NPHS Reunion

Howard Polskin Honored at NPHS Alumni Hall of Fame Ceremony

2011-10-24T18:21:00.000-07:00

Howard Polskin (above), NPHS class of 1969, was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame, Oct. 15, at the Italian American Club in the Business and Journalism category. He is shown here receiving his plaque with North Plainfield School Superintendent Dr. Marilyn Birnbaum (left) and Gerry Burns who introduced Polskin. Polskin said, "I need to thank teachers everywhere tonight. Teachers are the true keepers of the flame of knowledge. Without that flame, mankind sits in the dark cave of ignorance." He also took time to reveal a little about his career path. "After graduating college...I got a job as a bus boy at a restaurant in Maine," he said. "That summer was characterized by record-breaking heat in Maine and frost at 69 Willow Ave. (his home address at the time)." Among Polskin's friends who attended the dinner were Joe Ricci (below) and Jeff Tobey and his wife Ginny.

Richard Williams Honored at NPHS Alumni Hall of Fame Dinner

2011-10-22T03:58:00.000-07:00

Richard Williams (right), class of 1962), was inducted into the NPHS Alumni Hall of Fame at a dinner Oct. 15 in the Government Service category. He had been the County Administrator, Planning Board Director and Director of Economic Development. He had many significant accomplishments in that position but one in particular was spotlighted at the dinner. Working with North Plainfield's Board of Education, Mayor and Council, William's foresight brought about the renovation of Krausche Field by adding a high-tech, synthetic turf field. In the photo above, his wife Jane Williams cites his many successes.

Political Strategist Steve Schmidt Honored in NPHS Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

2011-10-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

Steve Schmidt (center), class of 1988, was inducted in the NPHS Hall of Fame in the Government and Politics category. He's shown here with North Plainfield School Superintendent Dr. Marilyn Birnbaum and former North Plainfield Mayor Steve Novak. Schmidt is a heavyweight in national politics and appears frequently on national television. He served as a senior advisor to Sen. Jon McCain's presidential campaign. He also worked as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign manager. Schmidt also served as Deputy Assistant to President George Bush as well as Counselor to the Vice-President.

Paul Sincavage and Other Notables Attend NPHS Alumni Hall of Fame Dinner

2011-10-20T04:21:00.000-07:00

Paul Sincavage (center) accepted my invitation to attend the NPHS Hall of Fame dinner as my guest. Paul taught at NPHS for 39 years. He remains as witty, sharp and insightful as he was when he was teaching history in the mid-60's at the start of his career at NPHS. Here he is at the start of the evening with Emily Polskin Zylber and Howard Polskin (me).

Dr. Robert Chapman (with NPHS hat), class of 1967) was inducted into the NPHS Alumni Hall of Fame in the category of medicine. He was a track star in high school and still holds the 440-yard/49.7 record for Somerset Country. He graduated from Brown University and went on to achieve national professional recognition as a doctor and hospital administrator. He is shown here accepting his Hall of Fame plaque with (from left to right) Maria Mijares, Dick McKenna and Dr. Marilyn Birnbaum. The Publix bag (bottom right) was Chapman's. He used it to carry his t-shirt to the stage (below) that he used to wear while running cross-country races for Coach McKenna.

More Pictures from Oct. 15 NPHS Hall of Fame Dinner

2011-10-19T04:13:00.000-07:00

Master of Ceremonies Steve Novak (left) welcomed me at the door of the Italian American Club on Somerset. The former mayor of North Plainfield was an energetic and affable MC.

Bob Kirchberger was a warm and gracious host. As chairman of the NPHS Hall of Fame Committee, the responsibilities for the evening fell to Bob and his team.

Ernest Jaeger received the first award of the evening in the Teacher and Educator category. Here he is shown with Dr. Marilyn Birnbaum, North Plainfield Superintendent of Schools. His award was presented by Richard McKenna (below), the former NPHS former biology teacher and cross country coach, who still looks like he could whip off a brisk five-mile run without breaking a sweat. Jaeger began his NPHS teaching career in 1968. He taught English, Film and Television. (Where were those cool courses when I was in school? Why did I get stuck with Algebra?) His final assignment at NPHS was Curriculum Supervisor, a position he held until his retirement in 2005.

16th Annual NPHS Alumni Hall of Fame Ceremony Held Oct. 15

2011-10-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

This is the first of numerous stories that I'll post over the next week about the 16th annual North Plainfield High Alumni Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony. It was held Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Italian American Club on Somerset Street.

Five people were inducted into the Hall of Fame and they are shown in the photo above (from left to right: Howard Polskin (me), class of 1969; Dr. Robert Chapman, class of 1967; Ernest Jaeger, a former NPHS teacher; Steve Schmidt, class of 1988; and Richard Williams, class of 1962.

More than 130 people attended the event, which began with a cocktail hour from 6 to 7 p.m. Steve Novak, Master of Ceremonies, and Bob Kirchberger, Chairman of the NPHS Alumni Hall of Fame Committee, welcomed the crowd. They paid tribute to Mario Caruso who was a driving force in the Hall of Fame and in many North Plainfield-related activities until his death last year. That was followed by a buffet dinner.

I'll post more photos and have additional details later this week. Stay tuned.

Paul Sincavage to Attend NPHS Hall of Fame Dinner

2011-08-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

Paul Sincavage, the wonderful NPHS history teacher who taught at the school for 39 years, will be attending the Hall of Fame dinner. I spoke to him Monday after sending him a letter (yep....a stamped paper thing-a-jig) and he called me. I hadn't talked to him since I graduated in 1969 but we picked up like we had been in home room earlier in the week. He's been in touch with many of our teachers and he was filling me in....I won't spill the fascinating details here. You'll have to attend the dinner to get the scoop directly from him. But I really wanted to ask him about the U.S. debt crisis and how this compared to other similar crises in the nation's history. I'm sure he would have the proper historical perspective. Lots to chew on when we see him at the Oct. 15 North Plainfield High School Hall of Fame Dinner at the Italian American Club.

NPHS 2011 Hall of Fame Dinner Set for Oct. 15 at Italian American Club

2011-07-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

Heads up classmates. For those of you who don't know, there is an NPHS Hall of Fame...and of course a Hall of Fame dinner as well. The dinner is scheduled for Oct. 15 at the Italian American Club on Somerset Street. Yep...it's still standing and I'm sure some of us even went to dances there. Inductees at this year's dinner include Dr. Robert Champman (class of 67; medicine); Howard Polskin (that would be me in the journalism and business category); Ernie Jaeger (former English teacher and a wonderful one at that); Dick Williams (class of 62, government service; and Steve Smith (class of 88, government and politics). Former members of our class who have previously been inducted include Glenda Dove, music; Vince O'Neil, athletics; Gerry Burns, community service; Dr. Chuck Gomer, medical research; Richard Searl, athletics; Dr. Paul Auerbach, medicine; Virginia Rojas, education, Harry Brian Lewis, music; and Beverly Gaston Kochard, education. So here's the important part. If you're interested in attending, the price is only $30 a person! You get a meal, great acceptance speeches ghost-written by Jon Stewart and Bill Maher (apparently NPHS has a huge budget for these things), and a ton of 60s flashbacks. Contact Fred Sheeler (fsheeler@gmail.com). The festivities start at 6 p.m. You can pay at the door but it's best if Fred knows how many people are coming in advance so the caterer knows what to cook. See you there!

R.I.P. Kathleen Gibbs Erickson

2010-06-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

From Gerry Burns' Facebook newsfeed, I learned the sad news that Kathleen Biggs Erickson died on June 9. She was a graduate of the NPHS Class of 1968. Here's the obit from the Courier News.

KATHLEEN H.
ERICKSON
AGE: 60 MANVILLE
Kathleen H. "Kathy" (Gibbs) Erickson, 60, entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville surrounded by her loving and supportive family, after a long courageous struggle with cancer. Born in Mt. Vernon, NY, she grew up in North Plainfield and moved to Manville with her children in 1992. Kathy was a Certified and Registered Dental Assistant where she worked for many local dental offices over the years as well as teaching dental instruction at Somerset County Technical Institute in Bridgewater. Raising her children alone as a single mother, Kathy worked additional jobs to make ends meet; she was a crossing guard for Manville and a cashier at the Manville Rag Shop and Hillsborough Shop Rite. Kathy was a faithful communicant of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Manville where she volunteered at many of the church events, especially the summer festivals where she sold 50/50's. Kathy was a former President for the Manville First Aid & Rescue Squad Auxiliary and a member of Thomas J. Kavanaugh, VFW Post #2290 Ladies Auxiliary. Kathy loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She enjoyed trips to Atlantic City, going to the movies as well as reading books, knitting, crocheting and planting flowers. Kathy will always be remembered for her friendly and beautiful smile.
Kathy is predeceased by her brother-in-law Dennis Carovillano, Sr. who passed away on January 10, 2010. Kathy leaves behind her children: Karin Erickson of Bridgewater, Donald Erickson of New Hampshire, Darryl and his wife Rikki Erickson, Brian Erickson and his long time girlfriend Diana Weaver all of Manville and Danny Erickson and his fiancée Becky Borawski formerly of Manville. She also leaves behind her grandchildren; Elizabeth, Anesa and DJ Erickson; her parents William and Eileen (Jankowski) Gibbs of Raritan and her siblings: Linda Carovillano of Raritan, Michael and his wife Georgette Gibbs of Bridgewater, Bill and Theresa Gibbs of Lincoln Park and Dawn and Wayne Barry of Raritan. Kathy will be missed by her many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends all whose lives she has touched.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 14, 2010 beginning 11:00 am at Fucillo & Warren Funeral Home, 205 South Main Street, Manville, NJ 08835 followed by a 12:00 pm funeral liturgy at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Manville. Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery located in Hillsborough. Family and friends are invited to attend the visitation at the funeral home on Sunday, June 13, 2010 from 12-3 pm and 6-9 pm and on Monday from 9:00 am until service time. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the family would be greatly appreciated. To send condolences to the family or to sign an online guest book, please visit www.FucilloandWarrenFuneralHome.com.

