The NPHS Reunion Interview: Jan Leah Lamb (Cooper), Class of 1969

Rocky Mountain hi! Jan Leah Lamb Cooper with husband Dennis in 2016
at Loveland Pass, Colorado (elevation 11,000 feet). 

Tell us a bit about your career.  

I was brought up to give really good cocktail parties.  I studied French and Art History at New York University (NYU) and Oberlin.  NYU just blew up during the student strikes of 1970. I spent the Spring Semester feeding the strikers who came for the March of Wall Street.  I dropped out after a year and a half.  It didn’t feel like French or Art History was relevant at that time.

I lived communally for over 20 years after that. I spent a lot of time helping other women in the commune have their babies.  I became a lay midwife.  I thought I’d better get a degree of some kind or I would probably go to jail for doing home births.  The first time I saw a colleague prepare a sterile field I knew that medicine was for me. 

I returned to school, got a double degree in Biology and Chemistry.  I enrolled at medical school at the age of 36 years with three children in tow.    I did an Internal Medicine/Pediatric residency and just gravitated to Pediatrics exclusively.  I spent 15 years as a Forensic Pediatrician – evaluating children for abuse and neglect.  I have been a general pediatrician for the last 15 years in Grand Junction, CO.  I am slowing down but still have a few years left in me.

Where have you live since graduating NPHS?

New York City; Washington DC; London, England; Santa Fe, NM; Los Angeles; Houston; back to LA for residency; Fort Worth, TX; Boise, ID, and now Grand Junction.

Who were your closest friends in high school?

Stephanie Singer, Emily Polskin, Debbie Hutchins, Kevin Ashley and Rich Muglia.  I have not kept in good touch except for intermittently with Rich Muglia as he is a good touchstone for many.

Do you have any regrets from your high school years?

My only regret is that I did not realize at the time the lovely bubble we all lived in.  The loss of our classmates in that fatal crash was a shock.  Otherwise the music, the football and basketball games, the wrestling matches, the band, the cheerleaders…such a sweet moment in time. I agree with Sue Henry…riding on the bus coming home from games is a treasured memory.

Have your perceptions of high school changed over the years?

I would say, yes, my perspective has changed about high school.  I wish I could tell my classmates how I remember vignettes from our classroom days.  The day Mr. Gould fainted and how the Dow twins wept and how I ran down the hall for the nurse.   I wish I could say how the memories of brief encounters still hold in my heart. Walking the paper route with Kevin Ashley also stands out as relationship that was quiet and meaningful.

What is your fondest memory from your years at NPHS?

My fondest memory of NPHS was the day one of our gym teachers accidentally on purpose threw a softball at my face and crushed my nose.  I was bleeding and a bit stunned, but Stephanie Singer totally had my back. She screamed at the gym teacher, she was like a pit bull.  To this day, no one has ever defended me the way she did that day on the field.

What was the craziest or stupidest thing you did in high school?  

I wish I had been crazier and stupider.  I was internally fearful of doing the wrong thing, getting out of control was just not on the menu for me at that time.  Still isn’t.

What were your proudest accomplishments?

National Honor Society.  DAR Good Citizen Award.  Loved cheerleading.  

Who was your favorite teacher?

Mrs. Klerer.  She challenged me to break out of my “good girl” mold.  She ribbed me about being a cheerleader and pushed me to a think about who I was, how I thought and how I wanted to live.   Mr. Saginario was a trip.  

What was your worst class?

Trigonometry.  I passed because I sat in the front and wore a mini-skirt.  I almost failed chemistry with Dr Alpert – I was lost the first day. Surprisingly I did get a degree in Chemistry which has always amazed me.

How did growing up at a child of the 60s – and all the social baggage and impact that it may have entailed – impact you at the time and in your young adult years? 

I am one of our generation who took the credo of the sixties and seventies to heart.  I dropped out of what would have a been a normal trajectory of school, career, marriage and leapt into the soup of the times.  I largely rejected what we had all been taught to think or believe was the path to adulthood.  I disappeared into a life of meditation and deep counter-culture belief and alternative lifestyle.

