forgot if it was Real or Dial drugs but it was the store off FLB and 231st. How about Chicken Delight where when I wasn't delivering I was making batter and cleaning the chickens. The liquor store on 231st Street. But the best gig I had was of course was working at Burt and Daves until the day of the fire. Everything in Laurelton seemed to revolve around that little coffee shop. I remember coaching one of the LJC baseball teams and having one of the fathers making calls from the pay phone for me to make sure we had enough kids to field a team. Oh they were fun days and great memories. Of course there is a lot more but rather than bore with more personal stuff any of my childhood friends and or acquaintances don't hesitate to email me!!!!

While following the resurrected trial of the two white Jewish civil rights workers from Queens who along with their black friend were murdered in Mississippi in 1964, it occurs to me that the Laurelton Gang on this website has not only missed the “Laurelton as U.S. microcosm” concept, but we are posting without going near the elephant in the room.

Laurelton, as we knew it, is a destroyed community due to the effects of racial unrest.

Ironically, the photo of my P.S. 156 6th grade class, posted on this website with my April submission, was from 1964, the year the aforementioned KKK murders occurred down south.

What an ironic end to the elementary school experience in a place that had taken a lead role in advancing race relations in this country- learning that two whites and a black, not much older than the students you see in that 156 photo, murdered like dogs in our wonderful country over that ignominious initiative- voting rights for blacks. Hey, this wasn’t 600 years ago, it was 1964. A president with leanings towards improving America’s albatross had a few months earlier been assassinated. Now it was time to assassinate a couple of jews and a colored!

So, it occurs to me, how much better in Laurelton were we than the damn South? We certainly went through the motions of attempting integration. But when I think of the black kids in that P.S 156 class, I see them more as “students studying abroad” rather than integrators. They were in effect visiting white Laurelton at the time. They weren’t buying Pensie Pinkies at Stanley’s, they weren’t shooting over to Four Star for a rye bread, they weren’t popping into Zuckerman’s for a screwdriver.

I do recall when I had my Bar Mitzvah a few months after that 6^th grade photo; I went to the LJC with my grandfather real early before services were to begin. There were some invited black kids from 156 there that arrived early sitting outside the temple. The old man couldn’t believe it! They had arrived before the cantor and rabbi! I think it was the young black guest (of co-Bar Mitzvah boy, Burt Feilich) Gilford Fitts, who simply explained to us- “It said services begin at 8:30 on the invitation!” How was he supposed to know that Jewish people interpret that to mean you show up at 10:30 or 11:00?

But after the attempt to “welcome” blacks into Laurelton, by carefully bussing in some bright kids from St. Albans and Springfield Gardens into the “liberal bastion of New York City freedom”, it was time to take some cues from our Southern fellow citizens and get the heck out of Laurelton by the end of the decade. Granted the black community in Queens then and always in the U.S. has hardly been a homogeneous group. We’re not talking about the equivalent of Sweden here where everyone is literate, well behaved and loves all white people. Some blacks actually hated white people! Shocking, I know. Well, maybe it was because they live in a country that didn’t show nationwide outrage over the Civil Rights murders of 1964!!!

So the angry and poorly educated element in the black community spawned the dissolution of white Laurelton. But I think, there was a deeper rift in play. The Laurelton we all remember was Mayberry with a New York accent. It was not really a scenario for a grand social experiment between the races. The black kids at 156 were interlopers, partially perceived as such by the naïve white kids, but more significantly in that regard by Laureltonian parents. You don’t show up at Bar Mitzvahs at 8:30 in the morning.

There is a comfort zone we all have with the familiar. That Big Laurelton Easy was violated with integration. And the community disintegrated.

All I can say is WOW! When I discovered this website, very vivid memories came flooding back and I even became a bit teary-eyed. Where to begin?? The photos of Laurelton were so familiar. This is Shelley Levine who grew up at 128-15 236 Street (1952-1965). There are addresses where I lived since then that I can't even remember but this one always stuck in my mind. And, as Bruce Kessler (Freiman) so delicately put it, I'm from the "other side of Merrick." Bruce, I don't seem to recall you, but David Kramer and Michael (last name "Z") Zidbeck were in my classes at PS 176. If I hadn't already packed my pictures for yet another move, I could scan a classroom shot from one of those years and start naming names.

Random Thoughts - In the neighborhood, I wasn't shooting hoops, but I was pretty darn good when it came to any games with the Pensy Pinky or Spalding. I was also good at the see-saw and monkeybars at the school playground. The boys on my block would play stickball in the street but I wasn't allowed to join in. The best times were when we could go out to play after dinner when it was still light out. My favorite Good Humor ice cream was the chocolate cake pop with "candy bar" in the middle. I think Bungalow Bar did make one flavor I liked - a black cherry ice cream bar. Maybe I just liked the color purple. Some of the kids who lived on my block and in the same age group were Scott Plakun (recently got back in touch with him), Joan Sklersky, Debbie and Judy Weber. My best friends in the neighborhood were Debbie Cohen and Caryn Katz. And I'm sure there are a lot of names from PS 176 that many of you would recognize. The reason I do know so many people on this site (and who went to PS 156) is that I attended Hebrew School at the LJC. I also went to JHS 59 for 7th grade, but moved in between to Rochdale in Jamaica and switched to JHS 231 for 8th grade. I attended Springfield Gardens High (class of 1970), but if I hadn't moved would have been at Andrew Jackson and know people who went there.

LJC memories - Rabbi Singer playing basketball and "mock" collapsing from exhaustion; the principal, Mr. Gorodetzer, who bought me a bag of chestnuts from a vendor on a field trip into Manhattan (can't remember where we were going); my bat mitzvah lessons with Rabbi Kleinberg whose daughter I vaguely remember had the nickname Bobbin; Rabbi Thomson, one of my favorite teachers who used to have us compete in games while in the process of learning; and a classroom including Mark Carlin, Glenn Goldenberg, Steven Weinberger, Larry Weiss, and so many others. And Alan Fintz (who apparently is calling himself Al), I seem to recall a scavenger hunt (maybe it was for some holiday) where we were on the same team and had to stop at everyone's house to pick up something from the list. And Oscar Reicher (his sister Elane was in my classes at PS 176), gave me 10 baseball cards and taught me how to"flip" them. Said I could pay him back in cards when I won. So I played on the bus to Hebrew School and beat all the boys. Paid Oscar back in full with cards to spare. Remember having cards for Bobby Richardson and "Moose" Skowron - I liked their blue eyes.

SGHS memories - Mr. Linker's math class, Mr. Chinitz's math class, Mr. Katz's English class (the best!), Mrs. Teplitz's French class (always knew we were getting a test when she wore her black dress and "dagger" necklace), Mr. Dunetz's social studies class, the Senior play, the Yearbook staff, and on and on and on.... I still have the yearbook and some of its pictures can been seen on the Classmates website in a "photo album" that James Robinson put together. My best friend during these years was Diane Krasinski. I'm still trying to track her down and it was during one of those searches that I came across the Laurelton website because Al Fintz had mentioned her. By the way, Mr. Fintz, several years ago you approached me on the train, either on our way to work or home, and I was flattered that you recognized me. Maybe I am aging gracefully. After talking for awhile, you said that I seemed to have more confidence than the girl you remembered. Yes, I was a shy, introverted girl growing up...I was Shelley belly, four-eyes, metal mouth. Well, you get the picture. I sure can laugh about it now.

I've rambled and babbled and could say so much more. I hope some of you recognize something I've said and maybe someone recognizes me, because I remember so many of you. Thanks for the memories!!! Laurelton -- life was so simple and good then, but we didn't know it until now. Currently, I live in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Shelly wrote once again on June 18th to add the following: OK, so my memory is a bit faulty. My post from June 17 is above this one, but I have a correction, and a few more recollections that I just have to get into print.   So forgive a few more blasts from the pasts, golden oldies, and all that good stuff, totally random.

First, that French teacher with the “daggers” I mentioned was from JHS 59, not SGHS, and her name wasn’t Teplitz (that was another teacher), but I think it was something like Mrs. Hiller.   A few other junior high memories include Chinese jump rope in the school yard (remember that girls, with the rubber bands?), and Mr. Arciello, a social studies teacher playing baseball with the guys and running pretty darn fast around those bases, keeping up with the “youngsters.” Gee, I hope I’m remembering this right.

Does anyone remember Cooky’s restaurant (and excuse me if it’s mentioned somewhere else already and I missed it)?   I seem to recall there was one on Merrick (Rd. or Blvd.), not sure, but I did have my Sweet Sixteen at the one in the Green Acres Shopping Center.
I remember my first time walking home alone from the LJC, (living on the “other side” of Merrick) and being so scared of making a wrong turn and getting lost. I was so relieved when I saw a big silver gate/fence at the corner of 236 St. (and 129th Avenue?) where I knew I had to turn to walkthe last block to my house.   Would a little kid be allowed to do that today?
And in case there are any ladies here who were Girl Scouts in my neighborhood, I remember a couple of years where my basement was the Girl Scout cookies headquarters.
If anyone from my side of the tracks who attended PS 176 is out there, give a holler. And to all of you I know from Laurelton (either side of Merrick) through Hebrew School, junior high, and/or high school, you’ve brought back great memories! It’s been such fun to write this and I hope it’s hasn’t been to tedious to read my ramblings.   It would be great to hear from any of you.

Again, this is Shelley Levine (currently in West Palm Beach, Florida) shelleyfish@earthlink.net

A friend and co-worker at our Temple told me about this site, Donna Maller Dawson and I thank her, its great fun to read about where I grew up.

I moved to Laurelton in 1943. My address was 133-09 227 St. LA 5-1900. I graduated from PS 156 in 49 and from FRHS in 53. I married and lived on 147^th Ave. and 223 St. till 68.

I have been looking for Cookie (Roberta Klein) Frischman, she and her husband Irwin were living in NJ, for many years and I cannot locate them any more. Also, Barbara (Mossberg) Kornbluth, Barbara & Larry lived in Massapequa for years. If anyone knows where either of them lives I would love to get in touch with them.

I live in Thousand Oaks,CA and have been here since 73. My brother Joel Appel lives in Levittown, L.I. and my sister Laura is in San Diego,CA.. Laura was in the PS 156 graduating class of 51 picture, it was great to see her here.

June 17, 2005
This is unbelievable skip. My name is Billy Gazerro and I lived at 135-54 Francis Lewis Blvd. After reading some of these entries, they jogged some very old memories of my childhood. Living around the corner from PS 156, I spent the majority of my waking hours in the schoolyard like so many others from that era. Basketball, stickball (pensie pinkies and stickball bats from Stanley's), chalk to draw the strike zone. Lets see: past the pitcher was a single; past the sewer was a double and over the fence or hitting the school was a homerun.

I remember being in the auditorium during lunch and kids playing the piano or singing on stage for everyone's amusement ( beatles songs mostly). I was probably the only gentile to work at the LJC (foreshadowing future events; I am now in the catering business). Most of the kids I knew in 156 ended up in IS 59 with me and then ultimately in Springfield Gardens HS.

Seeing all these stories on this site....oh my god: Hank Greenberg, Bobby Horowitz, Seth Figmen, Jonny Revels, "Foots", Robert (Whitey; we gave him that name in IS 59), Rigsby, Todd Herald, two guys from the neighborhood near IS 59, Chino and Buttons ; basketball players, ( I was jealous of all these guys; they were better athletes then me ). The girls: Barbara Bellis, the Chozik sisters, Robin Baruch, Susan DeMarinis, Susan Resnick, Andrea Weiss, Leslie Weitzman, Holly Popofsky (my first crush), Sally LaMendola, Beth Brautman, Lauren Barbakoff, Merri Turk ( the only person I have kept in some contact with), and countless others. Rosedale Lanes, the Laurelton movie theater, Carmines Pizza ( 2 slices and a soda for 60 cents), the Q5 and the Q5a, the Capri beach club, Casual Dept Store., delivering the Long Island Press, the Pizza King in Rosedale, Brookville Park, the baseball field at Laurelton West, riding our bikes to Rochdale Village ( to see my girlfriend Rebecca Lazarus).

I went to more Bar and Bat Mitzvahs then all of my family combined!. Along with Merri, others who I have kept in contact with over the years, Henry Simon, Cary Chevat, Paul Kleidman. Great times, great memories, keep em comin!

I'm Etta (Appel) Weinstein. A friend and co-worker at our Temple told me about this site, Donna Maller Dawson and I thank her, its great fun to read about where I grew up.

I moved to Laurelton in 1943. My address was 133-09 227 St. LA 5-1900. I graduated from PS 156 in 49 and from FRHS in 53. I married and lived on 147th Ave. and 223 St. till 68. I live in Thousand Oaks, CA and have been here since 73. My brother Joel Appel lives in Levittown, L.I. and my sister Laura is in San Diego, CA.. Laura was in the PS 156 graduating class of 51 picture, it was great to see her here.

I have been looking for Cookie (Roberta Klein) Frischman, she and her husband Irwin were living in NJ, for many years and I cannot locate them any more. Also, Barbara (Mossberg) Kornbluth, Barbara & Larry lived in Massapequa for years. If anyone knows where either of them lives I would love to get in touch with them.

I saw Burt Barnett (Burt & Dave's) in Ft Lauderdale many years ago. I look forward to hearing from anyone who remembers me.

My name is Michael Feldman. I just finished reading the New Laurelton website which I brought with me to read on a long flight. Great reading which has set off a flood of great memories. Here they are:

I moved from Brooklyn to Laurelton in 1952 with my mother and father, Ray and Jack, my two older sisters, Marilyn and Lenore (in those days known as Lenny), and our Irish Setter Clancy. We lived at 130-51 226th Street. We lived in Laurelton until 1965 when my parents moved to LeFrak City and I went on to law school when I met and married my wife Gloria (Adler). Gloria is also from Laurelton, but I didn't know her there. She's 3 years younger than me and through high school I did not know girls her age. My loss. I knew her brother Paul through Brooklyn Tech. He and I are one of the many Laurelton boys who made the long commute to Tech, although it was fun schmoozing on the train and bus each day. Gloria, Paul and their parents, Fran and Jack, lived on 230th Street and 139th Avenue. The same block as the Bravins, owners of Sharry's.

When Gloria and I would get to talking about Laurelton with new friends who did not grow up there, they were so impressed with everything we told them about our town that they dubbed it the "Center of the Universe", and it was for a number of wonderful, glorious years.

On my block were Billy Solomon and his brothers Steve, Ricky and Elliot; Herbert (Hubba) Rosenberg and his brother Harold: Bruce Rose and his sister Mary: Jackie Kuppersmith and his brother Aaron (Aaron had light brown hair, but right in the middle on the top he had dark hair in the form of a question mark); the Goldsteins (4 boys, one was David); Artie Hoffman and his brothers Bernie, Jackie and Bobby; Carol Shafran (we walked Clancy and Topper, the Shafran's dog, a lot together) and her brother Lester and sister Marilyn; Roy Gildersleeve; the Braverman's (boy and a girl, sorry can't remember their names; David Dresner (they had the first MG TD I ever saw); and Irene Greenberg (my first crush).

Nearby were Jerry Sobel (brothers Donny and Sidney); Steve Ferris and sister Susan; Susan Becker and brother Jerry; Emily Spiro; Janet Bayer (my second crush); Kenny Fine (our doctor's son); Michael Ginsburg; Alan Zaretsky; Jay ("Little Abie") Lebenkoff and his sister Ethel; the twins Donny and Wally Schwartz; and Barry Meyer.

My cousins Carol and Robin Kravitz lived on 229th street for a number of years.

I went to P.S. 132 from 1952-1956 when shortly after we started the 8th grade we were moved to JHS 59. After the 8th grade at 59 I went to Tech. I can still remember the day while in 59 that we were let out of school to travel on the LIRR to go to Tech to take the entrance exam in the most spectacular auditorium I had ever seen (second largest theater in NYC-Radio City is #1).

We were members of the JCH on 223rd Street, Rabbi Levinson and Cantor Katz. No one ever did Adon Olom better than Cantor Katz. Tortuous Hebrew school with a teacher by the name of Mr. Neir. We were the first class to learn Hebrew the way it is currently spoken. Before us, including our parents, it was taught with a different pronunciation. In those days there was only one girl in our Hebrew school class. The original JCH was a converted church and when they built the new one it was reconverted to a church and moved to North Conduit and 225th Street.

All of the stores mentioned in the prior emails plus the beauty salon next to the Itch, "Mr. Murray's". It was owned by my friend Barry Meyer's father. When we would go to the Itch Barry would always caution us to behave because otherwise the matrons would tell his father. It had no affect on us and we were frequently the object of flashlight beams and shushes from the matrons. Color coded fliers that the Laurelton Theater would give out at the schools-if you had the right color for that day you got in free. I never got in free. Standing on line at the Itch waiting for the doors to open and playing "frontsy-backsy" when your friends showed up. Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop shows before she went on television.

In 1961 our Laurelton Chapter of AZA winning the AZA city softball championship at Cunningham Park with 2 out in the bottom of the 7th no one on base, and getting consecutive hits from Hubba, Steve Ferris and me. Better still, reading about it the next day in the Long Island Press.

Jeanne Frick who was in my classes at 132 and who was the first one to tell me about a "disk jockey" she listened to on the radio at night, Alan Freed. Being on the Alan Freed show and watching him sing "Come On In" and clap his hands as we walked on stage. After he disappeared (Payola), doing some submarine race watching at Brookfield Park while listening to Murray The K.

Marilyn and Lenore's Far Rockaway High School letter sweaters. Can't remember the boys names. Their crinolines on top of their lamps in their bedroom.

I read in earlier emails of all the games we played with "Spaldeens"-here are a few more, box baseball, box handball, Chinese handball, handball, errors, asses up. But my favorite was stickball. Queens style. Not the dinky kind of Manhattan or Brooklyn where you counted sewers. We played in the school yards and against garages, where a 12 year old could throw a fastball, and a 2 foot curve and you could hit the ball 200 feet. Boy how I loved that game. And it only took 2 guys. And two-base, a 226th Street game designed by the aforementioned Roy Gildersleeve when we didn't have enough guys to play four corner baseball with the Spaldeen. Two-base took only 2 guys on a side.

Speaking of games, all the games mentioned in earlier emails were great. There were two kinds of pitching baseball cards. One, where you flipped it from your side and it landed either face up or down and the other player had to match. The other, which I personally liked better, was flipping them from a distance of about 4 feet to a wall and seeing who could get closest to the wall, or a leaner, or land on top of the other player's card. Sought of early, very early, Vegas. Winner kept the other guys cards. By the way, just like so many of us, my mother threw my baseball card collection out when I was away at college. The other thing that we did was play chess. There were times when there would be several games going at once on stoops in front of our houses on 226th Street.

Tom's barber shop. An extraordinary place for a boy. Where else could you read almost every comic book ever written, listen to men talk about sports, women and stuff, get free gum and gook for your hair (all you had to do was bring Tom a bottle to fill up). Tom waived to everyone who walked by. He knew everyone who walked by. He also displayed a blackboard in his front window that showed the weeks' JVC softball league results and the MVP's for the week. The JVC league was run by Jerry Garfinkel. I saw an email from his daughter. Please thank your dad, I loved playing in that league. A double header every Saturday. If you hit it over the fence that was a big deal. A guy wrote an article that appeared in the Sunday Times magazine section about 15 years ago describing Tom's barber shop and Laurelton. Terrific piece and its available on line from the Times.

Walking around town on the Jewish High Holidays. Going from the JCH to the LJC, hanging out outside, visiting friends' homes, but never quite going to services.

Taking a date on the Q5 to Jamaica to go to the Loew's Valencia and sitting in the court yard of a castle with stars and clouds in the sky.

Getting off the E or F train at 169th Street in Jamaica coming home from Tech and if the bus was not there grabbing a slice of pizza at the bus stop-not as good as Carmine's or Tony's. Tony's was owned by Linda Piccolo's dad.

Alternating among Ebbetts Field, the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium-my friends were mostly Dodger fans, but Steve Ferris and Jerry Sobel were Yankees and Giants fans. Going to my first World Series, the 4th game of the 1955 Series, with Steve Ferris. We left Laurelton at 3 AM and took the bus and subway to Ebbetts Field to wait on line for standing room tickets. It was great-Clem Labine gave me a ball during batting practice. Could you ever imagine letting our 12 year olds take the bus and subway alone, never mind at 3 AM. It was great. Not only did we have Laurelton, but we had all of NYC open to us, including museums, movies and those 3 great ball parks with Willie, Mickey and the Duke. How about Giants football games at Yankee Stadium for 50 cents and your G.O. card! and, at the Garden there were double headers with the Ft. Wayne Pistons, Syracuse Nats and of course the Knicks with Harry Gallatin, Dick McGuire, Braun and Ray Felix, the only 7 footer who couldn't play the game.

