Principal Wolf Tales Thoughts - Yonkers Public Schools

Wolf Tales The Newsletter of Gorton’s Class of ‘65

‘Strength of the wolf is in the pack’ October 2020, No. 54

Principal Thoughts

Health is Our Major Concern New York State’s 4th largest school district

was ready to welcome students back from remote instruction on Oct. 5 since last opening its doors on March 13. The Yonkers Public Schools District has opt-ed for a so-called “hybrid learning model” that combines face-to-face instruction with online learning. In the midst of COVID-19 school re-openings, the hybrid learning model would significantly reduce the num-ber of students in the building by moving some of the course instruction online. According to a Rochester Democrat & Chronicle article on Oct. 14, in the “Big 4” districts — Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers — 82% of all students are re-mote, with only Yonkers reporting signifi-cant hybrid learning this fall so far. Due to the current pandemic, staying healthy is on the forefront of everyone’s mind. Students can connect with their teachers and peers while staying safe at home and attending school in-person on specific alternating days. Gorton is complying with protocols aligned with New York State and CDC Guidelines by continually reminding everyone to practice preventive measures:

There are signs at entry points and throughout the building illustrating COVID-19 symptoms and promoting the use of masks and other safety pro-cedures.

Upon entry into the building, everyone must have their temperature taken at our touchless thermometer kiosk.

The floors and steps have been marked with tape and arrows reminding us

See GORTON on Page 3

Touchless thermometer kiosk and spotless floors marked with tape and arrows.

A Rock-Solid Gorton Alum Greetings Alumni.

It’s hard to believe we’re in October. The year progressed in painfully slow fashion with the onset of the pandemic and ensuing restrictions and lockdowns. However, the pace has picked up sub-stantially as people are getting out more and adjusting to this new lifestyle. Re-gardless, whatever you do, make sure it’s at a pace and safety level that you are comfortable with. We haven’t come this far in our lives to give it all away! As Kevin Henry mentions in his Veter-ans’ column (see Page 5), we are seek-ing bids from multiple vendors to create a commemorative stone marker for the “Never Forget Garden” at Gorton. One of those bidders is Roger Abbate & Sons, Inc., located in Yonkers. The name

sounded very familiar, and after a little research and discussion, the current owner, Roger Abbate, not only graduat-ed from Gorton in 1956, he was assis-tant principal from 1973-1980 and prin-cipal from 1980-1986. The Abbate monument business was established in 1900 by the first Roger Abbate who emigrated from Italy to the U.S. It has been in continuous operation

See ALUMS on Page 4

Alumni News

Wolf Tales, Page 2

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GRANDPARENTS AGAIN—Camille Gigliotti Morrone C65 and Mike pose with their newest grandchild, Bo Holmes Morrone, born to Sarah and PJ Morrone.

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY—Frank McGlinchey C65 and Carolynn met at a great Irish bar, the Neck Inn, in the Bronx bar in March of 1969, got engaged a year later and married in October of 1970. “It has been a great life,” Frank says. “We have two kids—Beth, 41, and Neal, 39, and we are blessed with four grandchildren, two boys and two girls. The best day of my life is when I married Carolynn!”

OFF TO SCHOOL—Rich Whittaker’s twin grandchildren, Brakeley and Corby, may have missed last month’s first day of school photo essay in Wolf Tales but they’re on time for the school bells at a Montessori school. The twins turn 5 next January. Rich quips, “We could have been stars at PS 16 had we gone to Montessori.”

FIRST-TIME VOTER—Yvonne Sullivan Price’s 18-year-old granddaughter, Felicity Cruz, proudly holds her first voter ballot.

Wolf Tales, Page 3

GORTON (from Page One)

always to social distance and maintain six-feet apart.

Disposable masks are readily available for anyone in need, along with hand-sanitizing stations throughout the build-ing and inside each classroom.

Every day we continue to put forth measures to keep our students and staff’s safety and wellness as our top priority. As we think about how to create the best possible experience for our students, our phenomenal teachers have been exploring new platforms and have taken risks and are trying new things. Students are all given the same oppor-tunity to par-ticipate in in-person class lessons and to participate in online-class activities. This approach com-bines tradi-tional face-to-face instruc-tion with the flexibility of synchronous and asynchro-nous remote learning in hopes of curb-ing the spread of the pandemic. The health, safety, and well-being of students and staff are the most important considera-tions in determining whether schools will reopen for full-time in-person learning. It is our hope that everyone is doing well and staying safe as we continue to work our way back to “normal.” We miss all of our students and staff and look forward to the time we can once again come back together in traditional ways. Will Shaggura is the principal at Gorton High School. He grew up in the Lake Avenue and North End neighborhoods.

RegionAccording to the NYS COVIDOct. 9, school districts in the midhave reported 236 cases of COVIDare students, 86 are staff. 178 were reported by public schools, 58 by private or charter schools. Westchester districts have reported 69 cases. Rock-land districts have reported 23 cases. Putnam dis-tricts have reported 15 cases. The remaining cases were reported by private schools or districts in Dutchess, Ulster, Orange and Sullivan counties.

Jim Cavanaugh, far right, at the groundbreaking of Gorton’s Junior High.

‘Welcome to Apple’s Orchard’

Principal

Teacher

Soldier

At 5-foot, 11-inches tall and 240 pounds, James G.

Cavanaugh was an imposing figure. Without a doubt, he was the right man…for the right job…in the right school…at the right time…and most deserving of this Wall of Fame induction. Students called him "Big Jim" or "The Apple"—but not to his face. He greeted new male teachers at the school's main entrance to make sure they wore a suit, white shirt and a tie. If not, they were told to go home and show up like a professional. He was a man of few words but what he said, and how he

said it, mattered. After a 10-minute interview with a young Robert Foley for an English sub position, Cavanaugh said, “You’ll start tomorrow. See my secretary for your program.” He never

asked if Foley wanted the job. When a young John Volpe showed up at Gorton for a Social Studies position, Cavanaugh told him that he was also the junior varsity basketball coach. Volpe went on to become Yonkers’ first non-Phys Ed teacher to coach a varsity sport and became the county’s winningest basketball coach. "When he said 'jump,' the only question was, 'how high?' " one Gorton student from the early '60s recalls of the for-mer Army Air Force Lieutenant.

