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HI, MY NAME IS SPIKE BARKAN, AND THIS IS PART OF AN ONGOING SERIES SPONSORED BY THE HASTINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY.TODAY WE ARE GOING TO SP BE SPEAKING WITH NANCY GAGLIARDI.
WHEN DID YOU COME TO HASTINGS? I CAME BEFORE I WAS A YEAR OLD, SO I'VE LIVED HERE, I WOULD SAY MY WHOLE LIFE.
AND WHAT, WHAT BROUGHT YOUR PARENTS TO HASTINGS? UM, THEY WANTED TO BUY A HOUSE.
UM, THEY WANTED TO BE IN A COMMUNITY THAT, UM, HAD GOOD SCHOOLS.
WE, WE JUST CAME FROM YONKERS, BUT, UM, WHERE THEY WERE LIVING WAS A COLD WATER FLAT, AND THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUY A HOUSE AND TOOK IT.
AND DO YOU HAVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS? I HAD AN OLDER BROTHER WHO PASSED AWAY, AND I HAVE AN OLDER SISTER.
AND WHAT, WHAT DID YOUR PARENTS DO? MY FATHER WAS A REPAIRMAN FOR THE NEW YORK TELEPHONE COMPANY, AND MY MOTHER WAS STAYED AT HOME AND RAISED US.
SO YOU, YOU WENT TO THE HASTINGS SCHOOL SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE TIME IN THE HASTINGS SCHOOLS.
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? IT WAS GREAT.
UM, I STARTED SCHOOL, ACTUALLY, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR US FOR KINDERGARTEN, SO I STARTED MY KINDERGARTEN YEAR.
I HAD MY KINDERGARTEN YEAR AT THE FIRST REFORM CHURCH.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR, UM, HILLSIDE SCHOOL OPENED AND WE WERE BROUGHT UP THERE FOR FIRST GRADE.
AND WHEN YOU WERE GOING TO, UM, WAS THAT THE FIRST YEAR THAT HILLSIDE OPENED? YES.
SO HOW DO YOU REMEMBER, OR DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE, HOW MANY KIDS WERE GOING TO SCHOOL THERE IN THE FIRST YEAR? I DON'T REMEMBER.
I MEAN, YEAH, HOW WOULD I REMEMBER? I JUST KNOW THAT IT WAS ONLY HALF THE SIZE OF WHAT IT WAS BEFORE THE ADDITION WAS PUT ON.
SO, UM, IT WAS ONLY THE SIDE WITH THE, UM, ALL PURPOSE ROOM.
UH, SO IT ENDED AT THE LIBRARY.
UM, AND DO YOU REMEMBER ANY FAVORITE TEACHERS OR OH YEAH.
UNFAVORITE TEACHERS, MRS. CRACK FOR SURE.
SHE WAS, I KEPT IN TOUCH WITH HER UNTIL THE DAY SHE DIED.
AND WHAT GRADE DID SHE TEACH? SHE TAUGHT ME IN FIRST GRADE.
AND WERE THERE TEACHERS THAT YOU DIDN'T LIKE? NO, UM,
THERE WERE SOME, A COUPLE THAT WERE DIFFICULT, BUT NONE THAT I REALLY DIDN'T LIKE.
I REMEMBER GOING, WALKING THROUGH THE HALL FOR MY DAUGHTER'S FIRST GRADE OF KINDERGARTEN, AND ONE OF MY FORMER TEACHERS YELLED, OH NO, IT'S NANCY SKULL.
AND I SAID, OH, OH, NO, IT'S THAT TEACHER'S NAME.
WHO, WHICH TEACHER WAS THAT? MR. TERRA FORD.
UM, BUT NO, I HAD A REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCE.
AND WHAT, WHAT DID YOU DO AFTER SCHOOL WHEN YOU WERE, UM, WHEN SCHOOL LET OUT? WERE THERE PLACES THAT YOU HUNG OUT, UM, DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR? YOU WENT HOME, YOU DID YOUR HOMEWORK OR WHATEVER, BUT YOU WENT OUT INSIDE AND PLAYED? WE HAD A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD, A REALLY GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ARE STILL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, IN THEIR PARENTS' HOUSE OR THEIR PARENTS ARE STILL THERE.
AND WE, WE PLAYED KICK THE CAN.
WE PLAYED RING OLIVIO, WE PLAYED TAG AND JUST HUNG OUT.
AND THAT WAS WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, DID IN THE SUMMER.
UM, WE WOULD HANG OUT AT REYNOLDS FIELD IN THE MORNINGS, UM, PLAYED GAMES, PLAY KNOCK HOCKEY, DO ARTS AND CRAFTS WITH OTTO AND MARY, BE SUNITA, AND, UM, PLAY SOFT.
WE HAD A SOFTBALL TEAM THAT WE ORGANIZED DOWN THERE.
AND BEFORE THE POOL OPENED, WE WOULD WAIT FOR THE SPRINKLERS TO COME ON AND WE'D GO UNDER THE SPRINKLERS.
WE'D USUALLY GO HOME FOR LUNCH.
AND WHEN AFTER THE POOL OPENED, WE'D ALL GO.
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WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD GO UP TO THE POOL AND WE HAD TO BE HOME.BY THE TIME THE FOUR 30 WHISTLE BLEW AT, AT ANACONDA? YES.
AND, UM, SO INEVITABLY WE WERE HALFWAY HOME AND THE WHISTLE WOULD BLOW BECAUSE NO ONE WANTED TO LEAVE THE POOL.
AND WE'D ALL START RUNNING BECAUSE MOST OF US HAD, PARENT HAD A, A PARENT WHO, YOU KNOW, WAS A BLUE COLLAR WORKER WHO GOT HOME ABOUT FOUR 30.