I did get to live all over the world, see India, hold my breath on a precipice of the Himalayas, travel riding on top of trains, hike to 16,000 feet to bathe in glacial water at a shrine.  There were moments of transcendence.  The Dalai Lama held my daughter and blessed her.    

It took me years to wake up and get myself and my family out of a very restrictive and oppressive environment.  Those years still inform my worldview.   I am grateful daily for the blessings in my life.

Attendees from the NPHS Class of 1969 (so far)

Linda J. Allen Dickert

*Richard E. Andronici

Nancy Appolloni Stober

Colleen A. Bersch Brown

Diane T. Broccoletti Leonard

Roger J. Bulava

Frank D. Cramer, III

Jolaine S. Dow Peace

Suzanne R. Dumont Millan

*Alan R. Feigenbaum

Loren (Larry) J. Garland

Gary P. Garwacke

Beverly J. Gaston Kochard

Linda K. Gibbs Carovillano

John A. Guerrerio, Jr.

Janice A. Hansen Lake

Karen M. Hultburg Pirozzi

Marc A. Lerner

Henry M. Long

Michael J. Maresca, Jr.

Noel F. Marks

Janet Medinets Doctofsky

Carl R. Mehlhorn

David M. Millar

Kathy J. Miller Senna

Carol A. Mingione Greene

Richard L. Muglia

John (Jack) F. Muldowney

Robert D. Munzer

William J. Orloff

Wendy Perslin Trimarche

*Russell H. Pollack

Emily J. Polskin Zylber

Howard W. Polskin

Catherine M. Reid Nolan

Joseph L. Ricci, Jr.

*Robert D. Riggs

Jane M. Schroeder Griffith

Richard W. Senna

Anita M. Smith Caswell

Beat U. Steiner

Michael R. Sullivan

Francis (Frank) L. Vastano

Karen E. VonTish Andronici

Kenneth R. Wakefield

Patricia L. Williams York

*recently added

The NPHS Reunion Essay by Gary Garwacke, Class of 1969

Gary and his wife Cindy in 2016.  

I received a request from Howard Polskin to answer some questions he prepared to find out about what his classmates had experienced at NPHS and how it affected their lives some 50 years into the future.  I’ll have to admit I thought it easy at first but as I tried to write my answers I kept coming up blank.  Howard had contacted me back in early December and here it was August and I had nothing.  One thing that kept coming back to me was  remembering occurrences and events from all of the school years from K - 12.  Now I don’t profess to be the best person to remember past events correctly, I thought it interesting to put to paper some of the events I fondly remember and maybe others can correct my recollections where I erred or add their own, so here it goes. (Please excuse the grammar and spelling but typing on an iPad is always an experience.)

I remember going to school all the way from Kindergarten to 12th grade with Kathy Miller.  Geez…that was a long time ago but Kathy was always there. In fact I think she beat up Carl Houston because he was bothering me back in kindergarten.

Speaking of long-time relationships it seems that Bev Gaston and I were in home room next to each other from 7th grade through 12th and we will be sitting together at the reunion.

My best friends were Albert Misko, Mark McLoud and Jack Muldowney.  We did a lot of crazy things back then.  I am saddened that I lost touch with them because we had such memorable times together.  I regret not being in touch with Albert before his death.

I remember the Little League baseball games when we were growing up,  if you went to Somerset school you were on the Giants, Stony Brook was the Giants and Pirates, West End was the Reds and Cardinals, East End was the Phillies and Braves, and the hated Cubs 1, 2 and 3 were from St. Joseph’s.  I hated the Cubs teams because they had the three most feared pitchers, George Hummel, Al Misko (he would spit in the coolest way) and the most feared of all Rich Andronici  who was as big back in 6th grade as he was when he was a senior in high school.

I went to Stony Brook school and I used to test my memory over the  years by naming each teacher by grade.  Here it goes: K, Mrs Klein; first grade, Mrs Lewis; second grade, Mrs Backer; third grade, Mrs Stout; fourth grade, Mr Hudson (the guy was from England); fifth grade, Mrs  Martino (my all-time favorite teacher); sixth grade, Mrs Shepard.  Am I right? If I am, then that’s pretty sick that I can remember this stuff.