See CAVANAUGH (not for detention) on Page 7

Wall of Fame Inductee

Wolf Tales, Page 4

ALUMS (from Page One)

for 120 years by four generations of the Abbate family. This is one of the few ex-isting business in Yonkers to enjoy such longevity. The company has always prided itself on producing outstanding product, complemented by excellent customer ser-vice. Our Roger Abbate is the third generation of family to manage the business. His edu-cation started at PS 22, followed by St. Joseph’s for junior high and high school at Gorton. He has a younger brother Frank, who attended Gorton a year behind him. After graduation, Roger went on to the University of Bridgeport for his bachelor degree and secured his Masters from NYU and Manhattan College. His teaching career started as a science and biology teacher at Trumbull High School in Connecticut. He returned to Yon-kers to be part of the Guidance Depart-ment of Hawthorne Junior High, then on to Yonkers High School Guidance Department and assistant principal at John Burroughs Junior High School. He arrived at Gorton in 1973 to become the assistant principal. In 1980, he became principal, a role he held for six years. After Gorton, he moved on to Saunders High School and then into Board of Education administration system. Roger Abbate was at Gorton during some of the city’s most tumultuous times. When asked if he could select one thing that stood out most about Gorton during this

era, without hesitation, he said school spir-it. It was the one thing that always stood out during good times and bad. The stu-dents, faculty and administration never gave up on Gorton…the same school spirit he knew back in the 1950s. It always de-fined the school. After retirement from the Yonkers Public School system, Roger returned to the Ab-bate family business. Now in his 80s, he still works there today but has turned the reins of the business to his son, Roger Ab-bate Jr. When asked about the Class of 1956 and keeping in touch, Roger is still at the center of things. He is the perennial organizer for reunions, adding that a group still meets every five years, plus a smaller band of Wolves hold annual luncheons nearby. Roger Abbate…always a Gorton Wolf. Next month, Wolf Tales’ “Where are They Now” column will feature a septuagenari-an that just can’t quit exercising, staying in shape and enjoying life. John Volpe once nicknamed this person “the rabbit”…care to guess who it might be? And be on the watch for our next induc-tee…kicking and screaming right up to the Wall of Fame. Bill Tolany is the president of the Charles E. Gorton High School Alumni Association and a member of the Class of 1964.

Roger Abbate, right, and his son.

Margaret Hutchings —April 26, 1948-Oct. 10, 2020—

Margaret Mary Hutchings, a member of the Class of 1967, died Oct. 10 of acute myeloid leukemia at her home in The Villages, FL. She was 72. Margaret is survived by her husband, Gerald Hutchings; her children, John Hutchings (Stacie) of Middletown, DE; Gerri Ann Bock (Laszlo) of Los Altos Hills, CA; and Patrick Hutchings (Stephanie) of San Antonio, TX; and her grandchildren, Paige, Lila, Emily, Mick-ey and Annabelle. She is also survived by her siblings Peter Morley (Red Bank, NJ), Diane Morley (Gary Lichter), Morganton, NC,

and John Morley (East Fishkill, NY); as well as many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, and her older brother Thomas Morley.

The youngest of five children, she was born on April 26, 1948, to Kathleen and Michael Morley. After marrying Gerry in 1970, she moved to Beekman, NY, in 1976 where she lived for over 40 years before moving to Florida in 2018. While in Beekman, Margaret worked as a bank teller at a local branch. She also owned and operated a small business with her husband, volunteered at the local library and was very involved with the civic life of her town. "Miggs," as she was known to her old-est friends, was a caring, generous and fun-loving person who enjoyed getting together with friends, traveling to see her grandchildren and reconnecting with her large, extended Irish family on Long Beach Island, NJ. A service will be planned for 2021 when Margaret's friends and family can more easily gather. In lieu of flowers, her family asks for her friends to commit to a random act of kindness in her name.

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‘65 Classmates, Husbands and Kin Who Have Served Tom Boynton USAF Malcolm Brown Lt. Naval Reserve Bill Cherko Army George Conway USAF (husband) Dennis DeLillo Army Ray Debenedictis Navy (husband) Capt. Michael DiPietro Army Active (son-in-law) John Eberhart Navy Bob Edie Army. Vietnam † John Esau Army David Farr Army. Vietnam (brother) Ric Farr USAF † Wayne Ferguson Army. Italy Dean Hamilton USMC. Vietnam † David Owen Harris Navy John Harter Army. Korea (brother) Jerry Healy Army. Vietnam (husband) Maj. Russell Healy USAF Active (son) Kevin Henry Army. Vietnam Barry Jacobs Army † Jim Johnson Army † Ralph Johnson Army † Terry Kennedy Navy (husband) John E. Knox Naval Reserves. Petty Officer, 3rd Class Dan Laino USMC Mark Laino USMC (son) Mike Lekhmus Army. Afghanistan (son-in-law) Rick Maher Navy Des Mas Army, Vietnam † Jim Masterson Navy Michael Mauro Army. 101st Airborne Nick Mikulsky Army Ranger. Afghanistan and Iraq (son) Ricky Milnarik Navy Mike Morrone Army. Vietnam (husband) Jack Nicholls Army Joe Paretti USMC. Dang Ha, Vietnam 11th Engineers (husband) Don Parry Army. 101st Airborne. Vietnam Vincent Policelli USAF (husband) Ron Trautvetter USAF (husband) Dennis Wasiczko USAF. Thailand Rich Whittaker Army National Guard († Deceased)

Parry’s Ponderings Never forget, we are the home of the free because of the brave.

Since you are reading this well before Veterans Day, may I be the first to say, Thank You Vets! Don Parry (C65) was awarded Westchester’s Safest Teenage Driver Award and is a Vietnam War veteran.

