Halloween

Found these thoughts on FaceBook written by Robert Eisenhardt an RHS graduate from the 1970s.

"There was a time when we were young, and our parents trusted the world. We would be dressed up in costumes, often made last minute by our elders, and just let out into the local neighborhood to collect candy. That was all there was too it. We came back alive and looked forward to the next year when we would tramp those same streets through odd leaf piles and wonder what was ahead of us. Then ... one year ... we decided to pass it all by and at that moment, we began to grow up. Such was Halloween."

I would like to add that often times the costumes were made at the last minute and took the form of a hobo. It was easy to grab one of our father's old hats, rub charcoal on our faces, and stuff leaves into our shirts as if we had just awoken from a nap in a leaf pile. I think it was the simplicity of the effort which captured our fancy, running around the neighborhood with our friends gathering candy from all our neighbors without a thought as to what might be hidden behind the doors of the houses we visited. If the lights were on we came to visit. We knew that after a while people turning their lights out meant they were out of candy.

RAHP (Ridgewood Academy of Health Professionals)

This is exactly the sort of program I envision the RHS Alumni Association creating, sponsoring and providing volunteers for. Until today I had never heard about this program for students interested in health care professions. It is in its 10th year. Please read:

"Dr. Earl Wheaton, RHS '46, returned to school to talk with Caroline Richards' (RHS '91) current 10th grade RAHP students about medical ethics. Dr. Wheaton, who helped initiate a medical ethics department at Valley Hospital spoke about the need for such a department and how doctors and staff use four basic principles to negotiate tough ethical decisions regarding patient care. Here he explains the possible scenarios one might consider as he or she fills out an advance directive. The issue of medical ethics connects to the 10th grade curriculum through four texts - Flowers for Algernon, Frankenstein, Better and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - as students try to answer the overarching questions, "Just because we can do something, should we?" and, "What responsibilities do we have to those to whom we commit ourselves?"

RAHP (Ridgewood Academy of Health Professionals) is a three year, interdisciplinary program for students who think they might be interested in the health care professions. Students enjoy group explorations to Valley Hospital and 1:1 mentorships with its professionals, as well as integrated English, science and health classes. The program is celebrating its tenth year."

When The Mets Win The World Series

When the NY Mets win this year's World Series we will all be happy for Woody. The following was written by a friend of mine who grew up in Jersey in the 1960's and 1970s. He and I went to college toegether.

The Mets Will Win the World Series and I Will Be Happy (For Woody)

"Perhaps it’s a bit absurd, but several friends offered condolences to me the past few days for the Mets going to the World Series because I’m a quite public life long Yankees fan and Mets hater. It’s in my genealogy. My father hated the Brooklyn Dodgers and adored the Yankees. The Dodgers moved to the sunshine of the west and the Mets appeared in Queens, providing a new target for my father’s sports induced wrath. My brothers and I soon followed his passions and displeasures. When I was 11 years old, the Yankees were in last place and the (Miracle) Mets won the World Series. We sat around the dinner table like someone had died, and then my father simply stated “I’m happy for Woody”. Woody is Bill Woodworth, a lifelong friend of ours and lifelong Mets fan. Every Mets victory after that (well, just 1986), I consoled myself with the mantra, I’m happy for Woody. Woody eventually married SueEllen and along came two more Mets fans, in their children Katie and Meg. They are extraordinary people and devoted Mets fans. But, most importantly, in terms of my emotional well-being, they give me an out. I won’t revert back to my 11 year old self, when I threw my first punch at the newbie Mets lover, Peter Coyne. I will enjoy the Series and hope the Mets win. I can’t say I’ll be rooting for them, because that would be disingenuous. But, when they win it, which they will, I will be so happy for Woody, and Sue, and Katie, and Meg, and Father Ken, and….."

RHS Alumni Association Umbrellas and Blankets Coming Soon for the Holidays!

RHS Alumni Association Umbrellas and Blankets coming soon for the Holidays!

RHS Class of 1976 40th Reunion

Attention Ridgewood High School Class of 1976!!

You are invited to join us to celebrate our RHS Class of ’76 40th Reunion on July 30, 2016!!!

Reunion Agenda

July 30, 2016 Day Event: Ridgewood High School Picnic, Tour and the RHS Class of ’76 ‘Owimpics' from 11:30am-2:30pm. 

July 30, 2016 Evening Event Woodcliff Lake Hilton (http://www.hiltonwoodclifflake.com) Dinner and Dance from 7pm-11pm.

Our dinner/dance includes great food, drinks, DJ, a Photo Booth and quite possibly, towards the later part of the evening, Musical Chairs, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Twister....yup.

Please register via our EventBrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ridgewood-high-school-nj-class… or, please send your $130 check to Kathy Gabrielle, c/o RHS Class of 1976, 396 Frances Place, Wyckoff, NJ 07481

We need to pay the hotel 5 days before our event. There will be no ‘day of’ registration.