AND, UM, IT WAS GONNA BE DINNER TIME, SO YOU HAD TO GET HOME.
SO WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD? UH, I LIVED IN THE HUDSON HEIGHTS, IT WAS CALLED, UM, I LIVED ON CLARENCE AVENUE, WHICH IS THE EXIT OFF THE PARKWAY.
UM, BUT IT WAS THE CLINTON, UM, FAIRMONT STANLEY AVENUE, UM, AND CLARENCE AVENUE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WHY DID THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SOUND A HORN AT FOUR 30? EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY AT FOUR 30, I GUESS TO CHECK THAT IT WAS IN WORKING ORDER, THE FOUR 30 WHISTLE.
SO, AND THEN WHEN YOU WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? HIGH SCHOOL WAS, WELL, OKAY, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, WAS PART OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.
IT WAS THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN IT BROKE OFF AND BECAME THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LATER ON.
UM, SO YOU WERE KIND OF IN THE HIGH SCHOOL IN SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE, BUT YOU REALLY WEREN'T.
UM, AND THEN HIGH SCHOOL WAS GREAT.
IT WAS SPORTS, IT WAS CHEERLEADING, IT WAS HUDSON NETS AND TWIRLS.
IT WAS BONFIRES AND, UM, JUST FUN AND, AND A LOT OF WORK, BUT GOOD TEACHERS WHO CARED ABOUT YOU.
WHAT, WHAT WERE THE BONFIRES? BONFIRES WERE BEFORE THE HOME GAMES.
UM, YOU WOULD, THEY WOULD BE ON REN, WELL NOT ON THE FIELD, BUT OVER TO THE SIDE OF REYNOLDS FIELD.
AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THE DPW OR I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS GOT WOOD AND PUT IT TOGETHER AND THEY'D LIGHT IT ON FIRE AND WE'D HAVE A, A DUMMY OF THE OPPOSING TEAM, LIKE
AND IT WAS JUST A LOT OF GOOD FUN FUND.
AND WAS THERE A BIG RIVALRY WITH DOBBS FERRY? THERE WAS A BIG RIVALRY WITH DOBBS FERRY.
IF WE BEAT THEM, WE'D GO THROUGH THEIR TOWN HONKING OUR HORNS AND STUFF.
AND IF THEY BEAT US THE OPPOSITE, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS A BIG RIVALRY.
WAS THERE ANY KIND OF MISCHIEF DONE TO DOBBS FERRY IF YOU BEAT THEM OR VICE VERSA? I DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
I DON'T REMEMBER THERE BEING THAT THE MISCHIEF CAME, LIKE ON HALLOWEEN WHERE PEOPLE WOULD, SOME PEOPLE WOULD EGG PEOPLE'S HOUSES OR TOILET PAPER THEIR YARDS OR, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, AND THEN WAS THERE A, DID YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TEACHER OR TEACHERS IN HIGH SCHOOL? UM, NOT REALLY.
MR. FENNEL AND MR. ECKELMAN AND I GUESS SO, UM, MR. WESTALL.
AND THEY WERE JUST ALL REALLY GOOD PEOPLE WHO REALLY, I THINK, CARED ABOUT THE KIDS.
SO, AND I THINK THERE'S STILL A LOT OF THEM TODAY WHO CARE ABOUT THE KIDS.
AND THEN WHAT, WHAT DID YOU DO AFTER SCHOOL WHEN YOU WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL? AFTER SCHOOL? PLAYED SPORTS, UM, WENT HOME AND DID HOMEWORK, BABYSAT, UM, PLAYED WITH THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO WHAT SPORTS DID YOU DO? I PLAYED VOLLEYBALL AND I PLAYED FIELD HOCKEY, AND I PLAYED SOFTBALL.
SO WERE THERE PLACES THAT YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS HUNG OUT AFTER SCHOOL OR ON THE WEEKENDS? WELL, THE COMMUNITY CENTER WAS OPEN FOR DANCES.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU, YOU COULD DO.
THERE WERE DANCES AT THE SCHOOL ALSO,
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WHICH WERE A BIG DEAL.ONCE A MONTH, ONE OF THE GRADES WOULD HAVE A, WOULD SPONSOR A DANCE.
UM, WE, WE HUNG OUT AT EACH OTHER'S HOUSES.
I DIDN'T GO INTO TOWN LIKE, AND HANG OUT ON THE WALL, UM, BECAUSE I, THOSE WEREN'T MY, YOU KNOW, MY FRIENDS WEREN'T PART OF THAT GROUP.
DID YOU EVER GO TO THE MOVIE THEATER? OH YEAH.
UM, ALWAYS, ACTUALLY I WAS IN THE MOVIE THEATER THE DAY WHEN THE RIDGE STREET EXPLOSION HAPPENED AND THE BIG FIRE ON RIDGE STREET.
MY SISTER AND I WERE IN THE MOVIES.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, YEAH, THE MOVIES WERE A PLACE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WENT.
I WENT ON DATES THERE WITH MY HUSBAND BEFORE WE WERE MARRIED, OF COURSE.
IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THAT OPTION FOR US.
AND DID YOU GO ON SATURDAY AFTERNOONS OR NOT? UM, SOMETIMES.
I THINK THAT'S WHEN THE RIDGE STREET FIRE HAPPENED.
UM, BUT LIKE FRIDAY NIGHTS, I, UM, I DON'T KNOW,
SO WHERE, WHERE DID YOU MEET YOUR HUSBAND AT HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL?
WAS HE IN THE SAME GRADE AS YOU? NO, HE WAS A YEAR OLDER.
UM, COACH BUB WOULD ALWAYS SAY TO ME, LOOK AT THAT GUY.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, AND THEN I THINK WE GOT TOGETHER AT A DANCE, ONE OF THE DANCES AND STAYED TOGETHER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND WHEN, WHEN DID YOU GET MARRIED? IN 1979.
