Fresh Meadows

Read all of these stories and wow so great. Brough back so many memories. The candy store on the now expressway was called White's Bar. Does anyone remember this? Sitting on the benches on the corner near I think a drug store across from Bloomingdales.Plymouth stores, wormwrath's, movie theatre, the library where you were suppose to be studying. Getting a hair cut with Mr.Inz that could not speak English. Playing handball at ps. 126 and walking all the way to union turnpike. Graduated F. Lewis 1963 ist class and college students shared the school as well. Oh those gym blue gym outfits. My green sweather with the big F on it in orange. one of the students uncle was the assistant principal. Howie Karvel???Now I hear there is a reunin so if you are reading this message let me know who is going.

Fresh Meadows

You all have amazing memories.  I went to P.S. 26, Ryan, and Francis Lewis.  I remember glee club at P.S. 26.  One year we accompanied the stage production of the Mikado.  I loved it.  We all wore Japanese (or Chinese, who knew?) costumes.  I remember we could take also music lessons at school.  I played the clarinet and was in the "orchestra".  Loved it.  I remember Mrs. Ponti - she taught us how to propagate cut-leaf philodendrens (sp?) in 5th or 6th grade.  I thought that was amazing.  I remember Mr. Douglas (all the kids loved him) having a major tantrum and throwing desks around the room.  Vey scary.  A boy named "Teddy" pushed his buttons and he blew up.  All the kids were speechless.  I remember the announcement of JFK's death was made while I was on the balance beam in gym at Ryan.  Does anyone remember how Halloween was a huge event with kids out everywhere. Truly no fear.  I guess we all felt at ease throughout the whole neighborhood.  Kids everywhere. Again, the boys who threw ice balls and worms (you know who you are!) were just about the  only sources of worry.  Does anyone remember John Lindsay campaigning in the mayoral race between Bloomingdale's and Woolworth's?  He was so tall and striking.  I remember the little library next to the expressway.  Remember the children's section?  I spent endless hours in that library, gradually expanding beyond the borders of the children's section as I grew up. Endless hours. Remember hanging upside down on the monkey bars in the playground at P.S. 26?  And climbing all the way to the top.  Remember the big circular fountain that sprayed water in the summer? Remember the bus passes when we went to Ryan?  A different color every month.  Remember waiting for the bus in the freezing cold and snow at the corner of 69th Avenue and 188th St.  I remember at our graduation at the Meadows in 1966, we sang the theme song (who made that choice?) The Impossible Dream.  Does anyone remember the long fence between the parking lot in back of Bloomingdales and the 13 Story Buiding that was covered in roses ?  How beautiful was that?

Fresh Meadows

Hi all .I graduated  Francis Lewis  in  1963. Yes there is a  reunion this year    june  25,2005 at the Crown Plaza  Hotel  Jfk.I organized this reunion with the  NEw England  Reunion COmpany>I am hoping we have a big  crowd  If  anyone  wants info about the  reunion  you can contact me at  mcohen1 at  dc.rr.com. My name is Marion Itskowitz Cohen. I hope all come   Yes arldesign  uhwe hope   that  you  come 

Fresh Meadows

I was surprised to see these postings about Fresh Meadows.  I have such fond memories of growing up there.  I moved to Fresh Meadows in 1978, a bit later than most of you who posted messages.  I attended PS 26 then Ryan and finally Francis Lewis before moving to Florida in late 1987.
I lived on 64th Circle right on the Oak Grove. I remember many days walking through the grove to get to school.  I guess my fondest memories besides Meadows theater, Bloomingdales and Bagel Nosh, were the snowy mornings when school would be cancelled and we'd take our sleds over to the golf course near Francis Lewis High School and go sledding all day. I don't remember the name of that golf course, but there was a steep slope on the course that the daring kids would go down called Suicide Hill.  Going down it usually resulted in a busted sled and perhaps a few busted bones, too (lol).
I visit the old neighborhood about once every year or two and just reminisce about the good 'ol days!

Web Site

Check out:  www.FMeadows.com

FRESH MEADOWS

I tell my kids what a great place Fresh Meadows was to grow up in. Most of the recollections reenforce those feelings. The Salvatation Army man, Did he ever talk? Having the keys to PS26 field to play night softball.Attempting to climb the incinerator chimney. Pony rides across from Francis Lewis HS. Suicide Hill. The Vanderbilt Highway to nowhere.Long bike rides to Oakland lake before Queensborough or Douglaston before EJ Korvettes. Pats Emerald Bar for Monday night football. The 175 club in the bowling alley in FM or bowling downstairs on 188 and the Turnpike. Music lessons next door. The swimming pool in the Jewish center on 184 st? The BE -Ins in Cunningham Park. Sam's Bar on the Turnpike with his brother Smokey at the door.

And the Fresh Meadows dubious achievement award go

...still in the same neighborhood 45 years later (born here), and in the same apartment 38 years this coming August (my family moved here from Rego Park in 1953).  Have told the wife that this is not going to become a multigenerational deal if I can help it, LOL.