The first dance I went to outside of North Plainfield was at Cook School in Plainfield. Now that was something back then. Back in North Plainfield we went to dances at Somerset School, Holy Trinity Church, The VFW and of course the high school gym. (I forgot to include the South Plainfield PAL, which always led to some kind of altercation).

I always looked forward to a dance because they were so much fun. Some of the bands that played were The Man from Plainfield, the Doughboys, and of course our classmates who were in the Midnight Hour.  Speaking of the Doughboys, they occasionally still play at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Does anyone remember their one hit song as well as the band member’s names? It’s cheating if you Google them.  First boy and girl party I think was at Bev Gaston’s house.

I have to admit as much as I liked dances, I had a real bad experience at a Holy Trinity Church dance in my senior year. It seems some guy from Plainfield didn’t like Jack and

Junior prom, 1968.  Gary and Jack
Muldowney with their dates from
South Plainfield.

was out to get him one night. Jack and I were standing near each other.  We were both tall and wearing our varsity jackets. Well the guy hit me from behind in the nose thinking Iwas Jack, I crumpled to the floor and can only remember someone dragging me to the kitchen to stop the bleeding. I still have some chipped teeth and a small scar on my nose.

Does anyone remember drinking in the woods off Rock Avenue. We had a name for it which I can’t remember (Editor’s note: It was the Elephant Burial Grounds.).  How about going to Staten Island, to go to the Hofbrau, Tarrys and the Hitching Post.

Who remembers Howard Polskin’s Bar Mitzvah ceremony and party?  That’s the first time I ever had prime rib.

Gary Garwacke recalled Howard Polskin's April 11, 1964, Bar Mitzvah.  

Identifiable male classmates from left to right in the foreground: 

John Cregar, Jeff Tobey, Mickey Migdal, Richard Muglia (light jacket, 

back to camera) and Gary (dark jacket, back to camera).

I spent a lot of class time with the Polskin twins, Howard and Emily. We went on a class trip to their family business, which I think was a pocket book factory, I hope I got this right. (Editor’s note:  Close but not accurate Gary, proving that you spent way too much time drinking in the Elephant Burial Grounds.  It was a women’s clothing factory.)

Emily was one of the cool girls in high school.  The other cool girls (Nancy Eddy, Marilyn Gross, Colleen Bersch, Kris Delunas and others) scared me.  I don’t know why because they were always nice to me but for some reason I felt not worthy to be in their presence, but that was my problem.

Anyone remember the big fight between Jack and some guy from South Plainfield on the street by the football locker room. I think Jack broke the guy’s jaw.  The cops broke it up before it turned into a melee because there was about 50 people there. I was scared to death.  But I remember Jack’s brother Paul standing right by him. I always admired him for that.

For some reason we had this affinity for South Plainfield girls, Jack and I had dates from South Plainfield for the Junior Prom, I wish I could remember their names. I have included some photos of that prom.

I remember walking home past the hoods -- who were those guys?—  on the bridge and then past the crowd at Chubby’s.  That was like running the gauntlet.

Who remembers being forced to take dancing lessons in 7th grade in our gym? No one ever danced like that in the 60’s.

I remember debating in Mrs. Riordan’s 8th grade Social Studies class that we had to stay in Viet Nam to halt to the spread of Communism. That was in 1965.  Boy, was I wrong.  Later in college it seemed like every day there was some kind of war protest going on.  I was so very fortunate back then. I missed the draft by an eyelash. I pulled number 3 in the first draft lottery of my freshman year at college but had the last college deferment granted until I either flunked out or graduated. By the time I graduated in 1973 the war was officially over and the draft had ended.  

I believe the saddest time for me was when Robby Gardner passed away in that terrible car accident.

Most memorable time in school was being selected for the National Honor Society as well as being on the winning State Indoor Track High Hurdle Relay team. Of course, the other three guys had to run the best times of their lives to make up for me.  It didn’t hurt that the best hurdler in the state, Vince O’Neill, was on our team.