This Garden Won’t Forget When Bill Tolany asked me to get a

Never Forget Garden (formerly the Victo-ry Garden) up and growing at Gorton, I had a panic attack. You see, I don't have a green thumb. I would be better with rock gardens. In reality, I’m joking about not having a green thumb. My tomato garden feeds many deer, squirrels and chipmunks. Oc-casionally they miss a tomato, and we get to enjoy it, along with the basil they leave behind. Fortunately, this garden won’t rely on my skill but rather those of the Gorton student body. The purpose of Gorton’s Never Forget Garden is three-fold:

To honor those alumni who gave their lives in service to our country;

To tie-in to a greater recognized cause, the 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; and

To create a “hands-on” experience that will form a tradition for future Gorton students.

There is a framed plaque at Gorton with the names of 56 alumni who died in WWII. Previous research by Wolf Tales, along with some completed on my part, turned up several more who died in Ko-rea, Vietnam and Afghanistan. They, too, will be recognized in the future by the Wall of Fame and now by the Never For-get Garden. That got me thinking about a stone me-morial to honor all Gortonites who gave their lives while in the military service. I called St. Joseph's Cemetery in Yonkers to get a recommendation for a monu-ment company since many of our col-leagues rest there. They recommended Roger Abbate Monuments, a Yonkers business since 1900. Lo and behold, the

See GARDEN on Page 6

Commemorative bricks will be part of the Never Forget Garden outside Gorton.

Kevin Henry

Wolf Tales, Page 6

GARDEN (from Page 5) current Roger Abbate is not only a Gorton alumnus (Class of ‘56), he is a former prin-cipal of Gorton from 1980-1986. This amazing connection between Roger and Gorton will be covered in detail by Bill To-lany in this issue’s alumni news. I spoke to Roger and told him what I had in mind. The stone will be a green granite single-slant stone measuring 30" wide, 15" deep, 24" high. At the top right will be a wolf’s head looking left toward the U.S. flag. Underneath will be these words: “DEDICATED TO THOSE OF OUR SCHOOL

WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY.”

Perennials and shrubs will landscape our 10’ x 20’ Never Forget Garden. There will also be a placard that commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Un-known Soldier. We believe that this effort will not only serve as a unifying source of school and national pride among students and alums, but also as a living covenant to those shared values. With that said, I would like to briefly close on a veteran’s topic of great importance. Many veterans are unaware that they and their spouse may qualify for a free burial site and headstone at VA national ceme-teries and many state veteran cemeteries. It is very important to apply. These bene-fits are available only to those with an honorable discharge. With the high cost of burials this is defi-nitely worth looking into. To see if you qualify and learn more, go to: www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/74992/va-burial-memorial-benefits-quick-start-guide/ If you have any questions or comments regarding the Never Forget Garden effort, please reach out to me at: [email protected]. Kevin Henry is a member of the Class of 1965 and a decorated Vietnam veteran.

Gorton’s WWII Honor Roll These graduates gave their lives during World War II

William John Bendetti William Noland Berkeley Jr. William John Breithack Jr. Army 2nd Lt. Killed in action. William J. Breslin Jr. John Gerard Carroll Army Staff Sgt. Killed in action. Thomas Francis Cieslinski Army Aerial Engineer. Non-battle. Francis J. Cleary Army PFC. Died of wounds. George A. Coshal Robert J. Curran Army Sgt. Killed in action. Edward A. Daly Jr. Army Staff Sgt. Died of wounds. Edward E. Detwyler Army 2nd Lt. Killed in action. John Edward Dzendran Naval Reserve Aviation Ordnance Man 2nd Class. Died. Francis P. Fennell Army PFC. Killed in Action. Edward J. Fitzpatrick Harold A. Fitzpatrick Army PFC. Killed in action. Aaron Fleischer Army Private. Non-battle. Americo S. Galle Army 2nd Lt. Executed by the German SS. James J. Gorman Army Sgt. Non-battle. John Marshall Gray Army Tech 5th Grade. Killed in action. Dudley Guilmette Navy Lt. (J.G.) Killed in Action. Edward J. Hackett Army 1st Lt. Non-battle. Edward V. Handy Jr. Army 2nd Lt. Non-battle. John F. Hermanspan Jr. Army 2nd Lt. Killed in action. Raymond J. Johnson Army Air Corp 2nd Lt. Non-battle. Milton Kaslow Army 2nd Lt. Non-battle. Seymour Keidan Robert A. Koeck Richard W. Kohler Army 1st Lt. MIA. James Stewart MacKaye Robert C. MacKean Army Capt. Killed in action. Carl E. Martz Thomas A. McCarthy Army Private. Non-battle.

William J. McNamee Army PFC. Killed in action. Edward F. Meagher Jr. Army 1st Lt. Killed in action. Francis A. Munsey Army PFC. Killed in action. John Joseph O’Brien Jr. Army 2nd Lt. Non-battle. Bernard A. O’Hara Dennis F. O’Hara Jr. Army Tech 5th Grade. Died of wounds. William R. Petsche Edward J. Quirk Jr. Army Private. Non-battle. David Aaron Rosenblum Army Private. Killed in action. J. Alvin Ross Jr. Army 2nd Lt. Killed in action. Walter F. Salinsky Army Staff Sgt. Killed in action. Hugh F. Scully Army Private. Died of wounds. Charles Blake Skinner Army Capt. Non-battle. Earl N. Smith Army Private. Killed in action. William L. Snyder Army Staff Sgt. Non-battle. Gordon Bates Taylor William H. Thomas Jr. William J. Tintera Jr. Army Staff Sgt. Killed in action. Alvah J. Tompkins Jr. Army Air Corp. 1st Lt. Non-battle. William V. Trehay Donald Joseph Tynan Seaman 2nd Class. Lost at sea. William J. Vanca Edward W. Wagner Army Private. Died of wounds. George Watt Jr. Naval reserve signalman 3rd class. Non-battle. Arthur Frank Weber

Military rank and cause of death based on Wolf Tales research of public records.