Music Video Shot in Downtown Plainfield

2010-02-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

Front Street sure has changed. Check out this great music video from Plainfield's original Doughboys. Lots of scenes from Front Street (hey....who removed the Surprise Store? Where's Park Gentry? And whaddabout Teppers?) One thing hasn't changed though. The Doughboys still make great music. This is a top notch rock 'n' roll song....sounds a bit like J. Geils Band. Only better. Thanks to John Cregar for passing this along to me.

More on Paul Auerbach's Efforts in Haiti

2010-02-04T18:30:00.001-08:00

Here's an image of Dr. Paul Auerbach (NPHS class of 1969) who had collapsed in exhaustion after helping scores of Haitians in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. He's generated a lot of content about his efforts and when you read and hear his accounts (there's a particularly good podcast) you can't help but deeply admire his commitment to helping those in need....and his life-saving skills that are so necessary in a medical crisis. Here's his brief account of why he fainted: "Just after noon, when the meeting ended, my body finally told me to stop. I was exhausted and queasy, and so went to our headquarters and lay down on the ground. The nurses started an IV in my arm, and it took 9 full liters of IV fluid before I was able to sit up and have the lights go back on. As my wrestling coach in high school used to say, 'Paul, you don’t need to win, just don’t get pinned.' I lifted by right shoulder up and chuckled. My coach would have been proud of me." You can read the full story here. If you're interested in drilling deeper, just google "Paul Auerbach Haiti." There's a lot there.

Paul Auerbach Aids Haitain Relief Effort (1/30/10)

2010-02-01T17:55:00.000-08:00

I'm just receiving word that Paul Auerbach used his considerable emergency medicine skills to aid in the Haitain relief effort. I'll try to get more details and post in the next few days. Here's some video from a local San Francisco TV station that interviewed Paul.

R.I.P -- David Giesa

2009-12-17T18:16:00.000-08:00

This piece of sad news came in this morning on the NPHS Alumni Grapevine. From Noel Marks to Carol Mingione to Emily Polskin Zylber. Noel wrote Carol to report that he had received a Christmas card from Pat Giesa, David's wife. The card said that David died last summer after his struggle with ALS (aka....Lou Gehrig's disease). Noel hadn't talked to David in many years but they did exchange Christmas cards. David had been living in Tampa. He had two daughters. From Mingione: "A very sweet man." She added that he grew up in the East End. David graduated with the class of 1969.

If anyone has a photo of him or a fond memory, I would be glad to post.

2009 NPHS Hall of Fame Inductees

2009-10-08T03:38:00.000-07:00

From left to right: Danny Caruso, accepting on behalf of Terry Silverlight (music), class of 1975; Dr. Joseph Scarola (medicine), class of 1965; the Reverend Doctor Grover G. DeVault (Military, Ministry and Community Service), class of 1948; Beverly Gaston Kochard (education), NPHS class of 1969; and Carol Pines, accepting on behalf of her sister-in-law the late Ethel Abrams (education), class of 1935.

And from the NPHS Class of 1970....

2009-10-06T17:40:00.000-07:00

From left: Claire Cox (maiden name) andCarl Delgyer

Claire Cox and Ruth Shapack. They traveled together from North Carolina to attend Ethel Abrams' induction into the NPHS Hall of Fame. Ruth knew Ethel from her college days and was one of her oldest friends. Claire and Ruth see each other often in North Carolina.

Honoring Ethel Abrams, NPHS Hall of Famer

2009-10-05T17:50:00.000-07:00

Gerry Garatino Burns provided the night's most stirring moments with a powerful, emotional and dead-on accurate assessment of what Ethel Abrams meant to her students. (Gerry above with NPHS principal Jerard Stephenson and Ethel Abrams' sister-in-law Carol Pines.) Gerry recapped Mrs. Abrams' career (and she will be forever Mrs. Abrams -- not Ethel -- in my mind) starting with her first job as a social investigator for the New Jersey State Board of Child Welfare in Newark. Never knew that. After a few more fascinating biographical details, Gerry launched into the meat of her speech.

She was an extraordinary woman who loved and cared for every student who crossed her path. She always saw the good in everyone. She had such compassion for those who suffered and always extended a hand or shoulder to those in need. She was a teacher whose day extended long beyond the classroom. Always there whenever a student needed to talk, needed some guidance, or needed a friend. She taught us to never give up, set goals and reach for the stars.

Ask me who my favorite teacher was...I'll answer Mrs. Abrams. And I've heard that answer over and over from many NPHS graduates. It was Mrs. Abrams who brought me out of my shell, encouraging me to get involved outside the classroom and join clubs. It is because of her that I had the confidence to become a leader in high school, pursue a career as a nurse and later become a community leader in North Plainfield.

Why Beverly Gaston Kochard Was Inducted into NPHS Hall of Fame

2009-10-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

A few of you have written me asking about Bev's accomplishments. So here's why she was such an outstanding addition to the NPHS Alumni Hall of Fame. (Above: Beverly with Dick McKenna, who introduced her and showered her with praise, and NPHS principal Jerard Stephenson.) She is Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Moravian College. That means she's responsible for Moravian's residence life, which includes....like....uh...everything! Greek life, career development, student activities, student conduct, campus safety. To be inducted, one must be distinguished in the fields of medicine, education, the military and community service, music and entertainment.

Other classmates of ours who made the NPHS HOF include: Glennda Dove, Vince O'Neil, Gerry Garatino Burns, Dr. Charles Gomer, Richard Searl, Dr. Paul Auerbach, Maria Mijares (class of 1970 but she was at the dinner Saturday so let's mention it), Jan Leah Cooper Lamb, Virginai Rojas, and Harry Lewis.

Singing Praises to the Great Caruso (Mario)

2009-10-04T15:39:00.000-07:00

Mario Caruso (above at the conclusion of the dinner)is the president of the NPHS Alumni Association and he did a great job pulling together Saturday's dinner. He deserves a big shout-out. The dinner, by the way, honored Ethel Abrams, Grover DeVault, Beverly Gaston Kochard, Joseph Scarola and Terry Silverlight. Mario and his brother Frank ran the coolest barbershop in the area back in the day. The place oozed testosterone. It felt more like a speakeasy than a barbershop and there was even a sexy manicurist who filled my head with all sorts of...well...non haircutting types of activities. Frank and Mario are still in the business, but it's my understanding their salon is a hive of NPHS alumni activity. And best of all....they're still cool!

NPHS Hall of Fame Awards Oct. 3, 2009

2009-10-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is the first of several dispatches that I'll post over the next week about the 15th annual North Plainfield High Alumni Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony. It was held Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Italian American Club on Somerset Street.

Five NPHS graduates were inducted, but -- and this is truly no slur against the other four -- what drove me to drive from Manhattan to North Plainfield was to honor the memory of Ethel Abrams. She was one of those teachers who helped me find my North Star. Simple as that. Her sister-in-law Carol Pines attended, as did one of her oldest friends, Ruth Shapack, who flew in from North Carolina with Claire Cox (I'm using maiden names here). I'll have photos later in the week.

Beverly Gaston Kochard, NPHS Class of 1969, was also inducted. That's her in the red dress (uh....lots of red dresses....I guess someone sent a memo out earlier in the week) walking to the podium after Dick McKenna (yep....that Dick McKenna) reeled off her accomplishments. Quite impressive. She didn't pick up those skills in NPHS shop class that's for sure. Look for McKenna photos later in the week plus a video clip of his speech.

Some of our classmates were in attendance as you can see from the picture above with Lorraine, Gerry, Claire (class of 70 snuck in there....have to speak to Homeland Security about that) and Adrienne. Class of 1970 was also represented by Maria Mijares and Carl Delgyer. Pictures to come. Stay tuned for more.

NPHS Classmates Meet in San Francisco

2009-09-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

Video from a summer of 2009 NPHS class of 1969 semi-reunion held at a restaurant in San Francisco. Classmates include Andy Thomson, Paul Auerbach, Carol Mingione Greene, Barbara Green Elbeze and her husband Fernand. If I hear more details about the get together, I will post.

Hello from Barrie Dempsey, NPHS Class of 1969

2009-08-11T14:41:00.001-07:00

Barrie Dempsey, NPHS class of 1969, sent me this image last week. He's shown in a helicopter aboard the USS Midway in San Diego. His stepdaughter just joined the Navy. Barrie lives in California and is considering relocating to central New Jersey. Barrie was one of the first to grow his hair long and play in a rock band.

The Final NPHS Reunion Video

2009-07-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

Here's the six-minute epic that captures (hopefully) the spirit, joy and poignancy of our May 2 reunion. It's a combination of images old and new, some scanned photos from the 1969 yearbook and video I shot with a Flip video camera on May 2.

So now the NPHS Reunion blog will go to sleep for a few years. However, feel free to bring it from its slumber with news or photos of your adventures. Please send to hpolskin@gmail.com

Thanks for being such a good audience.

Greetings from Jeff Tobey

2009-05-31T17:31:00.000-07:00

Just returned this afternoon from a trip to North Plainfield/Watchung where I had a great lunch with Jeff Tobey. (And with Jeff, that is the only kind of lunch you'll ever get. A skillet in his hand is like an angel with a harp.) Saw him and his lovely wife Ginny at their beautiful home in Watchung just off Johnson Drive. It was like a vacation in the country for this city boy. He sends his regards to all. We had a blast going through the blog....it really brought him back to the day. Back then, we cracked open a lot of frosties in the basement of his parents' home on Tappan Ave, which was the all time great high school party house (with its own entrance for kids tucked in the rear of the house). I'll save those stories for the next reunion. Good seeing you Tobo. You and Ginny both looked great. The above picture was taken about 1:30 p.m., May 31, 2009, in his back yard.

Blog Update

2009-05-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to work on a three-minute reunion video that I hope to post before the end of May. Unless you have images you want me to post or information you want to share with other classmates, I don't anticipate blogging much over the next ten days. Many thanks for following the blog and your support.

