From 1954 until 1966, home was in the Kingsbridge neighborhood of Bronx, New York. Elementary school was P.S. 122, Marble Hill Elementary. Junior High School (grades 7,8, and 9) were spent in Junior High School 143. For me, Tetard was about 3/4 mile walk from our apartment on Sedgwick Ave, across the street from the Kingsbridge Veterans Adminstration Hospital.
What draws me to this piece of my story is the note in my previous post about the Liberty Mutual Insurance company making the Statue of Liberty a background for its sales pitch. Then there are Progressive Insurance Company’s nonsensical ads, which seem to reflect no interest in today’s public health crisis.
The string of these ads call to mind my formidable “social studies” teacher, perhaps 8th grade, who taught her students the valuable lessons of New York City life. But these lessons had to break through — to be kind — the lesser developed brains of 12 and 13 year-olds. Yet memory of her as a powerful presence turned out to be ever lasting. And embedded in my memory is the ditty we used to sing about Miss Cahill:
“Six foot two, hair of blue, has any body seen Ms. Cahill?”
We were not, of course, capable of fairness at that age, but the lessons she offered were also memorable: One must, out of courtesy to other subway riders, properly fold the New York Times as one reads the pages (fold each broad sheet in half length-wise, turn them against each other vertically, and then fold the length in half. There must be a You Tube video showing that somewhere); stock market listings in the business section must be read carefully, but all should remember that investments are long-term things, and one should not run one way or the other based on a day’s worth of trading; advertising serves a purpose, i.e., to inform readers about products so they can make informed decisions about purchases.
Am thinking Miss Cahill is spinning in her grave.
Aaahhhh, the commuter newspaper fold. My first day as a post USMC, Long Island commuter, I boarded the LIRR for my ride to 20 Pine St., first Street north from Wall. I had a seat as my home stop was Lindenhurst, next to last one going east. I soon realized that holding and reading a news paper, and holding and drinking a large cup of coffee was impossible while impersonating an unsecured, awkward package in a box car. So, when in doubt, do what others do. So. NYT or WSJ, the vertical fold is the way to go. Historical note, about that time, the miniskirt entered the scene or perhaps made the scene. My Manhattan stop was very close to 20 Pine St., Chemical Banks headquarters, but more importantly, it was also the stop for the very leggy, mini (micro?) skirted female who attracted so many ogling males that she caused a traffic jam, and was covered in the papers and national TV.
Wow! This was awesome to come across ?”Has anybody seen Ms. Cahill?” Not that she had blue hair, she wore a lace collar that covered her whole throat!! What happened to Mr. & Mrs. Cassidy? Coming from the Village of Harlem and being immersed in an environment where I/we were the actual minority, definitely took some adjusting. However, this was one of the greatest experience I have encountered. To be able to learn that there is absolutely no difference except the shade of the skin, friendship were developed. To have those conversations with my peers and learn that their parents had been incorrect/wrong about people of a darker shade.
Class of 1965 – 1968
Thank you, for noticing, Denise.
By your time, I was well done with high school–Bx Science–and off to college. But Ms. Cahill was/is unforgettable. And I wish I could remember the name of our science/biology teacher. Unforgettable basic lessons of science!
The science teachers I remember at 143: Mr. Greenberg, Mr. Berg and Mr. Gisolfi. Anyone sound familiar?
Thank you, Carol!
I want to say Mr. Berg was my premier memory–biology, methinks. Everything I needed to know about the intellectual construct of knowledge. I.e., how to think about what one knows or thinks to be true.
Thank you for noticing!!!
andy v.
Some great teaching, learning, adventures, relationships propelled the ability to know where you stand!