School Days

I went to a Catholic junior high school. The nuns were really strict and did not hesitate to use their hands, especially on the boys. They taught us Latin and Algebra. I was always bad at math and was failing miserably. “You goose!” the nuns would yell at me whenever I gave the wrong answer to a problem.

I remember one Sunday in particular my family was going to Brooklyn for my paternal grandmother’s birthday. My teacher wouldn't excuse me from Mass that day so my dad went to talk to her, saying the whole family was going and to please excuse me, just this one time. Well my father was just as charming as could be but the nuns told him flat out that the answer was no, and anyone who was not at Mass on Sunday would have marks deducted from their report card. My dad was stunned, but we went to Brooklyn anyway.

In a city-wide English test, the nuns found out I was reading at the high school level and gave me special books to read. All the students were given a questionnaire to choose whether we wanted to continue with an academic or commercial course. I wrote commercial, because I didn't want to be a teacher or a nurse. The nuns changed my answer to academic because they said I was too young to decide and my marks indicated I should take academic.

I went home and said I wanted to transfer to Central Commercial High because my dream was to be a secretary for some important person in some important place. My parents were called and we went to the principal and she said pointedly to my parents, “Central Commercial? There are BOYS there, you know,” My mom responded with, “There are boys everywhere, Sister. My daughter is going to have to live in a world with boys.”

The principal looked like a female Barry Fitzgerald,

(Just imagine Barry Fitzgerald in a nun's habit!)

and she obviously didn't appreciate my mom’s comment.  These nuns were overly concerned about boys. Maybe you heard this line in a play on Broadway about nuns. It sounds like a joke, however, it was true. Our homeroom teacher actually told us to be careful, that boys could look in our shiny black patent leather shoes and see our underwear.  Huh?

I finally transferred to Central Commercial. We went to classes starting very early in the morning (6:30 to 12:30) or the afternoon classes (12:30 to 6:30).  This was so we could work half a day in a real office.  I was lucky to be assigned to work for Judith Richter, a very attractive lawyer at 57 West 57th street. She was also the editor of a magazine for former members of the professional children’s school, which was attended  by  people who were in show biz like Milton Berle, Penny Singleton (who played the comic strip character Blondie in the movies), and many others. This was done by subscribing to a clipping service which sent her every item about one of the alumni.  I was assigned to arrange them into a readable magazine. 

                                                    "Blondie and Dagwood" (Blondie was played by Penny Singleton)

The most popular TV star there was Milton Berle, and Ms. Richter put together a big party for him which included many of his old classmates and other show biz people.

Another time Ms. Richter had a small cocktail party and allowed me to stay and attend. Jimmy Jemail, the inquiring photographer of the NY Daily News was there.  

Jimmy Jermail, NY Daily News Inquiring Photographer

I thought I would be very clever and said to him, “Mr. Jemail, I’d like to ask YOU a question.” He surprised me by answering in a very flirty way. That stunned me because I was only 16 and very unsophisticated. (I guess he was one of the boys the nuns tried to warn me about!)