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CAVANAUGH (from Page 3)

Cavanaugh wore many hats in his educa-tional career, not least of which was his 18 years as principal of GHS--the second-longest tenured principal in the school’s nearly 100 years. He began teaching during the Great De-pression; served his nation for three years during WW II; returned to Gorton at the onset of the Cold War; saw the Beat Gen-eration morph into Hippies; and dealt with the social impacts of the Vietnam War, racial unrest and local housing discrimina-tion that left its mark on the city. He saw all this in five decades of educa-tion. Few, if any local educators, can say as much. Born in Glen Falls, NY, on May 18, 1909, he attended Cathedral Preparatory School and St. Bonaventure College. He received his M.A. from Fordham University. Serving as medical administration officer at Virgin-ia Beach, VA, he held a lieutenant's rank with the Army Air Corp. Following his dis-charge, he earned a Doctorate in Educa-tion from NYU. His career began as a football coach at Saunders High School in 1931. He also taught science and social sciences at Roo-sevelt. In 1933, he became a history teacher at Gorton where he also taught English and Economic Citizenship. He was

also mentor of the Gorton’s Jayvee foot-ball team. Through his friendship with Fr. Finian Sullivan, he coached Sacred Heart’s fledgling basketball team. Before becoming vice principal at Gorton, he was the school's guidance counselor. He was named the school’s third principal following the death of Dr. Thomas P. Kelly in September 1953. One of his greatest challenges came at the beginning of his tenure. Due to the Baby Boom, the city had run out of space for the burgeoning demographic. In 1954, Gorton High School opened its doors to 7th and 8th graders due to a lack of junior high schools in the area. "When I was first at Gorton," Cavanaugh told an interviewer, "we had about 800 kids. When the city was redistricted we went down to 500 then up to a peak of 1,700. Now there are about 1,400." In 1965, Gorton graduated 328 students, then the largest graduating class in Gor-ton's history. To accommodate the student influx, Gor-ton had to expand. With the addition of the junior high wing, Gorton added 14 classrooms and a library, a girls’ gym, an enlarged cafeteria, remodeled the school and its grounds. To his credit, Cavanaugh continued to actively promote Gorton's liberal arts pro-

grams to the benefit of the academic com-munity. Gorton also doubled its teaching staff from its 1923 levels and expanded its mathematics, language, business, home economics and industrial arts depart-ments. “No student left behind” could easily have been the Gorton slogan, more than five decades ahead of its time. In addition, Cavanaugh brought back the Student Council concept; instituted honor award and services assemblies for scholas-tic achievement, and launched "The Green Quill" to sponsor creative writing among students. He also promoted the arts, from high school musicals to drama, and staunchly protected the sanctity of the Gorton's Coal Bunker Theater. Four years after his retirement, the only high school in-the -round theater on the Eastern seaboard, became a storage closet. A vital part of our school tradition was lost forever. Following the death of his wife Mary in 1971, whom he married on Aug. 26, 1946, Cavanaugh retired. He died 18 years later and was waked at McGrath & Son Funeral Home in Bronxville. He was buried at The Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Valhalla. While he had no immediate survivors, Jim Cavanaugh will always be remembered for five decades of unparalleled and unique leadership to the students, the faculty, and the school he served so well.

SUNRISE, SUNSET—Sunrise over Truesdale Lake in South Salem, NY, and sunset over Frank Jackson Lake State Park in Opp, AL. —Photo by Malcolm Brown —Photo by Sam Fried

Wolf Tales, Page 8

JAMES ‘SONNY’ WINSTEAD Class of 1973

USAF Ret; JROTC teacher

Following Gorton’s 1973 championship bas-ketball team, James attended Leicester Jun-ior College and Northwest Missouri State College on basketball scholarships. He

joined the U.S. Air Force in January 1977 and retired 30 years later with the rank of Chief Mas-ter Sergeant (E9). He earned a Com-munity College of the Air Force De-

gree in Resource Management and two additional associate’s degrees (Business and Liberal Arts). He also has a Bachelor’s De-gree in Vocational Education from the Uni-versity of Southern Illinois and a Master’s of Management from Cambridge College. In addition to several U.S.-based assign-ments, James served in the Philippines, Pan-ama and Korea. While in Panama, he grew tired of long lines to the barbershop and shaved his head—hence his Michael Jordan look. From July 1988 to January 2007, Chief Winstead served as Superintendent, Military Personnel at various loca-tions. Since military retirement, he has been teaching JROTC at King William High School, King William, VA. He lives in Williamsburg, VA, has three children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Where Are

They Now?

National Treasures Miles Apart In western Pennsylvania, below Pitts-

burgh and above Cumberland, WV, lie two national treasures—the Flight 93 Memorial and the Northwinds Penin-sula Golf Club, the first golf course designed by Arnie Palmer. For very different reasons, both are considered sacred grounds and are only 20 miles apart. From Yonkers, the memorial is a five-hour drive. I wanted to make a pil-grimage to honor the 40 heroic pas-sengers who bravely took control of their fates which led to their deaths and potentially saved the U.S. Capitol during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Turning off Rt. 30 toward the memo-rial, I was expecting a kind of sadness and pride. Instead I was greeted by the beauty of small ponds, tall grass-es, black-eye Susans and purple blos-soms. Despite its beauty, it was, and is, a gravesite that demands quiet attention. I didn’t anticipate my visit would be so emotional. The Visitors Complex told the story of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It brought me to tears. I then took the 2.4-mile trail that looped around a beautiful meadow of wild-flowers and maples. The peace and serenity made it difficult to imagine the horror that had taken place here. Leaving the memorial site, I visited the Tower of Voices, a 93-foot musi-cal instrument holding 40 pitched wind chimes representing the 40 pas-sengers and crew members on board. On that day, there was no wind to make their voices sing but the silence spoke volumes.

See TUERS on Page 9

Tuers De Force

The starter’s shack at Arnie’s place.

The Tower of Voices.