Going to Alan Freed's rock and roll shows at the Brooklyn Paramount, now part of LIU. Seeing Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers, Paul Anka, Stan the Man Taylor, and the Little Blond Bomb Shell, Joanne Campbell. I always thought that Freed had a thing for Campbell because she certainly had no talent.

Walking to Green Acres when it first opened any being amazed by the place, not realizing that it was the death knell for the shops in Laurelton.

House of Chang-I was in grade school with Betty Chang and her mother taught me to use chop sticks. Went to Tech with Jimmy.

Zickerman's-we all remember that store. It was great, barrels of nails, screws and every type of hardware you could imagine. I think my Dad secretly wished he could have a store like that. When I go into hardware stores today, not very often I admit, I long for Zickerman's. I hate buying screws and other hardware items neatly packaged in clear plastic. Ugh! I want to buy stuff by the pound.

Stanley's-it's not so much that it was a mess, it's just that he crammed so much in such a little space that only he could find the stuff. I remember buying models at his store, especially CO 2 powered cars that we raced in driveways.

Halloween-tricks were much better than treats, once you stocked up on candy. We used to make chalk socks and pound them on other kids. I did it once to Janet Bayer's new white coat on Halloween and had to pay for the cleaning. Something I always wanted to ask-Janet why did you wear a WHITE coat on Halloween?

Going to the beach at Far Rockaway. Only way to get there without a car was by subway which took 2 hours or hitching. My friends and I hitched although we were forbidden to do so.

132 school yard games-in addition to all the ball games, there was dodge ball, jump rope (I was OK, but couldn't do double dutch), and marbles (before they paved over the area and put in trailer school rooms).

Riding my bike to 132. Carolina Scaglometio's (sp?) mother would let us park our bikes in her driveway.

Each street had its own candy store on Merrick Rd.: 225th Silvers, with the best penny candy supply in town; 226th Hammerman's (?) and later Joe's, great malteds and egg creams, and 228th Schultz's, Mr. Schultz always told you the same jokes when you went to his store-"Guess who's in the hospital, doctors." "Guess who's in the army, soldiers." "I called the zoo today, but the lion was busy." And of course, there was the candy store between Raabs and the Itch where we stocked up on candy before disappearing in the theater for an entire Saturday. Do you remember how in the summer you had to squint your eyes when you came out of the movies because you had been in the dark so long and it was still daylight when you emerged at 6 PM.

P.S. 132, Mrs. Powell (3rd grade), Mrs. O'Connor (4th grade), Mrs. Katz (5th grade), Mr. Breitner (gym--he always told us that he could buy us a Cadillac for "nothing" if only we didn't smoke, a pack a day was 26 cents times 7 was $1.82 week, times 52 weeks per year, you do the math-within X years we'd have enough for the car). Air raid drills under the desk. You had to cover your eyes so that the flash would not hurt you and the back of your neck so that debris would not get you there. Oh yes, you also had to face away from the windows so that shattered glass would not get you in the face. Talk about the age of innocence!

JHS 59, Mrs. Lev for English and Mrs. Kranz for math. Two of the best teachers I ever had!

The first day at 59 is etched in my brain. All the kids standing around in the school yard excited and trying to figure things out, the kids from 132, 156 (and I think 176) on one side and the kids from points west of Springfield Blvd. on the other side. One thing I learned from that was that I didn't know how to dance at all. Wow, the first dance in the gym on an afternoon after school was an eye opener.

The roller rink just past Springfield Blvd. before they turned it into a Times Sq. Store-don't know what it is now.

I too remember the Chrysler dealer on Merrick and 224th. For a while they sold Triumphs. They had a powder blue TR3 that I fell in love with. They were nice enough to let me sit in it many times without throwing me out.

High school sorority dances. I loved them. Couldn't dance well, but won the door prizes a few times. Went to a bunch with Carolyn Walton. Spent a lot of time with her and at her house.

Played ball till it was too dark to see, and even then if one guy stood under one street lamp and the other guy the next street lamp, you could just barely see enough to have a catch. Of course, until your mother called you in.

The small grocery store on the north side of Merrick between 226th and 227th where the owner would use a long pole with a mechanical hand to retrieve boxes of cereal from the top shelves.

Steve Goodman, Howie Barlow, Howie Silversmith (I also remember his brother Larry), Tony Kerns (he was a supreme nut job-the only guy I knew in Laurelton how used baseball bats to hit kids rather than balls-true story), Judy Lesk, Gail Wallach, Jeanette Lebov, Steve Haberman (lived on 226th Street for a while-his dad had an English car that had mechanical arm turn signals), Judie Burstein, Judy Zaretsky, Senator Mosberg, Obenzinger, Alvin Lebensfeld, Bobby Eidus, Judy Russock, Richie Ellentuck, Larry Frank, Steve Brooks, Warren Harris-I think he hung out with Lester Shafran, The Count, Foster Lahn, Howie Krassner and Stuie Pector.

Debby Baum - I remember going to a party at her house one summer. Her dad had rigged up some speakers in the driveway. I felt a bit uncomfortable dancing with Debby to "Tears On My Pillow" by Little Anthony and the Imperials because she was on the short side and I was on the tall side, but I must have really liked it because I remember it after all these years.

Linda Desimone - her mom taught me how to play solitaire and her dad helped me finish up a sheet metal project for Tech. You could tell how much progress I made with Linda.

Debbie Klur - I learned how to dance while watching Bandstand in her basement.

Rae Liebelson-we were in grade school together and she was so smart in science that we were all convinced in the third grade that she would become a rocket scientist. Did it happen?

Well, sorry to bore you all, but as I said, it is a long plane ride and the memories just flowed. I hope this triggered some more memories for each of you.

My name is Jeffrey Peck. I lived at 130-12 Francis Lewis Boulevard. My telephone number was LA5-7159 (before area codes). Life was simple then. I am much younger than most of you. I went to P.S. 156 and graduated in 1958 - from the 6th grade! Then on to brand new J.H.S. 59 in Springfield Gardens via Q5 bus and then to AJHS in Cambria Heights via two busses. I recall being one of @ 5000 students and 3 shifts - by senior year we were out by 12:30 - a hell of a way to prepare for college. But I've gotten far ahead of myself.....

I was one of the better players ( I was big for my age) in the Laurelton Little League, founded officially @ 1955. I played shortstop on the Robins - one of several bird name teams. Sol Aptman was my first baseball coach. His son Michael, Lenny Bloom, Kenny Englander, Neil Dukorsky, the Cliffords ( Klein and Gelfand) and a few other friends played in the league. I don't recall whether hipkneedoc@aol.com played with us - he may have been too cool for baseball. I recall hitting a few balls over the fence at the old field near where the Cross Island and the Belt Parkway came together. But I was a bust in the Babe Ruth League - the kids were more my size and I couldn't hit the curve ball. I played third base on a rocky and uneven field - I think it was Brookfield Park and - after taking several bad hops to the chin and groin I switched to softball and discovered girls - Lynn Blair, Vicki Kimmel, Zola Feldman (a/k/a Stevens after the parental divorce), and my first true love, Marion Schwartzberg.

I loved growing up in Laurelton and have fond memories of a warm and friendly town whose families, young and old, resembled those in the popular TV shows of a much more decent and innocent time - Father Knows Best, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Leave It To Beaver, Donna Reed, etc.

I look forward to reading the notes posted before and after mine.....keep those letters coming!

Thrilled to see this web-site which was sent to me by Barbara Starin Solerno. We moved to 130-41 235th Street in 1947 and left in 1957. Parents were Sol and Freda Haar and siblings were Floyd and Andrea Haar. Friends on the block in those days were Charley Koppelman, Artie Berkowitz, Lyle Fox, Billy Gargen, Other close "buds" included Barry and Marty Baum, Jack Gartner. Willy Wilner, Howie Sklar. Most went to P.S. 38 and since AJHS had guns and FRHS had knives in those days (and I could out run a knife), I took the train to Far Rock. Mu sigma was the fraternity.

The Valenica (greatest theater ceiling in the industry) or the Alden for a special date The Itch for a cheap date and the hangouts were Lil and Ed's and Raabs. Basketball was in Charley's driveway, LJC was Bar Mitzvah central The part time job was the fat ladies dress shop on Jamaica Avenue. The Chinese Restaurant on Merrick and 225th every Sunday night was written in stone so long as we got home in time to watch Ed Sullivan.. The car was whatever Charley or I could "borrow" when the folks were out for the day. My aunt and uncle owned Estelle Peck's on Merrick and my grandfather was the tailor downstairs.

That block on Merrick is the only one changed and it is now a Duane Reed. Girls I recall include Eva Seplow, Eve Weiss, Michelle Rodney, Barbara Starin and the inimitable Marion "the flash" Flashberg..I still see Barry and Marty Baum, Artie Berkowitz and Charles (now) Koppelman. These are lifetime freindships. I went on to Hofstra, met Mary Ann there, have 3 terrific children, spent 40 years as a national retail store designer in the store fixture industry and just retired. We are in Bayville and would love to hear from anyone I may remember.

May 7, 2005

Hi Skip,

Harry Ploss here! Great Website and memories, thanks for the good work. My parents Robert and Stella Ploss bought 131-65 229 St in 1950 for $12,500 with a 4% GI loan, LA7-2686. I was born in 1947 in Brooklyn and my brother John was born in 1951.

I remember getting rye bread and Bialys from Sharry’s bakery on Sundays.Eating hand-packed Lemon Ice Cream from the Greek Grocery. Going to the Movies for 35c at the Laurelton Theater. Shopping at Zickerman’s Hardware across Merrick. Passing and shopping in Woolworth on the way to PS 156. Meeting in, Lil-Ed's Luncheonetteafter Little League. Shabbat services at Laurelton Jewish Center, Hebrew School, and Bar Mitzvah lessons from Cantor Kleinberg. And Troop 225 Boy Scouts, and going on Camping weekends on Staten Island and Ten Mile River Boy Scout camp.

Eating with my Family and Grandmother at Chang’s Garden Chinese 225^th & Merrick, near the Laurelton Public Library. My first savings account at Ridgewood Savings Bank @ Merrick & Francis Lewis, paying 2% interest, never thought we be back to 2% interest! Getting a few rolls of ½ dollars and feeling so rich! Shopping in A&P and eating so much fish! Playing with my friends at Twin Ponds by the Belt parkway. And riding my bike to parks. Shopping at Green Acres Mall. Eating Mike's Sicilian Pizza from Valley Stream while we watched TV together!

Many Memories of PS156, Especially Mr. Scharf telling us about his trips to Mexico, in the 6^th grade, in 1957. JHS 79 then graduating Brooklyn Tech HS, in 1964. Riding the Q5 to Jamaica, and taking the F train from 169 St to Manhattan or Brooklyn. Graduated Cooper Union in Physics 1968 and went to University of Chicago. My Parents sold the house in 1974 and moved to Omaha Nebraska, and then to Dallas in 1977.

John is an Architect in Oakland CA, and I was an Actuary from 1973-1992 and an investor since. Lived in Chicago 1968-1982, Miami FL 1982-1993 and Dallas now.

I am still in contact with Monty Renov, the son of the Rabbi of Temple Beth El. Does anybody remember me? Write hploss@gmail.com

Harry Ploss Email Address: hploss@gmail.com

May 5, 2005

Gloria Cohn Garfinkel here....married to Irwin Garfinkel. Married in 1949. Irwin lived at 130 42 229 St. Gloria lived at 134 56 231 st. Irwin had 2 brothers; Burton now 74 and Rubin now 87. Gloria has two sisters; Edythe and Helene.. Both sisters are widowed. Irwin and I graduated PS 156 and Far Rockaway High School.....anyone out there remember us? Irwin graduated in 1944 and I graduated in 1947. We would like this on the Laurelton Page....some names in our past were Richard April, Beverly Shatzberg, Larry Kornbluth, Larry Kandel, Howard Goldston, Norma Simon. A neighbor of mine from 231 St. was Gilda Perlow and her brother Joseph....also Eugene Schneider who lived around the corner.We live in the same house 55 years in W. Hempstead and spend 5 months in Palm Aire in Pompano Beach Florida. We have 3 daughters and 7 grandaughters and 1 grandson...ages 12 (twins) to 27. Just heard about this web site. It brought back so many wonderful memories.....love to hear from you. Thank You.

Gloria Garfinkel Email Address: IrwinG@webtv.net

May 1, 2005

Hi Skip and Sue,

I found your website by following a "Laurelton Jewish Center" link from Google. It was a pleasure to be reminded of Laurelton memories. I am on the young end of the posters here, having graduated from PS 156 in 1965 (5th grade - it was the last year of 6th grade in elementary school), JHS 59 in 1968 (actually officially called IS 59 at that time), and Springfield Garden HS in 1972. We moved to 138-51 230 Place from Brooklyn in 1958, and my parents left in the summer of 1974. My block didn't have a lot of kids on it, but Barbara and Rita Frank lived two doors down, and Howie Schulman was up the block. I exchanged e-mails with Barbara and Howie a few years ago. I went to SUNY Stony Brook for college, got my PhD at Yale, and have been a faculty member at NYU for 25 years (and living back on Long Island for the past 18).

Many of my memories are similar to others posted here, of course. I remember some teachers at PS 156: Mrs. Greenstein for 2nd grade, Mrs. Aberle for 4th grade, Miss Trustee (sp?) for 5th grade. Half of my second grade class would go to the back of the room every day and learn 3rd grade material, since we were "skippies" (people who were skipping 3rd grade). I loved Mrs. Greenstein and Mrs. Aberle. My 4th and 5th grade classmate Marshall Zucker posted earlier about our teachers; I guess that I've broken the rule he refers to in his posting (we have similar opinions about our teachers). I vividly remember Marshall's excellent xylophone playing up into high school. We met again a few years ago when he was the camp director of the day camp that my daughter attended. I first started learning French (badly) from Mrs. Schwartz, or should I say, Madame Noir.

I remember playing punchball (using Pensie Pinkies) and stickball (using Spaldeens) in the 156 schoolyard, and later playing touch football there. I played a lot of basketball during high school at the hoop in Scott Tranes' backyard (sadly, he passed away a few years ago) with Mark Eisenberg, Howie Nusbaum, Ken Hochman, Howie Borowick, Steve Lefkowitz and Steve Kashinsky (Steve K is still my friend and accountant).

Strong memories: Stanley's (of course, the mess, and how he could still always find what you wanted), Zickerman's, Wong's Garden. Eddie the Good Humor man during the summers, and how he would sometimes let you ride up the block on the running board, jingling the bells. "Bungalow Bar, tastes like tar, the more you eat it, the sicker you are!" (Everyone, sing along!) I spent many years as a member of Boy scout Troop 225, which met at the LJC, eventually becoming Senior Patrol Leader. Our Scoutmasters were Mr. Rockower and Mr. Miltz (my good friend Michael's father). I was a paper boy for the Long Island Press - 90 cents for the week (including Sunday), so I'd usually get a 10 cent tip! I remember when the Press put a picture of the corner a block from my house in their "Long Island's Misleading Street Signs" feature (where Francis Lewis Boulevard was on both signs at the corner), then pointing out that it wasn't a mistake at all, since FLB took a hard left (heading south) at the intersection with 138 Avenue and 230 Place.

Some of you might remember my parents, Pearl and Morris Simonoff. My mother worked at 59 (science teacher) and my father worked at SGHS (biology teacher and college counselor for many years) from the mid-60s until they retired in the mid-80s. They are both doing well, and will be celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary next month. They still get together once a month with some former SGHS teachers.

I would be very happy to hear from Laurelton friends at jsimonof@optonline.net.

Jeff Simonoff Email Address: jsimonof@optonline.net

April 25, 2005

Hi Skip,

I am so excited about finding this web site! The best years of my childhood were spent in Laurelton. It was a wonderful community. We lived in a Dutch Colonial-style home; 228-15 Mentone Avenue. I have fond memories of playing with two sisters that lived down the block from me - Debbie and Gail McGraf (sp.?).

I think I am a bit younger than others who have posted memories here. I went to P.S. 156 from 1963 (kindergarten) through 5th grade. I recall having a Mrs. Belfey for 1st grade, Mrs. Gormandy in 2nd grade, Mr. Nobel for 3rd grade, Mrs. Curtis in 4th grade, and Mrs. Freeman for 5th (went to Christ Luthern in Rosedale for 6th and 7th).

I used to love going to the Laurelton Library and Green Acres shopping center (before it was

enclosed!). I remember my Mom dragging me to "Cut n' Curl" to get my "pixie cut." My family and I moved to East Rockaway on LI in the summer of '71before I started 8th grade. I have been living in Hudson, FL since 2003 with my husband and daughter and would love to hear from anyone who

remembers me.

Jennifer (Brown) Grippo Email Address: jennifer_grippo@bausch.com

April 23, 2005

Hello All,

Nice to see Howie Udell, Billy Odin, Debbie Klur, and so many familiar names from the past. Where are Marjorie Fidlow and Richie Schutzman? This is Mike Kaback 10-27-41, NYC Tourist Guide. www.mikesnyctours.com

Laurelton 1952 thru 1975 when my parents passed and I sold the house for about $37,500. Purchase price $12,500. We moved from the Lower East Side of NYC to the country, we had a grass lawn @ 135-14 227 St.

I remember mowing the front lawn (on a slope) and our back yard complete with cloths line. I played badminton with Alan Naness over the bushes separating our houses. We played in the street in front of our house with Juddy Berkowitz, Marty Gitten.

I remember running around the block for exercise & to lose weight. You had to watch the slate and concrete sidewalk levels as they changed up and down to avoid stubbing your toe and taking a spill. This must have been primitive Jogging before there was such a word.

DDS Rothenberg. PS 156Q. LJC, Stickball, Touch Football, 2 wheeler, Spalding. Great memories.

Now I am back in Manhattan conducting tours of the Garment Center and all around town, trying to stay in shape and to make the most our of every day. I can be reached at mickeybilly1@yahoo.com

Best to all,

Mike Kaback Email Address: mickeybilly1@yahoo.com

April 17, 2005

Hi Skip:

I enjoyed reminiscing about Laurelton. I lived there from lst grade until my parents moved me to Massapequa at the end of 5th grade. I lived at 228-54 Mentone Avenue. I went to PS 156 from l954-60. I loved living there and enjoyed Changs Restaurant, Woolworths and the Laurelton Theatre.

We had our own crowd of kids who loved dancing and we had parties all the time. I would love to hear from the following: Pat Burstein, Leslie Feldman, Anita Fuchs, Jack Lipson, Robert Sklar (my lst grade infatuation), Ronnie on Francis Lewis Boulevard, Susan Bernstein (my neighbor), Meyer Novinsky, neighbor who moved to California, Mathew Miller. I really picked my brain to remember all these names.

I am now living in North Babylon, LI, NY. Would love to hear from anyone who can remember me, as I moved before JHS. Please respond to Joysella@yahoo.com.