The Year We Got Rocked

2009-05-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

Check out this award-winning series of articles and photos featuring the sights and sounds of 1968 from AARP's website. Yep...that's right.....AARP. The editors have done an amazing job drilling into one of the most disruptive and transformative years in our nation's history and we were all there at ground zero. Some of us were full-fledged participants in the turmoil, a lot of us dipped our toes into the scene, and there was also a group of us who had absolutely no clue what was happening. Oh well, I guess even orgies have wallflowers.

We Rocked the Crowne Royal!

2009-05-15T18:32:00.000-07:00

Here's video proof that we totally rocked the Crowne Royal. Some of us got out on the dance floor and cruised into a groove. Sure, we weren't lithe and supple like the teenagers we were back in 1967 at a Canteen, but those of us who danced the night away deserve a big hand.

Antonese and Thomson; Tuorto; Bersch and Perslin; Krawitz and Naz; and Many More

2009-05-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

Jim Antonese (left) and Andy Thomson.
I'm with the band: And the drummer for the Blue Notes, Jeff Tuorto from the NPHS class of 1968. Watch for the band video that I'll post this weekend.
Colleen Bersch Brown and Wendy Perslin.
Gimme five! Patti and Karl Krawitz, Brad and Lori Musson, and Jim Nazemetz.
Give Peace a chance: Barbara Green Elbeze with Jolaine Dow Peace and John Peace.

Video of The Breakfast Club

2009-05-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a rough one-minute unedited shot of the May 3 breakfast at the Crowne Plaza. Please excuse the awful camera work (shot on a $100 Flip camera), but if you weren't there, you'll get a flavor of what you missed. See if you can identify most of the classmates at the breakfast.

Kretschmer and Hansen; Cecchini; Melhorn and Benassu; Abbruzzese and Brown; and many more

2009-05-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

Dennis Cecchini and his wife Geralyn.
Carl Melhorn (left) and John Benassu. That's Bob Munzer in the middle background.
Steve Abbruzzese (right) and Jon Brown.
Mike Maresca (left) and Mark Goldstein. Michael runs 30 miles a week in Florida. I heard Mark just landed a fascinating consulting project in the Middle East.
Tom Hughes and Barbara Brodzik Tomalo from the NPHS class of 1968.
Carol Martinez Weber and Beat Steiner. Prior to second grade, I lived across the street from Carol on Myrtle Ave. and the Polskins were always close to her family. Her parents came to my wedding and gave me and my wife a beautiful salt and pepper set that we use to this day.

Who Attended from the NPHS Class of 1967 and 1970?

2009-05-11T18:06:00.000-07:00

Michael Spadafora (center with dark shirt) and Claire Cox recall these days together as members of the NPHS class of 1970. Michael and his family lived next door to us on Willow Ave. They had an ill-tempered black dog that terrorized me every time I took the garbage to our backyard cans. That's Randy Blaine on the far left in the wonderful white suit (wonder if he ate the pasta with red sauce Saturday night), and Laraine Cox Reedy and Jeff Grand on the far right.
Jim Duffin, NPHS class of 1967, was a special attendee. I always remember him with other members of the great 1967 football team hanging out in the furnished basement of the Tobey house on Tappan Ave. I admired the skills of the burly football players who visited the house. They could also drink prodigious quantities of beer and I had trouble finishing a can of Fresca. (Sorry for the lousy photo Jim.)

The Breakfast Club (May 3 NPHS Reunion Breakfast)

2009-05-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

A hard rain's gonna fall: here's what the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Route 27 in Edison looked liked at 11 a.m. on May 3. A cold rain pelted central New Jersey, but the gloom couldn't wash away the warm memories of Saturday night.
Rosemary Fineberg (left) and Dale Schwartz Hosfield look like they have plenty of energy after the previous night's festivities. That's Carol Martinez Weber on the far right.
Bill Thompson, Roberta Meiser (center) and Judy Nazemetz. Judy took the spotlight Saturday night and rocked the house by singing several songs. She's an actress and lives in North Hollywood.
All in the family: Robert Polskin (left, NPHS class of 1968) poses at the Sunday breakfast with first cousins Emily Polskin Zylber and Howard Polskin. Bob flew in from Dallas just for the reunion.
Beverly Gaston Kochard and Beat Steiner take a moment Sunday morning to pose for this quick snapshot.

Kelly, Thul, Gilbert; Feigenbaum; Triole; Heib and Medinets; Grand and Burke

2009-05-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

Power pow-wow: Bob Kelly (left), Nick Thul and Gail Gilbert Spinner look like they're solving the problems of the world.
Good buds: Alan Feigenbaum and Carol Mingione Greene.
Joyce Triol Blanding.
This Bud's for you: Janet Medinets Doctofsky and John Hieb.
Jeff Grand and John Burke. In the NPHS class of 1968, they had the easiest names to spell. Or was it Jeff Grande and John Burk?

The Pre-Party -- Photos from Bob Kelly

2009-05-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

Sue Henry and Nick Thul recall the good ol' days of the NPHS class of 1968.
Mike Watson (left) and Rick Coleman share a quiet moment before the festivities.

Linda Shebey (left) and Nancy Waller. Still tight after all these years. And check out Shebey's color-coordinated bracelet that matches her black and white dress. Betcha that didn't happen by accident.
David Thompson (left), John Burke (center) and Nick Thul gather about an hour before the reunion for a special pre-party. John's sister Patti (NPHS class of 1971) has turned into a devoted follower of this blog.

The NPHS Blog Will Be on Hiatus for Two Days

2009-05-07T19:01:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Savannah with my wife to hang in Savannah for the weekend. Weather will be warm and sunny. I hope to get in some kayaking (that's me in the tidal flats near the Savannah River in early March 2008) and get in a swim in the ocean. I'll be back online Sunday night with more photos including a batch Bob Kelly sent me. I'm also working on a special NPHS reunion video. Stay tuned! (And thanks to Maggie Gabler King for the photos she sent today from Saturday night.)

More Couples

2009-05-07T18:14:00.000-07:00

Emily Polskin Zylber and Andy Thomson. They went to the junior prom together. Andy lives in San Francisco. Em lives in Boston.
Lou Carlucci and his wife Marybeth.
Linda Loalbo Chehade and her husband Sami. I think they danced more than any other couple at the reunion.
Maria Mijares (left), Carol Mingione Greene and Ned Fitzgerald. Maria and Ned ran together in high school. Maria is a talented Plainfield-based artist (check out here website here).
Robin Roselle Oratio and her husband Albert.

Jan Cooper Lamb and her husband Dennis. They flew in from Grand Junction, Colorado.
Dave Schmedes, Kathy Dame Schmedes and Maggie Gabler King.

More than a Couple of Couples

2009-05-06T17:33:00.001-07:00

So happy together: Kathy Miller Senna and Rich Senna, NPHS high school sweethearts. I bought my first beer in a bar with Rich in March 1969. We had tickets to see Steppenwolf with Screaming Jay Hawkins at the Filmore East, on Second Ave. and St. Marks Place. We stopped in for a quick pop at a dive on Second and Fourth Street. The bar was filled with unsavory characters and it was terrifying to a kid from the NJ suburbs lost in the big city. Rich was cool, though. Still is....
Angela DellaVentura and Rick Coleman. They were voted Most Sophisticated 41 years ago and they haven't lost a beat. The rumor was Angela's gym uniform was designed especially by Prada. Before school dances, we'd drink Foxhead beer in Greenbrook park, while Rick would probably drive up to Wally's in Watchung for vodka Martinis with imported seared tuna belly as an appetizer. Rick came from Texas to the reunion and wore some very cool snakeskin boots.
Tom and Rita Sullivan.
Suzanne Dumont Millan and Rob Millan. The red dress works just fine, especially when you're drinking red wine and trying to cross a crowded room full of tipsy, dancing boomers.
Michael and Gerda Maresca. He works in Tampa as a chef at the T.P.C. Golf Course. Michael jogs 30 miles a week, so he's quite fit. Sunday morning he got up before breakfast and went to the gym where he ran into Barbara Green Elbeze. These are clearly the people who will be going strong at the 60th reunion.
Nancy Waller and Doug Williams. They aren't an official couple, but they look good together so I thought I'd include this photo. I told Doug I recalled that the number of his football jersey was 12. That floored him. Sometimes I can't remember the names of my children, but this I remember!
Robyn Waldron Massey and her husband Chuck. They came from San Francisco. Robyn and I recalled some wonderful moments with Mrs. Abrams. We also wondered about the whereabouts of Pam Young. On Sunday morning, Chuck told me he flew helicopters. Something tells me he's got some good tales to tell. (CORRECTION: It was Steve Greene, Carol's husband, who flew helicopters. But Steve AND Chuck are good guys and I'd welcome the chance to sit down and hoist a few frosties with them any day.)
Ed and Laine Adams. I believe Ed was horsing around with a basketball during the reunion. No dishes were broken.
Beverly Gaston Kochard and her husband Dale. She works as Vice President, Student Affairs, Moravian College.

Ricci and Eddy; Lerner; Garwacke; Henry and Bennett; and More

2009-05-06T05:35:00.000-07:00

Nancy Eddy Hanna with Joe Ricci. Joe is a Spanish teacher in south Jersey. He was heard to mumble many times Saturday night, Quiero una otro cerverza fria.
Marc Lerner (white shirt) takes a break from dinner to reunite with Gary Garwacke. Marc flew in from California for the reunion.
Old buds: Jack Muldowney (left) and Gary Garwacke
Old buds part II: Rich Senna and Andy Thomson.
Kathy Miller (right) and Vicki Blasucci (NPHS class of 1970). After a long, distinguished career as a teacher at NPHS, Kathy is retiring next month.
BFFs: (from left) Robyn Waldron Massey, Carol Mingione Greene, Maria Mijares (class of 1970), Vicki Blasucci, and Robin Roselle Oratio. Carol and Robyn flew in from California for the reunion. Both brought their spouses.
Bill Bennett and Sue Henry Martin. Sue retired as an English school teacher in Virginia. She told me she loves non-fiction and poetry. She recommends the late Bill Henry's (class of 1967) book "In Defense of Elitism." (And not just because they had the same last name.)

