To this day, I still remember my life in
Newark. My last thoughts of Newark are from the Vailsburg section.
We lived on Richelieu Terrace (#11), but I guess, let me start at
the beginning.
My first recollection of Newark was on Gladstone Avenue across
from the cemetery. As a child I remember being scared looking out
of the window, being so close to the cemetery. I as only a child
at the time, this was 1964. I had two older brothers and two older
sisters, and one younger sister. My sisters used to hang outside
and from the stories I heard from them, they would run through the
cemetery, thinking this was fun.
I went to Speedway School in Kindergarten and 1st through 3rd grade
went to ST. Antonius School. From there I went to Mt. Vernon (we
moved to Ivy Hill Apartments). Boy, those were some fun times as
a kid. I remember Halloween, never having to leave the buildings,
going from floor to floor, up/down the stairways, playing hide and
seek, up to the roof and down the next building stairways. Really,
it was like a live Chutes/Ladders game going up and down and just
having fun.
I remember the reck at Mt. Vernon, always going there after school
for skating in the gym, gymnastics, crafts with Mrs. Honeyfell,
and Mr. Watson and Mr. Kerwin.
After Ivy Hill we moved to Richelieu Terrace in the Vailsburg section.
I went to Lincoln School, 5th through 8th grade and then onto Vailsburg
HS. Unfortunately, I left Vailsburg HS after the 10th grade, my
family moved to Parsippany. I was heartbroken. I never truly got
over leaving my friends. I did not have many, but the ones I had
were wonderful. To name a few, Diane Casale, Patty Manfredi, Karen
Aqauanno, from Vailsburg HS, was Patty Manfredi, Karen, Barbara
Sapienza, Michelle Zuttowski.
At this time I became boy crazy and had such a crush on a guy named
Joe Dziedalonis. I first met Joe when I was in 4th grade living
in the Ivy Hill Apts. I was so shy I could not even speak to him.
At the time stalking was not a problem, and I tried to always be
in the same places he was. I lived at 35 Manor Dr. Ivy Hill, he
lived at 55 Manor Dr. Ivy Hill on the 7th Floor. When I moved to
Richelieu Terrace and went to Lincoln, I did not think about him
anymore until Vailsburg HS. At this time we were living on Richelieu
Terrace. Joe was in my homeroom 9th and 10th grade and all those
wonderful feelings came back again, but believe me when I tell you
I could not speak. He was so nice and so cute.
The times at Vailsburg HS were really he best of my life. It was
so exciting being in HS, the Pep Rallys, the friends, and also just
the wonderful feeling of being young and flirting with the boys,
hanging out with your friends, and also just the wonderful feeling
of being young and flirting with the boys, hanging out with your
friends, just really enjoying innocence.
I am 48 years old now, I live in Bergen County, and have two young
girls of my own, 7 and 8 years old. My oldest daughter loves to
flirt with the boys and it brings a smile and a chuckle from me,
because it reminds me of how I felt at that age. I have so many
many wonderful memories of Newark at this time I cannot....
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