Joyce Weinstein Rabinowitz Email Address: Joysella@yahoo.com

April 15, 2005

This is how it went: I typed in” Mrs.Schreiber's chopped liver” in the MSN search field and THIS site was first on the list.... LAURELTON!.....my home from 8^th grade

PS 156 until I left it for the “big city” somewhere in the late 60”s.......HOW COULD I NOT “CLICK” ON IT ????? And for the next hour , I read all the entries and was transported back to that magical wonderful time and town.... From Mrs Shelly to me parading around dressed as the Progressive Penguin, .........ShboomShboom and all the basement parties ........and everything else encased in the time capsule of my years there..... Back then, I was Debbie Feld, with brother David, and Sister Teena, and parents, assorted cousins, aunts uncles and grandparents who all lived there. WHERE IS THE CLASS OF ’58 “Let Us Sing Of Andrew Jackson”

And any one else who may have touched my life during those years.... I miss all of you! Am still in very close contact with Peggy Edelson, (now in Howard Beach) and Emmy Matsil / Michelle Cohen and cousins ... in Florida....but where are the rest of you?????? Thank you to the gentleman who explained the origin of the “itch” (who would have imagined it was “itching” for the “parade” of presentations to speed up or end......We always imagined it was “ flea infested”..... and thank you to the gentleman who directed me to another site that reminded me of my Gym Suit..... I still have the hideous thing... And thank you to everyone who contributed.... and brought back memories of that wonderful place.....and time..... For those of you who may have known my brother David, he’s now retired from the US Department of Agriculture, very much involved in an organization called “Geesepeace” (don’t ask)... they do have a website.. www.geesepeace.com. My Sister Teena is married, on the Town Council of Verona NJ, and has four children.... And me? I was married, but for the present am not, have one son, am half medical practice administrator/ half artist, still a bit of a quirky free spirit ,planning to retire and maybe move to England in about two years ..(you’re welcome to visit!) I’ll visit this site often and would love to hear from any one I “knew “ or didn’t know in the “Laurelton” years....... (I did have an occasion to do a “drive-by” a few years ago ......and was sad to see iron bars on windows, metal gates on stores.....) ...which makes THIS site so special...where we can visit and “experience” it as it was then....and how it will “remain” for those of us who were lucky enough to live in that incredible town.... Where are you Barbara and Mal Dankner. Sandy and Michael Kammerman (and the twins), Alice Lang, Sandi and Ronnie Beck, Jack Fox, Elliot Solomon, Steve Rhodes Neil Grossman, Met Ettinger.. Roz Mann...to name just a few.

Thank you Skip for creating this place for us.......

Debbie Feld Schiffman Email Address: seaglass@mindpring.com

April 15, 2005

Hello!

I have been reading all of the wonderful stories on the site. I have lived in Laurelton (just a few blocks from ps 181) for the past 33 years. I also had a very wonderful childhood here and now my child is having the same experience. The area has definitely changed, but the magic and the wonder are definitely in this new generation. They play street football, freeze tag, hide n seek, basketball, red light green light, school, supermarket, etc.... they still go to Brookville Park and look for tad poles. I tell them about the old boathouse (which is gone now, but the stairs remain) they tell ghost stories about Brookville Park and really believe in them! These kids still have it, and it is called "imagination!!"

All the best, The laughing icelander !! :)

Audra Gray Email Address: distributioncsnyc@fattonusa.com

April 13, 2005

Dear Sue,

This is Herb Scolnik. I was so happy to see your name on the Laurelton board. I remember all the great parties we had at your house during the holiday season( Christmas). Learned how to play post office and spin the bottle there. Sam Rubin lives 15 minutes from me and we renewed our great friendship. I now live in Delray Beach, Florida. I look forward to hearing from you.

Herb Scolnik Email Address: hscolnik@adelphia.net

April 10, 2005

Just found the site today, My name is Donna Maller- Dawson. I lived in Laurelton 137-11 225th Street and Rosedale same address (odd) 137-11 257th Street, until 1988 when we moved to California. My husband Tom Dawson also grew up in Laurelton. I have 2 brothers Steve, Denny and a sister Debi. Loved my childhood and teenage years in Laurelton and thought many times of writing a book to be called "No one gets off in Laurelton anymore" Which is a reflection on being the only person getting off the LIRR at Laurelton at night when coming home from work in NYC. WE are well and have a 17 1/2 year old son, life is good for us. Thanks for the memories, ]

Donna Maller- Dawson Email Address: DonnaSue10@aol.com

April 7, 2005

Thanks to Ken Gross for reminding me about Skip's great site! Since Ken and I walked to 156, 59, SGHS and the LJC together for most of a decade, this is good a time as any for me to join him here! Speaking of "here," I was just in Laurelton yesterday - for about the 10th time since New Years - checking mail, messages, etc, at the house I was raised in 40 years ago. Though they've been at their place near Ken's folks in Florida the past 8 Winters, my folks still have one of the only "vintage" phone book listings in Laurelton for the rest of the year! And honestly, it has been strange, each time I drive off the Belt onto those picture-perfect and peaceful side-streets, naming each friend permanently connected with each house, as I drive past: Ken Gross, Harold Pearl, Jason Smolen, Glen Goldenberg, Rich D'Argenio, Steve Snyder, Jerry Weitz, ... Depending on the time of day and the cloud cover on each visit to town, some other memory or anecdote that matches the scenery, comes to mind.

One new twist the past decade, as I idle down from Conduit, is passing the house where Amy Heckerling lived, recalling how quiet and unassuming she'd seemed on the walk down 227th to JHS 59 via the Q5, and comparing that image with the woman who wrote and directed Look Who's Talking and Clueless] .

What changes the feel of the neighborhood most is the way trees hit the sky against rooftops - on each block, the way that worked in the 60s, seemed the only way; Now, when tree-crowns pop up or disappear in strange places, I know the new arrangement is a mistake, and the way trees framed the sky back when, was right. One odd example is a "Mother/Daughter" pair of trees on opposite corners of 135th at 227th. As Ken and I finished HS in '70, only one giant of that species crowned above the telephone poles, at the SW corner; a sappling from it, blown across by seed with the wind, was just starting amidst a thorn bush. Now, the thorn bush is gone, and that hidden sappling at the NW corner, is taller and fuller than its parent across the way.

While the new tree makes a nice stage prop, it doesn't seem to be a prop for the play I was written into!

Speaking of opposite corners, [some segue!], Ken's memories etched of 11/22/63, are like a book end to mine, since our 6th grade classes were on opposite sides of the same hall, near 230th Street! While his class had that drawing of Abe Lincoln on the board [the morning another Pres. was about to fall!], our morning lesson by Mr. Grutman, was ... about the line of succession to the presidency! Names of all the cabinet officers had been chalked on the board before lunch break! "Robert MacNamara, Robert Kennedy, Douglas Dillon, Dean Rusk, Orville Freeman, ... ;" even Larry O'Brien, the Postmaster General! All in the order they'd succeed to the presidency, if he, his Veep, the speaker of the house, and pres. pro tem of the senate, were all gone. [Funny how even the Postmaster back then seemed so much more competent than the speaker today! ... or the pres, for that matter!] Anyway, what were the chances we'd BOTH be doing something about lost presidents or their successors, that day?

When the bad news came, I sat about middle of the row farthest from the window, with Susan Diamond in front of me, Mark Rosenbloom behind me, and a room filled with so many I'd love to compare notes with right now - Malcolm Kushner, Rodney Little, Diane Krasinski, Ellen Isquith, Paul Steiner. The reactions Ken remembers, rang a bell for me: A bit like Joe Handlin [who's now an attorney and Pres. of the NY Harvard Club!], I recall blathering about how the Red Chinese must be behind this, and how they might attack, soon! Hearing this speculation, Mark Rosenbloom - usually a pretty cool character - was crying about Kennedy most loudly among the boys, and accusing me of insensitivity to talk of such things when JFK was gone.

After first reports came over the PA, Mr Grutman - a lanky gentleman with black hair that must've been slicked back with Brill Cream! - just happened to have a pink, plastic kitchen-table tube radio, tucked into one of his desk drawers, along with a shoe brush and polish. He turned it on, and as we listened to the blanket radio coverage of Dallas, we watched Mr. Grutman polish his shoes, barely adding a word of his own to Cronkite's the rest of that day. All the while, the names of those cabinet secretaries stared down at us from the board ... !

I also recall that I first heard about Ruby killing Oswald, as I walked down the sunlit steps of the LJC's 228th St. exit - just opposite Glen Goldenberg's old house - right just after Sunday Hebrew classes ended. Our main TV was in our finished basement, with the knotty pine walls, buffed floor tiles and rumpled felt penants from all of summer vacations pinned to the walls. Most of Friday through Monday, we sat glued to a "portable" tube TV that weighed more than most consoles today, with a dent in metal the body where we used to bang it to make the rolling stop! We hardly noticed the long spells down there without daylight, as grainy B&W images of the horse-drawn cart, the family, the crowds, passed before us. And even with those great TV anchormen, there were long silences. Newsmen then weren't afraid of natural silences filtering through their coverage of historic events, between background noises and important pronouncements. Without the ubiquitous talking head framed in the corner of TV screens today, that B&W TV was more real than color - as if you were looking out a window at the streets of DC - an almost unmediated link to the event.

We were so patriotic and trusting then. Before seeing with our own eyes, the likes of John Cornyn and Tom DeLay, it was utterly implausible to imagine anyone hating our patrician pres. from Boston, or any political opponent fearing that JFK's attempts at peace might cut into their future arms profits enough, to consider removing him. Maybe there really was some link between the fact most people seemed good back then, and the fact that most people simply lacked the imagination to be very bad. Or maybe, it just seemed that way to us at 11!

The better side of our imaginations back then - the birth of manned flight, the musical rainbow springing from the guitar strings of the Beatles and dozens of other innovative groups - we took for granted, as though all that creativity and boundless hope, were normal. It is truly strange to look back 40 years later and see that the experiences that seemed "newest," happened long ago, while things that are supposed to be "cutting edge" in modern culture, have grown stale and repetitive. How often I've heard my own college kid, Nat and his friends, muse about how lucky we were to have been around when all that great music was happening at once.

Enough for now! Thanks again to Ken for putting me in touch! Hope to see you all soon, and if you're interested in working on an SGHS-"etc" '70 35th reunion, maybe next fall, drop a line!

Speak to you soon.

Al Fintz Email Address: prospect83@hotmail.com or 718 253-0462

April 5, 2005

Skip, my name is Daniel Kramer. Kenny Gross sent me your web site so I checked in. I lived at 138-14 227th Street, right across from Burt Feilich and Carl, David and Jerry Robinson. My neighbors were Barry and Andy and Candy and why I can not remember last names I do not know. I too remember by childhood in Laurelton with nothing but fondness. I was born there in 1952 and lived there until I got married (first marriage) in 1973. My parents, Evelyn and Charles, lived there a few more years and then moved to the Cryder House in Whitestone. My sister, Nancy, got married to Jay Schwartz and moved to Toronto. My other sister Michele got married to David Perchikoff and moved to Laurelton.

There is no way that I can encapsulate my childhood. There are just too many perfect memories. PS 156. Stickball every day. Hi Li before class. Punchball at lunch. Softball every night. Some evenings were spent at the Laurelton Jewish Center playing basketball and being embarrassed on the court by Lenny Tessler or Burt. Basically every waking moment was spent with my friends Burt Feilich, Kenny Gross, Scott Surry and Billy Breitman. If I was not with them, I was bowling all day and night at Rosedale Lanes or Green Acres Bowling Alley.

Crushes. Had a huge one on Phyllis Karlinsky and smaller ones on Amy Heckerling and Phyllis Silverstein (who was the first girl that I ever kissed). Could not even hope to have a crush on Hope Siegel or Roberta Deutsch. They were way out of my league.

Nickname: Since I was quite chubby, they called me cream cheese or tub of lard.

There are people who hate talking about their childhood and the place where they grew up. My wife, Linda, talks of Port Washington and how perfect it was to grow up there. I tell her that Laurelton was the same. Was it the place? Was it the times? Was it the era that we grew up in? Yes to all of the above.

If there is anyone out there who remembers me, please e mail me. I would love to hear from you and about you.

Daniel Kramer Email Address: Kramerdan@earthlink.net

April 1, 2005

I was watching 60 Minutes the other day and saw this report on this primitive tribe in Asia that has a language where there is no word for "time". People don't say "I remember 30 years ago." or " I'll speak to you next Thursday." Time is a continuum where the tenses don't exist.

Having read some of the letters on this site, recalling several peoples' names, and remembering the individuals as if I had last seen them yesterday as opposed to 40 years ago, I realized that maybe this primitive tribe was on target in their apparent minimizing of time.

What brought me to this site was the conjuring up of the Kennedy assassination which as per David Berkowitz (not the Son of Sam, but the guy writing on this website who lived on Mentone) was an extremely vivid memory for many growing up in Laurelton in the '60's. In a sense, the day he was killed was the day America lost its innocence and the beginning of Laurelton's loss of innocence as the community entered the vanguard of the national grappling with racial integration.

The other day, I was doing some teaching at a local Miami high school (a new career chapter in my storied working career, i.e. a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury signifying nothing), when the discussion moved to JFK's killing.

I guess many of you, like me, were in school in Laurelton at the time. I recall the Friday afternoon in Mrs. Seligson's 6th grade class. We were doing art. Elyse Goldstein was painting Abraham Lincoln (stovepipe hat and all- hard to believe the Gettysburg Address was delivered almost exactly a hundred years earlier to the day), when Mr. Keily came on the public address system to announce that President Kennedy had been killed. Joseph Handlin, fellow student and geopolitical genius at the age of 11, then raced to the rear of the classroom hysterically crying and I followed him in shock myself. He insisted that this was the beginning of Kruschev's attack on the U.S. and we were all doomed. The national tragedy reverberated over the weekend while we all sat post traumatically in front of our black and white TV sets to see Oswald killed himself on Sunday. I think he was a patsy, though we all needed to believe he was a madman acting alone in 1963. I was watching the Zapruder film online with my class in Miami and to me, after the first shot through his neck, JFK was shot in his frontal skull by a bullet coming from in front of him, not from the rear on the 6th floor of that stupid book depository. I'm no acoustics maven, but if my gestalt of the moving picture is correct, there was a conspiracy via the work of an anteriorly place unidentified marksman. Ruby also had apparently for some reason called a whole bunch of mobsters throughout the country over the few days before Kennedy arrived in Dallas.

Anyway, back to those days freeze framed in our minds, I wrote a poem dedicated to Jackie a few days after the murder and proudly read it in front of the class which included people like Robert Sumpter, Ronnie Silverman, Bonnie Green and Tommy Massucci.. Whether we were 10 or 40 or 20 back then in Laurelton, I guess what happened to Kennedy defined in some measure a key chapter in our collective Laureltonian experience and will remain etched in our brains forever.

Ken Gross 138-19 226 St. Email Address: Kgtheme888@aol.com

April 1, 2005

Hi Skip

My name is Steven Goodman. When I lived in Laurelton I was usually called Goody. My friend Ronnie Hason told me about your site. After reading the messages I dug out my JHS 59 and Andrew Jackson HS yearbooks. I hadn't looked at them in years(decades) and they brought back so many memories.

I moved to Laurelton in January 1953. I lived at 230th Street and 138th Avenue. Next door was Debbye Baum. On the other side was my cousin Shelia Golub. Maxine Bergman lived down (up?) the block on 230th Street. I recall going to her birthday party with my good friend at that time Barry Braf(sp). I do not even want to think how many years ago that was. I think I was about 10 or 11 years old.

I went to PS 156, JHS 59 (graduated 1959) and Andrew Jackson HS (graduated 1962). I recall going to the Laurelton theater on Saturday afternoons for a double feature and cartoons. It cost 25 cents to get in and you were there all day. They had a childrens section and a matron who wore a white uniform. They also had a smoking section. I remember buying candy at a candy store next to or near the movie theater. Little drops of candy on long strips of paper. You always got some paper in your mouth with the candy.

Does anyone have any information about the Peterson twins, Frank and Arthur. We were friends in the 7th and 8th grades at JHS 59. They went to Brooklyn Tech HS and I believe to the University of Rhode Island. I was also friends with Richard Smith but have no idea what happened to him. I could not find him in either yearbook. You can reach me at goodmans@jacksonlewis.com Thanks for the memories

Steven Goodman Email Address: goodmans@jacksonlewis.com

April 1, 2005

Hello! I am Michael Storey. Was delighted to find this Laurelton website! I was in Mrs. Nicholas 5th grade class in 1960 at p.s. 156. If any of these people see this or someone that knows them - please contact me at shatwafan@wmconnect.com. Stuart Smoller, Vincent Oliveri, Elaine Kessler, Merrill Kramer, Neil Rothman, Steven Parker, ALSO, kids from the neighborhood: Bobby Gugliano, Susan Bernstein, Chris Carroll or any of the firefighting Carrolls from Laurelton. I lived at 228-48 Mentone Avenue in Laurelton. Thanks,

Michael Storey Email Address: Shatwafan@wmconnect.com

March 17, 2005

Hi Skip,

My name is Ira Hazan ... I was born in Laurelton and delivered by Dr. Friedlander ... remember his nurse ... she was mean !!! We lived there from 1948 thru to 1957 when we moved to Long Beach .... I lived on Frances Lewis Blvd right next door to Frances Lewis ... the website gave me a chance to contact her after all these years ... I had 2 older sisters, Diane & Joyce, both of who have passed away rather young that some of you may remember ... I used to love to fishing at Twin Ponds, it seemed so big to me in those days

I had Mrs Ready, Mrs Curly, Mrs Schlussman & Mrs Schneider for grades K - 3 at PS 156 ... our block had a lot of boys that I'd love to contact if possible: Carl Hammer ... Chucky Pascow ... Jerry & Arnold Tranis ... Billy & Judd Berkowitz ... David Novack ... Paul Epstein .... Steve & Jackie Zipper ... the Gatti brothers ... I also had cousins on the block ... the Cohen's ... Ruth, Eddie & Murray and the Ellis family too ... Vera & Joan

Laurelton, even though I was young when we moved always brings back great memories and we went back often to visit all of our friends & family there ...if anyone knows how to reach Louis Rich, please let him know he still owes me the 15 cents he promised to pay me, right inside of "Jake the Gyp's" ... remember his bike shop ??? ... I should have known, any promises in his place were not to be kept

I've passed on this website to everyone I know from Laurelton and hope that we can all get everyone else to do the same ... thanks a lot, Skip

Ira Hazan Email Address: ira@hazangroup.com

March 16, 2005

Skip,

My name is Joe Ferrara and I grew up with my sister Pat, and brother Tom at 131-29 227th St. My family moved there in 1953 and moved in 1970. I went to PS132, JHS59 and Andrew Jackson. My friends at the time were Jay Katz, Stan Marcus, Marty Reich, Mark Sauerhoff, Larry Stark, Rita Smith, Paula Katz, Johnny Butera, Barbara & Steven Katz, Gary Weintraub, Eddie Rothlein, Kenny Hason, Arnie Feldman, Alex Papako, Michael Fisher, George Burner, Mark Weiner, Bonnie and Andrea Kwardowitz (spelling?), Cynthia Dilbert, Jerry and David Robbins, Steven Kessler, Janet Marcune, and the one I married Claudia Lahti. I know I have forgotten many others but hopefully people will recognize some of the names and reply with their own lists.

We hung out by the Depot and Burt and Dave's doing nothing and everything. The best times of my life were spent in Laurelton, and you cannot seem to explain it to people today without getting the "look" like "what are you talking about?"

How can you explain the good old days without sounding like you come from another planet? Yet Laurelton stands out as being the one place that I've ever heard of that still has hundreds, if not thousands of people still going to reunions of a town not a school. Where growing up was a magical experience that can never be duplicated. What a wonderful time and childhood I had there.

It has been a great trip back in time to read all the letters sent in. THANK YOU FOR SHARING IT.

JOE FERRARA SMR183@AOL.COM

March 9, 2005

Does anybody know if Anthony Kerns and Paul Sieden went to jail or became lawyers?

Ronald Hason JHS 59 1959 Email Address: Ronyc@aol.com

February 28, 2005

Hi Skip-

My maiden name is Frances Lewis and I lived at 137-30 Francis Lewis Blvd. When I was six months old we moved to Laurelton (1938) and at that time the street was called Cross Island Blvd. Six months later it was changed to Francis Lewis Blvd. and I became “famous”. (Just a bit of info: he was a statesman who signed the Declaration of Independence.) Mr. Scharf (7^th grade science teacher?) used to call me “Miss Boulevard.”

I just finished reading the new Laurelton site and had several good laughs and lots of wonderful memories. I was graduated from PS 156 in 1951 and from FRHS in 1955. I’ve been in Florida 34 years and now live in Boynton Beach. There are so many Laureltonians in our area. We even had our own little reunion this past year with Harriet Scher, Barbara Silfen, Harvey Shapiro, Richie Stein, and my brother, Ira Lewis (all Rockaway grads). I still keep in touch with Barbara Rose, and Barbara Landesman. (If anyone knows either of their email addresses, please ask them to write – I lost my address book and would like to contact them). One of my neighbors, Stanley Spivack, I recognized as my brother’s friend from his Boy Scout troop when I was a kid. The guy that slices lox in our “bagel place” also went to PS 156. This area is becoming a second Laurelton!

Thanks for all the memories – especially to Lew Goldman who was in my 7^th grade home room with Mr. Ryan and to Marshall Sroge who was also in classes with me. I’d love to hear from some of my old classmates.

