Oliver And Oak Street History

Oliver and Oak were located where the Al Smith Projects are now

Five Points Mission 2

A follow up to a previous post that showed the highlighted plaque
below information about the mission from the Five Points Mission site

Located at 69 Madison Street. The church was established in 1966 at Five Points Mission on Madison Street to serve the growing population of new Americans from Hong Kong and China; and the church's first community programs included an after school center, English language class for adults, boy scouts, Chinese folk dance class and the summer children's center. In 1970 the church was renovated and additional spaced added. In 1972 the Chinese Methodist Center was formed. As the church grew, new programs were continually added; and today the center has 8 full time and 33 part time staff members. Programs include the Mei Wah Day Care Center, The Mei Wah School-After School Center, Chinese Methodist English Institute, A Your Recreational Center, A Community Service Group, A Summer Day Camp, Tai Chi Chuan, Piano Lessons and a wide variety of programs for high school and college students. Chinese language and English languages church services are held, and the Flushing Mission in Queens has many programs for new Americans. The church acts as an advocate and participates in community affairs.

New York Observed: The Barber of Warm Feelings

Paul had some memories about a Clinton Street barber

Your mention of Steven Warbit reminded me: he was friendly with Barry Rosenband who was a few years older than me. His mother was friendly with my mom. Marion and Joe Rosenband: she taught hair dressing at some beauty school and Joe had an old time barber shop, with the barber pole in front, on Clinton Street. I know Barry had gone to Fredonia and did something in the science field. It's possible that Steven Warbit's mother Peshie is still around as I believe I've seen her on Grand Street.

Above, an image that combines where I go now for a haircut (13 Monroe Street) with Rocco who is mentioned in this excerpt from a Times' story below.

FOR once, in this city of cranes and money, it’s not about real estate. This is more a story of devotion — not to a usual suspect like a wife, not to the secondarily acceptable, like a mangy pet, and not to something embarrassing like a blanket. What I’m talking about is someone I’ve seen regularly for more than 10 years, someone who became a part of my life shortly after I moved to New York.
Oh, a therapist, you say, or someone herb-related. No. The man in question is Rocco, my barber, and he snips away in a narrow, old-school storefront on Spring Street in SoHo. Even back when I became a regular, before the city had so unapologetically traded its tattered edges for the relentless sheen of gentrification, his barbershop was a humble anachronism, somewhere too quietly perfect to last. I found him through a friend’s roommate, a Manhattan native who worked at an auction house and was the only consistent user of the apartment’s broom — and who I therefore assumed was spending lavishly for anything having to do with his hair. He swore that Rocco was the best in town and he was not alone; I quickly learned that Rocco is beloved by scores of men in New York, his name passed around like a gift. Rocco is not the only person ever to cut my hair. My mother was my first barber, draping a towel around my neck and sawing away with scissors so dull — she was deathly afraid of injuring me — that they were useless. Even with the right tools, I suspect, she wouldn’t have been a very good hairstylist. Once I determined that I required the services of a professional, my father took me to his barber, a woman named Tommy. I don’t remember the name of her establishment, but it was probably either A Cut Above or Shear Excellence. There were two major surprises (beyond the fact that a woman could be named Tommy): cut-out sinks — we didn’t have those in the bathroom salon at home — and a stack of Playboys in the waiting area, right next to Time and Esquire, not squirreled away in the den, passed down from a creepy uncle.

Connie Francis: Tweedle Dee

from 1959, Words & music Winfield Scott

Tweedle dee dee, Tweedle dee dee
Tweedle dee dee, Tweedle dee dee
Tweedle tweedle tweedle dee
I'm as happy as can be.
Jimminy cricket, jimminy jack,
You make my heart go clickety-clack.
Tweedle tweedle tweedle dee.
Tweedle tweedle tweedle dot
How you gonna keep that honey you got
Hunkies hunkies fish that bite
I'm gonna see my honey tonight
Tweedle tweedle tweedle dot
Tweedle dum tweedle dum
Give it up give it up,
Give your love to me.
Tweedle dot, tweedle dot.
Gimme gimme gimme gimme
Gimme all the love you got.
Tweedle tweedle tweedle dum
I'm a lucky so-and-so.
Mercy, mercy, pudding pie,
Hubba hubba honey do
I'm gonna keep my eyes on you
Tweedle tweedle tweedle dum.
Tweedle dum, tweedle dum
Give that kiss to me before you go.
Tweedle dum, tweedle dum
Lookie lookie lookie
Look at that sugar plum
Tweedle dee tweedle dum
You're as sweet as bubble gum
Mercy, mercy, pudding pie,
You got something that money can't buy.
Tweedle tweedle tweedle dum

Oh Say Can You Sing

The mention of a PS 177 schoolboy crush on Nancy Sing from a previous KV chatter post led me on a Nancy Sing quest. The name sounded familiar to me. I might have even met her in my former life working in the New York City school system. From her pic and bio from the PS 51 website below, Ron says he's 99% sure its her. I've reached out to her and I hope she joins our ever growing family. We'd be honored to have her.