The Cox Sisters; Watson/Krisburg; Dietrich/Mills

2009-05-05T18:22:00.001-07:00

Laraine (left) Cox Reedy and Claire Cox Krusch, from the NPHS class of 1970, showed their strong sisterly bonds. Claire was nice enough to send me this note today: "I had such a great time Saturday. I told someone I had so much fun it should have been illegal. I loved the surprise from the crashers from the Class of 70. Our class always had this wonderful ability to sniff out a good party."
Mike Watson (above) definitely had the coolest camcorder at reunion. Here he takes a break from his camera duties and relaxes with Susan Krisburg. Mike still has that wonderful red hair. We should have called him The Towering Inferno....except the film came out in the mid-70s.

Bob Dietrich (below, right) tries to dunk a ball in Dave Mills' ear. He was called for a technical foul and had to spent an hour in the hotel reception area. Dietrich looks like he can still bang a ball around. Check out his Lebron James-like grip on the ball.

Regards from Some Classmates Who Couldn't Attend

2009-05-05T04:03:00.001-07:00

Frank Vastano, NPHS class of 1969, was slated to attend but had to cancel at the last minute. However, he sent Janice Hansen Lake a brief note: "I was looking forward to seeing old (no pun intended) friends from NPHS." The picture above of Frank and his family was taken six years ago. Ron Schneider wrote me that he regretted he was unable to attend but he'll attend the next one (so start preparing Jan, Kathy and Gerry). And Paul Auerbach called me Sunday to get all the dirt (and boy...did I spill....but you'll never see a word of what I said in this space). He worked the ER Saturday night. I told him we toasted him at our table.

SIDE NOTES: Blog traffic is at an all-time, but a factor of at least six.....There's a lot of traffic coming from Maine. My question: Who is up there from NPHS? Leave a comment if you want...Lotsa traffic as well from Arlington, VA. If history serves as a guide, the blog will continue to get more traffic from that region.

The Start of the Evening

2009-05-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

Top photo: Karen Kretschmer Kochanski (left), Marilyn Gross Stillman and Steve Fila get cozy recalling the wonders of Alegebra. And this was before the bar was open.

Middle photo: The check-in line at precisely 7 p.m. Adrienne Jacobs Graubard hands out name tags to Carl and Carolyn Melhorn. That's Colleen Bersch Brown in the background with Jon Brown (partially obscured) in the white jacket.

Bottom photo: Howard Polskin, Janice Hansen Lake (middle) and Gerry Garatino Burns take a moment's breather at the start of the evening. Gerry and Jan said if I agreed to post all the 289 photos that would be taken at the reunion, they would be glad to buy me a diet coke. I accepted immediately. These ladies know how to get things done at the lowest possible cost.

Guess Who Got Stopped by the Cops Leaving the Reunion?

2009-05-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

Maria Mijares and Vicki Blasucci left the reunion late and they were stopped by the South Plainfield police. Maria was in the driver's seat, and she was really gunning it, swerving a bit and probably picking a new tune on her iPod and/or combing her hair. Maria says she wasn't alcohol-impaired, it's just her personal style. When the policeman came to her window, Maria responded lucidly and politely. She explained that they were returning from a class reunion and that South Plainfield always confuses her. (Now that I can relate to although I don't know if she's making a geographical reference or a philosophical statement.) Policeman's response: "WE confuse you?" Maria: "No, the roads." Bottom line: she didn't get a ticket.

About Last Night

2009-05-03T14:43:00.001-07:00

The Crowne Plaza rocked last night. There was something in the air that made it all come together for one great evening. Maybe it was a desire to forget the economic turmoil of the world for a few hours. Perhaps it was a denial of the fast approaching signpost of 60 years old. (Hey, 60 is the new 40, right? Right??) Or maybe it was just that in the late afternoon, the clouds parted, the sun came out, and all was right with the world. Let's face it, people came to party and have a good time. You could carve last night into three pieces: the pre-party in the 5-7 range when there was a host of private gatherings in hotel rooms; the dinner dance, which lasted from about 7 to 11:30; and the after-parties, which ran until at least 3 a.m. What made the night especially intriguing was that the reunion was attended by graduates from the classes of 1967 and 1970. Here are some of those who showed up (and forgive me if I misspell your name.....please correct when you get a chance): Vicki Blasucci, Maria Mijares, Mike Spatafora, and Tom Hamway from the NPHS class of 1970. Jim Duffin from the North Plainfield High School class of 1967 also attended.

Top photo: Ned Fitzgerald and Nancy Eddy Hanna share a moment during the pre-party at the bar in the hotel at about 6 p.m. Ned returned to the bar seven and a half hours later and shut it down. (Not the first time that's happened to Ned....not by a long shot.) Just in case you're wondering, Ned did dash up to his room and change out of his shorts.

Middle photo: Janice Hansen Lake and Gerry Garatino Burns, two of the three co-chairs (along with Kathy Miller Senna) of the 2009 reunion. All three did an amazing job. Let's not forget the useful directory that they literally put together by hand. I'm glad Janice and Gerry (and Nancy) all got my memo about wearing black.

Bottom photo: Dave Mills (left) and Tom Hughes reconnect. I told Tom he was LT before there was LT.

The NPHS Blog -- Live or Die?

2009-05-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

Lots of great feedback this past weekend about the blog. Extremely satisfying to hear and I very much appreciate it. Many of you expressed the desire to keep the blog going. I'll definitely keep posting for the next week or so, especially the 100 or so pictures I took. But after that, I'll need blog fodder. In other words, you the reader will have to supply me with information or photos or just a plain riff on something. If you go on vacation, send me a note or photo. New grandkid, email me a photo. New address or job? Email me. Find an old photo from your days at North Plainfield or from college? Lemme have it. Here's my contact info: hpolskin@gmail.com

8 a.m., May 3, Crowne Plaza Hotel....The Hangover

2009-05-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

Re: Last night's reunion. It rocked. Will have more extensive post tonight with photos. But this is me this morning going for the Tylenol (was it the neck arthritis or the six shots of Jack Daniels that put the cloud on my brain?). Went to bed at 3. The dinner dance ended at about 11:30 or so, and then Ned Fitzgerald and Marilyn Gross (above) lead the sheep to the front of the hotel for some cigar smoking (no wonder my throat feels like I gargled with glass). From there, the class of 1969 went to the bar and closed it down at about 2:30. Rumor was the class of 1968 went to an after-party in Adrienne Jacobs' suite. Well.....that class always had class. I bolted at 2:45 after Tom from the class of 1970 (yes...there was a welcome contingent of gate crashers....but more on that later with photos) bought several rounds of hard liquor for what seemed like the entire bar, some strangers who wandered into the bar, and perhaps the entire adult population of Middlesex county. This morning Ned told me that he stayed around and ate White Castle hamburgers in the lobby. Stay tuned for more tales and photos from the party.

Save the World....Or Attend the Reunion?

2009-05-01T10:35:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately (Dr.) Paul Auerbach won't be able to fly in from San Francisco to attend the May 2 North Plainfield High School Reunion. Because he is an emergency medical specialist, he needs to stay close to medical facilities in the Bay area should his services be required to deal with the swine flu situation. I promised Paul at least a few of us would toast him Saturday night.

See You Saturday Night

2009-04-30T03:31:00.000-07:00

After more than 100 posts on this blog, it's almost time for the Saturday night NPHS reunion. Be sure to visit this blog Sunday and through next week when I'll be posting pictures and video of the reunion. And if anyone wants to send me any photos, here's my address: hpolskin@gmail.com. See you Saturday!

Favorite NPHS Memories

2009-04-30T03:26:00.000-07:00

The results of the final NPHS blog poll are complete. Here's how we voted on our favorite NPHS memories. 53% said friends; 15% voted for HoJo's (presumably the restaurant, not the motel shown above); another 15% voted for graduating; 7% preferred the dances and canteens; 7% said cruising Greenbrook Ave. No one voted for classes.

Wanna Learn More About North Plainfield?

2009-04-29T17:47:00.000-07:00

Then read "Images of America: North Plainfield," by Mario Caruso, Bruce Ryno and Joann Kobler. Parts of it are available online at Google. The book includes photos of places on Somerset Street (see Somerset School above taken in November) as well as chapters on early history, floods, fires, churches, schools and the five free Bruce Springsteen concerts performed on the NPHS lawn during the summer of 1974. (Uh....maybe that last fact is wrong.) The chapters I read online are terrific and I especially enjoyed looking at the ancient maps.

How to See North Plainfield Better

2009-04-29T17:39:00.000-07:00

Wanna see more details in the photos I've posted? Just doubleclick the left side of your mouse to see an enlarged photo. So if you doubleclick on this image of the North Plainfield Municipal Building, you'll see Derek Jeter in the court paying his traffic ticket for double parking on Somerset Street. (Just kidding!)

Info About the May 3 Breakfast

2009-04-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

A few blog readers requested more information about the Sunday morning North Plainfield High School reunion breakfast May 3 at the hotel. Here's what I have. Cost: $14. The buffet breakfast starts at 9 a.m. and runs through noon. (Question to self: does anyone who isn't a teenager eat breakfast close to noon?) Bloody Mary's? Bloody unlikely. If you have more questions, I suggest you contact Gerry Garatino Burns (gerib68@rcn.com) or Janice Hansen Lake (janice0222@verizon.com). See you at breakfast. (For me, that means 9.)

More Cregar Artwork -- Circa 2009

2009-04-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

My former neighborhood, childhood friend, and artistic collaborator John Cregar knows the joys and sorrows of blogging. I.E. -- it's hard to come up with stuff every day. So in response to my post a few weeks ago when I wondered who was visiting the blog from Eastern Europe (yes, we were getting some blog visitors from there), John produced his vision of who might be visiting this site from the eastern part of Europe. If you look very, very carefully you can see that the newspaper some of the characters are holding says "NPHS Reunion." Thanks for the cool artwork John! Nice to be working with you again!