Best regards to all,

Fran (Lewis) Cantor Email address: flc3080@adelphia.net

February 28, 2005

Just discovered the Laurelton page, it's great to see so many posters from the old neighborhood. I lived on 224th street near south conduit avenue and attended P.S. 181 from 1964 to 1969 and IHS 231 in 1970 and part of 1972 when my family moved to eastern Pennsylvania. would love to hear more from people who lived in that part of Laurelton -- remember "the lot" where we played baseball for endless hours? What was the number of the small wooden schoolhouse that was at the front of that vacant lot but was torn down in the early '60s. I am working as a newspaper reporter at a daily newspaper in Pittsburgh and often talk about those great days with my children, who are fascinated by the simple fun we had. some of the kids from the neighborhood were Mike and Phillip Pipia, the five Kerr boys, Larry Donahue.

Tony Larussa Email Address: tlarussa@tribweb.com

February 15, 2005

Dear Skip,

This is a roll call for my old gang. Artie Abrahams, Jack Arrow, Milton Bagley, Roy Beck, Herbie Berkman, Bill Bernstein, Bernie Bertash, Norm Belsky, Lloyd Borow, Martie Colodzin, Howie Elakman, Herbie Ferber, Henry Fisher,Jerry Friedman, Bobby Friedman, Marvin Genser, Artie Green (nee Greenberg), Everett Goldstein. Robert Harrow, Melvyn Huber, Jerome Jacobs, Stanley Katz, Herbie Kazdin, Norman Lippman, Dolphe Marcus, (we had lunch in Long Beach, LA., last year, Marty Moses, Ronnie Orsag, Morton Scheines, Jerome Schlactus, Gene Schneider, Charley Seaman, Avram Silverman, Elmer Stang, Joseph Thierman, Edgar Trell, Marvin Wadler,Melvin Wilens, Kenneth Winkler, Herbie Zohler, Martin Zoler.

We had an annual dance in 1947 and our pledges were George Cutler Albert Herner, Selig Moskowitz, Louis Rosen and Arnold Wein. All from Alpha Phi Pi. The war was over and we were so happy to be civilians again.

Our town seemed to go on and on. Jahns (since 1897) at 81-04 37th Ave., in Jackson Heights is supposed to still be in business. Remember, we used to; carve our initials in the wood chair rails plus our gals? If anyone out there in cyber space can get out a word or two, "Where are you?" I miss you.

Howie Katz Email Address: Katz4bike1@aol.com

February 15, 2005

Hi,

My name is Ida (Felson) Lesser, graduated from PS 156 in 1951 and AJHS in 1955. Great reading all the Laurelton memories. I lived on Mentone Avenue between 230th Street and 228th Street. The railroad tracks were behind my Spanish stucco house. I used to take take the Q 5A on the service road to the Belt Parkway to Jamaica to shop in Gertz. When the school bus wasn't running during Regents week, I changed at Linden Blvd. and Merrick Rd. for the bus to Jackson.

On my street were Arnold Himmelgreen, Pat Zaccardo, Barbara Tobin, Phyllis Webber, Jerome Brick, Joyce Campbell, Bob Glickman. Just around the corner on 228th St. was Irene Volkens, my best friend.

What ever happened to Leonard Elias, Joseph Levine, the Miller twins, Norman Silfen? Does anybody stay in touch with any of these KIDS?

Ida Felson Email Address: Joanida@aol.com

February 12, 2005

Skip,

Here's a link that has a list (and a melody) that may help to bring back some nice memories for those of us that are lucky enough to have heard of the Laurelton site. Thanks for all the effort you've put into maintaining it.

Norm Samuels Email Address: nsamuels@optonline.net

http://www.thestatenislandboys.com/U_thrill_me/index.htm

January 30, 2005

Hi A friend sent me the email. I was born in 52 and my brother in 50. We were at the other end and went to 176, 59 and Jackson. Still, we frequented the Chinese restaurant, Marder's, Stanley's toy store, Colony Cards, the movie with the pizza place at one corner and the candy store at the other (to buy candy before you went in.) Twin Ponds Bakery stayed in business long after the town was as we knew it. We went to Dr. Greenberg the dentist/orthodontist until not that long ago!! He kept us up on the neighborhood people who still visited. My husband went to St. Claire's and lived down the block from there (also 1952.) Nice to hear about the old neighborhood.

Erica Wallach Sheid Email Address: wheelerteacher3@optonline.net

January 24, 2005

Hi Skip,

I went to PS 156 for almost three years. Started first grade in Sept. 1957 and moved to Woodmere in March, 1960. I had Mrs. Claus for 1st grade, Mrs. Schlossman for 2nd and Mrs. Nicholas for 3rd. I've been collecting the class pictures and posted the ones i have on the Laurelton website. I'm always looking for more and hope you might have some from you days as PS 156.

During the time I lived in Laurelton, going to the movie theater Saturday afternoons included a double feature (usually horror flicks), and a contest with an old fashioned silent film of racers. The number of the winner would correspond to the last digit of your admission ticket. Those with the winning number would receive a prize.

My favorite barber was Jimmy who had a way with kids. I had to sit on the board across the arm rests because I was too short for the big seat. I remember a bazaar with rides and games in a vacant lot on Merrick. Also, the Sunrise Supermarket where mom won an RCA color television in 1956 just by writing her name on a piece of paper and throwing it into a box. I was going to Town & Country Nursery School in Cedarhurst and when the wagon driver walked me to the front door of our house and saw the color television in our living she asked, "How can your parents afford a color television?"

Steve Shapiro

January 24, 2005

Hi, My name is Robert Kanowitz, and I lived at 133-05 226th street. I now live in Jericgo on Long Island, which is the same house I moved to in 1969 when we moved from Laurelton. I still speak to a few people from the Laurelton area. I am a caterer in Nassau County and have done many reunions. I would like to help out if we could get a reunion together. Let me know if you are interested.

Bobby Kanowitz Email Address: BOBBYK767@aol.com

January 23, 2005

Hi, well first of all thank you Skip and thank you to all who made me smile and remember all of those wonderful memories of our childhood. We all have so much in common and share the privilege of growing up in such a special place: Laurelton.

I could go on for pages but, I won't. I grew up on a wonderful block 229th St. bet. 130 and l31st Ave. I am still in touch with many friends. I also went to PS 156, 59 and graduated from Jackson in l973, when we moved to Ottawa, Canada.

I attended the LJC Hebrew school and was Bat Mitzvehed there in l968. I will be 50 in the summer --- I will never forget: Ms. Rand and her storytelling at the library on 225th St.

Tom The Barber, who everyone went to and loved, Mr. Louis, the hairdresser between the pizza place and the movie theater. Was it always Carmines great pizza. Stanley's I was petrified of his dog, he was so disorganized but always found everything, Four Star bakery and the big chocolate sprinkled cookies, ummmm

We now live in Israel, I was comparing schools with a friend, and remembering about 59 and our typing class, home ec, piano, we were very privilege to learn what we did. The Teachers in l56 were mostly superb. kindergarten, Mrs. Rockhower, lst. grade Mrs. Guiler, 2nd grade Mrs. Donahue, 3rd Mrs. Freeman 4th Mrs. Schwartz will never forget her; and the basic French and the songs that she taught us. Bonjour Madame Noir. She was wonderful, had wonderful teachers in both 59 and Jackson and throughout Hebrew school. Mrs. Ciner, MR. Revasch, I am in touch with the principal of the Hebrew school, Mr. Dunetz, he lives in Jerusalem as well as so many other people formerly of Laurelton who are scattered all over the country.

I love to reminisce, I can be reached at jsternberg@yahoo.com

Barbara(Klugsberg) Sternberg Email Address: jsternberg@yahoo.com

January 23, 2005

From Laurelton, 1955-72. PS 176, 59, AJ, class of 69. I found your site yesterday when another old Laurelton friend emailed it to me... but the link didn't come through too well, .. i think its working now. One of the pictures I think is of my house at 121-64 234th st, right off the corner of 128th.

Is there a regular way to contribute to this Laurelton site? I used to participate in another Laurelton site. I went to the reunion on long island in 1999 and it was a blast.

Hey thanks.. I live in albany NY now, but would love to find some more of my old Landsmahn!

Barb Goldstein Email Address: gmarxist@aol.com

January 14, 2005

Hi,

I just found your site. It’s amazing … all the memories are flooding back. I lived in Laurelton from 1956-1969. What a great childhood!

I lived on 227^th and 131^st Ave. I went to PS 132 (I had Mrs. Lakritz, Mrs. Middlemiss, Mrs. Rieff, Mrs. Pearlman and Mrs. Semon) and IS 59 until middle of 7^th grade (7sp2) when I moved to NassauCounty. My sisters Andrea (Andy) and Judith (Judy) went all through school and graduated from Andrew Jackson.

I see my best friend Robin Fader (225^th St.) who now lives in Bethesda,MD. I’m also friends with Marcie and Robert Kanowitz from 225^th St. Beside Robin, my friends were Adrienne Sokolow, Aurelia Driver, Francine Sturman, Emily Weintraub, Max Gillman, Neil Rappaport (whose dad Lester owned Samuels Cleaners with the myna bird that talked), then in Junior High: Merri Turk, Barbara Bellis, Susan Resnick, Andrea Weiss. Wonder what happened to these people.

Beth Brautman Berman Email Address: bbmother@optonline.net

January 8, 2005

Hi All

My name is Matt Kuschner, My father is Ted Kuschner, he was the owner of Casual Dept. Store on Merrick Blvd & 231 St., the same block as Martin Paint. There was PS 181 in Rosedale, and yes it is still there. Mr. Aronoff was principal, Grace was the custodian. There was also teachers like Mr. Schwartz, Mr. Jacobs, Mrs. Golsdtein, Mrs. Borowick and Mrs. Kleinberg was my kindergarten teacher, as well as her husband was Cantor at the LJC. I attended 181 from 1964 to 1970. We had a yearbook when I graduated and it is still fun looking back at all the memories. We lived at 143-51 228th St. Thanks.

Matt Kuschner Email Address: mattkush@juno.com

January 7, 2005

Hi Skip,

I'm so confused! When I was 5 years old, 1963, we moved to 145-30 230th Place, Laurelton. *(almost positive of the address)* I went to school from kindergarten thru half of 3rd grade before moving away. My best friend was Jeanne Johnson who as I recall, I chipped her front tooth while swinging my metal lunchbox! I remember the Murman and Webber families as being neighbors of ours. I have vivid memories of so many things; airplanes flying overhead, throwing the baton in the air at football games, the school yard, and being "Spring" in our class play of "Spring Tonic" where I wore my aunt's blue gown that my mom sewed silk daisies on!! I also remember my favorite 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Borrowick. But here's my confusion---I could have sworn I went to PS 181, but I can't seem to find that school located anywhere! Everyone here is talking of PS 156 and I'm wondering if after 40 years I've just made a mistake with the school number or do you possibly know if there was a "PS 181"?

Thanks,

Cindy (Covell) Maher

January 7, 2005

Skip,

Below is my input for the web site …. I've been remiss in that I've got to the site last Summer, and have from time to time been enjoying reading about the folks I've known, but never submitted some memories. I get a thrill whenever I find a name that brings up an image or two.

Thanks for the helping with the great memories.

Norm Samuels Email Address: norman.samuels@baesystems.com

From the start:

Address: 137-08 232 street, LA8-6825;

Neighbors: Next store: kids: Barbara, Keith (deceased) & Bruce (deceased) Boklan

Kids: Paul (?) and David Natis (spoke to their Dad a few years ago when he spotted my Dad’s grave a few yards away from his wife’s, Melba, grave);

Down the block:

Jimmy Aceto, Jimmy Marino (and his brother with the

Studerbaker), David Burnstein (bro: ? and sis: Sue;

Sal ?, Maryanne Brusher, Tommy ?

Up the block: Paula and Carol Kogan; Bobby Farkas;

Across the street: Marlene Zanger (brother: Terry the Marine),

Gary Golden (brothers: Alan, Michael & Richard?) moved

to 224 street; Jeff Barnes;

Around the corner(s): Ronald Jacoby, Arnold Feldman (brothers: Barry & ?)

Robert Love; Frank Wind (his Dad invented(?) the

Poly plastic packages; Warren Kaplan;

Mark Gottlieb;

Marsha Wanderman and her brothers;

Across Town: Barry Dickman (my buddy’s still crazy after all these years);

Judy Berman (now Dickman), Eric Prager;

David Pick (and his twin sister ?), Ronnie Dubin;

Lori Brown, Larry Resnick. Mark Gresnki, Ed Bayliss;

Lenny Resnick (not related to Larry); Mary Reich,

Barbara Alexrod

The group from Rosedale/Menton Ave: Carol Chiappisi (nice to have gotten

in touch already), Barbara & Betty Goldstein, Nappy and Eleanor; Where have all the flowers gone??

Images:

Playing all those street games: punch ball, catch-a-flyer-up, Man-in-the-Middle, Hide & Go Seek; the ‘baseball” game on the four corners between of 137^th and 232^nd street;

Stickball at PS 156; riding my bike everywhere (I still do!);

I was a Bungalow Bar kid and rooted for the Giants … I thought that the Good Humor kids were all Yankee fans …

How about the trucks that had rides (like a small ferris wheel or whip) on them?

The vendor’s trucks with the fresh vegetables or the knife sharpener ….

The Itch with the ice cream parlor on the corner (Raab’s ?);

Dankner’s Pharmacy with Jack Drexler & Sam Dankner;

Slonick’s shoe store on 231 st and Merrick ROAD (I never believed the signs that said Blvd);

Kern’s Bicycle Store on 233^rd street;

The Depot luncheonette with the trains transporting the food out on to the counter;

The Q5 bus which began it route in front of the diner (Nick was the short-order artist) and the bus carried us into Jamaica for 15 cents;

Chang’s Chinese restaurant (with Jack Coopersmith ? working as a waiter);

January 3, 2005

Skip

I have checked your Laurelton page many times and each time it brings back so many memories. So far, no one has mentioned BrookfieldPark, going to the Pizza King after ones date.& making out along twin ponds.

Today I sitting for my 9 year old grandchild and teaching her stoop ball – since there are no stoops in Fl she couldn’t get it. But I did teach her hand ball against the house- she thought this was cool. They just don’t understand how much fun it was just to go out and play with your friends and neighbors. My life was formed there was born there. I don’t think there is anyplace like that now. Boy are they missing out.

Does anyone no what happened to Ronnie Bernstein, Steve Brooks. Howie Halyard. Sam Buchananan, I was in ADG anyone out there.

Barb Boklan Garfield Email Address: leebarb1204@bellsouth

December 27, 2004

I recently discovered your website. It is great. I grew up in Laurelton in the 60's, 70's and 80's. I, and some people I am still in touch with, would like to organize a reunion for people who grew up there then or attended IS 59 in the 70's. First we would need to begin attracting people on the internet. Is there some way you could post something asking for folks to email in. Like the older generation, many of us live elsewhere but have very fond memories. I am in Chicago and know people in Virginia, Maryland, Missouri, Albany, etc. who would be interested in this. What do you recommend? Could you help? Thanks

Sincerely,

Courtney from 226th street and 131 st Ave Email Address: DLFRANCIS9@aol.com

Hello, Does anyone out there know what happened to Andrew Jackson High School? It is no longer listed as an area High School. Is the building still there?

Having attended two reunions in the past few years it was wonderful to see friends from those years. It is fun to compare notes as to who remembers their teachers. Ms. Coslan ( who later became the Librarian at JHS 59) and Mrs. Badey for Kg, Ms. Heller 1 st grade, Mrs. Nobel second, Ms. Schneider 3rd, Mrs. Aberle 4th ( my very favorite), Mrs. Reid for 5th when she was there-- and Mr. Gambino ( also a favorite) for 6th. I remember getting caught in 6th grade passing love notes with Jerry Solomon who I hear is in Calif, and Mr. Gambino making us stay after school and threatening to tell our moms if we did it again.

Being in the SP at JHS59 I remember the chorus and singing at Lincoln Center and the Band-- also remember Judy Schoenfeld, Howie Polera and Jerry Solomon and I going to dance on the Alan Freed dance show on TV-- what fun-- could you imagine letting your JHS child go into Manhattan by themselves on the train and bus after school and back again-- boy have the times changed. I would love to hear from anyone who might want to correspond- pamssanity@aol.com Thanks for running this page!!!Pam Raven Lippman

As a second generation Laureltonian (two generations on 228th Street) it is absolutely wonderful to read the memories of Laurelton. What a fantastic place it was to grow up... which is what my father did before me, and what I did until age 15 in 1972 when my family moved out-of-state. It'd be great to catch up with my contemporaries who when to 156 in the early 60's, JHS 59 in the late 60's and SGHS in the early 70's -- or spent those years at the LJC, in the years when Singer and Kleinberg were replaced by Konovich and Kunis. Neil Rappaport, Jimmy Brietman, Richard Angrist, Mitchell Novick, Susan Resnick, Joel Katz, Barbara Cziesler, David Dunetz, Michael Feldman, Steven Weiss, Maribeth Soloman, Harvey Bell, Lori & Minday Chozik, Susan DeMarinis, Debbie Ilberman, Michael Jennis, are you out there? Isn't it amazing how the names of the people you grow up with stay with you so vividly decades later?

Bernard Kavaler Email Address: kavbro@comcast.net

I moved to Laurelton in 1956 and attended PS 156, JHS 59, and Springfield Gardens HS (class of 1970). I was Bar Mitzvah from the LJC and was there with Rabbis Teplitz and Singer and like everyone else Cantor Kleinberg. We all have our many memories of our childhood in Laurelton and I am happy to say that mine are all wonderful. I wonder if my kids will feel the same way about our town as we all appear to feel about Laurelton. Somehow I don't think so! I remember going directly from Junior Congregation on Saturday mornings in my itchy wool suit to the Laurelton movie theater. I carried a brown bag with a Hebrew National salami sandwich and watched the Bat Man serials or some double feature. The Pizza joint directly next door (Carmine's?) had a neon sign that read" Eat Pizza and Live A Hundred Years" .

Those were the good old days when we knew nothing about saturated fats.I baked bagels at the Laurelton Bagel Bakery every Saturday and Sunday morning. Even that was fun, especially taking home dozens of bagels after each work day. The owner of the shop was named Milty and he lived in Valley Stream. As I got older I became a bus boy and waiter at the LJC for VIP caterers who later opened up a second catering hall in North Woodmere.

Like all that have written before me I can free associate and speak of punch ball in the inner school yard at 156, the horrible smell of hot lunches in the cafeteria, summer school on the black top with a gym teacher name Mr. Burke, Miss Postley crying when the announcement came over the PA system that President Kennedy was shot, being a milk monitor, and going to the basement to suction the black felt erasers. I can't forget about bringing $1 to school every Friday for deposit at the Ridgewood savings bank on Merrick Rd. It has been fun writing this email but equally enjoyable reading what has been written by those before me. Thanks for your efforts,

What a great page and what wonderful memories ( many long forgotten) they evoked. However, though I had forgotten many things like the Q5 to Jamaica and the gang at the bike shop, Laurelton has always remained a part of my life. I moved there with my parents from Brooklyn in 1952. In , those days I was Eileen Kaye. Although I moved into Manhattan in 1968 my parents remained there until my mother's death in 1995. So not only do I have memories of Laurelton, so do my children. (They even know my childhood friends and have been to Twin Ponds and the Green Acres mall) I lived at 130-36 229th Street,( my phone number was LA 8-4839) and graduated from, PS 156( remember Miss Postley and Miss Lawson), JHS 59( Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Morrison, Mrs. Kranz,Ms. Fenner, Mr. Groffman, Mr. Krauss) and Andrew Jackson HS in 1962.( I was in PDG sorority, we were the girls in red and white).

My years at Springfield Gardens (class of 72) were among the happiest I ever had. I have had a real longing to speak to friends of the past, and due to the reunions of 1999 and 2001 this has happened. Allowing friends to meet again is also the best thing this item of technology has brought about.