SO HOW MANY YEARS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL WAS THAT? THAT WAS FOUR YEARS FOR ME.
THAT MEAN FIVE, YEAH, FOUR YEARS FOR ME AND FIVE YEARS FOR HIM.
AND DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL? I WENT TO ELIZABETH SETON COLLEGE, AND THEN IT CLOSED, SO I DID NOT FINISH.
AND THEN I ENDED UP AT WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE.
AND WHAT, WHAT DID YOU GET A DEGREE IN? IN, UM, SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING.
AND I ENDED UP WORKING WITH BILL FLE DAY IN THE, UM, YOUTH ADVOCATE PROGRAM HERE.
AND WHEN, WHEN DID YOU, UH, WERE YOU WORKED, YOU ENDED UP WORKING AT THE SCHOOL ALSO, RIGHT? UM, I WAS WORKING OFF A GRANT WITH BILL.
UM, EVERY YEAR I WOULD HAVE TO WRITE MY OWN GRANT IN ORDER TO GET PAID AND AFTER, AND I ALSO DID THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICE SO THAT I DID LIKE TWO PART-TIME JOBS FOR THE VILLAGE.
'CAUSE THE GRANT MONEY WASN'T GREAT, SO AFTER MY KIDS WERE IN SCHOOL FULL TIME, AND, UM, AND I WAS, IT, IT WAS GETTING DIFFICULT TO COUNT ON THAT KIND OF MONEY.
THE GRANT MONEY I DECIDED TO APPLY AT THE SCHOOL, WHICH I, THEY KNEW ME BECAUSE I HAD BEEN WORKING FOR THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICE AND MY OFFICE WAS UP AT THE SCHOOL.
SO I SWITCHED OVER TO THE HIGH SCHOOL OFFICE.
I WAS AN OFFICE ASSISTANT FIRST.
AND THEN, UM, WHEN THE JOB OPENING CAME FOR THE, UM, THE PRINCIPAL'S SECRETARY, I TOOK THE TEST AND GOT THAT JOB.
AND HOW MANY YEARS DID YOU DO THAT? 20.
SO DID YOU WORK WITH DIFFERENT PRINCIPALS? YES.
WHO WERE THE PRINCIPAL? ACTUALLY ONLY TWO DIFFERENT PRINCIPALS AND A NUMBER OF ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.
BUT THE TWO PRINCIPALS WERE TOM FAO AND LOU AT PIETRO.
AND WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? TOM WAS A VERY CALM, UM, PRESENCE, WHO, WHO WAS A LITTLE INTIMIDATING, BUT ONCE YOU KNEW HIM AND HE KNEW YOU, IT WAS A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
UM, HE PASSED AWAY WHILE HE WAS THE PRINCIPAL.
AND LOU HAD A PIETRO WHO HAD BEEN THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, BECAME THE INTERIM PRINCIPAL UNTIL HE WAS NAMED PRINCIPAL.
AND I HAD WORKED WITH LOU FOR MANY YEARS AND WE HAD A VERY, VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
UM, SO THAT WAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TEACHERS, WITH THE KIDS, AND WITH MYSELF.
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I, LIKE, HE DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO OR ASK ME TO DO SOMETHING.I WOULD JUST KNOW WHAT HE NEEDED AND DO IT.
IT WAS A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
AND DID YOU HAVE TO INTERACT WITH THE DIFFERENT SUPERINTENDENTS? OH, SURE.
SO WHO, HOW MANY SUPERINTENDENTS WERE THERE WHILE YOU WERE THERE? AT LEAST 10, MAYBE MORE.
SO WHO, DO YOU REMEMBER WHICH ONES AND WHAT THE DIFFERENCES WERE? WELL, VINCE, VIN BENNY WAS A REAL POLISHED, LIKE A POLITICIAN, YOU KNOW, HE, HE KNEW WHAT TO SAY, HE KNEW HOW TO COME OFF TO THE PEOPLE AND TO GET THINGS DONE.
HE WAS, UM, HE WAS A REAL, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT, A POLITICIAN.
HE KNEW HOW TO GET THINGS DONE.
THEN WE HAD JAY RUSSELL, UM, HE, HE KNEW EVERY KID IN THE BUILDING IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
HE WAS VERY GOOD TO SOME OF THE KIDS, TO, YOU KNOW, ALL THE KIDS.
BUT THERE WERE SOME KIDS WHO WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT HIM BEING THERE.
UM, HE STILL KEEPS IN TOUCH WITH A BUNCH OF THEM WHO NEED, YOU KNOW, HIS ADVICE OR WHATEVER.
UM, WE HAD A COUPLE OF INTERIM ONES IN AND OUT YEAR HERE, YEAR THERE.
UM, AND UM, I KI I THINK I GOT ALONG WITH ALL OF THEM.
BILL MCCARTEY IS THE LATEST ONE, AND HE'S, I, WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET.
HE'S, YOU KNOW, HE TELLS IT LIKE IT IS AND, UH, HE SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
SO HOW DID YOU NAVIGATE THE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES? I, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAD TO NAVIGATE THEM OR THEY HAD TO NAVIGATE ME,
UM, IT WAS EASY FOR ME TO SIT IN THE CHAIR THAT I WAS SITTING IN BECAUSE I CARED SO MUCH ABOUT THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON AND THE KIDS AND THE PARENTS.
I REALLY, REALLY, EVERYTHING I DID MOSTLY WAS FOR THE KIDS TO HAVE THE BEST EXPERIENCE IN HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL THAT THEY COULD HAVE.
UM, IN FACT, RECENTLY SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE UPSET WITH ME BECAUSE I WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING.