Last Minute Signups for NPHS Reunion

2009-04-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

The North Plainfield High School Class of 1968 continues to generate attendees to the May 2 reunion. The latest to sign up: Randy Blaine and Bruce Brokaw. Also, Dale Schwart Hosfield will be joining us for breakfast on Sunday, May 3.

Think Twice About Wearing Blue Jeans Saturday

2009-04-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

I'm hearing vague rumors of attendees thinking of wearing blue jeans to the Saturday night NPHS reunion. I certainly don't want to be in the role of the fashion police, but think carefully before making such a decision. Few people at our stage in life can get away with svelt look of bell bottoms (left) that was really the hallmark of our generation. Basic black will really do. Remember the poll we took last month when 11% of women said they'd wear a pantsuit and a whopping 55% said they'd war whatever makes them look tall and slender. So if blue jeans work....then it's your choice.

Our Back Pages (Tunlaw to Be Specific)

2009-04-23T18:04:00.001-07:00

Here's a story from a 1965 or 1966 issue of Tunlaw about the NPHS Freshman dance "Happiness Is...." I love that Richard Muglia is listed as "supervising" the dance. I'm not sure what that means although I'm sure he did a great job. Don't remember anyone getting sick from the punch. Vaguely remember the band the Ultimates. Didn't 9th grader Barrie date 10th grader Martha Huff? Playing lead guitar will always get you all the chicks. To me, the name of the dance -- "Happiness Is...." -- just drips with irony. "Happiness" and "Freshman year in high school" just don't belong in the same sentence. It's just an awful time when your body goes haywire, math becomes impossible, you have to learn a foreign language, you're years away from driving but you're too cool to ask your parents for a ride...and did I mention that math becomes impossible?

R.I.P. Marie O'Brien

2009-04-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Just received news that former North Plainfield High School English teacher Marie O'Brien died Tuesday. (Read the obit in the Courier News.) She had a 59-year career at NPHS. I remember her vaguely as someone who loved the English language, and as a teacher who was stern, intimidating, and wouldn't tolerate sloppy writing or behavior. I think she scared the crap out of me....probably because of my sloppy habits at the time. Her mantra, according to the News obit, was, "The more you write, the better you will become." Gotta love a person with that motto. It's especially relevant to me as someone who just wrote his 100th post for this blog. John Cregar wrote me that he visited her 18 months ago and she was busy reading the biographies of every American President in sequential order. Wow. That's a true scholar. I wonder if she completed that task before she passed....

Huge Attendance from NPHS Class of 1968

2009-04-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

More classmates from the North Plainfield High School class of 1968 keep signing up for the May 2 reunion. It's one of the largest reunions ever. Altogether 60 classmates are coming; 20 are bringing guests/spouses, which brings the total up to 80. Thirty-nine people representing the class will be at the breakfast on May 3.

Here's the list so far: Steve Abbruzzese, Ed Adams, Lorrie Allen Jairdullo, Jim Antonisse, Bill Bennett, Barbara Brodzik Tomalo, Jonathan Brown, John Burke, Nancy Campbell, Lou Carlucci, Joe Cioce, Rick Coleman, Kathy Dame Schmedes, Irene Dec Sheredos, Angela DellaVentura, Bob Dietrick, Rosemary Fineberg, Maggie Gabler King, Gerry Garatino Burns, Gail Gilbert Spinner, Chuck Gomer, Jeff Grand, John Greco, Susan Henry Martin, Tom Hughes, Adrienne Jacobs Graubard, Effie Karpodinis Judge, Bob Kelley, Karl Krawitz, Janet Krehn Okray, Susan Krisburg, Barbara Kuhne Harwell, Linda Loalbo Chehade, Carol Martinez Weber, Roberta Meiser Specht, Bradley Musson, Jim Nazemetz, Judy Nazemetz, Jerry Ott, Robert Polskin, David Schmedes, Linda Shebey Leugers, Bob Sheredos, Michael Silveri, Patti Smith Dandeo, Tommy Sullivan, Bill Thompson, David Thompson, Nick Thul, Jeff Tuorto, Nancy Waller, Mike Watson, Kathy Weiss Greco, Doug Williams and Ted Zukowski.

NPHS Class of 1969: Who's Coming?

2009-04-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

Classmates from North Plainfield High School Class of 1969 who are attending the May 2 reunion at the Crowne Plaza (left): John Benassu, Colleen Bersch Brown, David Billman, Dennis Cecchini, Jan Cooper Leah Lamb, Jolaine Dow Peace, Suzanne Dumont Millan, Nancy Eddy Hanna, Alan Feigenbaum, Steven Fila, Edward (Ned) Fitzgerald, Gary Garwacke, Beverly Gaston Kochard, Mark Goldstein, Barbara Green Elbeze, Marilyn Gross Stillman, Janice Hansen Lake, John Hieb, Karen Hultburg Pirozzi, Helen Jenkins O'Keefe, Leo Kopsaftis, Karen Kretschmer Kochanski, Marc Lerner, Michael Maresca, Janet Medinets Doctofsky, Carl Mehlhorn, Kathy Miller Senna, Carol Mingione Greene, Jack Muldowney, Robert Munzer, Wendy Perslin Trimarche, Emily Polskin Zylber, Howard Polskin, Joseph Ricci, Robin Roselle Oratio, Richard Senna, Beat Steiner, Andrew Thomson, Joyce Triol Blanding, Frank Vastano, Robyn Waldron Massey.

There are 41 1969 classmates attending and they are bringing 18 spouses or guests. We've heard from 42 classmates who unfortunately are unable to attend. Thirteen ads have been purchased. Ka-ching! Our classmates are attending from all over the country: Arizona, California (3), Colorado, Delaware, Florida (4....and I bet at the next reunion there will be more from Florida), Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, New Jersey (18....no surprise there), Oregon, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Remembering Seaside Heights

2009-04-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

Seaside Heights was our Riviera. Sun....sin....let the fun begin. If you were a central Jersey kid in the late 60s, mid-April (now) is when you'd be thinking about heading to the "shore" for the weekend. So check out this 15-minute promotional film about Seaside Heights that was produced in the late sixties. It will bring back some memories.

Rockin' Down Route 22

2009-04-15T04:02:00.001-07:00

Bill Thompson (class of 1968) wrote a response to the "I'm with the band" post from April 2 about the NPHS band truck rockin' down Route 22 (above). I thought I'd share it with everyone: "I don't know how well the band "rocks down Route 22" now, but I do remember when it rocked in two different buses during the late 60's. Especially when one Michael Rosco Scavone was in the drum section. He'd start playing Bo Diddley songs and get the whole bus involved. It literally "rocked" down the highways." By the way, the photo I snapped above was taken while I was driving toward North Plainfield from Scotch Plains.

Reading This Blog -- Who's Out There?

2009-04-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

Using a Google tool, I'm able to track basic information about what countries and states visitors to this blog are coming from. I can even go a bit deeper and learn what cities they are in. I know that visitors from 10 countries have visited this blog. The vast majority are from the U.S. -- no surprise there -- but I'm also receiving hits from Ireland, Morocco and the country of Georgia. The blog has received traffic from roughly two-thirds of all U.S. states. New Jersey, New York and California are the big traffic drivers. But there are some cities with a lot of traffic and I don't know who's visiting from those locations. So if you know who's in the following cities, please let me know. Copaigue, Long Island; Walden, NY; Westlake, CA; Rocky Hill, NJ; Dallas, TX; Minneapolis, MN; and Covina, LA. I'm just curious....

It's Track and Field Season at NPHS

2009-04-11T15:14:00.001-07:00

If there's any area of the high school that seems completely untouched by time, it's the track. In fact, it looks better than it did in the late sixties. I think it's beautiful the way the curve of the track fits into the hill (on the Route 22 side, where I was standing when I took the shot). Furthermore, the track is framed on the straightaways by the brook and the school. The far end of the track opens to the great front lawn of the school. The result is something cozy and inviting, and perfectly integrated into its surrounding. Additionally, the school deserves big points for the upkeep.

Ancient Artifact from a Long Time Gone

2009-04-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

So it's been 40 years almost to the day since I registered for the draft. The fact that I kept this piece of paper -- heavily freighted with history and emotion -- is proof that I didn't burn it. And why would I? Young men received this document upon turning 18. While it was just a piece of paper, it was as powerful as a sorcerer's potion. It meant that you might be snatched out of your comfortable suburban existence and transported to an Asian rice paddy where your life might be on the line. But it was also instantaneous proof that you were 18 and therefore it gave you the magical ability to be served in bars where the drinking age was 18. I love that it has my weight -- 140 pounds. In the 40 years since I received the card, I gained 15 pounds, almost two inches and a ton of wisdom.

Attendance From NPHS Class of 1968 Exceeds Prior Reunion

2009-04-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

This just in: from the Class of 1968, new reunion attendees include Nancy Campbell and Chuck Gomer and his wife. (Chuck is a Professor of Pediatrics and Radiation Oncology, and Vice Chair of Pediatrics of Faculty Development at USC Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.) That makes 72 attendees representing the North Plainfield High School Class of 1968, a total that exceeds the 2004 reunion. And we expect more classmates to sign up in the remaining 23 days until the reunion.

New Additions for the North Plainfield HS Reunion

2009-04-07T19:10:00.000-07:00

From the NPHS Class of 1969.....Steve Fila. That makes 58 attendees representing the class. From the NPHS Class of 1968.....Laraine Cox Reedy and Ted Zuchowski. That makes 69 attendees representing the class. Altogether -- so far -- there are 127 coming to the reunion dinner. There's food, booze and music. I'd say that makes for a pretty good party.

Auerbach Update

2009-04-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

Paul Auerbach is still on the fence about attending. However, just last week it was announced that Paul had been named the Diver of the Year by the Diver Alert Network (see press release). I believe he was in Secaucus last week to receive the award. Here's what the organization had to say about Paul, who is a tireless champion of dive medicine and currently a professor in the division of Emergency Medicine at Stanford University: "His belief in the connection between health and environment and that 'doctors must also be environmental stewards,' particularly in areas where cultures depend on the ocean, clearly show that his passion and dedication to dive medicine and dive safety has grown into a global outreach."