Marshall Zucker MZXYLO@AOL.com

Hi - Just found this incredible and fun to read page. It has been wonderful and exciting to read all of your stories and to have recognized some of the people on the site. My name is Ruth Craft Lax and I lived in Laurelton from the time I was 3 months old until 1958. I went to P156 and graduated 8th grade in '52 and went on to FRHS graduating 4 years later. I subsequently finished my degrees and am working as a licensed psychotherapist. My Mother, Minnie Craft, worked at the LJC and I remember eating lunch there every day while everyone got to go home for lunch. Boy was I envious of them. I remember walking home from the Rosedale station and stopping off for a pickle from a deli (non kosher) in Rosedale. I also remember the last year in high school when the LIRR didn't go all the way to the school. We would hitch a ride from the end of the line to the school. Imagine today - hitching a ride. I remember going to Hebrew school walking hand in hand with Michael Yesner, puppy love at 10.

Playing stickball in the street, stoopball, The "Itch", Raab's, Mrs. Weinberger, and Mrs. Wenhold/Shelley, Mrs. Lawson (my 4th grade teacher) so many friends and neighbors - They have all been part of my early memories. My close friends at the time were Marion Ostrower, Susan Wendroff, Carole Fogel (who sadly passed away) and Zebbie Geller. I am in contact with Susan , Marion and Zebbie. If anyone knows or keeps in touch with Eve Honig ( went to AJHS) please let me know her last name and how I can reach her.

Thanks for this great Laurelton site as a link from the Far Rockaway site. My name is Bill(y) Odin. I attended P.S. 156 from 1950-1955. I left Laurelton in 1967. Let me begin by saying that I was deeply saddened to read of the death of Ann Winsten on the Far Rockaway site. She was a dear friend during my Laurelton years. My condolences to her family.

I came to this site through my wife Mona Magida (Far Rockaway H.S. class of 1963). It’s great reading the memories of people whose experiences I also shared. Looking at my 8^th grade graduation picture from 1955 I was surprised that I could still positively recognize and name over 40 people. I have most recently been in contact with Jud Berkowitz and Steve Rhodes, both of whom went to Shimer.JHS. I now live in Massapequa Park on Long Island and am a Snow Bird with a home in Delray Beach, Fl.

Attached are two pictures from P.S. 156 taken in 1955. We were the Queens elementary basketball and softball champs that year. One picture (the softball team) is the Long Island Press clipping with all our names clearly captioned. The other is a copy of the newspaper picture (basketball) with our names written across our picture.

I am only going to relate two memories of my elementary days in Laurelton that are quite different than those written by others. First: I have vivid memories of Arthur Kauff tormenting Mrs. McLean our 5^th grade teacher. He made some good fun for us out of an awful year. Second: I remember Stanley’s. He owned a store that sold sporting goods and hobby stuff (unfortunately, I read in the newspaper he was later to be killed during a robbery). When we went in to buy two Spauldings at 19 cents each he would have to charge us tax, so we would by one ball (no tax on 19 cents) leave the store and come back a few minutes later to purchase the second ball. Would our kids or grand kids today understand how valuable or important a penny was. Oh! and of course there was David K. who ran into Mrs. Campbell in the hall, when we were in 8^th grade, and put her out of commission for a few weeks.

Page 6 of the photos was a thrill for me--the one of 227 street looking south from 131 Avenue shows my family's car parked in front of my house (before I was born!) in 1951. We were the third house from the corner, 131-10 227 Street. My parents bought the house that year, and lived there until 1974. My wonderful Mom passed away in September of last year, but dear old D! ad is still alive and healthy, he'll be 86 next month. I am sure I am repeating some of what others have already mentioned, but my memories include: Stanley's--The store was a complete mess but he knew where everything was!

The Laurelton Theatre--but we always bought candy across the street at Miller's candy store so we wouldn't have to pay the higher price the theater charged. Mr. Miller was sort of a grouch, but Mrs. Miller was a sweetie, and they made GREAT egg creams! Carmine's Pizza next to the movies--I remember when they raised the price from 15 to 20 cents a slice. And they had a sign inside that read "Eat pizza live 100 years". The bagel place between 223 and 224 streets on Merrick road (I may be off by a block). I have two memories of the Key Food on 225 street--There was a fire and I recall the smell of "cooked" meat reaching all the way to my house on 227 street. And on a sadder note, someone was shot there after a holdup, as a kid I was morbidly fascinated by the blood that remained on the sidewalk the next day. The shoe repair place on Merrick and 227th, across from the movie theater. I can still smell the polish and leather in my mind.

Zickerman's Hardware store. I never found them particularly helpful or friendly to kids, and just about every time I had a key made there I had to return and get it cut again because it rarely worked the first try. The old A&P on Merrick and (I think) 230 street, they had sawdust on the floor and as a kid I thought that was impressive for some reason. Woolworth's, House of Chang, my first bank account being opened at Ridgewood Savings on Frances Lewis Blvd and Merrick, Miss Rand reading to kids at the Laureltoin Library, P.S. 132, JHS 59, Marder's drugstore, Colony Card shop, Good Food (my first experience seeing Holocaust victims, the owners had numbers tattooed on their arms), Shari's Bakery.

My buddies as a kid were: Hank Simon, Neil Rappaport, Howard and Wayne Siegel, Alan Goldwasser, Helene Gruber, Myra Dranoff, Gayle Braunhut, Jeff Goldsobel, Susan Bock, Susan Rosen, Howie Schulman. Classmates included Steve Nagelberg, Hedy From, Michael Eisen, Jordi Herold, Larry Grant, Maria Weitzenkorn, Francine Wolpe. As a teen I became friends with other Laureltonians: Howie Miller, Gary Weinstein, Irving Blumenfeld, Roz Weisman. Still friends with them, though we don't see each other as often as I would like. Others I remember from my older sisters, living on my block, and my Dad are: Barry Becker, Eddie Levinson, Paul Glanz, Dona Kapit, Helene Katz, Harvey Blumenfeld, Dana Launer, Shelley and Abby Braverman, Larry Katz, Laura and James Levitt, Arnold and Rita Smith, Joey Ferrara, and a bunch of others who I can only recall by their first names. I guess I could go on and on.

Laurelton has so many great memories for me and will always be near and dear to my heart. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful walk down memory lane!

I guess I could write forever about all the great times and experiences growing up in Laurelton. I did get to see a lot of these friends about 5 or so years ago at a reunion and I did drive through Laurelton this past August and remember saying to myself “ what happened “ to so many different places. I couldn’t believe that the basketball court that I honed all my skills on had no
rims on the backboard, and the fence we used to hit the softball over was blocked by mobile units for the school.

What happened to Burt and Daves….Adrians Bakery…..4 Star Bakery…Wongs Garden…the bagel place on 225th….Carmines Pizza..Riviera Pizza…A&P (my first job). Dairy Mart (my second job) ….Stanleys….Zickerman’s…..the movie theatre ( always a double feature ) and all the other great places??? It seems like the song Mrs. Robinson…..Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio ?

Hi Skip - Marsha Straubing told me about the website. It was great to read it and see so many familiar names and places. I lived at 138-20 230th Street, went to PS 156, JHS 59 and Andrew Jackson '62. Does anyone remember having to stand completely still in the schoolyard at 156 when the bell rang? I guess what I remember and miss most is kids playing in the street. We played punch ball, stoop ball, running bases, etc. with kids on the block until it got too dark. I am still in touch with Marsha Straubing and Donna Klur and went to a great reunion in 2000 and stayed with Adrianne Sklar. That was a great time. I will check in on the website regularly. My email address is maxbpeck@aol.com.

I'm Diane Liebelson--lived on 226 Street, near that big Avenue whose name escapes me. You would only know me from PS 132, & JHS 59 (attended 1956-59), because after that I commuted to Bronx HS of Science (4 1/2 hour commute daily--ugh), 1962 graduate. Later graduated from Columbia Univ. I was outgoing, tall (5'8"), plump, dark hair, very fair complexion My sister Rae is one year older than me & also went on to Bronx Science. Our family moved from Laurelton in Sept., 1962. Unfortunately my memory of the early Laurelton years isn't too good as to teacher names, etc. Although I do remember enjoying bicycling through the hilly streets visiting a few friends one of whom's last name was Johannsen, other names now escape me. I do recall catching fire flies as others have mentioned, on those quiet summer evenings, and sitting on the stoop with my older sister Edrea (graduated Andrew Jackson in 1959) enjoying ice cream pops from that Good Humor truck ringing its bells as it drove down our street. Of course I remember fondly Donna Cooperman (aka Klur), and have stayed in touch with Judie Burstein. Also knew to say hello to at JHS 59, Judy Zaretsky, Joan Modell & Maxine Berg?

A very close friend of mine from age 11 through 20 was Lois Orlick who did go on to Andrew Jackson. We stayed in touch till 1964. IF ANY OF YOU KNOW LOIS ORLICK'S MARRIED NAME, COULD YOU PLEASE EMAIL ME. I'd appreciate it very much. Lois called me in the 1970s when her father died, and at that time she was married with 3 sons living in NJ, but forgot her married name. I'd like to contact Lois again.

Does anyone remember the twins, Arthur & Franklin Peterson? I knew them at PS 132.They were cute even then, and charmers. Also on my corner lived Richard Smith who wasin the same year at PS 132 & JHS 59 as me. We won a dance contest when I was about 13. I always loved social dancing, and continued to do so through rock n' roll, disco, cha-cha, & reggae.

If anyone remembers me, and would like to contact me, I'd be glad to hear from you. All the Best,

I have never gone to a reunion but I imagine this is what it is like. What a kick this is...to read collective memories of a shared time. We were, indeed, children of innocence. Our lives were about bus passes and egg rolls, slam books and singing r&r around a piano in someone's home.
I remember the Little Spot contest about fire prevention in PS l56, and Mrs. Reid, who was always tugging at her bra strap. I recall the baseball court painted onto the floor in PS 156, having milk and cookies in school, grabbing a wooden pass to go to the bathroom, fire drills and ducking under our desks, which I suppose were improvised bomb shelters. There were those fashionista nightmare grass-green gym suits and clubs, lots of clubs we belonged to at school. There was also the Laurelton Jewish Center and the literary magazine at Junior High school 59 and wearing Ban The Bomb buttons. I don't remember the name of the deli across the street at Andrew Jackson High School, but we all went there to eat. I recently found out that there were many high schools in the country named Andrew Jackson,and this was a shock and a disappointment. I thought ours was the only one.

We had a prom at the Biltmore in Manhattan, we worked for months on end for Sing, and George M. Cohn turned us on to poetry. When we screwed up, we had detention, and when we didn't screw up we would find our names on the honor roll in the hallway. We discussed college plans with Milton Blatt and we stopped off for egg creams on our way home from school. We'd go to the Itch and once there was a terrifying movie about ants called Them.
We lived at 135-31 233rd street, and we played punch ball, collected dead birds that fell from the roof and buried them.

Greetings and blessings to all of you,

Howie Katz again. The fall always brings back some of the best memories. The cool October and November breezes were a welcome relief to pre-airconditioned summers. The coolest spot in our house at 131-45 227th St. was in the basement. Mom or Nana would keep a huge crock filled with lemonade and ice when summer was at its worst. Lawn sprinklers came out for the kids and splashing and screaming was a way to relief. Bungalow Bar or Good Humor trucks plied their trade. But the cool winds of change in September and October were another pleasure. Most of the trees were maples that lost those leaves of red and gold. My Dad and I would sweep them up in front of the house in a pile and set them on fire. The whole town had that smoky pungence in every street. Cant do that now.

The daylight got shorter but we would be outside calling for each other (after homework was done) and never went home until we were called by name or a whistle. Ringaleavio (spelling?) and tag games were the most popular past times. Anything that entailed risk and running was best. Choosing sides were determined by lot, "one potato, two potato, three potato four, etc." We would try to finagle a ringer onto our team or face certain defeat. Winning, losing, the tide always changed so it zeroed out to no great loss. I guess you could say that the overall attitude was a seemingly never ending supply of hope. We were innocents. Our teachers at 156 gave us lessons in censored History and Geography. So called "bad things" were filtered. We wouldn't dare repeat to our folks some the street words that made us blush. We saved most of that vocaabulary for special moments. Today, it is all part, I'm sad to say, of the American lexicon and has become so common that the words have lost their relief effect.

I can still see that little boy of seven or eight, going out right after a good rain and taking advantage of the draining waters at gutters edge, sailing his mystical boat made of popsicle sticks downstreatm to heaven knows where, just as long as it was still moving. Talk about optimism! Have fun, live long and remember.

Hello again to all of those who continue to look in on this site,Upon taking some visiting family members to the Grove Park Inn located in Asheville, North Carolina (a resort in the mountains built in 1913) we came across a piece of Laurelton memorabilia. In one of the hallway cabinets for display was a guest bill dated April 10, 1947. My brother and I were so surprised to read that the guests were from Laurelton, New York. Does anyone know B.N. & Mrs. Fishman, 138-55 225th Street?

I just loved reading everyone's memories. Larry Frank sent it to me. I have so much to talk about I need to step on a soap box just to share all the great times I had at the Laurelton Itch. Just going to the 156 school yard and playing anything was just fine. I went to the summer program there, walking 4 blocks or taking my bike was a lot of fun. I lived at 131-20 229 Street from 1943-1961. Moved to Rosedale and stayed there until I married in 1964. Have kept in touch with a few of my 156 friends and then JHS59, and AJHS also. I recently moved to Florida but made a trip to see my old house. The block and all the streets I rode my bike on looked nice. All the homes are updated and nicely kept. I also went to see 156 and the LJC. It is now a church.

Merrick Road was not so nice. The Itch is also a church. I saw Peter Luxe's name, I remember him. What we need is a picture of everyone then and now, pert up our memory. Mines shot. I wrote to some of the people on your memories page and got nice responses from them. As you can see I love to type, very relaxing. Thanks for doing the website.

I just came across this fantastic site about Laurelton. I currently live in Laurelton on 130th Avenue and 229th Street. Your memories and picturers of the neigborhood is great. I have lived in Laurelton from 1985 to 1986. Then in Cambria Heights from 1986 to 1998 when I got married and then I moved back to Loaurelton and have been there since. I graduated from Springfield Gardens in 1987 and my brother graduated from P.S. 156 I think in 1989 not quite sure of the date. However I really enjoyed the descriptions of the neighborhood prior to my living there. You all seem like you had so much fun.

I know that I am "young" but I do remember Marder's Pharmacy, it used to be on 228th and Merrick. It is now a Duane Reade at the corner of Francis Lewis and Merrick. Burger King used to be at Francis Lewis and Merrick. Woolworth at the corner of 229 and Merrick closed a few years ago, it is now a furniture store. I really miss that place I used to get my craft supplies there.

The hardware store on Merrick between 228 and 227 closed a few years ago and there are now about three new business there. There is a Curves, and two take-out restaurants. The Laurelton Jewish Center across from PS156 is now a Seven Day Adventist church. Ridgewood Savings Bank if I am not mistaken was robbed twice this year.

On the opposite side of Merrick on 228th street there was an empty lot for some years I don't know if a house was originally there and destroyed, but there is now a three (3) possible a six family home there. Alot of people are either putting additions to their homes. There are also one or two group homes in the neighborhood.

Andrew Jackson High School is now a magnet school with four schools in one building.

I was looking at the old pictures of the blocks in Laurelton, they seem much wider then than they are today. Is it possible that the streets were wider back then? There were no cars parked on the streets like there is today.

I see where someone bought a house in 1942 for $9,600 with a monthly mortgage of $50. Wow. Back then it must have been alot of money. One of the houses on my block just sold for $320,000.

Laurelton has and is going through changes but there are families and organizations that are fighting to prevent people from building multiple dwelling homes where there was originally a one family home and to maintain a beautiful and safe environment to raise their families.

Sorry to be so long winded but I will definately check this site out from time to time.

Skip, What a great site! I moved to Laurelton in 1944 with my folks and sister Harriet. I went to PS 156, Shimer JHS and then Andrew Jackson, graduating in 1960. My sister went to Far Rockaway HS and graduated in 56. FRHS was no longer an option when I went to HS.

I lived at 135-05 Francis Lewis Blvd. till 1966 when I went off to Vietnam with the US Army. When I returned I went back to work at the Long Island Press where I was a reporter. Also on staff there was my Laurelton next door neighbor Martin Goldstein. I think he's now with the Associated Press. I was a member of Sigma Phi while at Jackson, with Richie Ellentuck, Bobby Eidus, Jerry Krassner, Hal Fuchs, Steve Haberman, Carl Lindeman and others. Michael Ginsberg, Alvin Lebensfeld.....Friends from Cambria Heights were Richie Kustin and Larry Krug. I'm still in touch with both of them regularly.

I remember when the Ridgewood Savings Bank at Merrick and FLB was robbed! Some big deal.. I worked at Feldman's Meat Market for years and then worked as a counter man in college at the Busy Bee.....formerly Lil-Ed's. Now the corner is a Burger King. Capri's baked Zitti and the House of Chan eggrolls were the best. The last time I was in Laurelton, the Laurelton Jewish Center was a boarded up mosque.

The sororities and fraternaties always had dances every month, SING at AJHS was a way of life. They were truly great times growing up. Or were we just that innocent? Anyway, I'll try to remember more and contribute again.

You can reach me at larrylaurelton@yahoo.com.....really! If you remember Harriet Frank from Far Rockaway HS she's at harited84@aol.com

My name is Ed Stein. I was a member of Sigma Phi of Cambria--remembering such names as Ira Feldman, Eddie Shapiro, Bernie Seaman, Harvey Albert and many others.

The memories of all those wonderful years are brought back to life because of your wonderful web site and all the replies to it.

Iam still married to my wonderful wife Gail (Rachlis), whose parents owned Lil-Ed's Luncheonette on the corner of Merrick and Francis Lewis.

We now reside in Tampa Bay, FL and we can be reached at our e-mail address: estein2@cfl.rr.com

Thanks for this site. The collective memory sure is powerful! My name is Marsha Straubing. I lived at 134-49 Francis Lewis Blvd. from 1952-1967. AJHS '62. My sister Shelly Straubing AJHS '64 married Bob Abramson from Cambria Heights but sadly became ill at an early age and made her transition many years ago. My sister Rebbie Straubing was much younger and moved to Manhattan with my parents when she was a young teen.

I remember all my teachers names from PS 156 but that's about it. Except for Mrs. Mc Lean in 5th grade. She gave me a U in penmanship and wrote in red pencil on my papers slant one way! I also remember Mrs. Blum in 6th grade. She was very sweet but the best thing about her was that she was Ricky Blum's mother and I thought he was very cute.

I remember Go Go's candy store which was on Merrick Blvd. two doors down from Francis Lewis. That's where the kids on my block went for ice cream and egg creams. The egg creams where served in a pointy paper cup in a stainless holder. The small size was 6 cents. Summer evenings we would play handball or punch ball on the block or sit on the stoop and catch fireflies and put them in a jar.

And what about Mrs. Pendels dance classes (her studio was in her basement) and yearly recital. For those days it was a pretty elaborate production with great costumes.

I was in OPL (green and gray sorority sweater). I remember pledging and Hell night and the dances that each sorority and fraternity put on. We sold ads for the souvenir book and little stuffed dogs for profit. I am still friends with Donna (Debbie Klur) Cooperman and Maxine (Bergman) Peck. I have sent them news of this web site.

I have so much gratitude for having grown up in Laurelton. Thank you all for reminding me of so many things I had forgotten.

An old Laurelton friend, Marsha Straubing, forwarded this website to me tonight. It was great to read all the entries and to reminisce about those magical years.

My life in Laurelton has always been with me. I have tried to explain to my children what it was like growing up in a neighborhood where we played outside year round, and there were always kids to "call for". We were safe no matter where we went, whether we rode our bikes or walked to Merrick for a soda at Joe and Ed's or a pizza at Capri. My parents never worried about my being out and about. We knew people on just about every block. I lived on 229th between 131st and 130th and graduated from PS 156, JHS 59 and Andrew Jackson ('62).

I was the GO President of the first graduating class of JHS 59. Judy Burstein was my Vice President. I sang in the chorus with Mr. Buchanan, who told us stories about his time in the Navy with Harry Belafonte. He was a wonderful music teacher and a dear man. I think of him often. I remember when we sang "Paladin" on TV. What a thrill! And our performance of the Hallelujah Chorus for the Christmas concert was outstanding!

Our lives were so much simpler in the 50's and 60's. No tatoos, or piercings--no serious drugs. I was a sister in OPL and was a member of the script and lyrics committee of "Sing" for my 3 years at Jackson. Jessie Tillman was the music director and Mr. George Cohn (?) was the faculty advisor. Sadly, he moved on to Cardoza High School in Bayside when it opened in 1961, I think, and we lost a terrific English teacher. Remember Dorothy Bonowit? She was our high school principal, and she led Jackson through some pretty wonderful years. As an educator today, I look back on those years and realize what an excellent public education I received.