This is my sixth year as Principal of PS 51. Before that I was the Assistant Principal of PS 40. I have been in education for over 30 years. I started out as an early childhood teacher in daycare. From there, I was a special education teacher in District 75 for 8 years. After that, I taught a variety of different subjects. I have taught science, art, music, language arts on the elementary and middle school level. One of my greatest accomplishments was conducting an inter-school chorus. We sang with many other choruses from around the world at Brooklyn Academy of Music. I graduated from Baruch College with a degree in Elementary Education. After that, I went to Queens College and obtained a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education. My second Master’s was in Special Education from Hunter College. When my son was 4 years old and my twin daughters 3 years old, I enrolled in an administrative program at Bank Street School of Education. When I graduated, I became an administrative assistant and staff developer in District 1. I then moved on to become the Assistant Principal of PS 40 in District 2. In 2005 I was selected to receive a Fellowship with The Cahn Fellows Program for Distinguished NYC Principals at Teachers College, Columbia University. I also mentor Assistant Principals in the Executive Leadership Institute a professional development program the Council of Supervisors Association provides for Assistant Principals. It is a pleasure and honor to be the Principal of PS 51. We are a small school with wonderful students, parents, teachers and staff. We have incredible arts programs and tremendous community resources. I love being a Principal. I still try to get into classrooms with my guitar and have many students come to my office to read to me or share a piece of writing he/she is proud of. My three children are now in three different high schools. My son is 18 and my twin daughters are 16. My son is graduating from LaGuardia High School and entering Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa in September. My husband is a lawyer and we continue to sing in the chorus where we met 23 years ago. I am deeply committed to the students of PS 51 and strive to provide an academically, culturally and social-emotional education where students will reach their full potential.

Paul Newman For KV Honorary Membership

Generous, unpretentious, inclusive, politically progressive, a good friend, a good husband, a good father and crazy enough to drive race cars. Sounds like he belongs. Also he spent time on the LES while filming, "Somebody Up There Likes Me."
below an interview with Robert Wise from 1998 From December 13, 2007 a LES clip from the movie

Let's talk a little about Somebody Up There Likes Me, with Paul Newman as Rocky Graziano. Is it hard to tell the story of a man making his way to the top in the fighting ring? It was a particularly hard story. It was from an actual book written about Rocky Graziano. It was a real character and he was a real middleweight champion at one time. And Paul and I had the advantage of spending a lot of time with Rocky. He was living in New York, and Paul was there. I'd go back and we'd spend time with him. He would take us down to the Lower East Side where he grew up and where he hung out, and introduce us to a lot of his friends from those days and the candy store they used to hang out in. And he even got us a lot of photographs for wardrobe things. Also, there had been a long story about him in Look magazine, a long two-part series, and the writer had taped the interviews. So we had a chance to listen to the tapes and hear Rocky's actual voice and his manner of speech. And Paul decided, and I decided with him, that whatever he could make real and natural, and honest for himself from the speech patterns and his way of talking he would do, and if something wasn't right he wouldn't do it. So he picked up certain things that I think helped his characterization tremendously. I think it was one of Paul's very best characterizations as an actor, because it's so far away from actual Paul Newman, who's Cleveland and Shaker Heights, certainly not the Lower East Side.
Right. He had a rhythm, which he got from Graziano?
Yes.
And you actually tried to pick up that rhythm in the way you shot the film?
In a way. Rocky was always kind of moving around, in little jerky movements, and I wanted the film to have a little of that same kind of feeling. So I shot it in short bits and pieces, little short sequences, and tried to get an essence of that in the structure and methodology of shooting the film as it was.
When Rocky fights the winning fight for the championship at the end, there's a series of sequences, shots of his family, the crowd scene, but also the streets of New York. There's one scene were everyone is listening to the radio and you made it absolutely silent, the city street. That was quite effective.
Yes. It really worked, I think.