A Great Note from Karen Von Tish Andronici

2009-04-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I received a wonderful email from Karen Von Tish Andronici (left at the 2004 reunion). The following is the edited version:

I am enjoying the blog and the walk down memory lane that it provides. Loved the prom picture. At our junior prom, “Ebb Tide," there were about 6 of us girls with the same dress except in different colors. We looked like bridesmaids in a rainbow wedding in the pictures.

As an update, I still live in Medford Lakes in a log cabin in the woods - home in the loveliest sense of the word. I work in central administration for the Mount Laurel School District as the Director of Human Resources and Professional Development. I read, garden, bike, play tennis and just took up golf – and play badly.

Some of our classmates might remember my mother since there were always kids in and out of the house. She is still alive and well (lucky for her kids) and lives on her own in Toms River. My brother John, class of ‘64 is out in Wisconsin and my sister Eileen, class of ‘71 is in Ocean Township, NJ. All are well and also in education.

Karen will not be at the reunion due to a conflict in her schedule but I'm sure she'll be following the updates and will want the full download (probably posted here) after the reunion.

Results of Women's Fashion Poll for the Reunion

2009-04-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

So ladies, what are you wearing to the North Plainfield High School Reunion for the Class of 1968 and 1969? I mean, we all can't look like Twiggy (left), circa 1967. We took a poll on the blog to find and and this is what we discovered. No one intends to wear a skirt. Just 11% said they'll wear a pants suit. About a third indicated that a dress will be fine (betcha we'll see a lot of black), and a whopping 55% boasted that they'll wear whatever makes them look tall and slender!

A Polskin Video Tour of North Plainfield

2009-04-04T06:43:00.001-07:00

Last November, I shot some video footage of North Plainfield and Plainfield. I finally got around to making a rough cut, which I've posted today. It's set to the music of Bruce Springsteen's "My Hometown." I thought it was appropriate to have Springsteen's music in the video, because in my opinion, he's the finest poet ever to emerge from our home state. As you can see, it was shot on a glorious fall day. There are some images of Front Street, which is almost totally unrecognizable from the days when we roamed downtown Plainfield. I also shot North Ave. in Plainfield where there were many factories including my father's clothing factory. This is far from a polished video (please excuse the rough edits), but it's meant to give the flavor of North Plainfield to those of you who have not been to our hometown in a number of years.

I'm with the Band

2009-04-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

So when did the marching band get so cool that it warranted its own wheels? I happened to see the band van when I drove by late last year. But I'm still baffled by it. Can't they fit everything in just a regular bus? I guess the band has some political clout because they go now go rockin' down Route 22 in style now.

Another Poster from the 1966 Kicks Dance

2009-04-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

Here's another John Cregar poster for the November 11 (1966?) dance Kicks (named after the hit song of the same name by Paul Revere and the Raiders). Wow....Paul Sincavage was a big target for John. The glasses, the hairline, the long angular face must have been tailor made for an artisit like John. Wonder how John fared in Sincavage's history class...

123 Attendees So Far for NPHS Reunion Dinner!

2009-03-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

Three more classmates have signed up for the May 2 reunion. Carol Martinez Weber from the class of 1968 will be attending. Mark Goldstein (above, center, with wife Cindy and Bill Orloff) and John Benassu, from the NPHS class of 1969, have signed up for the dinner. Altogether, that adds up to 123 total attendees. Sixty-six are coming from the class of 1968; 57 from the class of 1969.

Who Are the Teachers:? The Answers

2009-03-29T05:42:00.001-07:00

Five days I teased you with a 1966 poster created by John Cregar promoting the NPHS school dance "Kicks." The poster featured caricatures of several teachers. Today, the teachers are identified (don't miss a diminutive Mr. Teets in the bottom and Paul Sincavage's "parole officer"). I particularly love LBJ being dropped in. It really caught the spirit of the times in which youth was supposedly against all authority. Teachers....parents....politicians.....anyone who made rules. Maybe that's why Mr. Messer was so against the poster.

New Attendees for May 2 NPHS Reunion

2009-03-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

Still more class of 1968 and 1969 grads are signing up for the May 2 reunion. From the class of 1969, Marc Lerner (right) will be joining us (apparently flying in from California where he works as a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at University of California Irvine). From the class of 1968, look for Jeff Grand and Robert Polskin (they lived across the street from one another on Myrtle Ave.), Barbara Brodzik Tomalo, Janet Krehn Okray, Barbara Kuhne Harwell, Susan Krisburg, Jerry Ott, Irene Dec Sheredos and Bob Sheredos.

Conversation with John Cregar

2009-03-26T14:58:00.001-07:00

John Cregar (right) drew the wonderful caricatures of the NPHS teachers that was posted on March 24. I thought this would be a good time to catch up with John and get some insight into the creation of his posters. On a personal note, John was a good friend and neighbor of mine from grade school through the middle of high school. He lived at 65 Willow Ave; I lived at 69 Willow Ave. His creativity and artistic talent always awed me. Together we wrote and he drew "Goop" magazine in 6th grade, which we sold at Harrison School. We also wrote the pamphlet "Things Every 12-Year-Old Should Know" (and I think I still have a copy).

What was the school’s response to the posters?
Did you ever hear from any of the teachers? Were they pissed….or flattered?
I didn’t get that much feedback. Only one teacher really got angry about his recurring role in my “marketing efforts”. His wrath did result in a few lively exchanges in Messer’s office.

Perhaps it was my vigilant passion to harness this teacher’s “star power” for righteous causes that blinded me. In hindsight, I now deeply regret any episodes of stress incontinence that I may have caused him.

I never harbored malicious intent toward anyone. Nor did my caricatures reflect a personal dislike for any faculty member. Frequently, quite the opposite was true.

Some teachers had a completely positive response. Nelson Ernest (NPHS music teacher) expressed his delight with a band concert poster featuring him riding that monster concert base drum on wheels. He really enjoyed the artwork and made a point of telling me so.

Why did you choose those teachers?
Having interesting facial features that are easy to draw make you a target of course. Teachers with unique physical attributes always made my short list of unauthorized “poster children” for school events.

I primarily chose teachers who were popular, or regarded as “intriguing” characters. Teachers have celebrity status whether they like it or not. I didn’t even know some of them. It wasn’t personal.

Didn’t you have some sort of run-in during Harry Hazeltine’s class?
No! I did not have a run-in with Mr. Azeltine. Harry never made a fuss or took issue with me personally. However, Bob Phelan once distributed a stack of my Azeltine flyers at the beginning of Harry’s class. They were promptly confiscated. A pity - I even used one of Harry’s own folksy expressions on these babies. Harry Azeltine sez: “This Dance Is Gonna Be A Real Barn Burner.”

Your talent was so obvious back more than 40 years. How have you used your skills professionally?
Yeah, sure: Ya want fries wit dat?

I’ve done some freelance illustration, animation and photography throughout the years. As my “day job,” I spent 25 years in the telecom industry developing content and software for marketing and interactive training projects. A misspent youth perhaps, when I should have been spewing visual venom on some Op-Ed page somewhere.

Decades of my visual art shenanigans are on display at my web site if you are curious. http://www.johncregar.com/.

Some Passion Pit Comments

2009-03-25T17:44:00.000-07:00

Even though the Passion Pit Poll ended more than a week ago, I continue to get some interesting comments. For instance, I forgot that Harrison School was a low rent passion pit if you didn't have wheels. But what were we thinking? It was dark, scary and kinda creepy. But here's what one classmate wrote: "Harrison School should have been listed as one of the favorite spots to 'park.' Maybe we didn't go there in our cars, but many of us used the alcoved doorways to make out during or after a school dance!!! (Right Billy?) LOLOLOL." For the record, I have no idea who Billy is, but I'd love to find out.

And another female classmate came up with another favorite passionate pit....and she sounds like she must have been a very naughty co-ed at the time. She writes: "It was Sleepy Hollow, Plainfield - because the cool guys were in Plainfield - dangerous and knew how to buy beer!!!"

Washington Rock State Park (above) wasn't bad either, because the fast chicks lived in Watchung and they knew how to score Mexican herbs in The Village. At least that's what the Plainfield guys told me.

Caricatures of NPHS Teachers from the 60s

2009-03-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

John Cregar just sent this wonderful illustration from the 1966 Sophmore Sock Hop KICKS. There are 5 NPHS teachers in John's illustration plus a famous U.S. politician and an unknown cartoon character. Can you guess the teachers? Put your guesses in the comments section under this post. I'll reveal the names over the weekend.

John writes, "Please feel free to include them in your Class directory, Blog, or in any way you wish. I enjoy the idea that they may see the light of day once again (without the risk of my being sent to Mr. Messer's office).

I'll try to have more on John in a future post. In the meantime, feel free to visit his website at: www.johncregar.com

The Reunion Men's Clothing Poll -- Results!

2009-03-23T12:24:00.001-07:00

The results are in for the NPHS Reunion Men's Clothing poll. The purpose of the poll is to determine what will men be wearing at the reunion and give a little guidance. 11% indicated that they'll have a suit. Another 11% said they would wear jacket and slacks (meaning no tie). No one admitted that they would wear whatever is lying on the floor that morning. But 44% of men said they would be wearing jacket and tie. As for me, I'll probably wear a suit without a tie.

NPHS Class of 1968 March 21 Update

2009-03-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

So far we have 42 NPHS class of 1968 alumni coming and 17 are bringing a spouse or friend. Altogether, 25 rooms have been reserved for both classes. (Sign up before mid April to guarantee your super low rate of $79.) Gerry Burns reports that 29 classmates have responded saying they unfortunately cannot attend.

