Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Happy Birthday Nancy


Rich Karney's letter to Nancy's brother Bruce from 3 years ago in May
Bruce,
Please accept my condolences on the passing of Nancy. It came as a shock to me when David called me up when he heard the news. I was and am deeply saddened. Having not seen Nancy for over forty years, the get together in April was so much more meaningful. Nancy and I were close during our years in P.S. 177. Regardless of what she may have said, I never resented having lost the election of Safety Squad Captain to her. I didn’t mind being her lieutenant. Probably not too many people did either.  Speaking with her in Tanahey Park and the Chinese restaurant brought back many memories of growing up in Knickerbocker Village.  And the pictures she brought were special if not poignant. Discussing with her the fates of the sixth grade girls in the picture she showed is so damn ironic now.
I always felt Nancy was special.  Not because she stood out from others but that she had sincerity to others.  Not sure if she discussed some of the events I remembered and mentioned to her walking back from the restaurant.  They may have not been of historical significance but to me they showed how she treated people, certainly those from our formative years, and made folks feel good if not special.
We became less close once we split after sixth grade, she going to JHS 12 and me to JHS 65.  We did regroup at Camp Cummings in the Summer of 1964 and it was nice to spend a few months as teenagers together in a relaxed atmosphere.  It was fun times, as I laugh about one deep discussion we had as she explained female monthly encounters.  Looking back, she allowed me to be ignorant while maintaining some sense of respect of and for me.
I’m sure it will take some time for you and your family.  And please express my sadness to your father too.  He might remember me from living in the F building. 
It was good to see you last month and so, so special to have seen Nancy.
Richard

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

My Life: Russo Inqui, A School Technology Project On LES History


A school technology project, circa 2004, where a student from a lower east side school used a primary source to imagine the life of an immigrant attending that same school 80 years in the past.
Born 1912. Russo's record shows his marks in the 7th and 8th grades where he had the following subjects: English, Oral English, Arithmetic/Algebra, Science/Sewing, Music, History, Geography and Shop/Cooking. His marks were mostly in the 70's. He only got a 65 and a 66 in History and Geo9graphy. His official teacher was someone named Tucker. He moved 4 times before he came to PS 20. He went to PS 104, PS 79 and PS 19. He used to live uptown on 84th Street.

My Life: Catherine Fazio, A School Technology Project On LES History


A school technology project, circa 2004, where a student from a lower east side school used a primary source to imagine the life of an immigrant attending that same school 80 years in the past.
Born in 1925. Catherine's student card shows that she attended PS 91 before she came to PS 20. She lived on East 4th Street. In the 7th and 8th grade she got separate marks in the subject areas. The subjects were: English, Oral English, Arithmetic/Algebra, History, Geography, Science/Sewing, Music and Shop/Cooking. Her marks weren't too great.

My Life: Peter Inguatiato, A School Technology Project On LES History


A school technology project, circa 2004, where a student from a lower east side school used a primary source to imagine the life of an immigrant attending that same school 80 years in the past.
Born in 1909. From his record card we see that Peter lived at 313 Bowery all during his elementary school years, which was unusual for those times. People moved a lot. He went to PS 79 for most of that time and transferred to PS 20 in the 7th grade. He repeated 2B in 1918, maybe because he got a C minus the first time. He was out sick for a long time in 1921.

An Interview With Sam Zilberzweig: Lower East Side Historian


from 3/3/11

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Heave Away Santy Ano: Staten Island Ferry History


An old ferry history slide show that I just refitted with lyrics calling for the Yankees not to trade their rookie pitchers for Francisco Liriano
From Boston Town we're bound away,
Heave aweigh (Heave aweigh!) Santy Ano.
Around Cape Horn to Frisco Bay,
We're bound for Californi-o.
So Heave her up and away we'll go,
Heave aweigh (Heave aweigh!) Santy Ano.
Heave her up and away we'll go,
We're bound for Californi-o.

She's a fast clipper ship and a bully crew,
Heave aweigh (Heave aweigh!) Santy Ano.
A down-east Yankee for her captain, too.
We're bound for Californi-o.
So Heave her up and away we'll go,
Heave aweigh (Heave aweigh!) Santy Ano.
Heave her up and away we'll go,
We're bound for Californi-o.

Back in the days of Forty-nine,
Heave aweigh (Heave aweigh!) Santy Ano.
Those were the days of the good old times,
Way out in Californi-o.
So Heave her up and away we'll go,
Heave aweigh (Heave aweigh!) Santy Ano.
Heave her up and away we'll go,
We're bound for Californi-o.

When I leave ship I'll settle down
Heave aweigh (Heave aweigh!) Santy Ano
I'll marry a girl named Sally Brown
Way out in Californi-o
So Heave her up and away we'll go,
Heave aweigh (Heave aweigh!) Santy Ano.
Heave her up and away we'll go,
We're bound for Californi-o.

There's plenty of gold, so I've been told,
Heave aweigh (Heave aweigh!) Santy Ano.
Plenty of gold so I've been told
Way out in Californi-o
So Heave her up and away we'll go,
Heave aweigh (Heave aweigh!) Santy Ano.
Heave her up and away we'll go,
We're bound for Californi-o.