There were so many of us kids in the 1950s, with parents all revved up about the American dream, that communities were forced to be eccentric about schoolhouses and calendars. Historic buildings were converted to limited-grade schools, split sessions were established, year-round instruction was explored. We were all encouraged to become teachers, there was such an obvious shortage (although it was equally obvious to the best of us, that by the time we got through the credential process the need for teachers wouldn’t be so urgent).
The prettiest alternative school for me was the Thayer House, in Glen Cove, New York. I attended second grade there. I was 7 for the first almost half of the academic year, and 8 for the second part.
The school had been a mansion, and the estate was north of our houses. That was unusual; everything else we visited was south of us. We walked to the Thayer House through residential neighborhoods and fields that were snowy in winter. We neared the intersection where Roy Campanella spun out in his car and broke his neck. That accident occurred on January 28, 1958.
The Thayer House contained a kindergarten with its own playground in the right wing, the first and second grades in the left wing, the offices up the grand staircase, and the grounds – semi-circular lawn edged by rows of trimmed trees, punctuated by shaded benches – in the back.
The one flaw, and it was minor, was the absence of a real playground. There was only so much walking or lurking one could do in the arbor. But other than that I loved the place. It had an exclusive feel I’d never experienced before. And it had one of my best teachers. Miss Seaman harnessed my energy by having me help the slower group learn to read. She kept me after school and invited me to read to her, and I think she’s the one who told my mother to make lists of numbers for me to add and subtract. I wrote about her in a post last September 1. She was the first adult after my father to show appreciation for my weirdness.
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I went to Thayer House too…in fact, Princess Campanella (her name, not a title) was in my kindergarten class, with Miss Vieux. Then I had Mrs. Samuels for first grade, also at Thayer House. It was an idyllic way to start public school, as it was such a cozy, home-like atmosphere. Then for 2nd grade I was thrust into Deasy school with the meanest teacher I ever had, Miss Woodbury. If she was teaching my kids today I’d have her arrested! Luckily, next I got the crazy but nice Mrs White for 3rd grade, and the fabulous Mr. Moore for 4th grade, he was one of the best teachers of my school career!
Awesome! Thanks so much for your comment. I remember Princess (I thought it was her nickname). I had her older brother Tony in my class. Roy Jr. was older yet. I remember their house too — on the water and in my friend Betty’s neighborhood. I started 3rd grade at the Deasy school myself, but moved a month later to Chula Vista, CA.
i lived in LA until a year ago, now am back on the East Coast to assist my elderly dad. We lived on Sherwood Rd, sounds like you must have been close! Going back for reunion this year… and I thought Princess was her actual name, but maybe you are right and it was nickname….it was fun to read your memories, i loved Thayer House…
Thanks again for your comments. Our address was 24 Leuce Place — I just looked at a map and see it is a dead end off Sherwood…
yep I walked right by that street to go to high school every day! (we went down Inwood…the high school was built in the property next to Thayer House) …Johnny Davis lived on the corner of Leuce and Sherwood… hey that’s a great photo of Thayer house, where did you find it?
Google images. I get all most of my pictures there. I try to use civic or edu or retail pix so I hope I’m not stepping on any copyrights. If Johnny Davis’s dad raised rattlesnakes then I knew him…
hmmmmm, i might barely remember something about rattlesnakes! i never went in their house – maybe that’s why! ha!