Here's the revised list of attendees for the class of 1968. Ed Adams, Lorrie Allen Jairdullo, Jim Antonisse, Bill Bennett, Barbara Brodzik Tomalo, Jonathan Brown, John Burke, Lou Carlucci, Joe Cioce, Rick Coleman, Kathy Dame Schmedes, Angela DellaVentura, Bob Dietrick, Rosemary Fineberg, Maggie Gabler King, Gerry Garatino Burns, Gail Gilbet Spinner, John Greco, Susan Henry Martin, Tom Hughes, Adrienne Jacobs Graubard, Bob Kelley, Karl Krawitz, Janet Krehn Okray, Barbara Kuhne Harwell, Linda Loalbo Chehade, Roberta Meiser Specht, Bradley Musson, Jim Nazemetz, Judy Nazemetz, David Schmedes, Linda Shebey Leugers, Michael Silveri, Bill Thompson, David Thompson, Nick Thul, Jeff Tuorto, Nancy Waller, Mike Watson, Kathy Weiss Greco, and Doug Williams.

We hear from a reliable source in Boston that Jeff Grand and Bob Polskin have just send in their checks and that they'll be attending.

Interview with Gerry Garatino Burns

2009-03-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

Gerry (above left with Lou Carlucci) is the chairperson of the Class of 1968 Reunion Committee.

So how did you get the job spearheading the reunion for your class?
Some of our class officers tried to get a 5th reunion together but it never happened. I guess most people were trying to decide what to do with their lives back then. I was never a class officer, but I really wanted to have a 10th reunion. So I contacted a few friends and we literally scoured phone books from all over the state of New Jersey, and called parents and siblings to try to locate as many of the 268 classmates from the NPHS class of 1968.

Have you done it for all reunions?
Yes, started with our 10th in 1978 and have chaired ever since and I love doing it! It’s so exciting to contact my old friends and make new ones. This will be our 7th reunion.
Have you attended all the class reunions? Which one(s) was most memorable….and why?
Really can’t say that one stood out more… Each reunion was unique. While there are some regulars, we’ve been fortunate to have a lot of different classmates attend each one. Many traveling from all over the world. Over the years we’ve even had many faculty members attend the reunions too like Mrs. Abrams, Miss Bellino, Mrs. Besaw, Mr. Pecoraro, Mr. Stec, Mrs. Johnson, to name a few.

Do you work with the high school in organizing the reunion? I mean…is there somebody there who advises you or guides you in any way? Is there a book you can read like “Class Reunions for Dummies?”
I never worked with the high school. It was a labor of love to just start looking through local phone books (this was before personal computers) to try to locate people. Then contact parents and siblings that still lived in the area. Trial and error from there…I would send out letters and see what was delivered. Some classmates will send me contact information. With each reunion, the attendance has improved. When the internet became popular, I created a website www.nphs1968.org and I update the information often. The site has created a way for people to contact me with changes over the years.

Does going to the class reunion make you nervous or anxious in any way? (In other words….are you just like us?)
Of course I want everything to be perfect. After all these years I think I have it down to a science… but I do worry that something won’t go as planned. I have a great committee from my class that support me and pitch in where they can. Working with Kathy and Janice has been a pleasure. Kathy approached me several years ago wondering if I was interested in combining the classes for the 35th reunion. We had never combined in the past, so I wasn’t sure how it would go. But it worked out beautifully. We work together well and financially it allowed us to keep the event affordable for everyone.

Will our class be having a 45th class reunion? If so, any idea where it will be?
Yes, and God willing, I hope our reunions will continue every 5 years for a long time to come.

Class of 1968 Update for March 18

2009-03-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

This just in from Gerry Burns. New attendees for the reunion are Barbara Brodzik Tomalo, Janet Krehn Okray and Linda Loalbo Chehade. Altogether, 41 graduates from the class are coming to the reunion dinner. Gerry says several others have promised to respond soon. There's an unconfirmed rumor from my cousin Bob in Dallas that Jeff Grand has expressed some interest in the reunion.

Gerry is busy compiling the class directory booklet in the next few weeks, so even if you're not attending, it would be great to have your information included. Gerry's contact information: gerib68@rcn.com

If you're planning on attending the reunion and staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, be sure to make your reservation by the middle of April to take advantage of the special reunion rate.

Remember the Doughboys

2009-03-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

Gary Garwacke sent me a link this morning about the Plainfield band The Doughboys (check out website here). The band, led by Myke Scavone, used to play at the South Plainfield PAL dances. I believe I saw them play at NPHS circa 1966. Their hard rock style and look mimicked The Animals and The Rolling Stones. They really captured the sound. Apparently they are still playing according to Gary. And no....they won't be playing at our reunion. By the way, this band is not to be confused with the infamous The Midnight Hour led by Greg Mather, Randy Reay, Steve Bell, Warren Oliver, and Barry Dempsy. Please correct me and Gary if we have the names wrong.

Results of NPHS "Passion Pit" Poll

2009-03-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

The results are in for the first ever NPHS Passion Pit Poll (also known as....where did you go parking in high school?). 30% preferred Johnson Drive in Watchung (great views, I must admit). 15% said Greenbrook Park (convenient, but a little close to some sketchy neighborhoods, so the privacy and darkness was not necessarily an asset). 15% weighed in for Howard Johnson's (not to be confused with Howard Polskin's) and good for them. You didn't check in to HoJo's -- $11! -- if you weren't very serious about your romantic adventures. But most telling, a whopping 30% of respondents admitted that they never got action in high school!

NPHS Class of 1969 Reunion Update for March 15

2009-03-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

NPHS class of 1969 attendees for the May 2 reunion (new signups in boldface): Colleen Bersch Brown, David Billman, Dennis Cecchini, Jan Cooper Leah Lamb, Jolaine Dow Peace, Suzanne Dumont Millan, Nancy Eddy Hanna, Alan Feigenbaum, Edward (Ned) Fitzgerald, Gary Garwacke, Beverly Gaston Kochard, Barbara Green Elbeze, Marilyn Gross Stillman, Janice Hansen Lake, John Hieb, Karen Hultburg Pirozzi, Leo Kopsaftis, Karen Kretschmer Kochanski, Michael Maresca, Janet Medinets Doctofsky, Carl Mehlhorn, Kathy Miller Senna, Carol Mingione Greene, Janet Morris Smith, Jack Muldowney, Robert Munzer, Wendy Perslin Trimarche, Emily Polskin Zylber, Howard Polskin, Joseph Ricci, Robin Roselle Oratio, Richard Senna, Beat Steiner, Andrew Thomson, Joyce Triol Blanding, Frank Vastano, Robyn Waldron Massey. Altogether, 35 class of 1969 graduates are coming and half of them are bringing a spouse or significant other.

Jan and Kathy tell me that they have heard from several classmates who will be sending their payments this week. They’d also like to hear from classmates who are not able to attend so we can ensure their information is current for the directory. Any questions, send Jan an email: janice0222@verizon.net

Jan is doing a great job pushing ads in the on-site program (11 have been sold already). She says that ads are a great way to let classmates know what you are doing. Ads can include pictures, business cards, a personal message, or anything you want to share with old classmates. Contact Jan at the above address if you’re interested.

Less than a month to get the group rate at the Crowne Plaza for Saturday night! If you would like to stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Saturday night, we have reserved a block of rooms at the group rate of $79 + tax (single or double room). You are responsible for making your own reservation. Deadline for reservations at this group rate is April 10, 2009. When making your reservation please call, 732-287-3500 and advise them that you are requesting a room for the North Plainfield Class of ‘68 & ‘69 Reunion Rate. Check-in is 3 p.m. and Check-out is 12 p.m. Early check-in requests will be handled on an individual basis. Hotel phone number: 732/287-3500.

Interview with Kathy Miller Senna and Janice Hansen Lake

2009-03-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

So how did you get the job spearheading the reunion for our class?

Kathy was the secretary of the class and always thought she needed to be involved in reunions. Kathy called Janice because she was local and Kathy and Janice have been organizing the reunions together ever since.

Have you done it for all reunions?

Yes.

Have you attended all the class reunions? Which one(s) was most memorable….and why?

Yes. The 20th reunion, held at Wurlitizer’s in Piscataway, was probably the most memorable because the actual location was so unique. The 15th reunion, held at the VFW in North Plainfield, was also very memorable because Kathy was due with her third baby in three weeks and “she felt big as a house."

Do you work with the high school in organizing the reunion? I mean…is there somebody there who advises you or guides you in any way? Is there a book you can read like “Class Reunions for Dummies.”

No. Kathy and Janice have figured out what to do by trial and error and, luckily, no one has ever complained. They have tried to keep the reunions affordable and fun over the years. As for finding people, they actually start gathering data as much as a year in advance of each reunion. For the earlier reunions, Kathy and Janice only had the phonebook and word-of-mouth to track down people. In later years, they have used the alumni directory, mailings and the Internet.

Does going to the class reunion make you nervous or anxious in any way. (In other words….are you just like us?)

Kathy and Janice want everything to go well at the reunion and want everyone to have a good time. Other than that, they’re just like everyone else, glad to re-unite with old friends.

Will our class be having a 45th class reunion? If so, any idea where it will be?

Yes, they currently intend to plan a 45th reunion. Kathy and Janice have been happy with the current location but they are always open to suggestions. If anyone would like to join the 45th reunion committee, please let them know.

Was there any thought to having a dual class reunion with the class of 1970 (no offense class of 1968)?

Actually, Kathy approached the NPHS class of ’70 and the NPHS class of ’68 ten years ago. The class of ’68 agreed for the 35th reunion and now this reunion. The class of ’70 was not interested when they were first approached.

Who's Visiting Blog from NJ?

2009-03-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

So who's visiting this blog? By far, the biggest numbers of users come from New Jersey. No surprise there. Here are the cities that I've been able to track where users are coming from: New Providence (by far the most), Rocky Hill, Bound Brook, Rockaway, Toms River (Hey Joe!), Newark, Egg Harbor, East Orange, Kearny, Lavallette (who lives there....lucky dog), Lakehurst, Absecon, Waldwick, Cliftwood, Garwood, Phillipsburg, Millington, Flemington, Piscataway, Parlin, Iselin, New Brunswick, Somerville, Annadale, Egg Harbor Township and Pleasantville. I'm sure I probably mispelled some town names, but it's almost midnight and it's really time to crash.

Remember This?