AND I MAKE, I MADE EVERYONE ELSE LOOK BAD.
UM, I JUST CARED AND I DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AND THAT'S PART OF MAYBE WHEN I WERE, WAS WORKING WITH BILL FINKEL DAY, AND I KNEW THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF KIDS WHO DIDN'T HAVE THE ADVANTAGES THAT OTHER KIDS HAD.
SO I ALWAYS TRIED TO MAKE IT AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, SO IF I HAD TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR A STUDENT OR A GROUP OF STUDENTS, I, I TRIED TO DO THAT.
UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, I THINK THE SUPERINTENDENTS CAME IN AND THEY SAW THAT I WAS DOING WHAT, WHAT I, WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE BEST THING FOR THE KIDS, AND THEY JUST KIND OF LEFT ME ALONE.
SO SPECIFICALLY, WHAT, WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DID YOU DO FOR THESE KIDS? WELL, IF I SAW A KID HADN'T BOUGHT A TICKET FOR THE PROM, SAY, I WOULD SPEAK WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY, PRIVATELY AND SEE WHY THEY WEREN'T BUYING A TICKET.
LIKE MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T AFFORD A TICKET, OR MAYBE BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID TO GO WITHOUT A DATE OR, UM, A PARENT BEING ILL OR THEY JUST DIDN'T LIKE TAKING THE BUS AND THEY WERE AFRAID TO GET ON THE BUS WITH EVERYONE OR WHATEVER.
AND I TRIED TO WORK IT OUT WITH THEM.
AND INEV, INEVITABLY, UM, MOST OF THE KIDS WOULD GO TO THE PROM.
YOU KNOW WHAT, HOWEVER I COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR THEM, I TRIED TO DO THAT, UM, OR BUY A YEARBOOK OR, UM, GET FREE LUNCH OR GO ON A TRIP.
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YOU KNOW, NOW THERE'S MORE SAFETY NETS IN PLACE FOR THOSE THINGS.BUT WHEN I FIRST STARTED THERE, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T SO EASY, EASILY, UH, ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY.
SO IF A KID COULDN'T AFFORD TO GO ON A TRIP OR COULDN'T AFFORD TO GO TO THE PROM OR THAT, WHAT, WHAT DID YOU DO SPECIFICALLY? UM, IF I HAD THE MEANS IN MY BUDGET, I WOULD FIGURE IT OUT OR I'D FIND SOME, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES OTHER PARENTS WOULD PAY EXTRA SO THAT A KID COULD GO.
UM, OR IF THE, IF THE CLASS HAD FUNDS THAT WE COULD USE, UM, OR I'D GUESS THE PTSA, UM, THERE WAS ALWAYS A WAY TO, TO GET IT TO HAPPEN.
SO WERE, WERE THERE PROBLEMS WHEN YOU WERE WORKING FOR THE VILLAGE OR WORKING FOR THE SCHOOL? I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.
WERE, WERE THERE DIFFICULT THINGS THAT EMERGED THAT YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH? OH, SURE.
LIKE, LIKE WHAT? TWO TIMES I CAN REMEMBER.
I'VE, I, I HAD PARENTS ATTACK ME, UM, ONCE WAS, ONCE ONE WAS GOING AFTER THE PRINCIPAL AND I HAD TO CALL THE POLICE.
UM, ONCE MY COWORKER AND I JUST KIND OF STOOD UP TO THE PARENT AND THEN CALLED SECURITY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY EMOTIONAL THINGS, YOU KNOW, WITH PARENTS AND KIDS.
UM, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THINGS VERY DIFFICULT, UH, FAMILY SITUATIONS HA HAPPENING.
UM, ORDERS OF PROTECTION, UM, WELL, YOU NAME IT, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH CPS WITH, UM, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE WERE, WE DID A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS WITH THE POLICE OFFICERS.
UM, THEY HAVE AN OFFICE UP AT SCHOOL AND THEY WOULD SIT THERE, YOU KNOW, BE AVAILABLE TO THE, UM, STUDENTS THREE DAYS A WEEK.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM AND THE STUDENTS AND US.
UM, AND THERE WERE KIDS WHO NEEDED TO SPEAK TO SOMEBODY AND THEY WERE THERE, THEY WERE AVAILABLE OR JUST TO GET TO KNOW THE POLICE OFFICERS SO THAT IF GOD FORBID, THEY HAD TO COME TO THEIR HOUSE FOR SOMETHING FOR AN EMERGENCY, IT WAS A FAMILIAR FACE COMING IN THE DOOR AND NOT SOME STRANGER HELPING THEM.
AND DID THE POLICE HAVE A, A SPECIFIC OFFICER THAT DEALT WITH YOUTH PROBLEMS OR WAS IT JUST GENERAL? UM, THERE USED TO BE, VINNY CHONE WAS THE YOUTH OFFICER FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, AND THEN I THINK DAVE BLOOMER TOOK IT OVER FOR A WHILE.
UM, I KNOW MY SON ROB WAS AN, WAS A YOUTH OFFICER FOR A WHILE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ONE NOW, BUT WE HAVE A BUNCH OF OFFICERS WHO, WHO REGULARLY COME INTO THAT OFFICE AND, UM, DEAL WITH THE KIDS AND KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THEM.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE OFFICERS WHO, A LOT OF THEM GREW UP HERE.
A LOT OF THEM WENT THROUGH HASTING SCHOOLS.
AND WHILE SOME PEOPLE MIGHT NOT LIKE THAT, I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE HERE.
THEY, THEY HAVE A SPECIAL LOVE FOR THE VILLAGE, LIKE I DID AND I DO.
NOT THAT THE OTHER ONES DON'T.
WHEN YOU WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL, DID YOU GET IN ANY TROUBLE WITH THE POLICE? NO, I WAS KIND OF BORING.