My closest friends during my Laurelton years were Adrienne Sklar, Marsha Straubing, Maxine Bergman, Judy Zaretsky, Carol Shafran, Joan Modell, Enid Zucker (who recently passed away) and Gail Berger...but there were many others who moved in and out of our lives. I'm still in touch with many of these old and dear friends, and knowing them has enriched my life.

I just wanted to add my thoughts to this Laurelton page, and have enjoyed reliving the memories. Thanks for doing the work of keeping this site going.

I'm Howie Katz, lived at 131-45, 227th Street, LA 8-0378. My folks moved from Brooklyn to Laurelton in 1929. I had the great fortune to grow up in our hometown. My Mom and Dad were Maury and Elsie. Mom had her parents living with us, Carl and Ebba Sunnenberg. The depression hit and everybody hunkered down for the long haul. I never really knew we were struggling until years later. Went to PS 156, and graduated 8th grade in 1939 and on to Andrew Jackson. Had a host of friends: Artie Gladstone, Everette Goldstein, Dolph Marcus, Jerry and Bobbie Friedman (not related), Artie Greenberg, Wadler, and on and on. I remember Mickey DiEsso who starred in "The Mikado" with Richie April, Dot Day, etc. Yes, Wilde was cross and Cross was wild. I had a crush on Mrs. Evens. Senorita Berkowitz taught me Spanish, never got hit with chalk or eraser by Mr. Greenstone, alias Angus McGreenstone in his physsics course.

I enlisted in the army in June '44 a week or two after D-Day. Got my dog tags before my high school diploma that month. Uncle Sam gave me a job in the Armored Force in a mediuim tank called the M4A1. It was a beut. Made sergeant and got out in fall of '46. Finally made DDs in 1953. Had married in my junior year and am now married to a new wife, Judy.

I cannot completely put into words, the emotional ties that bind me to Laurelton but they are mostly slim threads of memories that are of such number, that combined, they are like unbreakable braids of steel. There were many kids on my block of all sorts and ages. For the most part, we were never in our houses. We called for each other and out on the street we went. Yes, I remembeer all those games that have been mentioned. Mumbley Peg was not. It was played with a pocket knife thrown into the ground in a contest called "territory." Dangerous. We did play marbles and I still have some of my chipped survivors. There were absolutely no parents allowed! We made up our rules to play by, stuck to them and if there were any disputes a good case of the 'hollers' got all the steam out and on to the next game. Stickball, stoop ball, you name it. The reason most of us were slim was because the only time we sat still was in the Laurelton Theater or listning to the radio and even then 'fidgeting' was very popular.

I remeber the long days of summer after shool let out. Freedom took on a new meaning. We wrung out every last minute of the days doing one or more outdoor raids and games. Holloween was special. We used to come home all chalked up. Oh yes, Jones Beach was spectacular and a favorite place to drive to in our 1929 four door Studebaker which by 1939, doors on the left side started opening up on sharp curaves.

That's enough for now...there's a lot more, but I'm bending your ears off so take a break. I'm still here in NYC, in old Manhattan. There will never be another Laurelton for me. I would guess it is the same for you. God speed and live long. I miss the old town. You can find me at katz4bike1@aol.com. Laurelton 8 - 0378 is not in service.

Skip, this is a joy for me. I lived at 134-(not dash) 48 229th St from 1930 until 1949 when I married and moved to, of all places, Brooklyn. Our phone number was only four digits - 0185, no exchange. I went to Shimer JHS from 6th grade at PS156, and then on to AJHS, and CCNY, class of '49. Wasn't Mrs. Winters still the math teacher when you youngens went there? Guess I'm a little older than most of the gang, but I do remember all of the stores mentioned - wonderful memories, worked at most of them. I am surprised that no one seems to remember Schneider's grocery, and Levine's vegetable store, both on Merrick between 228th and 229th. And yes, it was a wonderful life in those days, and a 'special' place in which to grow up. There was one foot patrolman for the entire neighborhood, and he never had anything to do. I did return once after my folks sold the home, about 1970. Sorry, but the sight of the steel shuttered store fronts on Merrick Road was very depressing.

Hi Skip: This is really a lovely memory. My name is Milli Sobel and my Husband is Hank - We enjoyed reading all the details that everyone remembers. Do any of you rmember "The Doll Lady" who sang for the children in 156. It was from Banai Brith. About "What makes a good American - What do you have to do?" Our sons are Kenneth & Richard Sobel and they attented 156 and AJHS.

Hi, Has anyone been in Laurelton recently? I last saw those wonderful streets in the fall of 1963, prior to my family moving to the Los Angeles area. Is the area rundown? If anyone knows, or has recent or vintage (50's/60's) pictures of the neighborhood, please contact: RichardFreedman@msn.com (130-64 223rd St. circa 1963 ). Thanks

We live in the Washington, D. C. area and last Thursday my wife and I visited the new World War II Memorial, just before the official dedication on Saturday, May 29. We also stopped by at the FDR Memorial - which is magnificent. We saw thousands of WWII vets and their families. It was a good place to be.

I thought of the war years (1941 through 1945) in Laurelton and what my memories were. Its been 60-odd years so I can't claim complete accuracy. I remember rationing (red stamps for meat) of food and gasoline (3 gallons a week which was just enough for a weekly round trip to visit relatives in Brooklyn and a "A" sticker in the windshield of our 1936 Chevrolet). I recall blackouts and air raid drills with wardens going through the street looking for errant lights. There were victory gardens: I recall bush beans and cucumbers - which we had never seen growing before. There was even a victory garden at P. S. 132 (my alma mater). We flattened tin cans for recycling along with newspapers and metal. There was a block party in the 130 block of 229th St. I think in 1940 or 1941 with Glenn Miller's (?) band. We watched the progress of the war in the newspapers. The liberal afternoon paper PM had he best maps. ("liberal" wasn't a dirty word back then). The draft board was SSS #64 out of Jamaica with a local office in Laurelton I believe headed up by Sidney Graber.

And there was an honor roll with blue stars and several gold stars listing young men from Laurelton (and I think Springfield Gardens) who were serving in the armed services or who were casualties. The honor roll was set up on an empty lot on Merrick Road at the corner of 226th Street across from Hickey's Tavern. It was torn down almost within moments after VJ-day and stores erected.

Last week Time magazine had an issue dedicated to D-day. In it was an oral history of soldier, still alive, who landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day. He talks about a buddy, Robert Dittmar, who was mortally wounded that day. That sort of jogged my memory and as I walked about I thought
of another Robert Dittmar who lived at 131-09 226th St. in Laurelton. (his grandparents lived next door at 131-07). He was a SSgt in the 701st Bomber Squadron shot down over Germany. He died on Oct. 31, 1944 and was awarded the Air Medal with three oak clusters. He is listed on the Wall of the Missing at the U. S. Cemetery at Madingley, England. I visited there in 1960. Another Laurelton boy who died earlier in the war was Billy Sauer who lived at 131-03 - just a few doors down (I lived at 131-10 - across the street).

As I strolled through the memorials I thought of the gratitude we (families with blue stars or no stars) owe to these individuals and the 400,000 others who are honored. Lest we not forget them. I've had 60 great years beyond their noble efforts. I am grateful.

Enjoyed reading all the memories of Laurelton. However, I have only been able to find and contact one friend from my "era"...Renee Bravin. Where is Elaine Lease, Susan Kitzen, Carol Goldberg, Johanna Cannizzaro, Alan Corwin, Bonnie Mayo? I lived at 138-39 226th Street. My name was Sharon Glazer (brother Warren). I was told that the "Itch" got its name from the itchy fabric on the seats. Did anyone go to P.S. 159 between 1958 and 1963? Anyone remember the lst grade teacher Mrs. Heller (scary orthopedic shoes), 2nd grade, Mrs. Anderson (huge woman with no sense of humor), 3rd grade, Mrs. Freeman (had these bangs that she was always flipping back with her hands; always wore high stilleto heels), 4th grade, Mrs. Aberle. There was also a Mrs. Miller who left suddenly in the middle of the year. Never knew why. Do you remember going down to the basement to clean the erasers? There was this table with an attached vacuum. Really bizarre.

My name is Judy Shapiro it was Rosenberg and soon to be Garber. I lived on 229th st between Merrick and 135th. Ave. I still remember my telephone number Laurelton 5-7646. My dad owned Hutt’s fish market on Merrick road. I lived next door to my cousins Jack, Ed and Charlie Stein on one side and the Count of “The Big Ten” Mark Kessler on the other. The guys from “The Big Ten” loved to come to my house, because my mother Martha always had cookies in the house and they loved talking my Dad Arthur. In 1960 my Dad was in a bad car accident in Flemmington N.J. and Artie Silverman, Barry Appel, and Doc took a ride all the way up there to visit him.

I went to P.S. 156 and yes I had Mr. Scharf in 6th. Grade. That year he had us do a whole year project on Mexico, It was a lot of fun. I went to J.H.S. 59 and how many of you had Mr. Ho Ho Hauser for Spanish. (What a trip he was). I was in the 59 chorus with Mr. Buchcanin. (He was Great!) From 59 I went to “Old Hickory and Victory” Andrew Jackson High School, I graduated in 1965. I was in Sing every year, Sophmore year was “The Circus”, Junior year “Books” and Senior year was “Inventions”. I am still friends with Fran Dorfman, Maxine Rauchweger and Ellen Blenner.

Laurelton was the most wonderful place to grow up. I loved to hang out at Lil Ed’s. Summers on that corner were so much fun. I was in OPL, we were the green and gray sweaters. I remember the Princes and Mu Sigma parties.

My name is Larry Kapit. I loved reading all these stories. It appears I’m a bit younger than everyone (I’ll be 50 this year), but would love to share my memories. I’ve been living in Coral Springs, Florida, since 1981, when I married.

I lived at 131-35 228th St from 1956 through 1973 and although I can remember both my phone numbers (“local” and “long distance”), I can’t always remember last week. I attended PS 156 and JHS 59 and graduated from Jackson in 1972. (My sister and brother, Donna and Steve, graduated in 1966 and 1969, so maybe someone here remembers them; they both attended the Laurelton reunion about 5 years ago.)

I remember sitting on a stool at Helen and Sam’s “candy store” at 229th & Merrick sipping my egg creams and reading the box scores. I remember Marder’s, Zickerman’s, Burt & Dave’s, Woolworth’s, “Stanley’s” and the 2 bakeries and banks that many of you mentioned. A couple of you also mentioned Wong’s Chinese restaurant, whose sons were in my boy scout troop 404.

And yes… I played stickball in my driveway all the time. Remember the pink Spaulding and Pensie Pinkie rubber balls? About 2 years ago, I was contacted by someone (Marshall Zucker) via Classmates.com, who remembered me from 156. I hadn’t seen him since 1965, yet he remembered me playing my drums in a talent show in the 5th grade. My oldest friend, Mike Shernicoff, lived off Francis Lewis and about 128th Ave. Someone indicated the rabbi's name at the LJC. The rabbi during my “time” was Rabbi Singer (and Cantor Kleinberg).

What a wonderful web-site! I am much younger than most of you having graduated PS 156 (6th grade) in 1965; but still feel a bond with those of you who remember Laurelton so fondly. I lived at 139-36 230th Street when Laurelton was pre-zip code postal zone 13; ph.# LA.7-0180. I graduated JHS 59 in 1967 and Springfield Gardens HS in 1971. My dad (Morris Bravin) owned Sharry's Bakery (1948-1970); so it was nice to read comments from those of you who enjoyed the baked goods. Yes Sue, Charlotte Russe was one of my favorites too.

I have an older brother Howie Bravin and an older sister Phyllis Bravin Karp. To add a few remembrances: how about Jones Beach, the Sunrise Drive-In Movie (since torn down) and Green Acres Shopping Center in Valley Stream? I also remember the LJC but with Rabbi Howard Singer (he wrote the book, Wake Me When It's Over; later became a movie starring Ernie Kovacs). P.S. If Barbara Frey is still out there, I think we went to JHS 59 together. Didn't have a goof friend named Roz? For Now, Thanks for the memories,

WOW - did you bring back wonderful memories. We grew up at 138 dash 02 233 Street. We are four sisters - The Gorlicks - Gail, Karen, Brenda and Cheryl. I can still remember my old phone number LA 8-0327. If anyone wants to get in touch, please do. This is better than a black and white at lil eds. I remember Mr. Kiley and Mr. Gambino at 156. Double dutch at 59 and OPL and sing at AJHS. I just found all my sing buttons and senior hat ('65) Thanks for the memories.

Thanks for the memories! My name is Ed Stein who lived at 134-31 229th Street in the 50's. I was a member of Sigma Phi of Cambria with the likes of Ira Feldman, Bernie Seaman, Eddie Shapiro, Harvey Albert and many others.

My uncle owned Hutt's Fish Market on Merrick and I married (and am still married) to Gail (Rachis), whose parents owned Lil-Ed's Luncheonette on the corner of Merrick and Francis Lewis.

Every Saturday night was either a basement party or a dance--there was no better place to be a teenager than laurelton in the 50's.

Keep the memories coming!----P.S.-Does anyone know the whereabouts of "Chick" Jacoby? Regards to all--

Just came across your Laurelton site and I loved reading all the responses you got describing Laurelton in the "old days." It brought back many memories.

My parents moved to Laurelton when I was in 8th grade (1950) so I went to PS156 for one year and then to FRHS. I have very fond memories of growing up there.

I still see many Laurelton friends; Joan (Schwartzman) Bloomgarden and her husband Charlie, Elsa (Lipson) Levine, Elaine (Weiss) Miller, Brenda (Schiffman) Kingsley and Jackie (Berger) Cohen, I was recently in a gift shop in Boca Raton and recognized Phyllis Elias whom I haven't seen in 45 years.

Joan (Alpern) Roman Email Address: JOANELLEN523@AOL.COM
Boca Raton Florida

I was just advised of your site regarding Laurelton and I thought I would get in touch. My name is Chuck Stein. When I lived in Laurelton between 1952 and 1970 I was known as Charlie but now use the nickname of Chuck. Our family lived at 134-31 229th Street and consisted of my mom and dad, George and Ruth Stein and my two older brothers, Jack and Ed Stein.

I attended PS 156 as well as JHS 59. When everyone else went off to Andrew Jackson, I went to the New York School of Printing in Manhattan. What an awful trip every day taking the Q5 bus to Jamaica and then the E train to 50th Street in Manhattan.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone remembers going to LilEds coffee shop on Merrick Rd (Blvd)? It later became the Busy Bee and was always a hangout. I worked there for a while folding newspapers and making egg creams. When Lil and Ed Rachlis owned it you may remember their kids working there -- Gail and Steve Rachlis.

For those of you who lived in that area of Laurelton during the 1960s you may remember kids always playing stickball on 229th street. We would usually hit long drives up to the Mobil station on the corner of Merrick and 229th. Next to the gas station was a bar that was somewhat unsavory. Does anyone remember the day it burned to the ground? Everyone from the neighborhood stood there cheering!

Back to JHS 59. Who remembers the chorus? Some of the members were Burton Lass, Steve Neufeld, Bernard King. The chorus was a lot of fun. We would entertain at churches, civic centers, etc.

Let's see who else I can remember. Judy Gold was the first girl I went on a date with. We went to see a movie at the "Itch" on a Saturday afternoon. I think I was 12 or 13 at the time. At 59 I hung out with Gwen Volpe and Jackie Abalafia (I think that's how it is spelled). Does anyone know where they are?

Oh well, enough of the old days. If anyone wants to get in touch, I am the Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs at Suffolk County Community College. My email is steinc@sunysuffolk.edu.

Dear Skip: I got to the web site from information sent me by Gene Gertler, who now lives in Prescott, AZ. I live in Alexandria (wife: Liz Appell from Mount Vernon, NY). The page is great and brought back a flood of happy memories. I and my twin brother Alan graduated PS 156 in 1953. My older brother Herbert graduated in 1950. We all went to Columbia College (tuition was then $630/yr). Herbert went on to be a dentist in Manhattan where he and his wife still live. Alan became an industrial engineer/corporate finance type. He and his wife live in Wellesley, MA.

After Columbia I made the Navy my career. Upon graduation went into the insurance business. Produced four children (including twins). Laurelton in the 1930's and 1940's and 1950's was a GREAT place to grow up. My folks were the first in their family to leave apartment living in the Bronx (Ben and Ethel Frommer) and make the trek to Queens and a private home. First they rented on 137th Ave and 233rd Street. In May, 1941 they bought our home at 137-16-227th St. (cost: $9,600. Monthly mortgage: $50, Tel: LA-5-1421). They lived there until 1960.

My crows were Alan Waters ("Drippy"), David Lippner (sadly died about 1975, cancer, in Florida), Bob Yaffe (went into real estate on Long Island), Lenny Kleiderman, my brother, red headed Michael Levine, Werner Bucher, Lenny Kleiderman, Lenny Wasserman, Larry Kornbluth, Charlie Bloomgarden (became a dentist on Long Island), Larry Gittens (first family with a TV set, circa 1947), Bruce Stoloff, Joel Karpay (moved to FL), Gary Wayne (moved to LA - at a time when you got there by railroad). Girls? Paula Press, Ada Wayne, Muriel Lieberman, Irma ?, Sue Naplebaum, Cora Schertzman, Francis Rubinow (who now lives on an Indian reservation)

Best times were with Troop 225, BSA at the LJC. Mr. Seidel and then Mr. Schacket as scout masters.
Best teachers: Mrs. Freda Bernstein (grade 1 &2) whose husband was in India/Burma during WW II, Mrs.Kahn (best looking), Mrs. Postley, Mrs.Kranz (logarithms), getting punched by Mr. Reilly (?) at gym (years before everyone was suing everyone), Mrs. Beatty and Claus in kindergarten. Mrs. Anderson whose two sons became the town professional gardeners. Living in the greater Washington area is also Avi West, about fifteen years younger than I.

Answer to someone's question: "The itch" movie theater so named because when it first opened not only were there two films but there were give away dinner plate contests plus the Pathe news, plus serials on Saturday with the result that your rear "itched". I was told this by Jonas Fisher, father of Ellen Fisher (PS 156 1951 or 1952) many years ago. For those who remember red headed Audrey Friedman (married name Katz), OS 156 1951 or 1952 she lives in Fairfield, Ct. See her on the way to Maine in the summer. One of her sons is here in Silver Spring, MD.

Could go on for pages and pages. Will return to this site often. Last: Yes I remember when the Ridgewood Bank was robbed. It was during Rosh HaShonah services and Rabbi Teplitz made the announcement. I also remember the day the bank opened. It was mobbed. Lauelton finally had its own bank!

Just had your site referred to me, and wanted to add a few random pieces of information. For Bob Kriegel, who lists some teachers when he was at P.S. 156 in the thirties: they were all still there ten years after you left, memorialized in: "Wilde is wild and Cross is cross And Wenhold thinks that she's the boss"

The two bakeries were Sharry's and Four Star. One of them had a sign that said "All baking done on premises", which as a lad I thought was a misspelling of *promises*, as in: "I'd like a rye bread please" "Sorry, we're all out, but we PROMISE to bake you one"

For a full set of pictures from that area, see: http://www.queenspix.com/laurindex.html compliments of Paul Frommer, a classmate.

Gene Gertler, PS 156 Class of '49
Prescott, AZ
Email Address: gene@cableone.net

Dear Skip, It is a joy to read about places of my childhood and teachers I had all but forgotten. I remember having to walk all the way up to Merrick Rd. and go to the farther bakery for the "good" rolls. (they had a wonderful crushy crust) Rather than the one on Merrick Rd. that was closer to my house (on 227th St. and 137th Ave. - life was so simple then, streets went one way, avenues crossed them, making an easy grid) As the youngest in the family, I had to walk there, every Sunday morning, in snow, rain or boiling sun from the time I was about 6 yrs. old. There was not a trace of concern that anything would happen to me along the way. What a difference time makes!

I don't recall the name of the 2 bakeries, but I remember the name of my friend, Rhoda Metz whose dad had the first television store in Laurelton, on Merrick Rd. And Marilyn Gold who was the most popular girl in my classes thru the years and the excitement in her family when relatives they found had survived the Holocaust, were to come to America to live with them. There is so much more - the "itch" - where did our movie house ever get that name? But, I will leave it to later - feel free to respond! Especially if you recall me or my family (they were there since 1927).