Wolf Tales, Page 9

TUERS (from Page 8)

Arnie Palmer is the King for many reasons, not least of which is bringing a country club sport to the people. His first designed golf course, The Northwinds Peninsula Golf Club nestled a half-mile high in the beautiful Lau-rel Highlands, is a living testament to his spirit. Originally a nine-hole course built and de-signed by Arnie in 1967, it became one of the premier private golf courses in the area. He even constructed a private airstrip next to the course so he could pilot his private plane in for a round. The course, in many ways, was a work in progress. He left the members the design for nine more holes if they wanted to ex-pand the layout, which they did in 1994. Unable to retain a strong membership, how-ever, the course went semi-private and is now a public course—maybe just what Ar-nie had intended it to be. The rustic starter’s cabin still stands testament to the man who seemingly never forgot his working-class background. The course is on a peninsula overlooking a 750-acre horseshoe- shaped lake. I found myself being distracted many times on the scenic course. Tree-lined fairways, undu-lating greens and abundant wildlife would also catch my eye. At one point, I could swear I saw Arnie wav-ing me up on an elevated par-3. I tipped my cap. When I got to the hole, no one was there. Was I daydreaming? Perhaps not. Steve Tuers was a member of Gorton’s championship basketball team and is a lifelong resident of Yonkers.

When the City Rocked Stone quarries have thrived in New York

State since 1751, mainly for the purposes of lime manufacture and the making of iron, building, monumental stone and road construction. The City of Yonkers will go down in history as one of the more prominent granite quarry locations in the U.S. Gran-ite from Yonkers dominated the masonry and construction industry from Canada to Chicago. The color and texture of Yon-kers granite set the tone for architects and project managers for centuries and continues today. The growth of the quarry industry was particularly rapid in the decade from 1890-1900. A popular light colored gran-ite with a foliate (layered) texture was discovered in a southern section of Westchester. This granite was known as Yonkers Gneiss, Yonkers Granite, or Westchester Granite, and was estab-lished as a prominent building stone. The Hackett brothers, who owned a quar-ry at the juncture of Midland and Central avenues, were the primary source behind the success of the city’s industry. Their

quarry furnished the stone that can still be seen on St. Joseph’s Seminary, St. Joseph’s Hospital, the old St. John’s hos-pital and Public Schools 3, 9, 10 and 18. In 1924, one of the longest operating quarries opened—the Rossi Quarry. The company was the primary supplier of foundation stones for the construction of the expanding Yonkers Public School sys-tem. It was also the main supplier for the many stone bridges above the area’s highways and can still be seen today along the Sprain Brook, Hutchinson River, Bronx River and Saw Mill River parkways. Rossi closed its quarry in the late 1990s and moved its operations to upstate New York. The original supply of granite gneiss has been depleted. The quarries that once thrived have run dry and closed, and the once abundant stone has become a scarce natural resource. Joan Lawless Kennedy (C65) is a member of the Yonkers Historical Society.

Did You Know?

DON’T TAKE IT FOR GRANITE—Yonkers quarries served as the foundations to St. Joseph’s, School 9 and stone bridges over County parkways.

Wolf Tales, Page 10

A Scary New Halloween Dear Janet, Is Halloween going to be much different this year?

Frank N. Stein Dear Frank,

I want to be frank. Yes, Halloween 2020 is

going to be different. It’s being threatened as the pandemic extends its ugly grasp on-to the most magical of autumn nights. While there have been horror trick-or-treat stories throughout the years, both true and urban legend, the candy-gathering night was never cancelled. This year is different. Thirty-seven states have already cancelled Halloween activities due to the threat of spreading the deadly disease among large crowds. For now, the powers-that-be recommend that haunted houses, hayrides, indoor costume parties and, of course, trick-or-treating are out. They suggest small socially distanced cos-tume parades, outdoor pumpkin carving, virtual costume contests and scavenger candy-hunts at home. I say, “Bring back the Easter Bunny in costume to hide that can-dy!” Call me crazy but do you think this means that dunking for apples is out too? Just askin’. Can you imagine how it would have been, back in the day, to not have the Halloween parties in school with Hawaiian Punch and Mrs. Parry’s peanut better/chocolate chip cookies? Without the costume parades and afternoon festivals with carnival games that offered the chance to win a cheap bamboo cane? Without having an early

See ASK JANET on Page 11

Ask Janet

CALIFORNIA HERE HE COMES—The Rosy Tomorrow’s Lunch Club gathers for a bittersweet moment—to say goodbye to Malcolm Brown before he and his wife Eileen head to Califor-nia to be with their sons. Steve Tuers made the moment spe-cial by presenting Malcolm with a Gorton warmup jersey with his old number and an autographed photo of Coach Volpe. The gang, Ursula Belle Healy, Alex Poletsky, Yvonne Sullivan Price, Steve and Jo Harter Irish, let Malcolm pose without a mask so we’d always remember his smiling face.

Poetry In My Emotion I have always loved poetry, which appar-

ently qualifies me as an aesthete, not to be confused with athlete, although I can still hold my own in a family baseball game. You may have been the same once, even if you didn't realize it then. At first, there were nursery rhymes and then Dr. Seuss. They told a story in lyric rhymes, much like A Visit from St. Nicholas (aka The Night Before Christmas). Those of us from School 25 may remem-ber the song, The Wind, a Robert Louis Stevenson poem set to music. I have sung it to all of my grandgirls over the years and never tire of the imagery. When I began teaching pre-K and kinder-garten, I was struck that most of the stu-dents had no exposure to nursery rhymes. I put an end to that.