DID YOU DIDN'T HANG OUT AT THE MEADOW OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? NO, I NEVER WENT THERE.
I GUESS I MISSED IT, YOU KNOW, I JUST NEVER WENT UP THERE.
I GUESS I WAS TOO BUSY BABYSITTING OR SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW.
AND DID YOU EVER GO, GO DOWN BY THE, THE RIVER? NO.
ACTUALLY, I DON'T REMEMBER MY PARENTS EVER FORBIDDING IT, BUT I, I KNOW THAT THAT WASN'T A GREAT THING TO DO 'CAUSE PEOPLE HAD GOTTEN HURT, UM, DOWN THERE.
UM, SO I GUESS I JUST KNEW, OR MAYBE MY BROTHER AND SISTER TOLD ME I BETTER NOT DO IT.
SO WERE THERE PARTICULAR RESTAURANTS OR PIZZA PLACES THAT YOU WOULD GO TO WHEN YOU WERE IN
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HIGH SCHOOL? OH, YEAH, KING PIZZA.UM, YEAH, UM, THE CUP AND SAUCER WAS PAST ITS HEYDAY, I GUESS, WHEN I WAS THAT OLD.
SO I REMEMBER IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, CHUCK CARUSO WAS A FRIEND OF MINE, AND SO I KNEW HIS PARENTS HAD OWNED IT, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER HANGING OUT IN THERE.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT WAS MAYBE SOLD BEFORE THEN.
UM, BUT KING PIZZA UNTIL THE FIRE, UM, THE GREEN TAVERN HAD GREAT PIZZA TOO.
UM, WHERE WAS THE GREEN TAVERN? IT'S WHERE SLICES IS NOW.
UM, UM, I, I, YOU KNOW, I LIVED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN, SO COMING INTO TOWN WAS, WAS A WALK
MY PARENTS DIDN'T DRIVE ME PLACES, YOU KNOW.
SO WHY, WHY DO YOU THINK KING PIZZA WAS THE MAIN HANGOUT? WELL, LARRY WAS COOL.
I DON'T, OH, I USED TO HANG OUT AT THE CENTER RESTAURANT TOO, YOU KNOW, BEFORE OR AFTER FOOTBALL GAMES WE'D ALL GO DOWN AND ORDER FRENCH FRIES AND HOT CHOCOLATE.
AND, UM, AND AFTER, UM, EVEN OUR POP WARNER FOOTBALL GAMES, UM, THAT'S ANOTHER THING, I WAS A CHEERLEADER FOR POP WARNER BEFORE SCH BEFORE I GOT INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL BIT OF, OF CHEERLEADING.
UM, I HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MR. HARMON BECAUSE I THINK EVERY CHILD IN, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THOSE YEARS LOOKED UP TO HIM.
I, I COULD NEVER CALL HIM JIM, EVEN THOUGH WHEN I GOT OLDER, HE SAID, YOU GOTTA START CALLING ME JIM NOW.
I SAID, NO, I CAN NEVER DO THAT BECAUSE I RESPECT YOU WAY TOO MUCH.
UM, HE WAS EVERYWHERE AND HE DID EVERYTHING AND HE WAS IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING AND IT RAN WONDERFULLY AND POP WARNER, UM, LITTLE LEAGUE, UM, HALLOWEEN EVENTS, EVERYTHING.
SO WHEN YOU WERE A CHEERLEADER, DID YOU HAVE TO TRY OUT, UH, TO BECOME A CHEERLEADER? YES.
SO HOW DID THAT WORK? WELL, POP WARNER WISE, YOU, YOU GOT CHOSE, YOU KNOW, YOU TRIED OUT AND YOU GOT CHOSEN BY I GUESS A GROUP OF MOTHERS OR THE COACH, UM, AND YOU GOT A, A SKIRT AND A SWEATER.
AND ON SUNDAY RIGHT AFTER CHURCH, YOU'D RUN FOR THE BUS OR RUN TO REYNOLDS FIELD AND CHEER DURING YOUR GAMES.
AND MR. AND MRS. PKI OWNED A MARKET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE.
AND THEY WOULD SUPPLY THE BOYS ON THE FOOTBALL FIELDS AND THE CHEERLEADERS WITH HALFTIME SNACKS LIKE CHIPS AND JUICE.
AND, UM, IF THE GAME WAS GONNA BE FAR AWAY AND YOU HAD TO GET ON THE BUS EARLY, YOU WORE YOUR UNIFORM TO CHURCH SO THAT YOU COULD MAKE THE BUS ON TIME.
UM, I DON'T REMEMBER PARENTS DOING A LOT OF DRIVING OR ANYTHING FOR ANYBODY.
THE KIDS KIND OF JUST NAVIGATED HOW TO GET PLACES AND GET HOME ON THEIR OWN.
I MEAN, THERE WAS ALWAYS A BUS TO THOSE GAMES, BUT, UM, IT WAS JUST LIKE A COMMUNITY KIND OF THING.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY KNEW WHERE I WAS HALF THE TIME.
SO WHAT, WHICH CHURCH DID YOU GO TO? OH, I WENT TO ST.
MATTHEWS LUTHERAN CHURCH ON THE FIVE CORNERS.
AND DID MOST OF THE CHEERLEADERS OR MOST OF THE KIDS GO TO CHURCH BEFORE THEY WENT TO THE GAME? I GUESS SO.
I MEAN, NOT EVERYBODY WAS, I, I MEAN, THERE WERE, I GUESS THERE WERE SOME JEWISH KIDS AND THEY, I GUESS THEY WENT ON SATURDAY OR THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD RELIGION ON SUNDAY BEFORE THE GAMES TOO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEIR CLASSES.
