In the Fall of 1958  I joined with Jimmy George, George McVay and several other class of ‘58 graduates on the trek to Brooklyn College.  The SIRT, the Staten Island Ferry and the #7 Flatbush Ave IRT train took me to the institution that prepared me to be part of the teaching staff of the New York City Public School system.

After teaching in Brooklyn for six years, I transferred to Curtis High School in 1968.  Twenty-seven years later I walked out the door at “Exit 5" into the world of retirement.  Teaching for thirty-three years provided a life filled with many experiences.  I’m glad to say that most of them were good ones.  For all of my time in the NYC school system I was actively involved in the work of the United Federation of Teachers.  At varying times I served as a Chapter Leader, delegate to state and national conventions and a grievance arbitration advocate.  These activities helped me to serve my colleagues and to appreciate the importance of unions and specifically the UFT.

With the exception of a brief time in Brooklyn, I have lived the last fifty years on Staten Island.  During that time span I moved from Tottenville to Great Kills then to Westerleigh and for the last ten years I have lived in West Brighton.  Not quite the picture to expect from someone who listed the “Happy Wanderer” as favorite song in “The Purple Parrot.”   But Staten Island has served as home base for many happy travels.  I have been fortunate to visit each of the seven continents as well as all but one of the fifty states.  In the last few years my wife Arlene and I have been renting apartments in London and Paris as well as taking extended driving trips through parts of Europe.

Last year after spending a number of winters as rental “snow birds” in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Arlene and I took the plunge and bought a home on the island.  Now we are trying to decide how to get the most out of two worlds.  No place can offer what New York City offers, but it sure is nice living on a golf course and being five minutes away from the practice range and the first tee.

Back in the 1970's while visiting Tokyo I bought a fortune at a temple.  It said that I should expect “moderately good fortune.”  At the time I had the opportunity to burn the fortune and try for a better one.  I told my friends that moderately good fortune was good enough for me.  I still carry in my wallet the slip with that fortune.

Additional thoughts.  Those of us who will be attending the events of the reunion will come to appreciate the efforts that the members of the committee have made on our behalf.  My name will be on a list but my contribution has been minimal compared to the time and commitment by those who have been active since the beginning.  It is impossible to measure the importance that Elias Kusulas and those who have been part of this process for over two years have been to its success.  We all owe them a sincere debt of gratitude.

At the same time, as someone who has attended all of our previous reunions, I would like to offer a special thank you to Betty Drabek Stroh and the members of her committees who enabled us to stay connected over the past 50 years.