Teach
08-18-2013, 10:35 AM
As I wait for the scratches, another installment of: "The Secret Life of 'Teach', The Degenerate Gambler".
The Tail Wags The Horse
Belmont. Aqueduct. Saratoga. Rockingham. Finger Lakes. Lincoln Downs. Narraganset Park. Scarborough Downs. Green Mountain Race Track. Philadelphia Park. I had them all marked.
I was a recent college graduate. I was looking for a teaching job. I would consider teaching jobs as far north as Madawaska, Me, as far south as Cape May, NJ, and as far west as Buffalo, NY. Yet, I was very particular. Very picky. I must profess that one of my prerequisites was that any school
system that I interviewed with had to meet my own professional requirement -- nearby horse racing.
That spring, 1965, I recall interviewing with several public school systems at my college placement center. I remember that I had interviews with Westerly, RI; Manchester, NH; Glastonbury, CT, Rochester, NY and Manhasset, NY.
Each of those communities had excellent school systems; but, did they have what my Latin teacher would call - the sine qua non - nearby horse racing?
I remember that my first interview was with a representative from the town of Westerly, RI. I was impressed with their school system. I knew that Westerly had beautiful beaches. I was told that Misquamicut Beach had some of the best surf on the East Coast. But, was there nearby horse racing? Both Narragansett Park and Lincoln Downs (now the site of the TwinRivers Casino) were both more than an hour away.
Next on the list was the Manchester, NH public schools. I was particularly intrigued by city's nearness to Rockingham Park. However, winters in Boston were cold enough. I knew that Manchester would certainly be colder and likely, snowier.
My third interview was with the town called Glastonbury, CT, south of Hartford. The Glastonbury school system was known and respected throughout New England. I had read that they were innovators when it came to foreign language instruction. Yet, there wasn't much racing nearby. Oh, I could scoot up north for the brief Massachusetts Fair meet at Northampton, or even out to Great Barrington, but that was pretty much it.
Then came the interview with the Rochester, NY Public Schools. I was familiar with Rochester area. I had cousins who lived there. I also recall visiting the Seabreeze Amusement Park near the shores of Lake Ontario. It was at Seabreeze that I recall snagging my first brass ring on their carousel. Besides, Rochester was only about 85 miles from where I was born and had spent many youthful summers, Syracuse. I had many family members who still lived in Syracuse area. But did the Rochester area have nearby racing? There was Finger Lakes in the Farmington-Victor area; it wasn't much more than a half-hour from downtown Rochester, and then there was a harness track called Batavia Downs that was about thirty-five miles west of Rochester. The propinquity of the city to those two tracks gave me pause for thought. That along with its nearness to Syracuse.
In fact, after I had completed my Rochester interview, I was leaning in their direction. However, I had one more interview. I wanted to complete all the interviews before I made my final decision.
The last school system I interviewed with was a town on Long Island's North Shore called Manhasset (even to this day they have one of the best school systems in the country). At the time, I knew little about this New York City bedroom community, save for one thing, actually make that two. First, that the star football running back, Jim Brown, had grown up in Manhasset and that he had attended the Manhasset Public Schools, and secondly, that there was horse racing in the area.
Before I went for my interview, I looked over the map of New York City and nearby Long Island. As Artie Johnson of the TV show "Rowan and Martin's Laugh In" used to say in his pseudo-German accent: "Very Interesting!" As I looked over the map, I quickly found Manhasset and the surrounding towns of Port Washington, Great Neck, and Roslyn. I then noticed that both BelmontPark in Elmont and Aqueduct Race Track in S. Ozone Park were not that far away. In fact, I could probably get to Belmont Park faster than I could finish a Wetson's (the McDonald's of Long Island) burger, fries and a thick shake. Then, there were two area harness tracks: Roosevelt Raceway in Old Westbury and Yonkers Raceway. Oh, if I really wanted to be adventurous I could cross the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and head for Monmouth or even Freehold Raceway. I had even circled the Catskills' harness track, Monticello Raceway.
Well, after looking things over and noticing the plethora of horse racing venues, all I needed to do was to get hired. I remember that my Manhasset interview was with their high school principal. I recall that almost immediately he asked me why I was interested in teaching in Manhasset. Had I been totally candid...had I been frank and truthful, I would have said,"This is the perfect place to teach. You've got two NYRA tracks nearby, one almost within walking distance. Then you've got two nearby harness tracks. If I want to get some fresh sea air I can venture downto Monmouth, or I can make it a weekend up in The Catskills and stay at The Concord, The Nevele, or Grossinger's. While I'm there, I could shoot a round of golf and also take in the harness racing at Monticello." However, sanity prevailed and I mentioned that I had read and heard that Manhasset had one of the finest school systems on the East Coast. Oh, we would go on to talk about other teacher topics. Yet, the clincher came when I started talking about the football player, Jim Brown. I happened to recall from reading a football program that Jim Brown had graduated from Manhasset High. After graduation, Jim Brown would go on to star for Syracuse University (and later the Cleveland Browns). My father was an SU alumnus. I had two uncles who had also graduated from Syracuse University. I had seen Jim Brown play football in person when the Orange played Holy Cross at Fitton Field in Worcester, MA, and also when Syracuse played Boston University at BU Field(the former Braves Field). Well, as soon as I mentioned Jim Brown, the principal took over and regaled me with stories about Brown and his playing days at Manhasset High. We must have talked for about another ten or fifteen minutes when the principal mentioned that he had a social studies opening. Was I interested? That day, I was hired. I would teach in Manhasset during the mid-to-late 1960s.