BUT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT MY FRIEND'S PARENTS DID FOR A LIVING.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT MR. BLASBERG OWNED TO CAR DEALERSHIP IN DEATH FERRY OR SO SOMEBODY ELSE'S FATHER WAS A DOCTOR OR WHATEVER.
IT WAS JUST LIKE
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WITH EVERYONE AND EVERYONE GOT ALONG IT, NOBODY CARED WHAT YOUR PARENTS DID.SO THERE WA DID YOU NOTICE A, A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE THAT LIVED ON THE HILL AND DOWN BY SOUTH SIDE? I DIDN'T.
I HAD FRIENDS DOWN AT SOUTH SIDE ON WARBURTON, UP ON CIRCLE DRIVE, AND, AND I WAS OVER NEAR THE PARKWAY.
IT WAS JUST LIKE HOW FAR YOU HAD TO WALK TO GET TO YOUR FRIEND'S HOUSE.
SO WHEN YOU WANTED, WANTED TO BECOME A CHEERLEADER FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL, HOW, WHAT WAS THAT PROCESS LIKE? OH, THAT WAS A BIG, BIG DEAL.
THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, LIKE 90, A HUNDRED GIRLS TRYING OUT FOR LIKE SEVEN SPOTS OR WHATEVER.
UM, JUST LIKE HUDSON NETS, I WAS THEIR COACH.
I WAS THE HUDSON NETS COACH WHEN I WORKED AT THE SCHOOL FOR 25 YEARS.
AND, UM, WE WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, 90 GIRLS TRYING OUT FOR LIKE FIVE SPOTS.
AND WHAT WERE THE HUDSON NETS? THE HUDSON NETS ARE LIKE THE ROCKETTES OF HASTINGS
UM, THEY DO A KICK LINE AND THEY, THEY'RE STILL IN FORCE.
UM, THERE'S NO CHEERLEADERS IN HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL ANYMORE, AND THERE'S NO TWIRLER.
UM, CHEERLEADING BECAME A SPORT, A NEW YORK STATE SPORT, RECOGNIZED SPORTS.
SO YOU CAN'T PLAY TWO SPORTS AT THE SAME TIME.
SO NOBODY WANTED TO DO CHEERLEADING AND NOT BE ABLE TO PLAY SOCCER IN THE SAME TIME, OR TENNIS OR, YOU KNOW, OR VOLLEYBALL.
BUT HUDSON NETS IS A, UM, A CLUB STILL BECAUSE HARDLY ANYBODY HAS A KICK LINE IN NEW YORK STATE.
SO YOU CAN BE A HUDSON NET AND PLAY SOCCER, OR YOU CAN BE A HUDSON AT AND PLAY, UM, TENNIS.
SO TO BECOME A CHEERLEADER, WHAT WAS THE PROCESS? WHAT DID, WHAT WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO DO? WELL, YOU LEARNED A CHEER.
THERE WERE DAYS OF LEARNING WITH THE, WITH THE SENIOR, UM, MEMBERS OF THE SQUAD.
AND THEN THERE WOULD BE ONE DAY WHERE YOU WOULD GO IN AND YOU WOULD DO THE CHEERS FOR THE, THE PANEL OF JUDGES.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE TWO DAYS LATER THEY PUT UP A LIST OF WHO MADE THE TEAM.
AND IT WAS DISAPPOINTING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU DON'T MAKE IT WITH 80 OTHER PEOPLE, IT'S EASIER THAN WHEN YOU DON'T MAKE IT WITH THREE OTHER PEOPLE.
SO ONCE YOU MADE THE CHEERLEADING GROUP, DID YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN? THE NEXT YEAR? YOU HAD TO DO THAT AGAIN IF YOU WANTED TO BE A VARSITY CHEERLEADER.
'CAUSE THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE A JV CHEERLEADER, SO THEN TO GO TO VARSITY, YOU HAD TO DO THAT AGAIN.
AND WERE YOU BOTH JV AND VARSITY? I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I'M, I WENT, I TRIED OUT FOR VARSITY.
I THINK I HAD TOO MUCH GOING ON OR WHATEVER, BUT I WAS A JV CHEERLEADER FOR TWO YEARS.
SO WHICH COURSES IN HIGH SCHOOL WERE YOUR FAVORITES? ENGLISH SOCIAL STUDIES, UM, HOME ECONOMICS.
UM, SPANISH CAN'T SPEAK THAT EITHER.
UM, IT, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE MUCH CHOICE THEN YOU, THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF CHOICES TO BE HAD NOW IN, IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE'RE, WE'RE VERY LUCKY THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ELECTIVES AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHOICES IN EACH CATEGORY.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF DIFFERENT SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES, A LOT OF DIFFERENT MATH CLASSES, AP CLASSES, HONORS CLASSES.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF STUFF.
WAS THE HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER GOING WHEN YOU WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL? OH, SURE.
THE BUZZER WAS, WAS VERY VIBRANT, VERY MUCH A PART OF THE SCHOOL.
AND DID YOU WORK ON THAT AT ALL? NO, I DIDN'T.
[00:35:01]
READ THAT PAPER A LOT? YES, THEY DID.AND THERE WERE EVEN, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE A SENIOR, THE GRADUATION ISSUE HAD SENIOR WILLS IN IT.
WHAT YOU LEAVE THE KIDS THAT ARE STAYING BEHIND.
AND NOW THEY PRINT IT AGAIN DURING COVID, IT, IT WAS ONLINE, BUT NOW IT'S GETTING PRINTED AGAIN.
SO YOU'VE BECOME INVOLVED WITH, UH, THE EDUCATION FUND.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT IS? THE HASTINGS EDUCATION FOUNDATION WAS FOUNDED BY JODI HAYWARD.
JODI GALEN HAYWARD AND DENISE ROSENBERG, UM, OVER 25 YEARS AGO.