I graduated from Newark College of Engineering, (now New Jersey Institute  of Technology) with a degree in Civil Engineering and ultimately passed the licensing  exam as a Professional Engineer, PE.  My career was spent mostly in Municipal Engineering and Public Works with a brief stint in real estate development.  I finally settled in as the Town Business Administrator and Engineer for the town of Manville and retired from there in 2015.  I even spent about five years (1994-1999) as North Plainfield’s Municipal Engineer serving Mayors Mike Haggerty and Janice  Allen.

My wife Cindy and I have lived Branchburg, NJ, since 1985 (prior to that we lived in Raritan) and have a second home in Bradley Beach, NJ. I can’t seem to get enough of the Jersey Shore.  We are right next to Asbury Park which is experiencing an over-the-top redevelopment phase at the moment.   Our two sons live in Brooklyn and Philadelphia.  Why they find the city so desirable is more than I can understand but they are happy

I’ll close with some names of people, places and things in the past that have lasting memories for me (and maybe you too!). I also have some memory questions.   Here we go: Steer Inn…Hojos…Johnston Drive…St Joe’s, Great Eastern,…Teppers…Park Conspiracy…Harrison School…Ethel Abrams…Vitelli’s…Somerset Rec…what was that crazy stone house across from the Von Tish’s?…Hoffman’s Deli…Mr. Peanut…anybody know who the Mayor was back then (I believe his son graduated in ‘68)?…who was that guy that  played the Wizard of Oz in the school play?…what sport was the whole Muldowney family known for?…what about that crummy cinder track that I must have fallen down on running the hurdles a hundred times and I’m still finding cinders in my knees…the Hole where the track was…what was the name of the deli in front of Vitellis?… asking for a dollars worth of gas…Carroll’s soda fountain…Deebles  Fountain ( had my first cherry coke there)…Kepples Hardware…Thursday night shopping in Plainfield…the Strand and the Liberty movie theaters…Drier’s sporting goods...Grillos Italian Ice in Scotch Plains.

I have some great memories from my time in the North Plainfield school system.  I cannot believe it will be 50 years since we graduated.  I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.

Summer of 1969: Gary at his family home on Summit Ave. 

The NPHS Reunion Interview: Kathy Miller Senna, Class of 1969

Kathy Miller Senna, June 2018, at the studio in
North Carolina where she teaches Zumba

Describe your career:

After high school I went to East Stroudsburg State College, (now ESU) as a Health & Physical education major and graduated in January 1973. I was a substitute teacher at North Plainfield for months, and I taught one year at Bound Brook High School when Bud Porter called me to offer me a position at NPHS which I was delighted to take. I taught Health and Physical Education at the HS/middle school, and then taught the last six years at East End elementary school! I also went to Kean University for a Master’s in Early Childhood, Family Life, and then a Master’s in Exercise Science. I retired in 2009.

I married Rich Senna in 1975. We bought a house in North Plainfield and raised three sons. They all went to East End school and graduated from NPHS. After I retired I babysit teacher's kids for 3 years until Rich retired from the Steamfitter's Union and we moved to Wilmington, NC, in 2012.  We love it here and are both volunteer coaches for first Tee Golf, (we live in a golf community) and besides golfing, I teach Zumba. We have two grandsons and two granddaughters!

Who were your friends in high school?

Because I was active in Girls Athletic Association, modern dance, cheerleading and choral groups, I had many friends! In middle school Vicky Olsen and Kris Delunas were my best buds to hang with, and then in high school Karen Von Tish became my closest friend and we still keep in touch. Of course, having Rich as a boyfriend since our sophomore year, I hung out with all his buddies from the west end a lot; Donny Thompson, Bob Krusman, Jim Weyant from the Townsend Place gang! Because I lived and taught in North Plainfield for so many years I have so many friends from other classes that I count among my friends!!

Do you have any regrets from your high school years?

NONE!  I can only think of about the many great teachers and all the extra-curricular activities that I was so fortunate to experience, and directly influenced me to become a teacher.

