A blink of an eye and a lifetime ago …
Karen and I were there at that first rehearsal in the OLP Cafeteria fifty years ago this month. Once we had our first assignments squared away, the twirlers were on the stage, horns in the center of the cafeteria, big guard towards the rear, guide-ons along the side aisle, and drummers in the ice cream room.
Practices in the cafeteria also meant taking down and setting up the tables before and after, certainly reinforcing the need to work together to get stuff done. Dues were 75 cents a week, and about once a month, we received updates run off on a mimeograph machine.
That November, the 7th and 8th grade OLP students moved from the Annex to the New School across Amboy Avenue. Althea Mazar and I were among those kids who lugged our own desks across the street and settled into the classrooms circling the rotunda. This single change made an even bigger difference in our lives as Saints: It opened up the Annex (aka Parish Center – see satellite image above) to us. ‘Nuff said on that for now!
This weekend, a bunch of us will be gathering at Rene Meyer DeLucia’s home to continue working through the details for our October 21st reunion in Colonia. If you haven’t already done so, click here to let us know if you’re planning to join us (and Sarge says you better be there!!!).
Hope to see you soon!
jo