St. Joseph's School Babylon, NY Class of 1970

Regarding Sr. Herbert, do you remember how she used to clear her throat so loud

and to everyone's attention?  To this day, when needing my sons' attention,

I clear my throat in the same manner and they know I need their attention to the

matter at hand.  Even my dog knows the throat clearing attention getter and promptly 

obeys the necessary command!      ~ Carol Miller D'Aleo-Comeau

I have a funny memory for you - do you remember Sister Iraneus putting

her hand under her top after lunch, pulling out a pin then picking her teeth? 

I remember she picked out a piece of carrot once, and then re- ate it :-) 

Hows that for a SJS memory?    ~ Kathleen Seely Creenan

Now here is a little trivia. One night, when I was around 11 years old,  Damian Ruppert

and Raymond Rowley, (or was it John Walsh?) slept over my house. For some reason,

which I cannot recall, the two of them snuck out of the house late at night. Actually,

I know why they snuck out ---they were headed to the all-night supermarket to get

some goodies (one of the first to be open 24/7). What I cannot recall is why I didn't

go with them--- was I a scardy cat, or righteous, or simply holding down the fort? 

In any case, its good I didn't go. To make a long story short: the cops brought the two

of them back to my house in a squad car.    ~ Ketith Pezzoli.

Learning history in Sr. Iraneus’ class by reading one paragraph at a time, up

and down the aisles and pulling the reader’s knee sock down with rulers no less! 

~ Mary Ann Panzer Stein and Debbie Fusco-Gerek

 As far as the nun we had, I really can't remember exactly who I had that made us

diagram sentences everyday.  Maybe Sr. Herbert?  That would be 6th grade I think. 

 No, it was Sr. Consolata!  The rubber band shooting was definitely Sr. Iraneus' class,

she was also the class we made the most pigeon sounds in. What fun we had!

  ~ Maureen Wilson Wardell

Hi Deb,

Yes my brother, Ron and I are the Builders.I have been building custom homes

with Ron for about 20 years now. We use to build in the Hamptons and then

we moved to Arizona about 10 years ago. Again I am really sorry I can't make

the reunion. Be sure to tell everyone I said Hello. I will keep in touch, and let

you know the next time I will come to Long Island.      ~ John Valenza

We had fun, like leaving the windows open in Sr. Iraneus’ classroom while we were out on the playground, knowing that the pigeons would find there way in! (guaranteed an extra 10 minutes of chaos to keep things interesting!)  And, pulling up each other's uniforms to expose the netherlands while we had to stand and read out loud, stifling the giggles.  Or, putting the Vicks vapor rub under our eyes and pretending we were crying because we felt sick.

 J ~ Kathy Dolan Blank  (Kathy did anything to get out of class!- Deb Fusco-Gerek!)

Yes I do (have a tidbit) . . . but you have to ask Eileen Carroll to share it with you . 

Why did Sister Iranenus beat the  . . . . . out of Denise De Domemino in 7th grade!!??

(I learned by about 15 years late!!).  ~ Denise DeDomencio Simmons

No reply from Eileen.

Mary Ellen Ginocchio Chinn recalls an inner peace phrase for us:

Sister Herbert told us a story about a young friend that was very sick. 

She sat next to her and kept repeating the words, “My Mother, My Confidence”.

I never forgot the story so, when I’m feeling desperate or need a little help,

I never forget, “My Mother, My Confidence”.

Debbie Fusco-Gerek recalls getting slapped on knuckles with ruler from Sr. Consolata

while in her English class.  What did I do? 

I took out my compact and with its mirror and I caught the strong sun rays and reflected

them on Sister’s face!  She would move and I would follow her until I WAS CAUGHT!!!!

I’ll never forget the pigeon imitators (Dolores, Debbie, & others) in Sister Iraneus’ class.

Also, freezing in the, “playground” in winter and having to huddle together to keep warm, awaiting the marching music back to school.

 Diagraming sentences!  Shooting rubberbands!!  ~ Maureen Wilson Wardell

I remember having to write and re-write the Declaration of Independence with different

color pens for each letter.  Maybe that Catholic Education wasn't so valuable after all.  

Also, Brother Simon....... "questions, problems, difficulties??"  

Looking forward to seeing everyone.       ~Jimmy Dunne

My tidbit --while we were in 1st grade with Sr. Norberta my future wife Sally

was in first grade in Erie, PA and her teacher was.......Sr. Norberta also!! 

Go figure.  The boys dept. was a very unusual area- the brothers were tough but all in all it was a great experience - probably because of the students.  ~ Chuck Quinn

Remember when Bro. Didicus karate-chopped some one's desk in half?

I think it was Valenza's or Ed Stannard's - not that they were less trouble

makers than the rest of us!  ~ Chuck Quinn

This is a conversation between Damian Ruppert and Keith Pizzoli:

Damian starts: Actually, we got picked up by the Suffolk County's police just after we crossed over the Southern State Parkway heading towards the Sunset City shopping center. We all got put in the back of the police car and taken back to Keith's house. I am pretty sure that Sean Seely was with us. 

 Your (Keith's) older brother, who was friends with my brother, Pete, at St. John the Baptist, told Pete about being picked up by the cops and I got in trouble the next day when I got home. Keith, your dad was pretty cool about the whole thing even after being woken up at3:00 AM and it probably would have blown over if your brother did not tell my brother.