Joselyn Kinstler Ney Email Address: joselynk@comcast.net
Class of '50 at PS 156 (Any Music and Arters out there too?)

I happened on your website - very interesting to me as I lived in Laurelton from about l950-mid l960's when I moved away. I didn't recognize any of the names of the people who wrote in, but wanted to give you my background in case someone recognizes me or my particulars. It is always fun to go down memory lane.

My maiden name was Susan Berliner. I lived at l39-l6-233rd Street and went to P.S. l56 and graduated in l959 (if memory serves me correctly). I then went to JHS 59 in Springfield Gardens for 7-9th grades, graduating in l962. I went to Andrew Jackson HS from l962-l965 at which time I graduated. I went on to Queens College and graduated there in June l969.

I have a visual sense of the town as I knew it (Merrick Road bordering Rosedale, Mentone Avenue etc). I 'see' the stores as I wandered shopping along with my mother, but don't remember exactly what the names of the stores were. I do remember a diner on 233 rd St. and Merrick Road, standing there getting a bus to JHS 59 and later high school. I remember hanging out at the LaTosca pizza parlor on 233rd and Merrick, Woolworth's, a Chinese restaurant, the toy store (near Woolworth's?). I remember a yummy deli, a bakery, a fruit/vegetable store, and a bagel place (where they made their own bagels). I remember either a Bohack or A&P supermarket closer to the Rosedale line.
I still communicate with Leslie Davidson who was my little friend on 233rd Street. I still can conjure up some of my neighbor's names. I remember some details from P.S. l56 and a few from JHS 59. My mind is in tact (thankfully :-)), but I think what happens is that so much has transpired over the years, I don't recall fine details.

Compared with the rest of you, my Laurelton story is really ancient history. I lived there from 1929 until my parents moved (they had to take me along) in 1947. I graduated PS 156 in January, 1939. People of my age, as you know, have fomidable memories of the distant past.

Therefore, it shouldn't surprise you that I well remember Mrs. Wenhold (music teacher) and her somewhat stouter, equally severe colleague, Ms. Weinberger who acted as principal while Mr. Baron, the regular principal, was on sabbatical. I remember Mrs. Kranz for her superb penmanship that looked like it was lifted from a 1850's textbook on cursive writing. For severity and just plain scariness, though, none beat Mrs. Cross (heavy) and Mrs. Wilde (thin) who, fortunately for you, might have been a few years before your time at 156.

The greatest thing P.S. 156 did for me was to recommend me for Brooklyn Tech. I graduated there in 1943 along with three or four other 156 alumni. I went on to Carnegie Tech, graduating in 1948.

I went to the "Itch" every Saturday PM with five cents worth of candy ffrom Aronowitz's candy store next door.

I remember Marders drug store, Sharry's bakery, Zickerman's hardware (I delivered his Xmas circulars), the Jewish deli between 227th and 228th on Merrick Rd., King Kullen and, very important, Twin Ponds, where we used to ice skate and sleighride during the mostly severe winters we had.

I belonged to Troop 225. The Scoutmaster was Norman Barnett. His son, Larry ("Bubs") was one of the troop leaders.

I had occasion to pass through Laurelton very recently after an absence of well over fifty years. It may interest you to know that stores and other businesses past the south side of Merrick Rd. east of 230th Street didn't exist in the Laurelton I knew. That area was occupied by Capt. Engerer's Kennels and a large truck farm. And no one every heard of Cross Island Parkway.

My best to all who survived the swimming at Valley Stream State Park and the severe Hurricane of 1938.

If there are any survivors of the P.S 156 class of Jan. 1939 or any whose Laurelton "playing" days were between 1936 and, say, 1943, I'd love to hear from them. I live in Florida (West Coast)

Just found the web site, and the memories came flooding back. My name is Ken Price and my family lived at 138-19 226th Street from `1942 (?) to 1953, when we moved to Roslyn Heights. I graduated from PS-156 and then went to Kew-Forest High School in Kew Gardens, taking the bus on Merrick Road to Jamaica, and then the subway to Kew Gardens.

I remember Sharry's Bakery on Merrick (where my Dad always bought his "seeded rye", and sometimes a "corn bread"), the shoe store with the x-ray machine where you could see if the shoes fit (don't think that's allowed any longer) and the store that sold Boy Scout uniforms for the scout troop that met at the Jewish Center.

I remember walking to PS-156 one day and seeing (and hearing) a "Comet" jet aircraft, the first passenger jet, going overhead after talkoff from Idlewild Airport, It was so different from all the "prop" planes that were always flying over Laurelton at that time.

I had Mrs Weinberger as a teacher, and Dr. Kiley was the Principal. Don't remember the other names, guess I'm getting old. My diploma from PS-156 is still in a case "Presented by the Mothers Club" at the school.

A few years ago I went back to the old house, to show my wife where I had lived as a boy. We were parked in front of the house when the current owners, a black family came out and asked us "what we wanted". I explained that I had lived there, many years ago, and they invited us in to see the
house. It's a LOT smaller than I remembered! As we were leaving, I mentioned that my Mother had planted mint just outside the kitchen. The owners told us that it was still growing there, and allowed my wife to take a cutting. A little piece of Laurelton is growing well in our garden in Mexico.

What great fun it is to reminisce the great days we had growing up in Laurelton. I hope that one of these days someone will plan another reunion like the one we had 10 years ago in Hewlett. I and two other old Laurelton guys get together every couple of months fo dinner in a nice restaurant in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The three of us are: Bob Berkal, Saul Drubin, Art Kern (me), and occasionally Bob Fidlow. How about some of you old pals - and certainly Gals too - joining us. We would love to see and hear first hand from any or all of you. Anyone who is available please email me and be sure to put LAURELTON on your subject line so I don't delete it as spam. By the way, I live in Watchung, NJ . Hope to hear from bunches of you.

It was wonderful reading the names of places of Laurelton again. A generation later (I grew up in Laurelton in the '60') not much had changed, and the great memories still remain. I'd love to hear
recollections of my dad, his brothers, and my grandparents, the Kavalers (138th & 228th) from the 30's, 40's, 50's. Thank you.

Where have all us Laureltonians gone? I moved to Laurelton in 1937. The belt parkway hadn't been built and when we first drove out to see Laurelton it seemed like an endless journey. We bought a house at 135-10 227th. St. and our neighbors included Lester Levine, Irwin Anhalt, and Fred Kuhn. My brother Bob (he has passed away) was friendly with Hymie Becker, Kenny Anhalt, Cliff Rosen, Burt Goldstein and played baseball for the Wolves Baseball team. It was a nice small town feeling in those days. Merrick Road was our centerpiece. The Itch movie house,,,was wonderful as we would see double features plus a serial like Flash Gordon. Raabs was our caloried meeting place

I went to PS 156 in in the fourth grade, but left later to go to Shimer JHS and the on to Andrew Jackson HS, where I was a member of the track team with other Laureltonians like Everett Goldstein, and Roy Beck.. Graduated in 1945..... My sister Elsa was friends with Joan Weiss.

Subsequentally I married Charlotte (Shai) Kane who lived on 228th. St. and was friendly with the Elias brothers and Kavalers. (Sadly Shai died in 1989) Any old friends
out there? Now live in Sarasota, Florida

Greetings, I was raised in Laurelton, and lived at 130-64 223rd St. I attended P.S.132 (graduated 1959), J.H.S. 59 (Graduated 1962), and AJHS (left for the coast-with family in 1963). What a wonderful place to be raised; no locked doors, playing in the streets, never ending summers, Carmines Pizza, egg rolls, candy stores, SNOW DAYS, baseball cards, ( my mom threw them away)........ My friends who I remember, and have lost touch with are: Steven Zelden (225th St), Stanley Schaffer (223rd), Norman Fondilla (225th), and many others. I live in the San Fernando Valley with my wife and three children. Should you read this, and remember, please email me: RichardFreedman@msn.com
P.S. Anyone know of pictures of the old neighborhood, and where they
might be posted?

Hi Laureltonites: I think of you all often. I lived at 230-07 138 Avenue. We had the greatest kids on our street. My dad owned the Springfield Roller Rink. {remember that)? We were very active in the Laurelton Jewish Center; remember Rabbi Teplitz? He lives in Woodmere. I live in Merrick and Boynton Beach, Florida with my husband. I graduated from FRHS in1955. My sister Paula passed away 2 years ago. I am eager to hear from you.

I have enjoyed going through your Laurelton page and see that there are many of them that attended Jackson who have visited there. Since I have been putting together a database of our alumni of the 50s & 60s I am wondering if you might place a note on the Laurelton page to direct them to me so that they might get listed to be kept in the loop for future reunions and perhaps reconnected to some of their former friends and classmates.

We are also looking for all our Rosedale friends who attended Far Rockaway as well to be placed on our separate neighborhood database. We also have our own web site for our school and one for each neighborhood that surrounded Andrew Jackson although not as sophisticated as yours (I am a friend of Carol's and know her dedication to this effort!) and you BOTH should be applauded for all you do to keep the KIDS from your school in touch. We have also shared many great memories of our old neighborhoods, our favorite hangouts and stories of our youth. Anyone interested in reaching me to find out how they can reconnect with their past can email me at BzeBee1063@aol.com

I grew up in Laurelton (225th St.& 143rd Ave)between 1953 and 1969. Although I remember the Laurelton Theater, I never heard it called the Itch. I am curious as to how it acquired that name. Was it
because of the seats (which I remember as being rough), or was it something more gross? I do remember the little Italian lady (I never got the impression that she spoke much English) who was the tough usher flashing her flashlight at you if you misbehaved. In any event, if you could enlighten me as to the origins of that nickname, I would appreciate it.

I hope someone reading this can answer Brian's question. Please write him if you know.

Sue, I was friends with your brother Jeff, OK a few years after most of the folks posting on this page, but I do remember most of this stuff anyway, I remember being a paper boy on 232th street From Merrick down to Mentone Ave and back, I'd always have a bialy (SP) with a Chocolate Egg Cream at the drugstore after my route with some of the tip money I'd earned, toasted with butter, the cream cheese and lox a was reserved for the holidays. (I make my own lox these days)

I remember seeing Bye Bye Birdie and Westside story at the Laurelton Theatre. I remember PS 156 and the eraser cleaners in the stairwells, the coal ashes they used to put on the icy sidewalks that came from the furnace in the basement, the first whistle which meant to standstill, the second to line up, Riding bikes along the paths winding along the BElt parkway to Brookville Park to fish, yellow rain slickers walking to school, Trick or Treating all the way to and from PS156 on Halloween, And the games we played, Johnny ride the pony, (Telephone pole essential) tag, Hop scotch, blacksmith, (aka monster) Red light Green Light 123, Stoop ball, Touch football, Handball and stickball, but best of all was SKELLY or some called it skully, played with bottle caps filled with melted crayola's on a board drawn on the middle of the street, Imagine that? Being able to play a game on your hands and knees - uninterrupted - for hours, in the middle of the street!!!!.

We lived on 226th Street down by 139th Ave. My sister's name was Carol and my Brother's name Anthony. Carol went to Jackson, and was in "Sing" every year, that was a great event, Remember "Sing!"???? Anyway great site here hope to visit again

We lived on 230th Place and I indeed went to PS 156!! After 6th grade, a group of us went to Shimer Jr. HS in South Ozone Park (not terribly memorable) and had to walk about 2 miles each way from Merrick Rd. to the school. My father had the Atlas Rug Shop on the corner of 225th St and Merrick. I started FRHS in 1944 and graduated in '46. Made the daily trek to and from the LIRR Rosedale station. You have certainly evoked a flock of delightful memories, for which I am ever so grateful!!

I'm Bob Kamen, but not the same Bob Kamen who had a sister named Susan. I lived in Laurelton at 130-11 235th St. from 1939 until 1959 or thereabouts, went to PS 38 and Jackson (class of '56). I sure remember the potato farm where I first played baseball. My very first job was as an usher at the itch. Later, I had the very dubious distinction of working at Rael's pharmacy when we were held up by two armed robbers. Whew!
Scary.

I would up with a degree from City College after ten years as a dropout,
then on to Wesleyan in Connecticut. I'm now living in Gulfport, Florida and doing as little as possible <grin>.

I was thrilled to find this site. My name is Ed Dean. I lived in Laurelton at 131-19-224th Street from 1945 to 1957 when my family moved to Florida. I attended P.S. 132 (class of 1955) and Andrew Jackson H.S. until 1957. I finished high school in St. Petersburg. It's hard to believe it was so many years ago. What a wonderful place to grow up. I used to hang around with Steve Fischman, Howie Silversmith, Steve Falk, Michael Gold, Peter Korn, Warren Harris and so many others. I remember all the house parties we had, the street sports we played (stoop ball, stick ball, punch ball), the yo-yo's, flipping baseball cards, marbles in the schoolyard at P.S. 132, wearing our boy scout uniforms to school on the day of the troop meeting and shop class with a gruff old teacher whose name escapes me. I remember Silver's candy store on 225th Street with all the penny candies behind a glass cabinet,! the .25 ice cream sodas and the nickel candy bars.

Remember when pizza slices were .10 and they raised the price to .15. How about the Chrysler dealership on Merrick Road. In 1957, the new Imperial came out and was draped with a tarp in the showroom. When they finally lifted the tarp, I thought that Chrysler had created the most beautiful car ever. I still do.

I moved back to Long Island after college, married my first wife of 30 years and built a home in Lindenhurst. After she passed away, I met and married my second wife and moved to Salisbury. After three years there, we retired and built a beautiful home in The Villages, Florida in 2001. We love it here. It's like Disneyland for adults. I am now working as a Reverse Mortgage Advisor for a bank in Ocala and enjoy assisting my clients.

I'm sure that there must be many former Laureltonians residing in Florida. I would love to hear from you. My e-mail address is: edward_dean @excite.com and my business site is: http://eldean229.tripod.com

I was so happy to see the Laurelton page, my Brother, Robert Wilk, plays remember Laurelton mind games with me whenever we are together. Does anyone remember the Kids shows at LJC with Zippy the Monkey, the Merry Mailman and the Hopi Indians? The restaurant on Merrick Rd. and Francis Lewis that had a train that brought the burgers? Playing Go at 156 playground. How about Stuie Pector, Michael (Grandma) Fisher, Bobby Street, Cheryl, Alan and Howie Krassner. We lived on 230th Street and 130th Ave. How about Estelle's Dress Shop, Prusnan's Clothing Store, and buying a pickle at the appetizing store and walking around eating it. How bout the show's at LJC present and performed by the Mr. & Mrs. Club. Going to Capri Beach Club in the Summer. I need more trivia to beat my Brother, so please send as much ammo as you can.

Hey Skip: I came across this website in my never ending search for old Laureltonnik's. I found Howie Solot, Al Kirschner, Steve Antler and Mickey Bornstien. They were old high school fraternity brothers from Mu Sigma circa Laurelton1951 to 1955. I graduated from Jackson in 1955 and then left Laurelton for college and then the rest of my life. What has happened to me in the past 47 years is probably the basis for the great american novel. Nevertheless my search continues. I do remember that a lot of my social life was woven around the fraternities and sororities that were part of Laurelton during that era. I remember especially the football, basketball and softball games of that IFC league. Man was Sigma Phi tough. Some of the fraternities we competed against were Sigma Phi (both chapters), SAR, AZA, the other Mu Sigma chapter (Alpha Ro we were Beta Beta) plus others that may have slipped my mind. So if Yogi Raphael, Jerry Becker, Esta Miller, Marc Port or if anyone out there in cyberspace remembers these goodtimes maybe we can roll back the clock and do a little searching together. I live in the great Midwest, Grand Rapids, Mi. It would be one of those strange wonders if someone was my neighbor.

I had a ball reading all the posted letters about Laurelton. Fond memories for sure. My name is Burt Sachs, I lived at130-38-225th st. Most of my time during my teenage years were spent with friends from Boy Scout Troop 345 . We met at The Jewish Community House on 223rd st. I graduated AJHS in 1955. I was very much involved with the Music Dep't. ( Mrs. Gluck, and Mr. Nelson Faerber). I always loved music and made it a life long career. Both of my degrees are in music. In 1998 I retired from Cardozo HS in Bayside. I was the Band Director there for 15 Years. I am enjoying retirement. As the Greeks said, "I want to die young as old as possible" I am still a kid at heart. If anyone remembers me please contact me.

I came across the 'Laurelton' site, and it was like a trip down memory lane. I truly enjoyed reading about things that I have almost forgotten about. The places mentioned brought back a lot of wonderful memories.

But nobody mentioned the wonderful Italian restaurant on Merrick and 231st street...The Capri; that was the best place for Italian food. And while you waited for the bus... how about the Diner on Merrick and 233rd street. They made the best hot chocolate! Do you remember going to the shoemaker and sitting in the little chair with the door while he would put new taps on your loafers? And how about the Chinese take out place on Merrick and 231st street... they made the best egg rolls. Stanley's toy store on Merrick and 228th street... they had the newest games and toys. I also remember getting off the school bus with my friends at Merrick and 233rd street and going into La Tosca's for a slice of pizza and a coke.

Now that I look back at some of these wonderful memories... and the fun it was to be a teenager.... and most of all never having to worry about the things our children have to now. How lucky we are to have been a part of that wonderful generation. I attended PS 156 and JHS 59 in Springfield Gardens, and Andrew Jackson H.S. I grew up in Laurelton, married and moved to Bayside, and have been living in Hudson, Florida for 25 yrs.
I graduated Andrew Jackson in 1963. Would love to hear from any of my Laurelton friends. I lived at 137-20 231st street.

Judy and I both went to PS38 in Rosedale. Judy went on to Hunter College HS '58 and Hunter College '62, while I went to Andrew Jackson '64 and St. Johns '69. We knew all our neighbors, went to Rabb's and to the Itch on Saturday afternoons and sat on the front porch on warm summer nights and tried to catch fire flies.

I just reconnected with an old friend from Laurelton, Lois Needleman who I haven't seen, nor talked to in 35 years. Al Bindman Far Rock class of '54, is my brother-in law. Thank you for bringing back so many wonderful memories.

What a delight to discover the Laurelton web page and read the previous entries. I lived in Laurelton (130-50 232 St.) from 1938-1966, PS156 1951 and AJHS 1955. I came across our PS156 graduation photo last year and blew my wife's mind (and mine too I suppose) by spontaneously ripping off 90+% of the names.

Growing up in Laurelton, as for all of you previous correspondents, was a great experience. My memories are too numerous (and perhaps too emotional) to get into in great depth, but here are a few.

The PS156 teachers - Mr Ryan, my 7th grade home-room teacher, a sweet gentleman (was he also the baseball coach?), round faced, wire-rimmed glasses, always with a collarless white shirt and short black jacket.. On St. Patrick's day we stook around a circle holding hands singing "When Irish
Eyes Are Smiling". Miss Wenhold (as noted in an earlier entry), who struck terror in our hearts, and who, to out unbelieving stupefaction (even to this day), turned up one day as Mrs. Shelly. Mrs. Krantz, a dear wonderful woman (thanks, Rabbi Dickie, for remembering her first name), who served as the diametric opposite to her math-teaching colleague, Mrs. Weinberger. Mrs Campbell, the music teacher (or was she the librarian?) who replaced Mrs. Pickens and taught us "June Brought the Roses" for graduation. And the regal Mrs. Fernandez, spinsterish Miss Greenstein, mensch-y Mr. Scharf, and on and on. Each one added something to our lives (besides knowledge).

There have been numerous allusions to the Itch. Do you remember the colored papers with the coming attractions that were distributed at Raab's (and probably elsewhere)? If you came to the theatre Sat. and your color matched that in the window you got in free. As neither I nor anyone I knew ever had the right color, I assume the odds were somehat worse than winning the lottery. But it was a great gimmick to get you there on Sat.

My first job - making deliveries by bike for a dry cleaner (whose name I mercifully repressed - was it Schultz?) on the North side of Merrick Road somewhere between 226th and 228th. He was an ornery old man, spoke with a middle European accent, and paid the munificent salary of 10 cents/hr, plus
tips. He repeatedly referred to his customers as "dirty baskets". Once he actually did get the word right, but quickly corrected himself. I think I held the job's longevity record - two weeks.