Nice memories

Jim, I also graduated Francis Lewis in 74.
Were you good friends with Start E.  If you are the same person, we used to hang out all the time. Remember "painted pots" for Mr Lerner 6th grade in PS 179?

Beth, I remember you also.  Back in elementary school did your mom cut off the edges of the white bread of your lunch sandwiches?

More FM information

Just found this site, and you've stirred my memory. I grew up in FM and lived in various apt buildings there from 1949-1965. Sweets and Treats was originally called "The Lark". It was right next to Food Fair on 69th Ave., across from PS 26. Also in that strip mall was the original FM Library, before the building was built on Horace Harding and 194th. Also there were: Crest Chemists, the pharmacy, which had a soda fountain counter that was eventually removed; Weitzner's deli, which had great potato salad that they would sell me in a small container for a nickel; a bakery, where my mother used to send me for fresh rye bread, sliced on the spot and still warm; Stanley's Barber Shop, which later moved to the strip by Bloomies.

Plymouth Shop, next to Bloomies, was originally the FM Post Office, before it was moved to a new structure near the library and the Meadows Theater. Also on that strip was the Weiden-Schoppe, and although I remember the name well, I don't know what they sold. Fresh Meadows Inn, a "fancy" restaurant, was at the end of the strip, and across from Horn & Hardart's restaurant.

Buster Brown shoes was right next to Jasco Shoes, and B&B Lorry was next to those stores.

I went to PS26 for kindergarten, and then went to first grade at PS179 in it's first year, 1955, and graduated there in 1960. Vera Sperling was the principal when I graduated. I think she left that year. Let's see who remembers this: while in Mrs. Heisen's 3rd grade class (also had her in 2nd grade) she had to take a leave of absence (I believe she was pregnant) and half of the class was moved into Mrs. Smith's 4th grade class. The class was then called something like 3/4-206. We 3rd graders did so well in the 4th grade class that at the end of the year, they told our parents we could proceed directly to 5th grade! So we all skipped a grade.

I remember a lot of the people mentioned by Bruce. Will get back with even more names and memories. But thanks to the city for starting this site.

FM Inn and more

Hi Matt,

Unfortunately, I don't really remember much about the Inn. I was always interested in going, and pestered my parents to take me there. Lots of my friends used to go there all the time, but my father said it was "too expensive and not that good". Finally, I wore him down and we went. It was the kind of place you had to dress up to go to. It had an entrance in the front and in the back and had several rooms. It was a very cozy place and I seem to remember a fireplace, but maybe it was a false one. I had a great time as far as I can remember, but that was it. My parents never went back again, and then it was gone. I'm really sorry I don't have more to tell you. However, I wouldn't be surprised if there are others here who can tell you a lot more.

I used to love Mrs. Heisen and was crushed when she left. I don't think she came back in the time I spent in the school. I had the following teachers at PS 179:

-1st grade: Mrs. Solov
-2nd grade: Mrs. Heisen
-3rd grade (part year): Mrs. Heisen
-4th grade (part year): Mrs. Smith
-5th grade: Mrs. Kantor
-6th grade: Mr. Gross

Mr. Gross was the only 6th grade teacher that year, and his class had about 31 kids. He was a very tough cookie. He was short, and I think he had a chip on his shoulder about his height or else he just had a lot of hostility. Maybe he would've been better with older kids (I'm pretty sure he was the only male teacher in the school), but he was pretty rough on 6th grade boys. He was sort of a Jimmy Cagney type, even looking a bit like him. I remember him slamming Harold Weitzberg against the wall for cracking a joke. He used to throw chalk at students who talked in class. He treated us in a way that would've gotten him a black eye if he tried it on an adult.

Mitch

More Fresh Meadows Names

Some more names from my past:

-David Koret
-Jim Hoberman
-David Skolnick
-Theresa Valencia
-Paul Karchower
-Larry White
-Rich Eisner
-Sharon Garstein
-Marty Greenberg
-Jeff Skier
-Peter Hughes
-Steve Tannen
-Joan Holland
-Janet Keuper
-Richard Gibbs
-Debbie Grant

More to come...

mitch4949

Mitch,

We must or should have known eachother. You mention too many of the people that I knew.

Mike Stone - cinematographer in LA
Steve McDevitt - truckdriver in Salt Lake, also married my high school girlfriend (way after we broke up)
Paul Winter
Ferris Mark - I thought the Playpen was owned by the Greensteins who lived opposite me on Peck Ave.
Steve Rickles
Steve Tannen
Gary Klaw
a couple of these guys were from the "next block" and I wasn't that friendly with them more of acquaintances.

Winter and McDevitt lived on my block the first block off the expressway on Peck immediately opposite the overpass.

You must have lived a little further from the expressway than me.


e-mail me bdbarth@comcast.net

Bruce.

ps : you are right, Kiddie City was on Northern Blvd just east of the Cross Island on the north side of Northern and was next to a driving range at one point.