What’s your fondest memory from high school?

Nancy Schuman's modern dance performances, Stage Band & singers, But...being King & Queen of the Prom had to be the most exciting thing at that time in my life! (and happy to say we are still happily married!)  I know, so corny!! LOL!

What’s the craziest thing you did in high school? 

I once found an unopened pack of cigarettes and secretly smoked the entire pack on my back porch, alone, over a period of six months or more...yeah, weird... but I never became a smoker, thankfully! (How could I have lived that down as a health teacher?)

What’s your proudest accomplishment?

Being inducted into National Honor Society since I was not in honor classes!

Who was your favorite teacher?

Nancy Schuman. She showed me that you can be athletic, strong and feminine and she was a role model for me as I ultimately decided to become a Physical Education teacher!

What was your worst class?

History. As much as I loved Ed Stec and his class, I just could not remember names and dates of wars etc.! Ugh!

What was your most haunting memory of your high school years?

Like so many of us, I remember cringing when I heard gun shots from the Plainfield riots. It was very frightening.

How did growing up as a child of the 60s – and all the social baggage and impact that it may have entailed – impact you at the time and in your young adult years? 

I was very naive and oblivious to so much, (even though my brother was a "hippie.”)  I was probably the last person to break down and buy bellbottoms, I was slow to changes. I believe my experiences were like two sides of the same coin...I believed in empowerment (don't tell me I can't do something!) versus hating violence!! I was not the type to go out and protest, but I was, and am a peace-loving person and the eternal optimist!  Just ask Rich!!! 

 

Rich  Senna and Kathy in 1974 on a trip to
Wilkes-Barre, PA, visiting Bob Krusman and his wife.  

Attendees from the NPHS Class of 1968 (so far)

Steven V. Abbruzzese

Edward F. Adams

Lorraine Allen Jairdullo

Hendrik James Antonisse

Bonnie Bell Kish

John R. Blain

Barbara Brodzik Tomalo

Bruce Brokaw

Nancy G. Bueschel Byrum

Nancy Campbell

Louis P. Carlucci

Charles K. Caswell

*Laraine Cox Reedy

Irene Dec Sheredos

Angela DellaVentura

James E. DeMartino

*Iris Densky Brown

C. Robert Dietrick

Wayne F. DiNardo

Judith Feller Hart

Gene S. Ferraro

Rosemary Fineberg

Margaret Gabler King

Gerry Garatino Burns

Julia Gecha

Sam J. Ghanaim

Gail Gilbert Spinner

L. John Greco

Candy Hall Kanuchok

Virginia Hedden

Sue Henry Martin

Adrienne Jacobs Graubard

Robert N. Kelley

Janusz Kornicki

John M. Kraus

Karl R. Krawitz

Janet Krehn Ray Cohen

Barbara Kuhne Harwell

Linda Loalbo Chehade

Dr. Carol Martinez Weber

*Karen McCleary Lockwood

John P. McHugh

Roberta Meiser Specht

Mary Anne Meyer Kochut

Scott Martin

Peter Mickelsen

James Nazemetz

Judith A. Nazemetz

Michael E. Parlapiano

Grace E. Richie Ostrum

Isabella Romond Wiggins

Linda Shebey Leugers

Robert Sheredos

Michael V. Silveri

Patricia Smith Dandeo

*Jeff Sperling

Donald S. Stagaard

*Al Tarbous

Bill Thompson

David N. Thompson

Nicholas R. Thul

Eileen Waldron

Nancy B. Waller

Kathleen Weiss Greco

Douglas S. Williams

Mary Wilson Castro

Ann Yacka Marsteller

*recently added

The NPHS Reunion Interview: Linda Shebey Leugers, Class of 1968

Linda Shebey Leugers, August 2018, Vermont.
"Here's to you old friends/here's to our teachers/here's to our parents/
here's to our hometown/how lucky we were!"

