The following photos were taken with a very old camera, as their low quality attests. Nonetheless, they represent my only photo record of those very "nostalgic" years.
In this March 1959 photo the most brazen male behavior was smoking cigarettes. It was taken at the New Jefferson School immediately upon "lighting up" after leaving the school bus.
This April 1959 photo was taken at Schalmont in Mr. Dean's science class. Note the highly patterned shirts worn in those days.
From Left to right: Pete Kochem., Marty Gburski, Bill Pechtel, Bill Ladney, Ron Rohloff, Dick Gubala, Johnny Strasdin, Walt Dytrtch and David Kazda.
These two merged photos were taken the same day in 1959 as in the above photo. On the left is Mr. Dean and Ron Rohloff when Ron was behaving. As often as not, Ron would "cut up" whereupon Mr. Dean would oddly grab Ron by the neck while counseling; the photo on the right captures one of those moments.
Bob Lull lived just three doors away on Caroline Avenue in Rotterdam. In this April 1959 photo Bob reads of the "Southwest tornado Fatal to Six" in the no-longer-published Schenectady Union-Star, a newspaper he delivered after school for many years.
October 1960 brought football season to Schalmont sports.
In the top photo, Left to Right, bottom to top are
Ron Flory, Joe Ettore, Dick Trobridge and Tony Monte, and in the bottom photo Bill Longo.
This early morning November 1960 photo was taken at the Schalmont front entrance immediately upon stepping off the schoolbus. Note the "D.A." hair styles.
From Left to Right are: Henry (Dick) Malinowski, Ron Mazerolle, Butch Richmond, Tom Longo, Dick Gubala, and Joe Feulner.
The winters were long and cold in Schenectady, and Schalmont's science labs were somewhat spartan by today's standards, as this February 1960 photo attests. Here Jack Beasley distracts Judy Knefley while she attempts to complete her lab assignment in Mr. Corrigan's science class.
This late March 1960 photo further attests to Schenectady's snowy winters. Here Dick Carusoe (on the Left) and I used a fire hydrant as a prop outside a friend's home on Myrtle Avenue in Rotterdam. In those days hydrants were always cleared of snow. By whom I don't recall.
This photo was taken in April 1960 outside Joe Ettore's house on Myrtle Avenue.
From Left to Right are: Bill Olejnik, Bob Lull, Joe Ettore, Tony Monte, and Joe Schittone (deceased) who happened to be driving by in his 1956(?) Plymouth.
A truely major event in Schenectady in June 1960 was the tornado that roared through Rotterdam.
The photo on the left was taken on Curry Road next to where Bixby School once stood, and where Mallozzi's Restaurant now stands.
The photo on the right shows all that remains in the cellar of another Curry Road home. Note the position of the furnace, water heater, washing machine, chair, and next to the chair the (unmoved!) tall ashtray.
As a teenager we lived for the warm, summer weather. Here in July 1960 I proudly stand in front of the family boat I "cruised" looking for "chicks" on Mariaville and Saratoga Lakes. Certainly a "wimpish" boat by today's standards.
Schalmont opponents were often in fear of our mean looking "Senior Football" players in October 1960.
From Left to Right: Bill Evans, Jack Beasley (Quarterback), and Bob Phillips.
I was extraordinarily fond of my leather jacket in February 1961. Years later I learned my wife trashed it shortly after we met.
March 1961 brought the first hints of Spring and "tossing coins" against the wall at the New Jefferson School Bus Stop.
Not gambling that day were, from Left to Right, Bob Lull and Tom Longo.
In early April 1961 a Schalmont "Seniors only" camping trip was foolishly organized. Selecting the cliffs of "Vroman's nose" in Schoharie, New York as a great location proved unfortunate for those too inebriated to enjoy the flat, level top of "the nose."
Here, from Left to Right, Al Decarlo (deceased, former Rotterdam Chief of Police), Jack Beasley and Bill Brown rescue a "fallen" camper.
Sliding down cliffs wasn't the only "Senior antic" at the Schoharie camp site, here:
From Left to Right is Ron Rohloff, an unsuspecting Jack Beasley, Jerry Wormuth watching his breakfast eggs fry, and an observing, incredulous Mike Hackett.
Not learning any lessons from the first Senior Camping Trip, another ill-fated outing occurred in May 1961 at a very soggy, wet and cold Sacandaga, New York. Here:
From Left to Right, are Jack Beasley, Pete Cardone, Tom Longo, (Unknown), Bill Provost (deceased), Jerry Wormuth, John Strasdin and Richard Frili observing Tom Longo in the art of slicing his finger with a sharp knife.
Finally, in June 1961 came graduation and with it impatience to enter the "real world."
Had I only known....
As our Schalmont yearbook states
"Lest we forget ... The class if '61."
Thanks for visiting,
Bill
This first photo was taken in June 1958 in Dick Tullock's front yard on Princetown Road, Rotterdam, New York, directly across from the "New" Jefferson School. From left to right are Martin Geburski (deceased), Richard Gubala, Bill Longo and Joe Feulner.
Bottom Row, Left to Right: Ron Mazerolle, Henry (Dick) Malenowski, Butch Richmond (deceased), Joe Feulner and Bill Olejnik (deceased).
Top Row, Left to Right, Anthony Tortora, Joe Ettore, Bob Lull, Dick Tullock (deceased), (?), and Tom Longo.
