Welcome to The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 164.

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In its first 24 hours of existence, Newsletter # 163 was viewed 2,831 times, was liked 14 times, and received three comments. In all, 4,724 email addresses received Newsletter # 163. For all of June, the Newsletter was accessed 20,100 times. At the end of June, 4,727 email addresses were receiving the Newsletter.

The Usual Words of Wisdom

Thanks to our fabulous Webmaster, Keith Aufhauser (Class of 1963), you can regale yourself with the first 163 Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletters (and much other Wheatley data and arcana) at

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 and do not vouch for the accuracy of what people tell me, as TWSAA does not have a 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, and/or studied there. Art Engoron, Class of 1967

Berkshires-Tanglewood Summer Schmoozefest Suggested

Writes a Wheatley Graduate - “I wonder how many Wheatleyites spend all or part of their summers in the Berkshires, and if anyone might be interested in gathering one afternoon or evening at Tanglewood. Everyone could bring their own food and drinks.”

Writes Nina Galerstein (1970) - “Hi Art, I'm not able to participate in a Tanglewood get-together...but....I am in the Berkshires all of July, and I'm volunteering often at the gift shop at Shakespeare and Co. So if anyone from Wheatley comes by and sees me, please do say hello!”

‘Hood (Culinary) History

Writes Amy Gruskin Gerstein (1966) - “More eatery memories….I recall many trips to Howard Johnson’s on Willis Avenue. Fried clams was a favorite!

One night sticks with me to this day. Four or us were at Gale Greenberg’s (1966) house. Her parents were out, and they left their Corvette convertible in the driveway. I was the only one who had a driver’s license, and we piled in for a ride to HoJo’s. Right near the restaurant, we were pulled over by a cop with lights and sirens. I got a ticket for having too many passengers in a two-seater, and I had to appear in court. You can imagine the terror I felt having to tell my mother! My court date came and an elderly female judge took pity on me and let it go.

Whoever was with me on that fateful ride, give a holler! I am not sure who my fellow partners in crime were.”

Writes Dan Wolf (1971) - “Our family would put up the German Potato Salad from the Parkway Deli (1045 Willis Avenue, Albertson, NY), owned by Helmut and Helga, against all contenders.”

Alma Mater

Writes Sharon L. Neely Halm (1965) - “Never change our Alma Mater. It belongs to the students who helped create the lyrics and to our beloved Dr. Wills, who wrote it.”

Writes Mary Vachris (1972) - “Do not change the Wheatley Alma Mater. It belongs to stay as written by the students.”

The North Side Fence Has Insufficient Support

Writes Sharon L. Neely Halm (1965) - “No fence to the beautiful grounds around North Side School. Secure the doors for safety.”

The Administration

Recently, the Wheatley Administration has changed drastically, most notably with the resignation, after two years, of Principal Joseph Wiener. Read all about it here:

Changes at the top of Wheatley

Writes Roger Morris (1965) - “Hi Art, I enjoyed Roger ‘Roddy’ Nierenberg’s (1965) couple of encounters with Mr Bentley, and I will add my own.  

When I was a senior I was challenged to a fight in the cafeteria.  It was a short one. A student from another class approached me and with a mean face said he was going to hurt me. I replied, ‘I don't think so.’

There were many others on the lunch line, not to mention everyone eating around me amid the clanking of trays and dishes being returned to be cleaned.

What I figured was...not in broad daylight.

But, unfortunately, my comment only made him more angry. He swung and bashed me on the shoulder.  I reacted by hitting him on the head. He fell down, and I walked away, shaken, if not beaten.

Context: I loved to wrestle, was on the junior varsity wrestling team for a few years, and likely because I had polio just before starting school at Willets Road, I was terrible at it, accruing a final record of one win and thirteen losses.

But on this particular occasion (like the only wrestling match I won), I was lucky, though only for a half a minute. Everything changed when I was summarily sent to Mr. Bentley's office.

Sitting behind his desk, no instrument of obedience necessary, he glared at me, and feeling dread tears forming inside me, I came clean.

Mr Bentley explained that he had spoken to the other student, who said that I was just like the rest of the seniors, hanging around in the Senior Space looking like I owned the school, and that that's why I had gotten into a fight.  

Certain I was now in trouble, I put on my most reasonable face and waited for the thunk of the other shoe.

Mr Bentley continued, ‘And besides, you broke a rule.’ The other student told him that he hit me, I hit him back, but I didn't stand there so he could take his turn and hit me again!

And in a matter of seconds, Mr Bentley's face turned from severe to what I imagine others who knew him better were treated, a gentle smiling countenance, enjoying his gotcha moment in response to my jaw hanging down.

No punishment, no permanent record besmirched by a ‘fighting incident in the cafeteria,’ no letter following from the University of Buffalo withdrawing my acceptance.

Then Mr Bentley re-collected his stern demeanor, and I knew it was time to shuffle off.”

The Faculty

Writes Claude Levy (1966) - “Oh boy! I so much approve of your describing Dr. Wills as ‘Wheatley’s legendary music teacher!’”

The Graduates

1965 - Louise Kampa Triano - “There are a few of us that have been talking about a 60th-year reunion for the Class of 1965. Please reach out if you have any interest, and look for more news on this subject. Hang in there, all you 1965 Alumni.”

1965 - Writes Cliff Montgomery (1965) - “Regards to classmates Larry Rosenthal and Barry Gordon. Lookin’ great, guys. Nice memories. Warm regards, Cliff Montgomery.”