Describe your career

My first real job, where I actually paid into Social Security, was at Stewart’s Root Beer Stand in South Plainfield. I worked there with my mascot buddy and forever friend, Nancy Waller. We flipped burgers and cleaned French fry vats for 90 cents an hour (I kept my first pay stub!)While in college, I continued my “culinary career” working in the cafeteria, serving up mystery meat and overcooked green beans!

After graduation, I left “The Kitchen” for “The Kids” and began my real career as a teacher. I taught in Lancaster, PA, for 33 years, retiring in 2005. I had, at one time or another, full-day kindergarten, pre-first, and first grade, ALL in the same neighborhood school.  As a result, I had children OF children I had previously taught! A real eye-opener to one’s age!

Where have you lived?
I’ve lived in Lancaster, PA, since I began teaching in 1972. However, I spend most of the summer in Vermont with my significant other, Bill.  In winter, we migrate to the tiny island of Nevis in the West Indies. (I’ve thankfully traded in my snow boots for flip flops!)

What are your fondest memories of attending school in North Plainfield?

Beginning in kindergarten and lasting throughout high school, I was one of those “geeks” who loved everything about school, especially seeing my friends every day, going on field trips (the one in second grade was to the Bronx Zoo), and being involved in after-school activities and clubs. I remember my excitement every Tuesday after Labor Day walking into Somerset Elementary School with a new box of Crayola Crayons and a new pair of white Keds! Then, my excitement walking into NPHS with a new three-ring notebook and.... a new pair of white Keds!

Who was your favorite teacher?

There are many, but at the top: Mrs. Schuman. She made a great impression on me in junior high as our gym teacher (and we, her Ladybugs); but even more so as our instructor for six years in the Modern Dance Club (along with Judy Nazemetz, Kathy Weiss, Grace Gallo, and Kathy Miller).

Mrs. Schuman exposed us to different styles of music and choreography, and taught us how to work together, as well as independently. She gave us the opportunity to perform at area schools and at the annual State Teachers Convention in Atlantic City. I owe my love of dance to her!

Oh, one more thing: she also taught us self-confidence... how else could we have gotten on stage in front of teenage boys wearing only leotards and tights?

What was your worst subject?

I didn’t do well in chemistry but I still enjoyed the class... could have been the cute boys I sat next to!

What were your most powerful and enduring memories of going to school in the 60s?

No doubt the diverse music of the 60’s, from Motown and The British Invasion to Bob Dylan and Jimmy Hendrix, had a powerful effect on all of us. I THINK I remember someone (maybe Bob Kelly) playing The Doors’ “Light My Fire” during lunch time in the “senior” room. If that’s correct, “Thank you Bob!”

Just as powerful was my introduction to the theater. It happened in 8th grade English. After reading “Oliver Twist,” the class went into NYC to see the musical, “Oliver!” It was my first Broadway show and I was instantly hooked! Everything about it was magical: the costumes, the music, the dancing, the stage! I immediately went home and bought the sound track (with my 25 cents a week allowance!).  I memorized every song (and made up my own dances!).  By the way, I fell in love with the actor who played The Artful Dodger: Davey Jones (long before he became a Monkee! )

I was once again thrilled when, after reading Don Quixote in 12th grade Spanish class with Senor Kinese, we saw “Man of La Mancha” on Broadway!  

It’s why I SO loved being in the school productions of “Oklahoma” and “Wildcat!” It’s also why I have had a lifelong love of music and theater. 

Have you remained friends with any former NPHS classmates? 

I gratefully still have in my life:  Nancy Waller, Iris Densky, Adrienne Jacobs, Gail Gilbert, Judy Nazemetz, Barbara Page, Gerry Gerantino, Mary Wilson, Angela DellaVentura, Laraine Cox, Nancy Campbell, and Lorrie Allen. We get together for dinner whenever I’m in Jersey. It’s always the highlight of my visits! 

What are your fondest memories of your years at NPHS?

In no particular order: 

--Ho Jo’s

--cheering for our awesome basketball and football teams
--going “down the shore” (and coming home burnt!)

--the Plainfield-Edison Drive-In

--canteens and dances (the last song that was always played: The Beach Boys “Surfer Girl”)

--and ultimately graduating with the greatest class!
          