  ~ Damian Ruppert

 Kieth adds:  Well, my little conversations with dear ole mom tend to dwell in the past (her short term memory is shot), and the cop story--believe it or not-- is one of her favorites topics. It comes up over and over again, among many other things. I'd say she has mentioned it 15 times over the past couple years. What I find so marvelous is how vividly she recounts the look on your face. The cops knocked on the door, she opened it. She says your eyes were as wide as saucers, like a dear caught in the headlights, frightened for your life. She (not my dad) decided not to tell your parents. So you can kick my brother Rich for blabbing to Pete.

~ Keith Pizzoli

 I remember the time we all wanted to surprise Mrs. Wurtz, I believe it was for her birthday, so we all

 hid in the cloak room in the back of the classroom. We were all pilled in there from the floor to the

ceiling, giggling and so proud of ourselves. When Mrs. Wurtz came in the classroom it was empty then

we all fell out of the cloak room and yelled surprise.  Well, she wasn't happy at all and we actually received a punishment, I think we had to write a letter of apology.

 I have some other "fond" memories but will wait till the reunion. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

~Joan Kraemer-Cain

Three points of memory from Keith Pizzoli:

1. I see Jimmy Dunne has fond memories of our SJS education (he recalls having to write the write and re-write the Declaration of Independence with different color pens for each letter), and he recalls Brother Simon. I recall Brother Simon too, he was a formidable guy ---a big man cloaked in his flowing black Franciscan robe with the white-knotted rope around his waist. Brother Simon sat at my desk once (while students gave presentations or something), and when I got to return to my desk his presence was still there ----little bits of his fingernails scattered across my desktop like a light snowfall (he bit his fingernails til his fingers bled). Brother Simon really liked science, and I appreciated that a lot --I found the guy quite inspiring, even if quite scary. Once he hit Sean Seely so hard on the side of Sean's head (what we called a noogie), that Sean went to the hospital with a frightful golf ball-sized lump on his temple. Brother Simon also had a paddle (remember that boys?).

2. Speaking of Jimmy Dunne, I think Jimmy was the good fellow who gave me the nickname "peach fuzz." Raymond Rowley shortened it to peach. Thanks guys!

3. I think one of the best times of year at SJS was the carnival ---what I think we called the bazaar.  ~Keith Pizzoli

My daughter, Chiara, who just finished 6^th grade, partook in a tradition that

brought back St. Joe’s birthday traditions.  Chiara and friends would decorate

the birthday girl’s locker with ribbons and candy.  Girls, recall what we did? 

In the upper grades we took big bows, attached wide ribbon and taped on

candy, just the amount of the birthday girl’s new age.  Some were mean

and taped on dog biscuits!  All were pinned to sides of our uniform! 

Birthday girl walked around all day with these corsages!!   ~Debbie Fusco-Gerek

Brother Didicus lifting Michael Fallman out of his desk by his sideburns. In 6^th grade and shortly thereafter Michael’s mom took him out of school. Brother Didicus was there for my 6^th thru 8^th grade.  ~Brian Reilly

Jim O'Rourke recalls three long lasting experiences:  

I forgot about Simon's - questions, problems, difficulties - I remember how

he would walk up and down the isles with his hands cocked behind his back 

checking to see if you had your homework done or test signed. 

I remember McGrath telling Simon that you can learn from TV and movies. 

Simon asked what can you learn watching from "Easy Rider" -- McGrath said

 "how to ride a bike"

I remember Ring-O-Levio and never being able to catch the Buser, Dunne and Fallman. 

Fallman could speed up just as I would grab the back of his shirt.  When Vallone and I were on the same team we usually won.

I recall the caulk board easers being tossed at us by all the Brothers when

we didn't pay attention, also that Marching tune we all hear every morning

to line up and march in....I did keep all the information... GEOFFREY VALLONE

What Tidbits do I remember? One that stands out is the chalk fight in second grade

with Sr. Beatrice when she clocked me in the head with the eraser so hard that

I almost got a concussion, and then she sent me, Eileen and Denise to the principles

office for two hours, which was great , we missed the math test!!  ~ Ginnie Collins Davis

Thinking back about the Nuns gives me some laughs, some of the OLD ones never should have been teaching. Don't know if any of the others took piano lessons? First flaw in my mothers plan was I had to go during lunch recess (which was my best subject) I can't remember if it was Sister Grace? Every week she would make you practice a new song & write your practice assignment on the top of next weeks lesson. I discovered by accident she had no clue about most things so (second mistake, she wrote everything in pencil:) I'd come home, erase next weeks & repeated the same lesson & song for months. I was very good at that ONE song!  She never noticed... It turns out I was right, I have NO musical talent at all.

 ~ Colette McLoughlin

YES, IT WAS SR.. GRACE AS I TOOK THE PIANO LESSONS TOO!- Deb Fusco-Gerek and I still play the piano!

Guys!  Remember the Bazaars?  They were like field trips to a Catholic fair area in Pennsylvania.  We left early in a bus from playground and returned in darkness with stuffed animals in the lucky ones hands.  ~ Debbie Fusco-Gerek

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