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The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 269Bay Area Reunion; Sports Quiz; Local News and History; The North Side Fire; The Crucible; Rick Simon; Jablon on Kurshan; The Doyle Family; 1966; Lynn and Amy; A Current Student; Dan Engoron; etc.
Dear Wheatley Wildcats and Other Interested Persons, Welcome to the Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 269, San Francisco Bay Area Reunion“Larry Rosenthal (1965) Writes - Andrew Gaines (’82), plans to swing by, joining hopeful Alice Wilkens (’66) and confirms Mark Luria (’61), Laura Herbst (’74), Peter Siegel (’66), my brother Steve Roselaren (’67), Barry (’65) and Aldene Gordon, and yours truly, for The Fifth Annual(?) Unofficial San Francisco Bay Area Wheatley Reunion Potluck—TFA(?)USFBAWRP, Sunday June 7, noon - 4pm, in my Berkeley backyard. Interested Wildcats, please email me at larros99@gmail.com. Out-of-towners welcome!” Quiz for Sports Mavens - Name those (arguable) GOATs (and the intruder)
Edward B. Ryder IV (1973) Writes - “Somewhere heavenly, north of Glendale, Queens, the Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn is kvelling at the result of the litigation arising from the religious discrimination via zoning changes of the Village of Old Westbury.” Local HistoryWestbury Manor was built in the the 1880s by the Titus Family, descendants of Quaker settlers. It was so solidly constructed that its walls were a yard-thick, with interior partitions filled with sand and brick. Interior woodwork was all heavy walnut. The house and farm land were sold in 1910 to John R. Hill, and the house was moved from the north side to the south side of Jericho Turnpike. During WWI, Mr. Hill enlisted in the army and rented the house to Mrs. Robert Bacon, wife of the U.S. Secretary of State, who used it as a residence for young women volunteers at Camp Mills. The Manor House was sold after WWI, but during the Great Depression, it reverted back to the seller, when the then owner was unable to pay mortgage interest and taxes. The entire Hill family moved back into the house and lived there until 1946, when it was again sold and converted into a restaurant, the Westbury Manor. A large part of the clientele at that time was from the United Nations, then located at Sperry’s in Lake Success, and from nearby Roosevelt Raceway patrons. In 1961, the restaurant was acquired by Carl Hoppl, who operated it until 1981. It has been sold twice since, still operates as a restaurant, and is one of Long Island’s premier wedding and event venues. The North Side Fire Flares AgainEllen Genat Hoffman (1964) Writes - “Hi Art, Once again, the info about the North Side fire is wrong. It occurred in 1957, not 1958 as apparently reported by ChatGPT. I enjoyed seeing Kenny Lang mentioned in the item. He lived next door to my family, and he is the person who called our house to report that we couldn’t go to school that day because it had burned down. I don’t remember who answered our telephone, but we didn’t believe him until his mother got on the phone to verify it. We went to the corner of our property, which was only two houses away from the east side of the school, which burned completely. It was just a shell.” The Art Room kiln exploded, causing the fire. The original 1917 part of the school burned. The 1948 wing was pretty much OK. Amazingly, the original section was rebuilt in time for school in the Fall. Art Engoron (1967) Writes - Ellen is correct that the fire occurred in 1957, not 1958 (as more than one A.I. source claimed). I thank Ellen; my 1967 classmate Richard Friedman, who helped me research this pressing issue; and my 1967 classmate Kenny Lang, who got the ball rolling. Kenny Writes - “Talk about the North Side fire brings back so many memories of neighbors and of being young. The fire might have inspired me, many years later, to join the East Williston Fire Department, for which I volunteered for nearly 20 years.” According to The New York Times, a “fire on March 2, 1957, that severely damaged the original North Side School, marks a dark day in village history.” NY Times mentions the North Side School Fire The Mayor of Wheatley’s CornerArt Engoron (1967) Writes - My estimate that The Wheatley School production of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” was in 1966 apparently was off by several years! “Gene Razzetti (1961) writes: Art, as a member of the Stage Crew back then, I believe we did ‘The Crucible’ during my junior year (1959-1960). The following year, under the madcap direction of Mr. Howard Storm, we did “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” with stellar performances by classmates Kent Salisbury, Joan Mahoney, Tim Jerome, David Cohen, Richard Amster, Bari Mittenthall Mears, and other great kids that I can’t recall. Pals Bill Stang (1961), Neil Tiebout (1961), and I spent the time creeping around backstage throwing light switches, raising/lowering curtains, and moving props. Mr. Storm excused me from English class one afternoon so that I could help prepare the stage. He then marked me absent on the attendance sheet. That brought me to the principal’s office for the first and only time of my high school years. The principal chalked it up to Mr. Storm’s case of Opening Night Jitters and let me go. Best to all, Gene.” Janet Gohlke Dyer (1962) remembers performing in it. “Yes, 1961 sounds about right. I never associated the Salem witch trials with the McCarthy hearings.” Administration