The NPHS Reunion Interview: Candy Hall Kanuchok, Class of 1968

Candy is dandy but grandchildren are better:
with grandchild #8, Lydia, in March 2018.

Please describe your career.  

For my first career, I worked as an architect for nearly five years before retiring in 1978 for my second career as a wife and mother and now as a grandmother. My seven kids are ages 39 down to 25, and the nine grand-kids (so far) are ages 12 down to 2 months. Happily, there is no retirement in sight.

Where have you lived since graduating?

I have been in Colorado Springs, CO, for 10 years. After graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with degrees in Building Science and Architecture, I ended up at a firm in Hartford, CT, and stayed in that area for 16 years. From there we moved to Southern, IL (outside St. Louis), for nearly 20 years, and now Colorado. I love the west but this is as far as I hope to go.

Who were your friends back in high school?  Are you still in touch with them now?

I only attended NPHS for my last two years but as part of the majorettes, I enjoyed friendships with Gerry Garatino and Laraine Cox whom I haven’t seen in many years. 

Do you have any regrets about your experiences during your high school years? 

Only that I was there for such a short time so I did not have old friends.

Now, 50 years later, has your perspective on your high school years changed at all?  If so, how? 

I had a great experience and wonderful, dedicated teachers who really prepared me academically for success. In fact, I appreciated them to such an extent that I decided I would be a teacher as well. After discovering home schooling in 1983, I ended up teaching all seven of my kids from K through 12th grade; the last one graduating in 2010. They have all gone on to college but I am most pleased that they all love learning. They may not have a high school reunion or prom, but that’s a small price to pay for their education, their character, and the close relationship we share. 

What was the craziest or stupidest thing you did in high school?  

Strangely, I never cut a class, tried drinking or smoking, or did stupid things. Quite boring, huh?!

What was your proudest accomplishment in high school?  

Candy (botton left) was
runner-up in Miss
Teenager New Jersey

Two takeaways: being first runner-up in Miss Teenage New Jersey in 1967 and receiving three full college scholarship offers at graduation in 1968. 

Who was your favorite teacher? 

I had great teachers; Mr. Justus for German, Mr. Matz for math, Mrs. McTeague for Physics. But the standout was Mrs. Martin for Advanced Biology. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and love of the subject. She was my inspiration as I taught my own kids.

What is your most powerful or haunting memory during your years at NPHS?

I was a Candy Striper in Muhlenberg Hospital during the race riots in Plainfield and remember the mad scramble to admit the wounded as well as the police presence in the ER. Joel Rutenberg (class of 1967) was an orderly there and was such a calming presence at that time. I didn’t really understand what was going on but it was very scary to a young girl.

How did growing up as a child of the 60s – and all the social baggage and impact that it may have entailed – impact you at the time and in your young adult years? 

I arrived at NPHS as an immediate result of my parents’ divorce; my mother and I got an apartment on Rockview Avenue. That unexpected trauma rocked my world but set me on a course of determination to protect myself emotionally by never letting anyone get close enough to hurt me again. My plan was to get a good education, land a good job, and insulate myself from personal hurt.

The college I attended, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, was a tough school and pretty immune to the unrest of those days — no riots, no student takeovers, no protests. We were all so busy academically that rebellion wasn’t even on the radar. That helped insulate me from the social upheaval in our country during the late 60’s and early 70’s. By the time I graduated with two degrees and started work, the country had calmed down.

My plan had succeeded in every aspect but left me rather empty. I had my brownstone apartment across from the Hartford Civic Center, my little red sports car, and my exciting job but wondered, “Now what?” It wasn’t until we got a new secretary in the Architectural Office that my world once again changed. She was a Christian who spent the next year introducing me to Jesus, something that was very foreign to me since I was raised without any religious beliefs.

In a few short years, God changed the trajectory of my life. Instead of building with concrete and steel, I delighted to work with flesh and blood. Who else could have taken someone who did not want to get married and did not want to have children, and changed them so completely? My life is not at all what I planned, but I wouldn’t change a thing; I’m guessing that is contentment? It definitely feels good.