1967 - Jill Simon Forte - “I greatly enjoyed the last Newsletter; so many names I had not heard in ages. I loved Steve Shakin’s (1966) movie (he and his family lived a few blocks from our house on Stirrup Lane, which has since been knocked down to make way for one of those gigantic houses 😉). He mentioned Bobby Eastman (1966), who lived across the street from my family. I also remember Larry Fox (1966), who I think was friends with my best-friend and next-door neighbor, Ritchie Harvey (1966).

Mr. Bentley would tell Bob Forte (1965) and I in the halls, “Break hands, Mr. Forte and Miss Simon.” 🤣🤣🤣😉😉😉 I actually liked him, and we named our first dog, a sheep dog, ‘Bentley’ 😄.  I enjoyed seeing Arthur Engoron’s (1967) parents, although I can’t figure out which one he looks like 😉🤔.”

1968 - Laurence “Laurie” Schiller - “Dear Art: Well, it has been a long time since I wrote to you. I started this several times over the past year, but the last 14 months were difficult for my wife and me healthwise, and I seemed always to be lots of Newsletters behind. I read something interesting, and I think that I should respond to it, but it was three months ago and others had had their say. Well, now I’m finally caught up, and I’ve got something to say!

Reading all the memories about restaurants and the old neighborhood has been great. We lived on Knoll Lane, a short block of houses one street over from Club Drive in the Country Club. I’m amazed at some of the memories that have been kicked up by reading all these stories. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

Reading about Peter Calderon (1961) and his fencing success has been great. I fenced at Wheatley from 1965-68, fenced in college at Rutgers, and went on to be the Head Fencing Coach at Northwestern University for 38 years. I retired as the winningest coach in the history of Northwestern in any sport and the second winningest in the history of NCAA fencing. Currently, in retirement, I referee at the national level. All because I got into the sport at Wheatley with Mr. Samuel Phillips in 10^th grade. 

I’ll talk about fencing at Wheatley another time, but for this note I want to talk about the Cross-Country team and Dr. Irwin August. He was the best coach – tough but fair, and I always appreciated that. He had several rules. First, finish the race, even if you had to walk. Second, ‘pass ‘em on the hill and you’ll never see ‘em again.’ Not a lot of hills on L.I., but the Roslyn High School course was at the National Guard Station, and they had a nasty hill that you had to run twice. And, third, always sprint the last 50 yards of a race. I remember we were running up in Westchester, Pleasantville, I think, and the race ended up on the track. I wasn’t the fastest guy, so I came chugging up to the straightaway and all the guys who had already finished and Coach started screaming that there was someone right behind me. So I sprinted as fast as I could and crossed the finish line. Gasping for breath, I looked behind me, and there was NO ONE there. Pretty funny, actually.

I only ran one year (1967), my senior season, but that was the year we were undefeated and won both county and state. Paul ‘Flea’ Ingrassia (1969) was always our top guy. John Walsh (1968) was a friend, and he told me that I should join the team and get in shape for fencing season, which was in the winter. So I did. There were 30 guys on the team, and Dr. August had 24 shirts, numbered 1 through 24. You got a shirt if you placed in the top 24, and the number corresponded to where you finished. Well, as a new guy, I had no shirt, just my gym shirt, but it motivated me, and I was proud of the fact that I finished with shirt #13 at the end of the season. The guy who finished last had to carry a sign during warm down that said “Have Fun.” We also took to running with sunglasses and red and white knit caps. Even in the rain. The other teams never laughed because we always beat them. For some reason during the season, when it got colder, I started wearing a sweatshirt, and I put tape on the back with the scores of each meet. Sort of obnoxious, but, hey, we always won. As I recall, we took 2, 3, 4, 6, and 9 in the county meet – a record at the time, and we scored 74 at the state championship, another record. The top guys were really good. It was an honor to be on that team. Coach August also taught me discipline, and when I became a coach, I utilized many of his methods, even though fencing is a rather different sport. When we had our 50^th-year all-school reunion, I was glad that he was there, and I was able to thank him for what he did for me. I’d be happy to hear from any of the other guys on that Cross-Country team. Thanks. Laurie Schiller 1968”

1978 - Randy Rosler - Hard at work, on location in Fort Myers, Florida

Wheatley Yearbooks, Then and Now

1958

2024 (Names intentionally obscured)

Fan Mail

1964 (Gene A. Grindlinger) - “Gotta love this Newsletter!!”

1965 (Steven Amerikaner) - “Art: These Newsletters are gold, and I so appreciate all of your efforts to keep the Wheatley alums up to date. And thanks to Roddy Nierenberg for his recent reflections. Roddy visited me in Santa Barbara a few years back.

1965 (Louise Kampa Triano) - “What a newsletter!! So full of wonderful stories 😃.”

1968 (Lois Hegyi Goldstein) - “I always enjoy reading these Newsletters. Please keep on publishing them, and I will keep on reading them!”

1968 (Laurence “Laurie” Schiller) - “Great newsletter, much appreciated.”

1970 (Maria Giordano Gittleman) - “Art, I never miss reading the Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter! I enjoy reading the stories and the shared memories of long ago. Thanks to you and to all who take the time to share their thoughts.”

1971 (Dan Wolf) - “Art - Thanks for keeping this going.”

1972 (Jeffrey Kargman) - “I love what you do for The Wheatley Alumni.”

1973 (Edward Ryder) - “Comme toujour, M Engoron, you have outdone yourself.

1974 (Laura Herbst) - ❤️

2000 (Shawn Swift) - Thank you for all you have done (and continue to do) to organize the Wheatley community.”

Closing

That’s it for The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 164.  Please send me your autobiography before someone else sends me your obituary.