Tuesday, September 15, 2009

A Comment about PS 179 from Dr. Alfred Cresci


It was exactly 50 years ago today, Monday, September 14, 1959, that I started school with my first day of kindergarten. My teacher's name was Mrs. Steinic. I can remember my mother taking 8mm home movies of me at around 8:45am that morning at the front stoop of the school right up the three or four stairs leading to the front door on the left. I was very brave until the camera was turned off, and then I cried and cried.

It was a tough day, but soon afterwards, I began to love kindergarten and school in general. I went on to Catholic School at nearby IHM and then to Holy Innocents.

Today, I am an administrator in New Jersey, and I hold six college degrees. I'm still very active in the neighborhood as well, as I serve as Organist and Director of Music at Holy Innocents Church, where this year, coincidentally, is the parish's centennial.

It all started at PS 179 and Mrs. Steinic's Kindergarten class. I've been thinking about her and the school all day today, and I never forgot my short experience at the school!

Thank you, Dr. Alfred E. Cresci, BA, MS, MS, PD, EdD, ChM Cert.

Please check out my educational foundation, "Education Through Renovation" at: educationthroughrenovation.com.

Thank you Dr. Cresci
Mrs. Steinic was also my kindergarden teacher as well.

Ron Lopez

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

My kindergarten teacher too in 1948 but I think her name was Steiner and not Steinic.

Anonymous said...

Do you remember how some kid would ring a bell to line up in the school yard at the end of lunch?
He would almost chant/sing out the request to line up. Does anyone remember what he actually said?
I remember the principal, Mr. Gatenlaub (spelling) yanked me out of line for talking during a fire drill!
Josh

Cynthia said...

Josh, I went to 179 during the 1950s, and I do remember what the kid (i.e., the head monitor) said. There were two bell-ringings. After the first one, he or she said, "Silence, please. All talking is to be stopped immediately." Then, after the second bell, the words were, "First line forward." And yes, it was like a chant. And then we would silently trudge up the stairs. How weird is it that I remember this in such detail 50 years later?! I remember Mr. Gartenlaub also.

Evelyn said...

I remember very well the days I spent at PS 179! My kindergarten teacher was Mrs. Steinic and she had an assistant, Mrs. Phillipe. This was in 1952. I spent all of my elementary years at 179 and have fond memories of all my teachers and classes there.
The bell ringers were female in the "girls yard" from K-3 and male in the boys yard' from 4-6. They said, "silence please, pass to your lines quietly" then they called the individual lines.
I remember Mr. Gartenlaub fondly as well. He was a caring principal who knew every student by name.
From there I went to Ditmas JHS, EHHS, Brooklyn College and then I left NY State to attend medical school in Pennsylvania. I am now back in NY State; but much further north in the Adirondacks.

Harold Rosen said...

I attended PS 179 from 1956-1962after being transferred from PS 134 on 18th ave. Those were the greatest years of my life. I had friends from all the neighborhoods. If any one still has class pictures I'd appreciate if I can obtain a copy. Of course you will be compensated. Thank you for creating this website and I'll look forward to reading your comments again. Harold R

Unknown said...

Her name was MRS. STEINIG. I have my 1955 report card to prove it, 🙂

Unknown said...

As I responded to others here, her name was Mrs. STEINIG - I have my 1955 kindergarten to prove it! Her first name was Edith.