AND WHEN THEY HAD THIS, THE IDEA THEY, THEY HAD BEEN TOYING WITH THE IDEA.
AND ONE VERY HOT DAY, DENISE AND I WERE IN THE AUDITORIUM BECAUSE OUR DAUGHTERS WERE GRADUATING FROM EIGHTH GRADE, EIGHTH GRADE RECOGNITION NIGHT.
AND PEOPLE WERE LIKE, FAINTING, NOT REALLY, BUT ALMOST BECAUSE IT WAS SO HOT IN THERE.
AND SHE SAID TO ME, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD AIR CONDITION THIS PLACE.
AND WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA, SO HOW COULD WE DO IT? AND SO JODI SAID, AND DENISE SAID, LET'S START A FOUNDATION.
LET'S GET, LET'S RAISE MONEY TO DO IT.
SO, UM, THEY ASKED ME TO BE ON THE BOARD AND THERE WERE A BUNCH OF FOUNDING MEMBERS AND WE USED TO DO FUNDRAISERS TO RAISE MONEY FOR EXTRA THINGS.
LIKE THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS PUT AIR CONDITIONING IN THE HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.
AND OVER THE YEARS, FUNDED MANY, MANY INITIATIVES, MANY, MANY THINGS THAT WOULD NOT BE IN THE SCHOOL TODAY IF IT WASN'T FOR THE SEED MONEY FROM THE FOUNDATION.
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO STAY ON THE BOARD WHEN THEY BOTH HAD TO, THEY BOTH WENT ON TO DO OTHER THINGS.
AND I STAYED ON UNTIL JUST TWO YEARS AGO, TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.
IT'S STILL VIBRANT, IT'S STILL RAISING MONEY AND IT'S DOING A LOT OF GOOD THINGS FOR THE, THE HASTINGS SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
ARE THERE OTHER COMMUNITY THINGS THAT YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH? I'M A MEMBER OF THE HASTINGS, UM, HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.
UM, ACTUALLY WE'RE GONNA BE CELEBRATING 25 YEARS THIS YEAR AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN ANNIVERSARY GALA ON NOVEMBER 8TH AT THE NEWINGTON CROP FOUNDATION.
AND IT'S GONNA BE A WONDERFUL EVENING.
IF ANYONE WANTS TO ATTEND, THEY CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH ME FOR TICKETS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BE HONORING, UM, BERNIE O'BRIEN, A HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE WHO CAME BACK AND WANTED TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT HELPED TO RAISE HIM AND HIS SIBLINGS.
AND SO HE REVITALIZED AN OLD ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, WHICH NOBODY EVER KNEW EXISTED BEFORE.
AND, UM, WE HAVE GIVEN OVER $400,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS WOW.
TO HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATING SENIORS.
IT'S REALLY AMAZING WHAT WE'VE DONE, WHAT WE, WE'VE COLLECTIVELY EVERYBODY BEEN ABLE TO DO.
AND DO YOU, SO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, KIDS THAT HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE SCHOOL? I TRY TO, I TRY TO, I'VE BEEN INVITED TO SOME OF THEIR WEDDINGS AND BABY SHOWERS AND JUST KEEPING UP ON FACEBOOK IS GOOD ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND HOW THEY'RE DOING.
UM, PROUD OF A LOT OF, A LOT OF THIS, THE ALUM AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
I I FEEL BLESSED THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, BE A PART OF A LITTLE PART OF THEIR LIVES.
AND WHAT KIND OF CHANGES HAVE YOU NOTICED IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE YOU GREW UP HERE TO A PRESENT DAY? WELL, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, IF YOU WERE SOMEWHERE YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN OR DOING SOMETHING YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DOING, OR IF YOU WERE JUST SOMEWHERE WHEN YOU GOT HOME, YOUR PARENTS KNEW BEFORE YOU EVEN WALKED IN THE DOOR BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE PERSON LOOKED OUT FOR EVERYBODY.
[00:40:01]
WAS, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, MY PARENTS, WE DIDN'T HAVE CELL PHONES OR ANYTHING, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I WAS, BUT THEY, THEY TRUSTED THAT WE WOULD ALL LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER, THAT ALL THE PARENTS WOULD LOOK OUT FOR THE OTHER KIDS.AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'D FIND YOUR RIDE HOME OR YOU'D, YOU'D CALL AND EXPLAIN WHERE YOU WERE OR WHATEVER.
UM, IT WAS JUST LIKE A BIG FAMILY ALMOST.
UM, NOW I LIVE ON A STREET WHERE I HAVE WONDERFUL NEIGHBORS, BUT I HAVE, I ALSO HAVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T EVEN WAVE TO ME WHEN THEY DRIVE BY OR, YOU KNOW, THEY MOVED IN AND THEY JUST DON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY'RE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE JUST LIKE FOCUSED MAYBE ON THEIR CAREER OR GETTING TO THE TRAIN OR WHATEVER AND, AND, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TIME OR THEY DON'T CARE TO FIND OUT ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORS.
I DON'T, UM, I MISS THAT COMMUNITY, BUT WHEN I'M WITH THE PEOPLE THAT I GREW UP WITH, USUALLY LATELY AT FUNERALS OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I STILL FEEL THAT, I STILL FEEL THAT, UM, WE CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.
EVEN IF YOU DON'T SEE EACH OTHER FOR YEARS, WHEN YOU DO SEE EACH OTHER, YOU HAD SUCH GOOD MEMORIES TOGETHER, UM, THAT IT'S LIKE YOUR, YOUR FAMILY STILL.
AND I FEEL SORRY FOR THE KIDS COMING UP NOW WHO DON'T HAVE THAT, WHAT I HAD.