Graduates1961 - Michael Jablon - “I just finished reading Nancy Kurshan’s (1961) book, ‘Levitating the Pentagon and Other Uplifting Stories: A Life of Activism,’ and it is a must-read. I never realized what an influential person she has been.” 1965 - Andrew Doyle - Versatile Actor Frank Doyle Writes - “Hi Art, My brother Paul (‘Bud’) Doyle (attended Wheatley for 7th and 8th grades in the late 1950s and early 1960s); and I, Frank (attended Wheatley in 8th and 9th grades, 1972-1974) were going through some of our mom’s old papers and found this program from April 1965, in which my brother Andy (graduated Wheatley in 1965) starred as both Lincoln and John Brown. Interesting memories for me, as I recall sitting through both nights as a 6-year-old, and I can still hear the chorus in my ears 61 years later....”John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in his grave.” I love the Newsletter, as I went to East Williston schools all though Ninth Grade, and my four older brothers attended Wheatley at some point, with Jim 1970, Tom 1967, and Andy 1965 graduating from Wheatley. Best, Frank M. Doyle Retired and living in Burke, Virginia
1967 - Lynn Robinson Braff - Amy Jacoby Budish (1970) Writes - “Seeing Lynn Robinson Braff’s name brought back nice memories of the afternoons she and my sister Beth Jacoby Deitch (1967) spent playing guitar together on our den couch.-’Ole’ Stewball was a racehorse…’? Or am I hallucinating?” 1967 - Art Engoron - On his 77th Birthday, May 22, 2026, with close friend Scott Siller, Esq., at Stresa, on Northern Boulevard, Manhasset, New York
1974 - Dane Tessler - Amy Jacoby Budish (1970) Writes - “Thanks for the beautiful tribute to Dane Tessler. He and my brother Jeremy Jacoby (1974) were good pals from the time they were young, and you never knew what unique mischief would unfold when those two got together! Clearly, Dane lived a rich life and will be missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.” Students
From the Archives:
Fan Mail1960 (Raymond Roller) - ❤️ 1963 (Marcia Friedman Mayer) - ❤️ “I loved your personal essay! Thank you for all your work.” 1963 (Lynne Howard Severe) - “Hi Art, Edition # 266 grabbed me….the incredible obituary about Dana (“Dane”) Tessler (1974), your personally honest note, the note about Marilyn Monroe and Sheli Hershcopf (1968), and the memories stirred by the new website “writing about our generation”….each unique, yet with the common thread of making me feel proud to be a Wheatley grad. Thank you all.” PS: Art, you are definitely not hamster-like in any way. 1964 (Richard Ilsley) - ❤️ 1964 (Davida Tunis Philips) - ❤️ 1965 (Ira Kent) - “Art, I among many others greatly appreciate your continued effort in publishing the Newsletter. The older we become, the more enjoyable it is to relive wonderful memories!” 1965 (Sharon Neely Halm) - ❤️ “I so look forward to reading the wonderful Wheatley Alumni Newsletter. Thank you so much for doing this, Art.” 1965 (Laurel Osrow) - ❤️ 1966 (Alison Kent Bermant) - “For whatever reasons you do this, we are all the richer for your having taken on this roll. Many thanks!” 1966 (Claude Levy) - ❤️ 1966 (Suzanne Stone) - ❤️ “Great Newsletter again....loved the Lauren Karasyk Ryan Oakley and John Oakley matchmaking story - and the Paris pics.” 1968 (Rebecca Consolo Freer Freedman) - ❤️ 1968 (Joan Edelstein) - “Hi Art, Thank you so much for doing such an amazing job of keeping the Wheatley community together…….and for another great Newsletter. You and Keith have the gratitude of so many of us.”And to Patti Garin (1968) -I LOVE the pic of you and Lester. You two made me smile a lot!” 1968 (Ilene “Cookie” Levine) - “Thank you for spending so much time and effort to make our Wheatley Alumni Newsletter the best that there is. You have brought so many people together.” 1969 (Susan Shapiro) - ❤️ 1969 (Jill Wattel Stockinger) - ❤️ 1970 (Mitch Shapiro) - “Keep up all the good work you do in keeping the Wildcats in touch with each other.” 1972 (Jean Kappes) - “Art, I am always inspired and uplifted to hear about Wheatley Alumni. I appreciate your efforts, along with everyone else that contributes to this Newsletter. It’s been wonderful to connect and hear about all those Wheatley graduates who have become some really interesting and incredible people. Thank you for all you do!!” 1996 (Joshua Effron) - ❤️❤️❤️ Non-Wheatley (MBDE) - ❤️ The Usual Words of WisdomAll underlined text is a link-to-a-link or a link-to-an-email-address. Clicking anywhere on underlined text, and then clicking on the text that pops up will get you to your on-line destination or will address an email. Thanks to our fabulous Webmaster, Keith Aufhauser (Class of 1963), you can regale yourself with the first 268 Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletters (and much other Wheatley data and arcana) at our website: The Wheatley School Alumni Association Website Also thanks to Keith is our search engine, prominently displayed on our home page: type in a word or phrase and, wow!, you’ll find every place it exists in all previous Newsletters and other on-site material. I edit all submissions, even material in quotes, for clarity and concision, without any indication thereof. I cannot vouch for the accuracy of what people tell me, as TWSAA does not have a New Yorker style Fact-Checking Department. We welcome any and all text and photos relevant to The Wheatley School, 11 Bacon Road, Old Westbury, NY 11568, and the people who administered, taught, worked, performed, and/or studied there. Art Engoron, Class of 1967 ClosingThat’s it for The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 269. Please send me your autobiography before someone else sends me your obituary. Art
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