OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THE WAY IT WAS

Graduates of Ridgewood's P.S. 68 took part in the recent centennial celebration and luncheon at the school on St. Felix Avenue. One of them was Howard Beach resident Marie Falco Cazzalino (at left), a member of the Class of January 1941, who found a photo of her graduation class displayed for the occasion. She is shown with P.S. 68 Principal Anne-Marie Scalfaro. We are always pleased to hear from readers, especially ones whose comments may be a response to reading the "Our Neighborhood" feature for the first time.

This week, we have a nice letter from Florence Nestlen Dorick of North Hollywood, Calif., a former resident of our neighborhood.

She writes: "Quite by accident, I found your web page. About six months ago, I was made a gift of a computer and to date, this was the nicest accident You see, I came across your 100th birthday tribute to P.S. 68 in Ridgewood.

"Both my mother and I were graduates of P.S. 68. My mother was Emma Alice Nelson Nestlen and she graduated in 1915 and I (Florence Nestlen Dorick) graduated in 1943.

Glendale resident Charles Falco (at far right, in front) is pictured with his class of P.S. 68 sixth graders in this 1946 photo. "Miss Davenport was my principal when I started school, but I received my diploma from the principal, Miss Buck. I haven't been back to the old neighborhood since 1975, and then I just passed P.S. 68 on my way to see the Ridgewood Reformed Church on Decatur Street between Seneca and Forest avenues.

"I noticed the cafeteria. We ate on benches in the basement from lunch boxes or brown paper bags. The teachers had a lounge on the second floor, but they didn't like to eat there, so they paid my Aunt Margaret Walters .25 cents a day for a hot lunch. Miss Rental, Miss Teitz, Miss Stickter and Miss Kern were regulars at Aunt Margaret's house on Cypress Avenue and 79th Street.

"My sister and I would have fits when my mother wanted to shop in Jamaica and we had to go to Aunt Margaret's for lunch with the teachers. No uniform for us, I can still close my eyes and hear the corduroy knickers squeaking as the boys walked up to the blackboard.

Among the P.S. 68 graduates who enjoyed sharing memories at the school's recent centennial celebration and luncheon were (clockwise, from top left): Marie Falco Cazzalino (Class of January 1941); her brother, Charles Falco (Class of June 1949); Annaliese Biermann Bossems (Class of June 1949); and Eileen Joyce (Class of June 1949). "Air-conditioning? Try opening very large windows with a pole twice your size. But then school was September to June and today, we have tracks all year long where I now live.

"I remember the summer the playground opened next to the school. We had swings, slides, and a wading pool—things could not get better.

"Thanks to Miss Flatterey's science classes I went on to Grover Cleveland High School and excelled. Miss Springsteen was my first History teacher and thanks to her, I have spent many hours reliving and learning from the past.

"I now live in North Hollywood, California—been here 40 years, still haven't lost my New York accent. You can take the girl out of Ridgewood, but you can't take Ridgewood out of the girl."

Old Timer's note: We are glad to know that Ms. Dorick found the Internet edition of this newspaper and enjoyed reading about her former school.

On June 5, a centennial celebration and luncheon took place at P.S. 68, located at 59-09 St. Felix Ave. in Ridgewood. It proved to be an enjoyable homecoming for the many alumni who took part in the event, which included a tour of the building.

Recently, we had the pleasure of speaking with a brother and sister, Marie Falco Cazzalino (Class of January 1941) of Howard Beach and Charles Falco (Class of June 1949) of Glendale, who were among the P.S. 68 alumni in attendance.

Apparently, members of the Class of 1949 accounted for the largest representation of any graduating class at the June 5 event. Thanks to Mr. Falco, who visited our office on Fresh Pond Road, we have a photo of that class, taken in 1946, to share. As for his former classmates who also attended the centennial celebration and luncheon, the group included: Anne Beck Buehler, Annaliese Biermann Bossems, Eileen Joyce, Ronald Robb and John Young. All are pictured as sixth graders. There was another sixth grade class that year and Alfred Buehler, the husband of Anne Beck Buehler, was a member of that class. He, too, attended the June 5 event at P.S. 68. The Buehlers now reside in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Falco's sister, Marie Falco Cazzalino, is a retired teacher. During her career as an educator, she taught at P.S. 299 in Bushwick and P.S. 207 in Howard Beach. In attending the centennial celebration and luncheon, she was delighted when P.S. 68 Principal Ann- Marie Scalfaro showed her a photo of her 1941 graduating class displayed on a wall.

If you have any remembrances or comments that you would like to share with our readers, write to the Old Timer, c/o Times Newsweekly, P.O. Box 860299, Ridgewood, NY 11386-0299.

To send a submission via email, our e-mail address is Old Timer@timesnewsweekly.com.