Readers Report
I grew up in Brownsville and lived on Blake and Bristol. I went to P.S. 175 and then to J.H.S. 84, once an all-girls junior high school, then when they built David Marcus J.H.S. 263 transferred over. In fact we were the first graduating class from that school. From there I went to Jefferson H.S. and in the middle of my junior year transferred over to Clara Barton H.S.
I then moved to East New York, where I was married and lived there until my move to Canarsie, and have now lived in sunny California for the last 30-plus years. Still have many friends back in good old Brooklyn and would love to hear from some that I have lost touch with.
How well I remember the hot summers, swimming in Betsy Head Pool, sleeping on roof tops and fire escapes to escape the heat.
I sometimes feel so sorry for the kids of today—mine included—who did not know what it was like to grow up in Brooklyn in the 50s. Sharing and giving are things I remember so well about growing up in Brooklyn. People respected each other. We did not have what we have today. Kids had fun; we didn't need the guns, drugs, etc. to enjoy what life had to offer. School for the most part was fun. Families were important, being together was where it was at.
If anyone would like to contact me, please e-mail me.
14 July 1999
I lived all over Brooklyn. Crown Heights on Sterling Street, Miller Ave. & Sutter, Hendrix Street & New Lots in ENY, E. 98th Street in Brownsville, Lenox Road also in Brownsville. Each have their own memories but the ones I remember and enjoyed most came from Sterling Street between Bedford & Rogers. Right around the corner was Empire Roller Rink where as an adult I went back to on Saturdays for Gospel skating. Not far from the neighborhood was the infamous Prospect Park, Botanic Gardens where Joey, Barkley, Dori, Poochie David, Jo-Jo, along with my brothers would go on weekends. Evenings would find us playing tag, handball, steal the bacon, red light-green light, hi-ball, mother may I, and 1-2-3 get off my fathers apple tree (laugh laugh). When we weren't doing that we were hanging out the windows calling to each other from our apartments. I must have spent all of two years here (as well as two years everywhere else) but they became my wonder years and I miss my friends from Sterling Street.
I used to keep in touch with Joey (AKA Yo Yo) but that was so long ago. Memories are all that are left. I attended Lefferts J.H.S. and went on to Prospect Heights H.S. We relocated before I finished high school and I ended up graduating in 1984 from Thomas Jefferson H.S. on Pennsylvania Avenue in ENY. If anybody here knows anybody from Jeff (the orange and the blue) it'd be good to hear from you. Now after about ten years in Queens I'm living in Brooklyn all over again, not any old neighborhoods —just Brooklyn. Like coming back home.
14 July 1999
Return
to Brooklyn Home Page.