The Kearns gang. Remember them? Although they lived in Rosedale, their base was the bicycle shop on the South side of Merrick near 233-234th St., which was owned by their parents. Mom was the circumferentially-challenged gang leader. There were three brothers - Tommy, the elder; Jimmy, the middle (he was really a pussycat); and ..... oh, I can't think of the youngest's name, but he was the meanest of all. They and their cohorts would appear periodically at the 156 schoolyard and terrorize us (often physically), and now and then accost us when we were walking alone or in twos, chase us and beat us up. Oh, and they also stole our bikes - although we could never prove it - brought them to Mom who had them repainted and resold in the store. Pop Kearns found his own solution to his family's modus vivendi - he hung himself in the back of the shop.

OK, I've bored you all long enough - perhaps more next time. Meanwhile keep those reminiscences coming. My e-mail address is pagestlg@aol.com - would be glad to hear from any of my old friends, but must warn you I am not the best correspondent.

My husband is a Belle Harbor native and reads the Far Rockaway page from time to time. He showed me this one about Laurelton and I had to respond. My older brother Alan Coffield went ot FR (class of 58). I went to 156, Shimer Jr.H. and graduated Jackson in 1960, and my younger brother Michael (sadly passed)
graduated in 62.

Laurelton was the best growing up. I see John Wong and his son David at their restaurant in RVC. Mrs Wong passed away a year or so ago. Roger, a waiter from Laurelton, still works for them. The Itch, Raabs, Woolworths, the Riviera (Italian), Wongs, house of Chang, LilEds, etc. are all part of who we were growing up! I lived on 225th and 139th Ave. and have nothing but the greatest memories of growing up there. We
were near the LI Railroad, we had the Q5A, the local candystore, the center islands where many a dog eas walked. Trips to shop in Jamaica were the best, and then we graduated to a day in the city. We'd stand on the corner of Hillside Ave. waiting for a bus (after getting off the subway), and were as free, safe and naive as could be. We didn't use the LI RR, that cost too much.

Love to hear from anyone from the neighborhood (223-230 streets, 141 Ave - Merrick Rd.) I've been back to town, and although it brings back memories, it is also very sad.

I guess we lived on the wrong side of the tracks, attending PS 38 Queens (near St. Claire's). Our
school was so different from 156 that we weren't even in competition. We lived at 130-49 236 St. from
1940-52, when I graduated from PS 38. Across 130 Ave.,for blocks and blocks, was the "potato farm"
where all sorts of games were played, until the developers put up the despised Garden Apartments. We left shortly after that.

Life was terrific for a kid on our block. There were families of every ethnic stripe, and we felt tied to
each other by bonds of neighborhood. When the "boys" came home from WW II, Bernie Kastenbaum and Herb Wadler, the whole block put out flags, strung a banner across the lampposts, sang and danced for hours. When Roosevelt died everyone rushed out to the street to cry. When Raabs opened, we all went over for free ice cream because Frank and Harold Raab lived on "our block" and
we felt absolutely extra special. They had the best chicken salad sandwiches on rye.

My parents used to drop us (3 kids, youngest about 4 years old) at the Itch at ten minutes to twelve Sat. mornings, and pick us up at 6:15 in the evening. They didn't know or even care what was playing. We came home, ate franks and beans, and fell sleep early. What a great day they must have had! Life was, or seemed, so uncomplicated. Go to school 5 days, play around 2 days, summers in the street with marbles, running bases, bikes, skates, spaldeens, and then the ice cream man came around.

I can still name each family who lived in the 28 houses on our block. Some have become pretty well
known, such as "Stuie" Pivar. Some may be imfamous for all I know. I would love to read entries from some of my old pals from PS 38, so dear to our hearts, especially Mrs. Murphy. Now there was a motivator!

A cousin sent me your Laurelton Memories section. I enjoyed reading all your reminiscences, even though I am 10 or 15 years younger than most of you seem to be. I never even thought of commuting to FRHS, since by the time I was close enough to high school to consider it, I already had a big head start on learning Hebrew, at that time, the only "excuse" for choosing Far Rock over
Andrew Jackson. Does anyone out there know of any all-Laurelton website, for those of us who were "born too late " for FRHS? I'd love to hear from anyone out there who would like to write. My husband is Burt Sachs;

I see that there is still a PS 156 (the Laurelton School): http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/ny/ browse_school/2520. Would this be the same place or an impostor? It's 97% Afro American, 2%
Hispanic and 1% white, so I assume the culture must now be quite different from when contributors to this page were there and Jewish holidays were synonymous with school holidays.

I lived at 137 dash 53 Francis Lewis Boulevard (as Susan Kamen Marsicano remembers, it was always 'dash'). At PS 156 from 1st grade until junior high (my best friend was Jandy Rosenthal
whose mother also taught at PS 156). Then went to Andrew Jackson (graduated 1961). In '61 my parents (mother, Hilda Epstein now aged 90, taught at PS 156) moved to Albany and I went to the University of Wisconsin. Haven't been back to Laurelton since. Living in Europe since 1970. I married Bob Kamen (brother of Susan), who also went to PS 156 and Andrew Jackson (class of '61). We're divorced but keep in touch. My brother, Paul Epstein, also PS 156, told me about this site. He heard about it from Ed Cohen. So Laurelton news is travelling far and wide. If it reaches any of my classmates, it would be good to hear from them.

Ruth Kamen (Epstein) PS 156 and Andrew Jackson class of 1961
Email address: Ruth.Kamen@inst.riba.org
Director, RIBA British Architectural Library
Royal Institute of British Architects
66 Portland Place
London W1B 1AD UK

We lived at 131-10 226th St. from 1931 through 1973. I graduated P.S. 132 (1944) and Andrew Jackson (1948). I knew Tom the barber. My first job was for Zickerman (about 1939) delivering circulars at 12 cents an hour.

Just visited the Laurelton page, and have noted a few new visitors. Welcome all. I'm still looking for classmates from P.S. 156, class of 1946. I still have my graduation picture. Hi Marshall, I graduated from P.S. 156 in 1946, so I'm a lot older than you, but you remember many of the same things I do. I especially remember singing Christmas Carols, but we also sang Christian hymns at assembly. My Methodist husband can't believe I know the words to all the hymns. I certainly remember Mrs. Wenhold, and Weinberger. Mrs. Fernandez was my eighth grade teacher and she was the best of the lot. I remember her with affection, even though she took the lead in the class play away from me and gave it to my Chinese best girl friend to make her feel at home. Do you remember the old teachers, who wore floor length black dresses? When I think of that, I feel 100 years old instead of a young 69 (last birthday) At least I can still remember.

Hi, Harriet. I don't think we know each other, but did you bring back memories. Yes, yes, yes, I remember Wong's Chinese Restaurant when the Wong sons were in the service, and their father proudly displayed their service pictures and a blue star for a son in the army. It wasn't a restaurant then, but was a take out place. I remember he had a big picture of Chang Kai Shek there too.

I remember Sharry's and my first Charlotte Russe. I think that's the name. And of course the Woolworths on 229th st. Not 129th as I said previously. I also remember those damn middy blouses with red ribbon tie. There must be a good reason my mother never took a picture of me in one of those. And music appreciation with the ditties. My first husband went to Boys High School in Brooklyn and we used to laugh about that. I guess it was a policy of all the city schools. I still sing the ditty in my mind when I hear any of those selections. And the sewing. My God, the sewing classes. Yes, I remember the apron, and I do have a picture of me graduating in that white dress I made. That did start an interest in sewing, and as soon as the war ended, my father bought me a sewing machine. Of course he was in the textile business so he had a motive. My mother never could sew. Thanks for the wonderful memories.

I didn't attend FRHS as I graduated and moved out of town in 1955 as I was entering HS. My name is Michael Senoff, I lived at 138-24 225th Street, I attended LJC. It would be interesting to chat with anyone who remembers me. I agree with the sentiment that it was great to grow up in Laurelton.

What a treat to read all about our old stomping grounds- I grew up in Laurelton from 1941-1970
Was very active in the Scouts with my entire family. Also am cousins with the Laurelton Lipmans (I saw cousin Doris a few weeks ago.)

Am in touch with many people still from Laurelton, especially those who lived on 230Pl- the 139 block. E mail with Barbara Bocklin a lot, (sister to Bruce and Keith (may their memories be for a blessing) Her Mom, is still alive and kicking in Florida, Marty Spar, Arnie Berger, Warren Hoffnung etc. I lived at 135-30 232 Street and after I got married, bought a home at 130-16 225th Street where I raised my kids. Presently live in Las Vegas-- Someone mentioned a Fidlow-- must be Mike Fidlow's sister. Was Bar Mitzvah at the LJC with Leslie Spokane--

Am anxious to hear from any of you. lvrabbi@lvcm.com. By the way, believe it or not I am a Rabbi here. As Ruth Kranz said when she found that out--- "Dickie Schachet is a Rabbi????

Rabbi Richard Schachet lvrabbi@lvcm.com
Valley Outreach Synagogue
www.valleyoutreach.com

It was great to relive old memories. I lived at 137-35 Francis Lewis Blvd. and graduated from Far Rockaway in '59. At some point in my junior year, I got tired of taking the bus to school, and along with Marge Fidlow (now Hirsch) arranged to have Buster (of Buster's Gas Station on Merrick Road)
take us to school. I first noticed his buses laying dormant each time my dad would take me with him to fill up our old Buick. It proved to be a great business for Buster...and a very convenient way for us Laureltonians to get to school. BTW...the photo of '59 cheerleaders includes Rochelle Meister, who lives on the island with her husband, also a FRHS grad.

My younger (by two years) brother, Marshall Sroge alerted me to your existence and I would like to join the chorus of Laurelton voices. I'm thrilled to be coming around the circle to my past. I lived at l39-36 23lst in a spanish stucco house similiar to a hundred others. They probably cost a few thousand dollars. We lived near Mentone Ave or Street where there were a few stores .

I attended p.s. 99 and while I as so nostalgic about Laurelton I remember my youth as being frightfully stressful. I remember the slam books, the very popular leaders that everyone admired,someones female cousin from the south that created a major riot when she appeared in public and shook up the town with her sexy statements. It was a perfect town , safe and friendly, full of the familiar.I remember going to the Itch and for 25cents I was there all afternoon. On sunday everyone went for Chinese food. Artie Kern, Bobby Fidow,Dickie Cornish, Donnie B., etc( I hope I dont get sued for using these names) would come over to my home or Eleanor Salinger.

I'm still in touch with Bobby Fidlow, Artie, and of course Eleanor and I saw Doris Lippman in Florida with Eleanor this past winter. I remember going to Jamaica by bus and it felt like being in New York City. I remember the train to Far Rockaway High School and the great socializing that far outdid the scholastic performances. I remember getting a "salmon" and feeling terrible. When I moved to Bayside that High School it was so much harder. I remember the sewers that were being built and the streets were full of sand and lumber, What a mess. We had cesspools.

The letters are terrific to read and one memory brings on many. It's great to renew the memories of a happy youthful time

Peter Lux, who lived on 227th St., a block from our house, sent me the info on this page. I grew up at 135 dash (remember we all knew how to say 'dash'?) 39 227th St. Went to PS 156, graduated in '53, I think it was, two years after Bobby Thompson's home run ruined our summer/autumn. My best friend was Bonnie Frendel, who lived on 225th Street.

I too took the train to FFFFRockaway high school. Spoiled brat that I was, I tossed the lunch from the train, to have 7 layer cake for lunch in the cafeteria. Was in what they called a "core" program there, and weren't we all smart! As you see, not too smart about food. Graduated in 1958 and went to CUAS - Cooper Union Art School.

One memory I have is our nice dentist, Dr. Geller, on 228th Street.. that street always felt special to me, as it a center meridian with trees.

I went to P. S. 156 and graduated in 1951. Spent a term at FRHS before moving to Bayside. Yes, who does remember all those stores on Merrick Roard, including Rael's Pharmacy (who was Rael...the owner's name was Firemark) and those Irish pubs called Killarney and Killane's, the twin ponds service station and AlKorn mens clothing? The Laurelton Jewish Center, where I was bar mitzvahed is now, at least at last reckoning, a church. How about the teacher's at 156...Wenhold, Weinberger (who struck fear into the heart's of anyone who was deficient in arithmetic, Fernandez and Baumritter.

Teachers wore suits and dresses and made singing Christmas Carols mandatory regardless of religious beliefs until a boy named neil kilstein said he couldn't sing those songs. Also, who remembers Raab's...a soda and candy emporium reaching above luncheonette status?
Laurelton in the 50's was just a new york minute...

What fun it has been to read about the memories people have shared about their years in Laurelton. Not only was I a "train rider" but I recently found some old monthly LIRR tickets. (We are preparing to sell our house and I have been doing a thorough cleaning into areas I have not seen in decades.)
In addition to the personal photos of family and friends, I found the 1953 photo of our P.S. 156 graduating class, photos of an OPL sorority dance.

I lived in Laurelton from 1943 to 1959 and attended PS 156 from grades K - 8 after which I went to FRHS. Do you know that the Chinese restaurant in Rockville Centre, Palace of Wong, is owned and operated by the children of the former owners of Wong's Garden from 225th Street and Merrick Road. One of the waiters from Laurelton is still with them.

Do you remember when the Laurelton Library was a store front on Merrick Rd.? How about the area around 135th - 137th Avenues and 222 - 223 Street? In my early years in Laurelton, it used to be an empty lot where I walked my dog.

There were many times my mother would send me to Sharry's Bakery on Merrick between 229th & 230 Street with instructions to bring home a coffe babka. Who could walk past Woolworth's without stopping in to browse among their "treasures."

Remember "Assembly Day" at 156? We girls had to wear our middy blouses with the red ribbon tie. We didn't dare forget to tuck in a handkerchief everyday! How about the music appreciation programs where we learned the name of the music and its composer by singing a little ditty that
incorporated them into the music.

Is there a girl from 156 who can forget the sewing classes in which we made aprons as a prelude to the sewing of our graduation dresses? I remember bringing safety pins to graduation just in case they were needed. Does anyone else remember the "surprise" graduation party which was given us at Carl Hoppl's Valley Stream Park Inn to celebrate our departure from elementary school?

Harriet Kniberg Werner - Malverne, NY...FRHS Class of 1957 Email address: libraryesta@aol.com

Saw your Laurelton page on the Far Rock site. 130-54 229St. from babyhood (1937) to 1960. Laurelton before the sewers were installed and the streets were not one-way! PS156-1950, Far Rock '53. My older brother (Martin) was also Far Rock around your year. Sadly, there was an active Laurelton webpage but it shut down last year. There is a less active site now: http://www.members.tripod.com/Calskp/1-Remember.html
It has some interesting memories, including PS156.

Just read your piece on the Rockaway web site. My name is Foster Lahn. I lived at 130-67 225th st. I went to P.S. 132 (not everyone went to 156). I graduated in 1956. I know that time plays havoc with all of our memories as we age. Woolworths was on 229th street. Could you be referring to the "HOUSE OF CHANG" on about 234th st.? I have many fond memories of the "ITCH", first on Saturday afternoons ( double feature plus 12 cartoons for a quarter), then Saturday nites on "GROWN-UP DATES". Across the street was Zickermans Hardware and next to that on the corner was Marders Pharmacy. Farther down the street was LIL-ED'S lunchonette/candy store (Merrick and Francis Lewis Blvd.) The ridgewood Savings Bank was on the other side of the street next to the A&P. LIL-ED'S later became Burt and Daves, and I worked there after school. I also worked at the Sunrise Super market (later the Grand Union). I graduated Far Rockaway High School in 1960. I am listed in the 1960 year on the web site. Thank you for bringing back some memories of the "GOOD OLD DAYS".

What a pleasure to finally have someone from Laurelton making a statement. I lived on 233rd St and also went to PS 156. Graduated in January, 1945 and then on to FRHS from Jan.'45 to Jan 49. I remember 'The Itch" very well. What a fun time we would have on Saturday afternoon. But the 'Valencia' in Jamaica is where I went with my first real date. You should be hearing from a lot more Laureltonians now. I found some when I went in to the Classmates website. Looking forward to hearing from a lot more!! For my classmates, I was known as Betty R. which I hated, because when I arrived at 156 there was another Betty Shapiro in my class. I would really love to hear from her. Guess we'll all keep in touch now.

I lived on 227th street and 135th Ave. I went to P.S.156, Shimer JHS and Andrew Jackson H.S. I used to catch the Q-5 bus in front of Zuckermans Hardware store to go to Jamaica Next to the Itch was Wedgwood Studios, a photography studio. Does anyone remember Raabs. It was an ice cream shop on the corner of Merrick and 228th Street? Remember when the Ridgewood Savings Bank (Merrick and FL Blvd.) was held up at gunpoint? When I moved to Laurelton, they were putting in the sewers. Some years later they had to dig up the streets again because of a huge scandal involving faulty construction. Anyone remember Tom the barber? He used to sell the green goop he would put on our hir to make it stand up stiff as a board. Laurelton was a great place to grow up.

Your name does not sound familiar but I lived down the block from Marders Drug Store. I just spoke to an old friend and he advised me of a Laurelton web site. I am thrilled to read about the Bee Line bus company. Where did you put your bus pass to high school. I lost mine on the second week of school, it cost me 10 cents to rise the bus. Who are you? Where did you live, how old are you? I lived on 228street between 133 Ave and Merrick. I also remember the movies, the pizza place, Burt and Daves, Schultzs' cany store etc. Please email me back, I am VERY excited. My name was Barbara Frey back then.

Hi Barb, it's great to hear from a former Laureltonian, even if we didn't know each other. I graduated from P.S. 156 in 1946. I still have my class picture. My maiden name was Sue Carol Ludacer, and I lived in three four different houses in Laurelton. Do you remember the Bee Line bus? Then you are about my age. The house that I lived in closest to yours was on 230th street and 135th Ave. (I think) Is Mercurio your maiden name? When I went to High School, I walked to Rosedale station. I was living on Laurelton Parkway, near 141st Ave. near the bridge over the Belt Parkway. Did you go to 156? I never did find out what happened to it. Write back soon.

Hi Sue,
I graduated PS 156 in '48 and FRHS in '52. Lived on the corner of 225th street and 138th ave. I just stumbled across this web site and it really takes me back. Lots of memories. I'm trying to find out if there is any active alumni groups or reunions that go back that far. Any help or advice would be welcome.

My name is Edward Ingeneri and I lived at 137-08 223 St. Laurelton. Reading all the memories of Laurelton and Far Rockaway moved me to write that I too am proud to have grown up in the wonderful Town of Laurelton and to have met many wonderful young boys and girls from the area growing up. I was to one reunion about 14 years ago held near Kennedy Airport and have never heard any more about future reunions. If any one from the past wants to reach me call my home # 1-631-874-4537 cell phone 1-516-984-0495 or e-mail eji69@aol.com. At present I live in Suffolk County, Manorville, NY ( Near Westhampton Beach) and in Ft. Lauderdale Fl. some of the time (mostly in the winter of course).

Dear Laurelton people, I'm writing in hopes that someone knows where I can contact two brothers who are cousins of mine. All of us lived in Laurelton in the 1950s. I moved to Los Angeles in 1953 and haven't seen them since. Their names are Stephen (Steve) and Richard (Ricky) Ross. They both went to P.S. 156. Steve and Ricky are sons of Adele and Lou Ross. They probably graduated from Far Rockaway in the range of 1956-59. If anyone knows any information about them, please e-mail me.

Jeff Cohen Email address: Water45@msn.com
Sacramento, California
(916) 392-6425

my name is les lebov. My wife is sharon skolnick. I lived at 131-20 229th st. Laurelton which was a great town to grow up in from 1944till married 1963. Went to 156 and ajhs. Have loads of memories to share. Ran into estelle opolyn and howie linnet. Great to see some people from the past. HELLO IS ANYONE OUT THERE ????????????????????????? BE WELL

I'm from the neighboring town of Cambria Heights, living there from 1940 till 1953. Kids from there attended PS 147Q and then AJHS. But my family moved in 53, when I graduated 147, so I never went to AJSH.

The Laurelton site is fantastic. Wish we had the same for Cambria Heights. Since the towns were neighbors, I wonder if anyone visiting this site has memories or friends from there?

My memory of Laurelton is that we used to drive there to buy our "Jewish Sunday breakfasts," bagels, lox, carp, bialys, whitefish, pickles, etc etc. Anyone else remember that?

Please send your Laurelton memories to me and I will post them on this page.