Judith Raskin Sings

the audio combines a clip of Judith singing with George Schick and then with Mario Lanza singing part of the finale from the Vagabond King. Many of the images are from the operalenz

The Raskins Of Knickerbocker Village: Then And Now

From a May 8, 1966 nytimes article. At that point the Raskins left 14 Monroe Street for Queens. Sadly, Judith would pass away at age 52 in 1972

Lisa is now the Psychology Chair at Amherst. Jonathan an internist specializing in pulmonary medicine at Beth Israel in New York. As Bob wrote "I see the resemblance with the Jonathan I recall running around the halls of the 10th floor--full face, lot of red hair, freckles. Pulmonologist makes sense--growing up with an opera singing mom, he had to have developed a fine appreciation of the importance of lungs."

Hotline, Hotline

from 1977

Number please
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
For your love, for your love
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
On the hot line
I'm calling on the hot line for your love
Baby, cause Im burnin' up
Like a house on fire
My desire
Is climbin higher
Baby, whoo-ooo
Girl, the way you move your lips
I can tell you got fire in your kiss
The way you flash your eyes
Looks like lightnin' lightin up the sky
Stop all the calls in the world
Till I catch you, girl
Catch you at home
I asked the CIA
If it was ok, to use their private phone
Oh, baby, baby
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
For your love, for your love
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
On the hot line
Operator, excuse me please
But this is more than an emergency
Take those phones off-a your ears
'Cause this is only for my baby to hear
Stop all the calls in the world
Till I catch you, girl
Catch you at home
I asked the CIA
They said it was ok, to use their private phone
Oh, baby, baby
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
For your love, for your love
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
On the hot line
Baby, where are you
Here am I
Should I get in touch with the FBI
I know my call will be accepted
There's no chance of bein disconnected, on the...
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
For your love, for your love
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
On the hot line
Don't keep it busy
Don't make me dizzy
Your love makes me want to shout, Ow
You're my lover, undercover
You know what Im talkin' about
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
For your love, for your love
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
On the hot line

Another Kind Of Hotline

The last post caused a sudden nostalgic desire to see the Sylvers' hotline video. I stumbled on this instead. Very funny

KV Chatter: Hotline, Hotline

New KV members have brought with them enthusiasm and great memories and as they've interacted with the "general membership" new lost names and stories have been shaken loose from the KV tree of knowledge.
Some Point:

Gary and Carol Wynshaw or Winshaw? Kathy and Steven Manus. The Youngers, Dana and Judy - their mother's name was Dodi and the father was the minister at Sea and Land Church near E. Broadway. Another minister was Rev. Romig, he was the minister of the Baptist Church near Jim Jims. Patty and Nancy Merrill - they had a brother Buddy. (Nancy married a guy named Engel from Grand Street), Denise and Dawn Rothstein - their brother Seth lives on Grand St last I heard. Lisa Raskin, daughter of opera singer Judith Raskin - several years ago there was a wedding announcement in the NYTimes - she was living in the western part of Massachusetts and was a shrink. Dorita and Bernard Dolansky whose parents owned a store near the Pizza place on Catherine St - they sold children's clothes. There was a kid named Joel Bloch who had an older sister - he was a rolly polly, cute kid. Jeffrey Nathanson had a best friend named Sandy Stutz. Denise Feinberg who lived in the A building and its thought she had an older brother. There were the Kefers in the F building - the youngest was Paul - he had two older brothers, one named Loren or Lawrence. There was Marty and Paul Bronstein - their mother was Vivienne and they were somehow related to the people who owned everyone's favorite shlock store - Honeys. Honey's husband was Cappy. The Sonnenblick sisters? Debra and her older sister who went to Performing Arts? And what about the Rothstein girls -- Denise and Dawn? Has anyone found them? Do you remember the Feigenbaums? Ethel was the mother and she had three daughters, one name Beryl. And the Warbets -- Steven Warbet (his mother was Peshie). Ring any bells? Ann Lackow, Ida Schnieder,and Ethel Feigenbaum, and a couple of others played mahjong. Apartments were rotated but the only break were the summers. Sarah Wenig's mother, Esther didn't play mah jong. She played scrabble with Blanche Schefflin. Stu Schumer worked for Max Lackow (Hymie's brother) as a runner on Eldridge St. There was always great food on mah jong nights with Connie Francis singing Yiddish favorites in the background - and Hy Lackow always went out for appetizing on Sunday morning. Judy Schnieder has two brothers. Michael (66) lives in NJ, Mark (62) in DC and Howard in California. All married with children. In fact, Mark has his first grandchild. Arlene Lackow is now Arlene Levinson and lives in Rockville Center.

