Faculty News & Updates
Black Anast, Janet  (posted Nov. 1, 2004)
Of course I would like to hear from both students and faculty members of South High School.  I have nothing but happy memories of my 30 years at south High.  I wish I could do it all over again – really.  I still live on the East side on NYC by the United nations.  I still volunteer with several organizations (helping animals and humans – in that order).  I still bet the horses and go to the Derby in Kentucky each year.  Looking forward to hearing from the members of the South High School family.
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ON THIS PAGE:
Janet Black Anast
Helen David
Ina Luadtke
updated Mar. 28, 2005
David, Helen (posted Nov. 1, 2004)
We have lived within earshot of South High School (just outside of the VS limits) since before the pilings were driven in for the VSSHS foundation. My tenure was from 1956 to 1985.  For the past ten years we have been escaping the northern winters by going to our winter home in the northeastern valley of Greater Phoenix. 

Finally my husband and I are in the process of selling our Valley Stream home and making Sun City West our permanent residence.  This is where the old folks frolic and have fun.  The community is essentially a resort where all imaginable facilities are available (with a heavy emphasis on volunteer work), except that one has to care for his own home, as anywhere.  Right now I am heavily involved in the computer club, I take exercise classes and have become a professional beginner in Spanish I.

We have lived in this house for 51 years and our attachment to this area is very difficult to break, but we are gritting our teeth and doing it.
Gibson, Booker T.  (posted March 28, 2005)
     I'm  at  a  loss  to  say  much  when  I've  read  what  some  other  faculty members are doing. Not since  my  US  Air Force  days  have  I  been  overseas  Okinawa,  Japan,  Taiwan  and  Hong  Kong. My  service  time  was  useful  in  that  I  saw  more  of  this  country  than  I'd  seen  before;  Omaha,  Nebraska,  Salina,  Kansas,  Roswell,  New  Mexico  and  parts  in  between  before  I  boarded  a  troopship  in  San  Francisco  for  a  month long  trip  to  Japan. The  military  run  is  good  if  you're  single  and  haven't  decided  what  you  want  to  do.  Most  of  my  military  time  I  played  and  wrote  music.  Before  I  went  in  I  graduated  from  Potsdam (SUNY  now)
       After  discharge  in  1956  I  very  fortunately  got  a  position  teaching  at  South  High  School  in  Valley  Stream.  (long  story)  I  taught  there  for 30  years  till  1986  when  I  retired.  After  a  "failed"  marriage  I  accidentally  met   a  wonderful  music  teacher  who  taught  at  Forest  Road  Elementary  school  in  Valley  Stream,  Miss  Frances  Butler.  In  1971  we  were  married.  She  helped  raise  my  two  sons  and  we  had  another.
      Now  as  far  as  travel  we've  visited  Florida  a  couple  of  times  for  the  Disney  thing  but  Atlanta  many,  many  times  for  my  relatives  and  my  younger  son  went  to  Morehouse  College  there.  That's  one  of  the  areas  we  first  considered  moving  to.
     Our  next  destination  is  North  Carolina  where  most  of  my  wife's family  is  from.  We've  considered  that  state  from  Asheville  to  Charlotte,  to  Winston  Salem  to  Raleigh  to  New  Bern (where  my  wife  has  property)  Overall  we  just  don't  have  the  "guts"  anymore  to  move.  We  both  have too  many  friends  and  connections  around  here.  My  wife  sings  in  a  top  flight  chorus  here  and  some  of  you  know  I  play  piano  at  a  couple  places  here  and  there.
      One  of  the  places  called  "The  Irish  Coffee  Pub"  on  Carleton  Avenue  in  East  Islip  between  Sunrise  Highway  and  Montauk (Merrick  Road)  Highway  Exit  43  South  off the  Southern  State  Parkway.  (1-631-277-0007)  I  play  there  only  on  Wednesday  from  7  till  10.  Many  former  South  students  seem  to  live  in  this  south  shore  Suffolk  County  area  and  look  "amazed"  to  see  me  playing  the  piano.  I'm  glad  to  see  them  until  they  say "Are  you  still  teaching?" Next year,  I'll  be  out  20  years.
         Several  weeks  ago  about  20-25  girls  were  here  from  the  classes  of  1970-71  or  so-without  their  husbands.  Many  brought  their  yearbooks  and  cameras.  After  a  while  they  became  so  loud  I  thought  I  might  have  to  go  over  and  tell  them  to  quiet  down!
       I'm  so  glad  that  I  bought  almost  every  yearbook  so  I  can  try  to  remember  those  "wonderful"  days.  I  included  the  Irish  Pub  number  to  call  to  make  sure  I'm  there.  One  June  night  last  year,  on  the  9th,  I  had  to  return  to  South  for  that  great  scholarship  that  the  Class  Of  '65  set  up  in  my  name. (And  another  in  Vince  Tampio's) It'll  probably  be  on  the  same  Wednesday You  could  visit  the  school  and  see  all  the  physical  improvements...and  the  diversity!  Bye now.