Those little ditties are a child's introduc-tion to the magic of storytelling through rhyme. They are simple and musical and teach the magical possibilities of lan-guage. Some of the simple nonsense they embody encourage a certain silliness that should be encouraged. One of the poets I put on the curriculum was Valerie Worth who wrote Small Po-ems, a book of enchanting and appealing poetry for children of all ages. I made sure that her small poem books were available in our classrooms and that they were read often. Mr. Foley's high school English classes were rife with poetry. I remember him

See PRICELESS on Page 12

Priceless Memories

Wolf Tales, Page 11

ASK JANET (from Page 10)

dinner so you could roam the neighbor-hood for your treats before going to the Ragamuffin Parade in Getty Square? Oh, the horror! But this is 2020. A year filled with enough horror without adding more to it because of Halloween not done safely. There’s al-ways the risk of finding tampered candy in the mix, with poison, razor blades and needles, and marijuana. There was a case in 1964 of an old lady who handed out steel wool and ant poison to kids she thought were too old to be trick-or-treating. She told them ahead of time so I guess she thought that made it OK. This year there’s an invisible killer lurking that has already taken the souls of more than 200,000 Americans. We don’t need to exacerbate the situation and sacrifice more lives because of our inability to make some relatively small sacrifices our-selves. It’s not as bad as having no Hallow-een at all. Do you remember the 1979 movie, The Halloween That Almost Wasn’t? It’s a short one about the year there was the threat that Halloween might end. The monsters were becoming too “nice," so Dracula calls them together and tells them they must either return to their frighten-ing ways or leave Transylvania. Judd Hirsch and Mariette Hartley play the lead charac-

ters of Dracula and The Witch. My sons loved that little movie and, confi-dentially, so did I. Years later I found it on a DVD that must have been recorded off a television recording because the quality is almost as scary as the monsters. That wasn’t important. I had found the movie so we all could watch it again and intro-duce our grandchildren to that classic “Hanford Favorite.” If your Halloween plans are ruined and you need something fun to fill the void, check out Jerry Seinfeld’s schtick about Halloween and CANDY! on YouTube

https://youtube/MarBVyZVe9s. Now go out and buy lots of candy just in case those cute and creepy costumed characters come to your door. And forget that nonsense about buying candy you don’t like so you won’t eat it. For goodness sake. IT’S HALLOWEEN!!! Until again, stay safe and sane. Janet Guyon Hanford (C65) is a former cheerleader and was voted Most Versa-tile by her ’65 senior class.

THE GREAT PUMPKIN ROBBERY—No Halloween heist here. It's just the masked Hanford's picking pumpkins on a perfect autumn day. (Mike, Ryan, Taylor, Will, Beau and Janet.

BOO!—Posted on Facebook by Kevin Henry. It says it all.

Wolf Tales, Page 12

PRICELESS (from Page 10)

reading T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and The Hollow Men and feeling like a new poetic world had opened its doors. I felt the same when he read and offered insights into Robert Frost’s After Apple-Picking and The Road Not Taken. I still keep a book of Frost poems on my bedside table for night-time reading. I do the same with Emily Dickinson, although I sometimes find her poems very challeng-ing despite numerous efforts to discover scholarly interpretations that stubbornly elude me. I believe the true beauty of poetry lies more in its language than in its message, much like paint strokes create a work of art. The imagination, inspiration and in-sight great poets possess are powerful and enduring. Reading a poem aloud adds the benefit of

providing texture and emotion to the written words. Plus, who doesn't love the sound of one’s own voice? Poetry allows you to experience something simple, mun-dane, natural or unnatural in an entirely different way. It brings insights and feel-ings you may never before have consid-ered. Poetry is like being nearsighted and putting on glasses for the first time. Every-thing comes into focus in new and unique ways. Poetry enriches my life, plain and simple. I have many favorite poems, but there is one I always turn to in times of personal loss—John Donne’s Death Be Not Proud. Its 14 lines have brought me much com-fort over many years. My mother loved poetry and had two po-ems published a few years before her death. My father loved the poem Trees, by Joyce Kilmer and he loved music. All the

lyrics to his favorite tunes that he joyfully sang to me and with me, contributed to my appreciation of how words can touch us in a very special way, when read as po-etry or offered as song. I can never say that there is no rhyme or reason to my life. This year, a contestant performed poetry as his talent on Ameri-ca's Got Talent. I was completely hooked. I never suspected that he would make it to the final five but he did and ended up the grand prize winner. Add to this that the 2020 Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to New York poet Louise Gluck and I'm in superlunary. Who knows, maybe they may inspire a whole new generation of poets and poetry lovers. Let's hear it for the aesthetes! Yvonne Sullivan Price was queen of the ‘65 senior prom and is a retired school administrator.

Tip a Canoe and A Husband Too By Ginny Radzevilla Paretti C65

It was interesting to see the little blurb

about the Yonkers Canoe Club in last month’s issue—that’s where I met my husband Joe. Throughout high school he raced in flat-water canoes. Joe’s father was also a member so he spent a good part of his younger years on the river. When Joe came back from Vietnam, he returned to paddling. My sister Chris (C69) paddled through high school. I met Joe in May 1968 when I was picking her up at the club. Needless to say, I then spent many years on the Hudson and going to regattas. In 1948, two members of the YCC, Steve Lysak and Steve Macknowski, won Olym-pic gold and silver medals in the two-man canoe events. Lots of history in that tiny shack on the river!

Another bit of trivia. The Beczak Environ-mental Center is named after Joe Beczak who was also a member. Although he did not race, his son Joe Jr. was an accom-plished kayak paddler.

When interest in flat-water paddling fell off, the club attracted members who were interested in recreational paddling. Hence the club evolved. I have many good mem-ories of our time spent there!

AND THE BEAT GOES ON--I would never have been a musician if Sandy (Siegelstein) didn’t take me in as a cymbal player in the marching band in 1962. He once said he would never have suspected I would have become a musician. I played drums in all of his bands from 1962-1966 (that’s me in the circle). After grad school (communications) I was on the road playing the drums from 1979-1980. I closed down the Catskill and Pocono hotels and then was on the road all over the U.S. Now I am retired and play with a number of bands and teach drums. All be-cause of Sandy.