Some Counterpoint

The list below is loaded with my classmates (the 54-56 current age range)
You can add Nancy Sing to the list of 'where are they now'. She lived in Smith, had 3 younger sisters and a younger brother. Two of my memories of Nancy:
1) She and I were cleaning paint brushes from art class at PS 177 when Sarah Wenig entered the room to announce that President Kennedy had been shot.
2) I had a big schoolboy crush on Nancy...she was very pretty. Her dad was Japanese; her mom was Pennsylvania Dutch....but alas, if memory serves me, she preferred Mark Schumer.......Mark, I've gotten over it...and I can't blame her for having good taste!
As for the list: Gary Winshaw was one of the pack that included Paul Levine, Bradley Joe and me...Gary lived on the first floor of the D building (our 'speak easy' entrance into 'K & K'...his dad was a fireman. Dana and Judy Younger were close in age...I was in classes with Dana up until 2nd grade; then with Judy starting in 4th grade (I skipped 3rd) I remember their dad, the minister. Michael Romig's dad was also a minister. Since we all lined up in 'size places', I spent a lot of time either directly in front or behind Michael, depending on the relative size of the heels on our shoes, on any given day. I remember Nancy Merrill's face, as if I was looking at a picture right now...the guy named 'Engel' that she married was either David or Michael. David Engel and I went to summer camp together...he had a great imagination...his older brother Michael had a 'tough guy' reputation from a particular incident that pre-dates my being friends with him. We regarded Mike as a good friend to have around if 'opposing forces' approached. Denise and Dawn Rothstein were a couple of cuties...and very sharp! Denise is my age; Dawn a year or two younger. I saw Denise last when she came by my store on Orchard St back in the 80s...I remember their mom as being very nice...lots of personality. I went to nursery school with Lisa Raskin...I remember that we had play dates then...her mom had a beautiful voice (Judith)...as does my mom! Dorita Dolnansky was in my 'up to 2nd grade classes'...her brother Bernard was about 4 years younger (my brother Bill's contemporary) I remember that Bernard got picked on often my his 'friends'...As an older kid, I took a liking to Bernard, and would often make him laugh. As an adult, Bernard would come into my shirt store from time to time. He shared with me stories of some of the cruel kids who picked on him...I have from time to time, warned my brother Bill to 'watch his back'...Bernard may be gunning for you!...Bill claims that he was 'less cruel' to Bernard than the others...I believe him. I remember Joel Bloch...but mostly the 'rolly polly, cute kid part'...he was a good guy.Sandy Stutz was in classes with me, Jeffrey Nathanson, Paul Levine, Michael Romig.....I remember that he was smiling much of the time...nice guy! (He was on the part of the 'size places line' that featured Michael, Paul and myself) Paul Keifer I see often...he lives in Southbridge, as do my brother Joel and I. Debra Sonnenblick was the poster girl for 'shy'...she was very sweet, and very smart. David Aaronson was also a 'runner' for the jewelers on Eldridge St...I would pass by their shops (near JHS 65) and look into the windows...several had calendars featuring provocative photos of the type of women that made 11 and 12 year old male minds fantasize... I remember Seth Low...but apparently I don't recall his Hullabaloo sister...or at least I don't connect the two. Judy Schneider lived in the A building (11 H)...we lived in 8H...the Buellers in 9H...I remember Judy well...and her brother Mark, and her mom. Arlene Lackow was one of the organizers of a reunion that was held at the hotel in the World Trade Center in the late 80s (?)...many of the current KV bloggers were there...I'm sorry to hear about Burton. ...and Sarah, I certainly remember you well! From Nursery school on...you had the type of laugh that sitcoms 'can'...I have a silly memory that involves you and I sharing our 'lunchbox lunches'...my sandwich; your Fritos. ......Now that I've emptied out a part of my brain, I need a nap! (or a restorative instant beverage