2009-03-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

Harrison School. Remember? Like Junior High School but with training wheels. I don't quite remember the exact function of Harrison, except to serve the 6th grade class. But it was a good way for Stony Brookers (me) to meet West Enders who seemed at first like exotic foreigners from a distant, unpronounceable country. I have no idea who uses it now, but my 6th grade experience was good.

Generic Picture of North Plainfield High School

2009-03-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

Here's a standard shot of NPHS taken in November 2008. Timeless, right. Unchanged. Could have been snapped in 1968 or 1969.

March 8 NPHS Class of 1969 Reunion Update

2009-03-08T17:59:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest update. We have 35 graduates coming from the NPHS Class of 1 969. Seventeen guests (spouses, partners....etc.) will be joining them. Our class has purchased 10 ads. Our attendees represent the following states: Arizona (1), California (3), Colorado (2), Delaware (1), Florida (3), Maryland (1), Massachusetts (1), Missouri (1), New York (4), New Jersey (15), Pennsylvania (2), and Virginia (1).

Classmates who are attending as follows: Colleen Bersch Brown, David Billman, Dennis Cecchini, Jan Cooper Leah Lamb, Jolaine Dow Peace, Suzanne Dumont Millan, Nancy Eddy Hanna, Alan Feigenbaum, Gary Garwacke, Beverly Gaston Kochard, Barbara Green Elbeze, Marilyn Gross Stillman, Janice Hansen Lake, John Hieb, Karen Hultburg Pirozzi, Leo Kopsaftis, Karen Kretschmer Kochanski, Michael Maresca, Janet Medinets Doctofsky, Kathy Miller Senna, Carol Mingione Greene, Janet Morris Smith, Jack Muldowney, Robert Munzer, Wendy Perslin Trimarche, Emily Polskin Zylber, Howard Polskin, Joseph Ricci, Robin Roselle Oratio, Richard Senna, Beat Steiner, Andrew Thomson, Joyce Triol Blanding, Frank Vastano, Robyn Waldron Massey.

Janice Hansen Lake informs me that time is running out to get information and/or payments to her for the reunion! We'd like to hear from classmates who are not able to attend so we can ensure their information is current for the directory. Time is running out to send your ads to Janice. Ads are a great way to let classmates know what you are doing.

About the Visitors to this Site

2009-03-06T16:55:00.000-08:00

Some ramblings about visitors to this site. This is what I've learned. The vast majority of visits are from the USA (natch). But we have visitors from Canada (Harry Lewis?), England, Ireland, Romania (yep...that's right....Romania) and South Africa (I have friends there but they do not know about the blog)....There's a rumor that NPHS class of 1968 grad Jeff Grand has read this blog....My cousin Bob Polskin (NPHS class of 1968), who lives in Dallas, TX, has heard of this blog, but has not read it....My close friend and former college roommate David Noonan of Morristown, NJ, has shown this blog to his wife because she has her own blog....I know that this blog is getting traffic from the following states: Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Minnesota (lots of traffic there....who's out there?), Louisiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Ohio, Iowa, Penn., New York (loads), Mass., Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, and...ta dah....New Jersey with the most. No surprise....What does this mean? Probably that NPHS grads are scattered among those states....I have been able to determine that visitors to this site drill deeper than other visitors. More than 70% drill beyond the first page. Conversely, only 10% of visitors from Ohio drill deeper than the first page of the blog....Conclusion: that's why they found oil in Texas.

A Couple of Words About Couples

2009-03-05T17:14:00.000-08:00

There are several couples for the NPHS classes of 1968 and 1969 who met in high school, married and are still together. There is Kathy Miller Senna and Richard Senna (pictured above in the center of the 2004 reunion photo with Beat Steiner and Karen Von Tish). Also from the class of 1969: John Mehltretter and Judith Stanislao Mehltretter. From the class of 1968: Judy Nagel Abbruzzese and Steve Abbruzzese; Laura Blauvelt Evans and David Evans; ; Irene Dec Sheredos and Bob Sheredos; Kathy Weiss Greco and John Greco; Lindsay Hopeful McHugh and Bob McHugh; and Carol Molinski Meaney and Jerry Meaney.

And then there's Kathy Dame Hardgrove and David Schmedes. They are getting married this September.

The Loneliest Place in North Plainfield (Part II)

2009-03-03T17:17:00.001-08:00

Correction: I mistakenly wrote that Linda Shebey lived across the street from the library. Wrong! It was Gerry Garatino. And she really leveraged her proximity to the library. She worked at the library (35 cents an hour....bigshot!) shelving books. Her title: Library Page (kinda clever).

NPHS Class of 1968; March 3 Update

2009-03-03T17:08:00.000-08:00

This just in: 52 people are signed up from the class of 1968. The entire list is below and new sign-ups are in boldface.

Ed Adams, Lorrie Allen Jairdullo, Jim Antonisse, Bill Bennett, Jon Brown, John Burke, Lou Carlucci, Joe Cioce, Ricky Colemen, Kathy Dame Hardgrove, Angela DellaVentura, Bob Dietrick, Maggie Gabler King, Gerry Garatino Burns, Gail Gilbert Spinner, John Greco, Susan Henry Martin, Tom Hughes, Adrienne Jacobs Graubard, Bob Kelley, Barbara Kuhne Harwell, Karl Krawitz, Roberta Meiser Specht, Bradley Musson, Jim Nazemetz, Judy Nazemetz, David Schmedes, Linda Shebey Leugers, Mike Silveri, Bill Thompson, David Thompson, Nick Thul, Jeff Tuorto, Nancy Waller, Mike Watson, Kathy Weiss Greco and Doug Williams.

Romania and Canada -- Who's Out There?

2009-03-01T14:51:00.000-08:00

I've been checking traffic reports for this blog. This weekend, I noticed visitors from Kitchener, Canada (seems to be around Toronto), and Aiud, Romania (seems to be near....I really couldn't tell you). So who's visiting the site from those two countries? Could be Harry Lewis, NPHS Class of 1968, in Toronto. I'm stumped about Romania (see map above). We have multiple visits from London but I know the source of those hits.

Passion Pit Poll -- First Results

2009-02-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

Here are the initial findings of the first ever NPHS Passion Pit Poll. 40% of respondents favored Johnson Drive. 20% liked Locust and Tappan. Not one person voted for Greenbrook Park (very dark, but you definitely felt someone with a bloody ax was hiding in the bushes after a murderous rampage on the western edges of Front Street). So far, no one has voted for HoJo's Motor Lodge. And -- most surprising -- 40% admitted that they got "no action" in high school. Sounds like we went to HS in the 50s.

Please take part in this poll. Vote on the right ---->

The Loneliest Place in North Plainfield

2009-02-28T13:43:00.001-08:00

Did anyone got to this library after the age of 9? (I mean, besides Linda Shebey who I think may have lived across the street from it.) I can barely recall being in there. It's not like it was a social hang out. I used to go to the wonderful Plainfield library because my dad had a business in Plainfield (North Ave. clothing factory). And that library rocked. Always a lot of teenagers in there, reading, flirting, scoring brownie points with English teachers. But the NP library. Man....that place was like North Korea. Rarely visited. Let me know if I'm wrong.

Our Man in LaCrosse, WI

2009-02-25T19:06:00.000-08:00

We learned the identity of the person who was accessing this blog in LaCrosse, WI. It's Ron Schneider, NPHS Class of 1969. Thanks for tuning in, Ron. Hope to see you in May.

The Passion Pit Poll

2009-02-24T17:48:00.000-08:00

Starting today and running for two weeks, the NPHS reunion passion pit poll will be conducted. The goal: to find the location way back when of your favorite parking spot for heart-to-heart conversations and...well....who knows what else? The photo above is on Locust Ave., between Tappan and Rockview. Very quiet. No sidewalks. No streetlamps. Bad cell phone reception (wait....we didn't have cell phones). The other locations include.....check out the poll to the right ....and vote.

Notes on the Blue Notes (our band for May 2)

2009-02-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

The band plays a unique blend of standards, traditional, ethnic, oldies, classic country and rock music for all ages. They specialize in live entertainment for dinner dances, reunions, oldies shows, etc. The band includes five members and they have been together since 1985. The Blue Notes band has backed up well known vocalists such as Timothy Wilson, current lead vocalist of Frankie Lymon’s Original Teenagers. Band members include: Tom on keyboards & vocals; Pete on trumpets and vocals; Rick on guitar, bass and vocals; John on guitar and vocals; and Jeff on drums (Class of ‘68). Rock on dudes!

More News from the NPHS Class of 1968

2009-02-22T17:27:00.000-08:00

More 1968 graduates are coming to the May reunion. They are: John Burke, Bill Bennett, Barbara Kuhne Harwell, Jim Nazemetz and Michael Silveri. Gerry Burns tells me that there are several people who are out of the country and will not be able to attend. They are: Harry Lewis (Toronto); Gaby Steiner Gertsh (Switzerland); and Nancy Reiss Mann (Singapore). Altogether, the NPHS Class of 1968 will have 48 at the dinner, and 26 at the breakfast.

The Followers Part II

2009-02-21T12:35:00.000-08:00

In the past week, I've been able to figure out how to use the Google analytics tool to find out more about how you (dear reader) are using this blog. Here's what I discovered based on just one week's analysis. This blog is averaging about 38 visitors a day. Usage appears to go up during the week and sinks during the weekend suggesting that visitors are accessing the blog at work (no wonder why corporate productivity is down!). We have visitors from some of the following cities: New Providence, NJ; Spokane, WA (Harari); Arlington, VA; Reading, PA (Burns); Rocky Hill; Copiague, NYC, LaCrosse, WI (who is out there?); and London, England (Richard Muglia....hello!). Altogether, the visitors represent 22 states. The search term most frequently used to find the blog is "NPHS Reunion 1969." This suggests that the NPHS class of 1968 is not using the blog as much. One keyword search for "Karen Von Tish" led a user to the site (file this under "useless but interesting tidbit"). She's pictured above with Gary Garwacke at the 2004 reunion. And one more thing....we now have 10 followers to the blog. Welcome Ron Schneider.