—Joel Klein, C66

Wolf Tales, Page 13

Gorton From Both Sides Now Thanks to my previous life as an editor at

The Herald Statesman, I got to see Gorton from both sides. As a student, I sarcastically accused Roger Sorrentino for not knowing the works of James Fenimore Cooper. I also accidentally hit Bob Foley in the face with an eraser. Each incident led me down the hallway to Jim Cavanaugh’s office. It was rumored that several football play-ers from the Class of ’62 were sent to his office never to be seen again. I feared the same fate. Instead, he read me the riot act and I left his office unscathed, although I wasn’t done with my mischief. In the spirit of the ‘60s, I pressed my luck and challenged the norms. One of my windmills was the school’s constitution. “You don’t like it? Change it,” Mr. Cavanaugh said. I took up the challenge and later found myself before a tribunal of Mrs. Ryan, Miss Reilly and Jim. The deck was stacked. I was a goner. Years later, I was at a 1973 Gorton awards dinner for the school’s championship bas-ketball team. Someone innocently said, “Mr. Cavanaugh, you may know him. He was one of your students.” Cavanaugh? My ears went on full Mr. Spock alert. I turned and stood face-to-face with THE man. I was somewhat surprised and hon-ored that he remembered me. I soon dis-

See EDITOR on Page 14

Editor’s Notebook

Sex. In the world of Phalaropes, the

females are on top. Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about a VERY different and interesting family of birds in the sandpiper group. There are three species:

Red phalaropes breed in the very high arctic and spend winters in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans;

Red-necked phalaropes breed in the southern arctic and also winter at sea; and

Wilson’s phalaropes breed along shallow lakes in the Great Plains and winter inland in the southern U.S. and Mexico.

Phalaropes average about nine inches in length and weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 ounces. They tend to migrate in huge numbers, often blanketing the water as gigantic flocks pass through.

So what’s so weird about these birds? In almost every bird species on earth, the males are brightly colored and the females dully plumed, so that when the females tend the nest, they are less visible and thereby less subject to pre-dation. For phalaropes, the reverse is true! The females have the colorful feathers and the males are blah. Females are highly promiscuous. Males are not. Fe-males have more testosterone than the males. Once the birds have “sex”, a clo-acal kiss, that’s it for the female and her quickie. Once she lays the eggs in the nest built by the male, off she goes, looking for another partner. Males incu-bate the eggs, feed the chicks and

See BIRDS on Page 14

—Photos by Sam Fried

Female and male red-necked phalaropes.

Sexcapades When Females Fly the Coop

A Bird In the Cam

Wilson’s phalarope “gobbles down” its food.

Tiny bead of water

Wolf Tales, Page 14

EDITOR (from Page 13)

-covered that he knew more about me than I thought, including some of my less-meaningful pranks. “Call me, Jim,” he said, “just like you did at Gorton when you thought I wasn’t paying attention.” “Son of a gun,” I thought, “he gave me a slide.” Meanwhile, back at the banquet, I was asked to be the guest speaker by Mr. Volpe who I now called John with all the ease of a layup. While at Gorton, I was the stereo-

typical white klutz. At 6’5”, I couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time. Towels deserved more space on the bench than my butt. The 1973 Gorton team had an eclectic collec-tion of kids with a formi-dable lineup of big guys that included Bernard Toone, Mark Owens and James “Sonny” Win-stead. They were tall enough to make me feel short.

I remember making a joke about Sonny at

the dinner. His street name was Mad Dog. I said I was old enough to remember him as a Deranged Puppy. Four years later, we ran into each other near Getty Square. I heard a shout, “Mr. Poletsky!” It was Sonny, not Mad Dog, in an Air Force uniform who called me “Sir.” It was a good talk but my biggest takeaway was that he remembered me. Four decades later, we were shooting the breeze again, this time via email and long distance. We covered a lot of ground. There was a joy in our voices, the kind you hear at a high school reunion. And this time, James finally called me Alex and not sir. He made me feel young again. Alex Poletsky (C65) is a retired journalist and managing editor of Wolf Tales.

Sonny Winstead

BIRDS (from Page 13)

generally run the household. Females smoke cigarettes, drink beer and tell dirty jokes. Another bizarre fact about phalaropes is the way they feed, whether they are on a shallow arctic pond, a salt lagoon or deep ocean. Either singly or in groups, they spin like tops by paddling rapidly with one foot. This action creates a small vortex beneath them, resulting in microscopic particles of food being drawn to the surface. Phala-ropes have long thin bills and they snatch up these particles, usually floating within a drop of water, with the tips of their

beaks. By slowly opening their beaks, the drop of water rides up into their mouths through a process of adhesion and cohe-sion, where the birds squirt out the water and keep the food. Some scientists have postulated that phalaropes use more energy getting their food than what they derive from it, but obviously this isn’t true. Note the tiny drop of water in the Wilson’s phalarope’s beak (see photo on previous page). When hundreds of birds are spinning like this in shallow water, they can get the water “boiling”, like a tempest in a teapot. Sam Fried (C65) has seen and photo-graphed almost every bird species in North America.

Let’s Hear it for the Wolves Well, we missed another one—National

Wolf Awareness Week. Established in 1996, the howl-a-bration takes place every third week of October. Due to predator control programs, gray wolves have been reduced to 65,000 in number and were placed on the U.S. Endangered Species Act list in 1973. Until 1987, the red wolf was considered ex-tinct. Breeding programs, such as the one at the Westchester Wolf Conservation in South Salem, have brought 300 back into the wild. Wolves are considered an apex predator. They live on animals ranging in size from elk and moose to rats and mice. Their only threat is us, in particular cattle ranchers and sheep herders. They are the largest members of the dog family and hunt in very sophisticated packs. Little-known facts: Wolves make lousy guard dogs. Since they’re naturally afraid of the unfamiliar, they will hide from visitors rather than

bark at them. Their howls are distinctive. Other pack members use them to recognize each oth-er.

Wolves live and hunt in packs of about four to 10.

Wolves can smell other ani-mals more than one mile away. Wolves can roam up to 50 miles in a single day.

They are very costly to domes-ticate. Wolves can eat 20 pounds of red meat in one sitting.

