The first day of high school is one of those times when you feel you are gaining entry to the larger world. Confirming this fact was my class schedule.There, at the last period of the day was band. I would march at football games. I was in the band.
I had been warned that there was this scary man with a glass eye who ran the thing and he took no guff from anybody, especially the new students. Within ten minutes I was told to put that flute away and he handed me a trombone. I had met the bandleader, Mr. McGrath. For the next three falls I would attempt to play the trombone in marching band. And witness one of the more colorful figures at Hackensack High.
Junior year I decided to audition for the school play, Carousel, and who was the director but Mr. McGrath. I was given the role of Mr. Bascombe, the wealthy amusement park owner. In the script, I (125 pounds) was to be the victim of an attempted robbery by Jiggs (250 pounds and a linebacker in the football team). I was to overpower him physically and escape from the situation. My attempt drew guffaws from everyone there that day. Mr. McGrath had the wherewithal to change the script, giving me a gun. Now the script would be believable.
I was also there when he introduced the humanities class to Joe Smith of Smith and Dale. Mr. McGrath died a few weeks ago.
8 comments:
Hackensack High...
did you come across Bruce or Susan Rhode?
knew them when I was kid...
lived around summit ave in Hackensack....
used to be a Shop rite up there and a couple of blocks down was Hackensack hospital.
Bruce and Susan probably closer to my age...I am 57
Ferdinand(Ferdie) Rhode was a bit younger.
"Top of the Hill" here.... I did not know the Rhodes. I lived further south of Essex St. near route 80. I'm also "only" 50 :-) I do remember the Shop Rite and used to always go to Breslow's next door for baseball cards, candy, MAD magazine, wrestling magazines and an occasional soda or milk shake. Used to be a diner across the street, where Simple Simons is/was. We would ride our bikes there and buy a soda for 15 cents served in a metal holder that held a disposable pointed paper cup. The 2 ladies that ran the diner would bring us a plate of cookies to share with our sodas. BTW, I remember Mr. Pratt. He was a teacher at the Middle School when I attended. I never had him, I just remember this one time he was walking down the hall with his briefcase and it opened up and the only thing in there was an apple and it went rolling down the hall. At the time it was hilarious and I still giggle when I think about it. I guess I'm still immature.
I remember Bruce, they used to call him Froggie.
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