More Counterpoint

WOW...this is amazing! Arlene Sonnenblick was my age...I remember going to Camp Edalia with her - I think I have the picture..if not, Tina Pappas Tilzer does
Ilene Block (Goldsman) has a brother Joel...they lived in the the Smith Projects - her father still lives there and she lives in Queens - I'm seeing her on Columbus Day in nyc - we recently 'found' each other...Denise Fineberg. I think, lived in my building (A) and had an older brother...who was my age and the name escapes me right now- if the same one, I think she lost her father at a young age. Beryle Feigenbaum was a friend also...I think she lived in "C" building - same as the Aaronsons....Is that right Elaine? I thought Arlene Lackow lived in my building..I remember her father had a store on Orchard Street. She was older than me so we only saw each other in the elevator or lobby. Gerna Dolnansky owned the children's clothing store on Catherine a few stores away from the pizza place. It may have been called "Gerna's."

and More:

I lived next door to the Raskins on the 10th floor of the I (eye) Bldg. Imagine how lucky I was to wind up between Judith Raskin rehearsing on one side of me and Marty B.'s family of musicians on the other. When Judith wanted Lisa and Jonathan to come up from the park for dinner, she'd stick her head out the window and operatically yell (sing?) "Jonathan...Lisa..." You'd have to be there--it didn't sound anything like other parents yelling for their kids. As I recall, Mr. Raskin was a psychiatrist, which ties in with Lisa's vocation.

Who's Almost Who In Knickerbocker Village History: Justice Michael Corriero

Ex-judge turns energy to supreme mentoring Sunday, July 13th 2008, 10:47 PM Former New York State Supreme Court Justice Michael Corriero admits the transition from the bench to civilian life takes some getting used to. An excerpt from a nydaily news article

"My wife, Mary Ellen, and I were driving on the Long Island Expressway the other day, and I changed lanes without putting on my blinkers," Corriero said. "She said, 'Remember, you're not the law anymore.'" After 28 years on the bench, Corriero stepped down this year to take over as executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York on June 30, succeeding Alan Luks. BBBS was founded in 1904 by New York City Court Clerk Earnest Kent Coulter to pair young men and women with adult mentors as a way to keep the former out of trouble. Corriero, 65, has been involved with youths and the law for most of his career. Since 1992, he had presided over the Manhattan Criminal Court's Youth Part, a court within the adult system that dealt exclusively with 13-, 14-, and 15-year-olds charged as adults. He also wrote the book, "Judging Children as Children: A Proposal for a Juvenile Justice System" (2007, Temple University Press). Corriero said he has been concerned about youth and crime since growing up an only child on Mott and White Sts., across from the Manhattan Detention Center - the legendary Tombs. He kept pictures of himself and his neighborhood buddies as teens on the walls of his chambers, and said he moved them to his BBBS office because he never wants to forget what it was like to be a teenager, and how easy it was to make careless decisions"I was fortunate that the repercussions from any careless decisions I would have made - and I have not admitted to making any - I have been able to survive and overcome," he added. Corriero credits his late parents, Frank and Antoinette, with drumming home the importance of education; the teachers at Transfiguration School on Mott St. with infusing him with a sense of restlessness to succeed, and legendary Manhattan District Attorney Frank Hogan, his boss for several years, with giving him "a special sensitivity to the issues of young people who got into trouble ... trying to help them avoid continued criminality."

Joe Bruno was a neighbor of Judge Corriero's at 134 White Street in Little Italy. As a kid Mike was known as Mikey Black

IN APARTMENT 22, WITH THE WINDOWS FACING BAXTER STREET LIVED MIKEY BLACK WITH HIS PARENTS. WE WERE BOTH ONLY CHILDREN. WE SHARED A FIRE ESCAPE. MANY TIMES MIKEY WOULD RETURN HOME WITHOUT HIS KEY TO HIS FRONT DOOR. HE WOULD THEN KNOCK ON MY DOOR AND ASK IF HE COULD USE THE FIRE ESCAPE TO GET INTO HIS APARTMENT. MIKEY BLACK WAS A SLIGHTLY WILD KID, WHO FINALLY SAW THE LIGHT IN HIS TEENAGE YEARS. HE WAS 4 OR 5 YEARS OLDER THAN ME. VERY QUIET. VERY INTENSE. HIS UNCLE MIKE WAS A BARBER WH LIVED ON THE SECOND FLOOR. WHAT I REMEMBER IS THAT HE WAS MOVIE STAR HANDSOME. ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD GIRLS WENT CRAZY OVER MIKEY BLACK. SINCE 1992, MICHAEL CORREIRO HAS BEEN A NEW YORK STATE SUPREME COURT JUDGE IN CHARGE OF THE JUVENILE COURTS.