The Hilton (http://www.hiltonwoodclifflake.com) has set aside 15 rooms for Friday, July 29, 2016 and 30 rooms for Saturday, July 30, 2016 at our rate of $139. each. Please contact the hotel to book your reservations under ‘RHS Class of ’76 40th Reunion.’

Some of our Metro NY/NJ RHS classmates are willing and able to house (RHS Class of ‘76 B&B) our classmates during the reunion.
Please let me know if you would like the details.

We have ‘found’ about 50% of our classmates and we need your help finding more. Please email mitchell.morrison5@mac.com with the name and email address of your buddies.

Also, we are willing and able to digitize your old hard copy pictures for our FB site .  Please let us know how we can help you!!

Thanks,
-Mitch

Mitch Morrison (RHS Class of ’76)
mitchell.morrison5@mac.com

RHS Class of ’76 Facebook page with 241 members and approximately 2,000 pictures (https://www.facebook.com/groups/116671658084/

What's Old Is New

Given that I do a great deal of thinking, idle and otherwise, my impending layoff in the summer of 2016 (that will be another post) has provided me much food for thought. My "little grey cells" as Hercule Poirot might have said, Agatha Christie's fictional detective, have been working overtime on what my next job and/or career will be.

With any new beginning comes new habits. These can be stress-filled at first, but later become so entrenched that you wonder what the worry was about in the first place.

After a lunch last spring in Asbury Park, it was the casual remark of a mentor of mine and lunch companion that day which caused me to consider why I had stopped my life long habit of reading The NY Times every day. When I moved to Forest Hills, NY in 2002 there were newspaper vending boxes on two corners near our apartment, and I befriended our newspaper vendor on nearby Queens Boulevard. It probable cost about $6.00 a week to read it everyday. Then the price inched up again and again where it became an expense I started to notice. Today it would cost closer to $23.00 a week to buy it at the news stand.

I have enjoyed having The Wall Street Journal delivered to my door since 2002 when I inherited the former tenant's subscription. Shortly after it ran out I discovered one of my credit cards offered Wall Street Journal subscriptions in exchange for the points you earned for using your credit card. It didn't take me long to do the math on that one and I have had "free" newspapers ever since. Sometimes I would see the person in the early morning who delivered the paper and would tip him to also leave any extra NY Times he might have on a given morning. The NY Times appeared fairly regularly so I knew I was getting my money's worth.

It was when my regular delivery guy changed that I started to miss reading both the Journal and the "Grey Lady" as the NY Times is known. Then when the merger of my current company was announced I decided that reading the NY Times would be an excellent investment. I've rediscovered that it gives me great joy to leaf through one of the best english language newspapers in the world. Who would have thought that such a trifle would bring such pleasure. Besides feeling more connected to the city I call home, reading The NY Times keeps me in the know on the Art World and local happenings. I read about a local Italian market in Corona that we are going to visit for supplies such as olive oil and cheeses. What's old is new couldn't be more true.

RHS In the Early Evening

Taken by Andrew Halperin, Class of 1985

30th Reunion Tour of RHS Class of 1985

The RHS Class of 1985 on the now seemingly obligatory tour of RHS. Tour was given by RHS Principal Tom Gorman, Class of 1987.

RHS Alumni Association Web Site Launch: 1 October 2015

http://RHSAlumniassociation.org

Our story in a word: JOBS!
Whether it was one of my college or high school friends, alumni have given me numerous opportunities over the last 30 years. These have manifested themselves in internships, apprenticeships, scholarships, and tremendous amounts of mentoring.
A great deal of good is the usual result when people of all backgrounds and means of employment unite in their efforts, each supplying a particular talent or strength, in this case towards the work of the newly formed RHS Alumni Association.

This all means we need give some deep thought, while recollecting in tranquility, our time in Ridgewood. I hope readers of this post will notice the advantages we have been given over our entire lifetime. Subsequently, I wish you all will feel a sense of "noblesse oblige" and want to give back to the society which has been so generous to us.

Give me some feedback at paulmccubbinATgmail.com if your would like to continue the conversation, I am anything if I am not flexible.
Peace.
Paul
PS Thanks to Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, and Yeats.

RHS Alumni Association Web Site!

It's official!             RHSAlumniAssociation.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Ridgewood High School Alumni Association announce website launch

Ridgewood, NJ - September 30, 2015 - The Ridgewood High School Alumni

Association is excited to announce that its website is now live. You can visit it at:

www.RHSAlumniAssociation.org.

Please take a moment peruse through this awesome tool designed to highlight current

alumni and support the future efforts of our alumni community. And don't forget to

register so you can be a part of our next steps.

We look forward to connecting with all of you.

Sincerely,

The Ridgewood High School Alumni Association Board of Trustees