THEY DON'T HAVE A MR. HARMON, THEY DON'T HAVE A MRS. CRACK.
UM, BUT I GUESS THEY'RE GONNA FIND IT SOME OTHER WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAD EXTENDED FAMILY AROUND.
UM, AND WE TRY AND DO THAT IN OUR HOUSE, YOU KNOW, UM, WE TRY AND STILL GET TOGETHER ON SUNDAYS AND HAVE MEALS TOGETHER AS AN EXTENDED FAMILY AND, AND I DON'T KNOW, A LOT OF KIDS DON'T HAVE ANY RELATIVES AROUND OR, YOU KNOW, FAMILY AROUND.
SO I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE MISSING OUT.
DID YOU THINK, DID YOU TALK TO YOUR, HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU HAVE? I HAVE THREE BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN DID AND I HAVE ONE KID WHO KIND OF JUST BECAME PART OF OUR FAMILY.
DO YOU TALK TO THEM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE GOING THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS COMPARED TO YOURS? SURE.
WHAT WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? WHAT WAS THE, WERE THERE ANY DIFFERENCES OR? WELL, MY OLDEST DAUGHTER, THEIR CLASS WAS VERY COHESIVE AND THE PARENTS WERE VERY CLOSE.
UM, WITH MY SON, HE HAD A GOOD GROUP OF FRIENDS, BUT NOT THE WHOLE CLASS LIKE SHE HAD.
AND SO WE WERE, THE PARENTS WERE CLOSE TO THOSE KIDS, BUT NOT SO MUCH.
AND THEN WITH MY YOUNGEST, IT, IT KIND OF FELL OFF.
IT, IT WASN'T, THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE CLOSE TO SOME PEOPLE AND SHE'S VERY CLOSE TO SOME PEOPLE, BUT NOT THE, THE WHOLE GROUP LIKE MY DAUGHTER HAD.
SO YOU COULD SEE AS THE YEARS WENT ON, IT WAS GETTING LESS AND LESS OF THAT COMMUNITY KIND OF FEELING.
UM, I THINK IF YOU PLAY A SPORT OR YOU, YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC INTEREST, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THAT GROUP IS CLOSER, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS WHERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU DIDN'T CARE WHAT ANYONE'S PARENT DID OR WHERE THEY LIVED, THEY LIVED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT WAS JUST, LET'S ALL LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER AND I DUNNO.
AND WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? I THINK PEOPLE ARE VERY BUSY.
I THINK A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO PARENTS WORKING.
UM, I, SOCIAL MEDIA PROBABLY DOESN'T HELP.
I MEAN, THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT THEIR PHONES EVEN WHEN THEY'RE SITTING TOGETHER.
UM, WE PLAYED OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME.
WE, WE RESPECTED I OUR ELDERS MORE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S KIND OF SAD.
[00:45:01]
HAVE THE SHOPS CHANGED SINCE YOU'VE BEEN IN HASTINGS? I, WELL, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, MY MOTHER DIDN'T DRIVE EVERYTHING WE BOUGHT, WE BOUGHT IN TOWN.THERE WAS SNEAKER CITY, THERE WAS BENSON'S WHERE WE BOUGHT OUR CLOTHES, WE BOUGHT OUR SNEAKERS, WE BOUGHT OUR SHOES AT BENSON SHOE STORE.
UM, SHE GROCERY SHOPPED IN THE A AND P OR WHITEY'S MARKET OR, UM, YOU KNOW, HE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO OUTTA TOWN FOR ANYTHING.
WHERE WAS WHITEY'S MARKET? WHITEY'S MARKET WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE WAS WHERE THE PKIS OWNED THAT PROVIDED THE, UM, THE SNACKS DURING OUR FOOTBALL GAMES.
AND DID THEY, DID THEY HAVE A GROCERY STORE OR WHAT? WHAT YEAH, YEAH.
UM, THERE WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING YOU NEEDED WAS, YOU COULD GET IN TOWN, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO ANYWHERE.
SO, UM, AND BENSON'S WAS ON MAIN STREET WAS ON THE CORNER OF MAIN AND WAR BURTON ON BOTH SIDES.
THE SHOE STORE WAS WHERE? UM, I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF THE STORE.
THE SHOE STORE WAS ON ONE SIDE ON THE SIDE OF DINO'S AND THIS AND THE CLOTHING WAS WHERE? UM, THE, WHERE FONDA HAS HER STORE.
AND DID YOU GO TO RESTAURANTS WITH YOUR PARENTS IN HASTINGS? THE DINER? UM, THERE WAS BA THERE WERE BAKERIES, WHICH WHAT BAKERIES THERE WERE WAS A BAKERY ACROSS FROM ST.
AND THEN THERE WAS ONE DOWN FARTHER, LIKE MAYBE WHERE THE OLD DRY CLEANERS ARE, WERE UM, THE MC CLEANERS.
UM, SO, AND ALSO THERE WAS, UM, UP NEAR FARGATE MAR, WELL FARGATE MARKET, UM, UP ON FARGATE AVENUE.
YOU KNOW, THERE WAS BILL'S STATIONARY STORE, THEY HAD A SODA FOUNTAIN.
UM, I REMEMBER AFTER CHURCH GOING IN AND HAVING UMS A SODA BEFORE YOU WENT HOME OR WHATEVER.
UM, THERE WAS A LIQUOR STORE UP THERE TOO.
UM, THERE WAS, UH, INWE UP IN UNION TOWN WHERE YOU COULD GET FOOD AND YOU KNOW, SO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED UP THERE, EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A MEANS TO GET INTO TOWN, THERE WAS A GROCERY STORE UP THERE FOR THEM TOO.
WELL NANCY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN HASTINGS AND UM, YOU'RE WELCOME.
THANKS FOR WATCHING AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.