I was rummaging through some of my "stuff " and I came across these pictures from Annunciation. The first one is one that I left out when I copied Molly's album.
The top picture is Molly Torres, Mary Purcell and Margie Moore. The middle picture is Molly and on the back she says the picture was taken by Mary O'Reilly in front of Mary's building which was 501W134 St.
The bottom picture is of Louie Caraisco. Just click on the picture to enlarge it.
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| The program for the graduating Class of 1953. |
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| You got this photo in two parts in my last post. I shrunk it down and made it fit into one picture. |
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| This is the class of 1952 taken in their 7th Grade. The picture says 7B 1951. |
I just got this email from Jimmy Boylen
I would like to share the following memories regarding 513 W. 135st., the building I was literally born in on a cold Jan. night in 1940. Some of the wonderful families who resided there include the Cunningham's, Mr. & Mrs then their was Mary, Eleanor, Noreen and Robert. The Ferick's, Mr. & Mrs. and the three sisters, Margaret, Eileen and Kay. The Norton Family including Mary, Billy and Eddie. You had big John Sullivan and his mother & father. Them their was the Gills, and the two boys Francis and Peter.. Some other families would include the Pomero's, the Browser's and of course our memorable superintendent Bailey and his brother-in-law John and his two sons Moose & Goose. I remember well the fathers on a summer evening sitting on the front stoop smoking their pipes or cigarettes and talking about politics or the "old country."
I had to laugh at Bobbie MacKenna's recollection of some of the old swimming holes. I do remember Cascades Pool and especially the sign at one end that stated " All the Water that's Fit to Drink."
One other spot we use to go swimming at besides the docks was a day at Palisades Park. We would go down to the ferry and go across to NJ for a dime, climb up the steep water drain pipe and sneak into the park and the pool and spend the entire day. When I got home Mom would ask where I had been and the pat answer was " Oh just around." Needless to say we had been out of state for the entire time.
Some other recollections was the old US Navy Medical ship that use to be dry-docked at about 139th-140th Streets. We used to go on-board and play basketball on a court that had more dead floor boards, you would try to dribble the ball but many times it simply did not bounce up. Another great gym was PS43. many good games on that court as well as the Oval & the 135th St. Park.
Summertime as the song says " and the living was easy" was no truer than living in or around Vinegar Hill.
The old girl friends, boy friends, the sports, the church, the playgrounds or just hanging out, as Johnnie Scott says in his book 'The Boys From Vinegar Hill" I would be glad to do it all over again.
Thanks Tom for the opportunity to remember and share our memories together.
Jim Boylan
Ed.'s note, I beleive the name of the ship was the Prairie State. I just googled Navy Ship Prairie State and got the whole history of the original ship. One of the last pictures was of the ship as we remembered it. She was scrapped in 1956.
This the letter I wanted to put in the last post from Molly Torres. I mistakenly posted one of her previous letters.
I'm Molly Torres Kafes now living in Citrus County(town of Hernando, Florida) for 4 years as of Sept. 1 of this year. I lived in New Jersey since I remarried in 1976, lived in a condo in Cliffside Park (home of Palisades Amusement, Tappan, NY (Rockland County). We lived in our home almost 26 yrs since 1979 and boy do I miss my New Jersey.
After Annuciation under Sacred Heart nuns(Mother Burns, principal & I remember Mother Mc Carthy who was a great geography teacher we then had the pleasure of the Dominican nuns the last 2 yrs(7th & 8th grade), Sister Peter Claver & Sister Mary Veritas. How I survived was a miracle. I mostly hung around 134th st withMary Purcell, Margie Moore, Theresa Quealy &; a few other girls'. All the fellows that I remember were Tomy Read, Billy Hackett, Louis Caraisco, Donald McIver(?)and many others. I then went to St. Alphonsus H.S. on Varick St. way downtown in what is now I believe SOHO. I went to high school with Mary O'Rielly from 134th st & Maureen Hurley from 135th or 136th street. I also stayed around my block on 131st street between Amsterdam Ave & Old Broadway. My best friends on that block were, Barbara Gallagher, Patricia Murphy, Caroline Aiello (actor Danny Aiellos's sister), Palma Mongello & her sisters, Patricia Galleghue, Billy Galleghue,Florence Le Blanc and many others. It was a great block & we had lots of fun, making our scooters, cooking(potatoes) in the dirty lots & renting bycycles for 25 cents for 30 minustes or 50 cents for an hour, until my mother got tired of me asking for money & she bought me a monarch bike.
Durng high school I hung around Lasalle Street & Broadway (122nd ST) near the original Julliard School of Music. I was going steady with Tommy Sullivan of Lasalle St. & knew some of the girls' in that area. After high school I went to work for NY Telephone(Ma Bell) at 108th st & Manhattan Ave. I was there almost 6 years & went to work for American Express in the old Wanamaker building on east 8th st. I remember that Macsorleys bar was nearby & only men could go in there.
Well I could go on, but I won't get anything done here in the house. So until next time the saga will continue.
Molly