In North America, gray wolf pups are born during April, May and the first week of June. While a wolf pup’s eyes are blue at birth, their eyes turn yellow by the time they are eight months old.

Adult gray wolves range from 40 to 175 pounds (females weigh just slightly less than males). Wolves sprint 36 to 38 miles per hour for short distances.

Dancing With The Wolves

CARVING A PLACE IN HISTORY—The Journal News photographer Frank Becerra Jr. took this photo before he left Lake George, NY. This amazing project was created by chainsaw carver and Lake George resident Paul Stark, and sits on the southern end of Lake George on Beach Road. The canoe depicts Major Robert Rogers along with several native Americans allied to the British, on a scouting mission on Lake George during the French and Indian war.

Wolf Tales, Page 15

COVID Uptick Prompts Concerns An uptick in COVID-19 cases, hospitaliza-tions and virus-related deaths has led County Executive George Latimer to issue an order mandating the use of masks in public and private schools, effective Oct. 26. The upsurge of cases is not limited to the lower Hudson valley. Spikes in surrounding states prompted Gov. Andrew Cuomo to issue an advisory against non-essential travel to and from New Jersey, Connecti-cut and Pennsylvania. New York State has created a public dash-board that tracks COVID cases in school districts and individual schools. According to the tracker, there have been no report-ed cases at Gorton since Sept. 8. According to the NYS COVID-19 Report Card, as of Oct. 9, school districts in the mid-Hudson region have reported 236 cases of COVID-19—150 of those are stu-dents, 86 are staff. Westchester districts have reported 69 cases. Since the virus was first reported in Westchester seven months ago, there have now been 39,616 confirmed COVID cases in Westchester out of 782,738 test-ed, according to the state's Department of Health. Deaths total 1,469. By locality, Yonkers still ranks first in cases (8,194) followed by New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, White Plains and Port Chester. Statewide, there were 90,540 COVID-19 tests administered yesterday, with 1,201 (1.32%) testing positive. There are cur-rently 942 people hospitalized with the virus and there were 12 new fatalities. Since the pandemic began, New York has administered 13,072,715 COVID-19 tests, with 486,480 testing positive. A total of 25,672 New Yorkers have died since mid-March.

Target is Coming To Yonkers Mall Yonkers is on target for a major retail shot in the arm—Target has signed a 40-year lease with the Cross County Shop-ping Center. Target will take over a former Sears lo-cation that served as the anchor for the outdoor mall until Sears filed for bank-ruptcy in 2019. An opening date has yet to be announced. Target's signing coin-cides with clothing retailer H&M's lease renewal and revamping.

City Charter School OK’d for $15M Bond The Yonkers Economic Development Corporation has approved up to $15 million in bonds for the Charter School of Educational Excellence to refinance some of its debt and expand into an adjacent laundromat at Lamartine and Warburton. The school has bought a nearby church site to house its proposed high school in the next two years. The acquisition of the laundromat would provide a vehicu-

lar-free pathway between the middle school and the high school. The present facility expects to accommodate more than 1,000 K-10th grade students.

New Trustee Named To Board of Education Gail Burns has a parking spot on the Yonkers Board of Education. Burns’ term expires in 2025. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Yonkers Parking Authority where she manages city’s liaison to the Mayor’s Disability Board. In addition to her ap-pointment, Mayor Mike Spano an-nounced the reap-pointment of Dr. Rosalba Corrado Del Vecchio to the nine-member board that oversees the city’s school system.

Dr. Rosalba Corrado Del Vecchio

Gail Burns

Wolf Tales, Page 16

Yonkers Considers Civilian Review Board As part of a larger focus on potential po-lice reforms, the City Council is considering the creation of a civilian complaint review board. The proposed civilian board will have the power to receive, investigate, hear, and make findings and recommend action for complaints by the public against members of the police department for instances that include excessive force, abuse of au-thority and offensive language. If enacted, the complaint board will add to several recent police reforms in the city, including a pilot police body camera pro-gram and a police reform committee.

Every Cloud has A Silver Screen The YoFiFest, the official name of the Yon-kers Film Festival, will mark its eighth year in November by going virtual. While you won’t be able to rub elbows with direc-tors, you will be able to stream this year’s menu of 142 films from the comfort and safety of your own homes. You might say that every cloud has a silver lining, or screen, in this case. The festival's official dates are Nov. 7-22, when there will be live events, workshops and talkbacks online, but film lovers can purchase tickets in advance and start watching films on Oct. 23. For details, check out www.yofifest.com. The festival wraps up with an awards ceremony.

Do Not Pass School Bus, Pay $300 The next time you blow pass a parked Yon-kers school bus, smile—you’re on Candid Camera—and it’ll cost you about $300. Yonkers lawmakers are considering outfitting school buses with cameras to help fine drivers who illegally pass halted buses. The infractions will carry graduated penalties for each offense.

A Brand New Bag And It’s Not Plastic After a delay due to the COVID-19 out-break and a pending lawsuit, enforcement of the ban of single-use plastic bags in New York is back. The ban prohibits the use of bags in mar-kets and grocery stores, with the excep-tion of baggies used for pharmacy pre-scription, fruit, vegetables, and to wrap meat or fish. Restaurant takeout food is also exempt from the ban.

County Caps Fees For Food Deliveries Food delivery companies like Grubhub and Uber Eats can chew on this for a while—there’s now a 15% cap on food deliveries. "These fees, which mom and pop restau-rants don’t have the market power to ne-gotiate, drive up costs to customers – who are also relying on takeout delivery like never before – and can really impair a res-taurant’s ability to compete," County Leg-islator Catherine Parker told The Journal News.

PUMPKIN PICKING—While Ursula Belle Healy takes Belle Annemarie and friends to their annual pumpkin patch trip in Easton, CT, Kevin Henry’s neighbor digs in for a pre-holiday treat. What, no stuffing?

DON’T TAKE NATURE FOR GRANITE—On a recent trip to see the kids and grandchil-dren, Beau and Janet Hanford took a two-mile walk around Becket Quarry in in the Berkshires.