As I look back, those were wonderful times. I was living in Manhasset (later in New Hyde Park), teaching social studies, and going to a thoroughbred or harness track three or four days a week. However, after a couple years, I longed for my Boston roots. In 1968, I accepted a position teaching history at East Boston High (I could nearly see Suffolk Downs from my second-floor window). I remember jockeys like Hank Wajda, Norman Mercier, Tony DeSpirito, Carl Gambardella and RudyBaez. Later, Stewart Elliot and Jose Lezcano would get their starts at Suffolk
Well, I'm retired now, but as I look back, when it came to accepting teaching positions, it was the classic case of "The Tail Wagging The Horse." Sure I was interested in the school system's quality of education, and their commitment to academic excellence, but even more important was the question: "Was there nearby horse racing?"
The Tail Wags The Horse
Belmont. Aqueduct. Saratoga. Rockingham. Finger Lakes. Lincoln Downs. Narraganset Park. Scarborough Downs. Green Mountain Race Track. Philadelphia Park. I had them all marked.
I was a recent college graduate. I was looking for a teaching job. I would consider teaching jobs as far north as Madawaska, Me, as far south as Cape May, NJ, and as far west as Buffalo, NY. Yet, I was very particular. Very picky. I must profess that one of my prerequisites was that any school
system that I interviewed with had to meet my own professional requirement -- nearby horse racing.
That spring, 1965, I recall interviewing with several public school systems at my college placement center. I remember that I had interviews with Westerly, RI; Manchester, NH; Glastonbury, CT, Rochester, NY and Manhasset, NY.
Each of those communities had excellent school systems; but, did they have what my Latin teacher would call - the sine qua non - nearby horse racing?
I remember that my first interview was with a representative from the town of Westerly, RI. I was impressed with their school system. I knew that Westerly had beautiful beaches. I was told that Misquamicut Beach had some of the best surf on the East Coast. But, was there nearby horse racing? Both Narragansett Park and Lincoln Downs (now the site of the TwinRivers Casino) were both more than an hour away.
Next on the list was the Manchester, NH public schools. I was particularly intrigued by city's nearness to Rockingham Park. However, winters in Boston were cold enough. I knew that Manchester would certainly be colder and likely, snowier.
My third interview was with the town called Glastonbury, CT, south of Hartford. The Glastonbury school system was known and respected throughout New England. I had read that they were innovators when it came to foreign language instruction. Yet, there wasn't much racing nearby. Oh, I could scoot up north for the brief Massachusetts Fair meet at Northampton, or even out to Great Barrington, but that was pretty much it.
Then came the interview with the Rochester, NY Public Schools. I was familiar with Rochester area. I had cousins who lived there. I also recall visiting the Seabreeze Amusement Park near the shores of Lake Ontario. It was at Seabreeze that I recall snagging my first brass ring on their carousel. Besides, Rochester was only about 85 miles from where I was born and had spent many youthful summers, Syracuse. I had many family members who still lived in Syracuse area. But did the Rochester area have nearby racing? There was Finger Lakes in the Farmington-Victor area; it wasn't much more than a half-hour from downtown Rochester, and then there was a harness track called Batavia Downs that was about thirty-five miles west of Rochester. The propinquity of the city to those two tracks gave me pause for thought. That along with its nearness to Syracuse.
In fact, after I had completed my Rochester interview, I was leaning in their direction. However, I had one more interview. I wanted to complete all the interviews before I made my final decision.
The last school system I interviewed with was a town on Long Island's North Shore called Manhasset (even to this day they have one of the best school systems in the country). At the time, I knew little about this New York City bedroom community, save for one thing, actually make that two. First, that the star football running back, Jim Brown, had grown up in Manhasset and that he had attended the Manhasset Public Schools, and secondly, that there was horse racing in the area.
Before I went for my interview, I looked over the map of New York City and nearby Long Island. As Artie Johnson of the TV show "Rowan and Martin's Laugh In" used to say in his pseudo-German accent: "Very Interesting!" As I looked over the map, I quickly found Manhasset and the surrounding towns of Port Washington, Great Neck, and Roslyn. I then noticed that both BelmontPark in Elmont and Aqueduct Race Track in S. Ozone Park were not that far away. In fact, I could probably get to Belmont Park faster than I could finish a Wetson's (the McDonald's of Long Island) burger, fries and a thick shake. Then, there were two area harness tracks: Roosevelt Raceway in Old Westbury and Yonkers Raceway. Oh, if I really wanted to be adventurous I could cross the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and head for Monmouth or even Freehold Raceway. I had even circled the Catskills' harness track, Monticello Raceway.
Well, after looking things over and noticing the plethora of horse racing venues, all I needed to do was to get hired. I remember that my Manhasset interview was with their high school principal. I recall that almost immediately he asked me why I was interested in teaching in Manhasset. Had I been totally candid...had I been frank and truthful, I would have said,"This is the perfect place to teach. You've got two NYRA tracks nearby, one almost within walking distance. Then you've got two nearby harness tracks. If I want to get some fresh sea air I can venture downto Monmouth, or I can make it a weekend up in The Catskills and stay at The Concord, The Nevele, or Grossinger's. While I'm there, I could shoot a round of golf and also take in the harness racing at Monticello." However, sanity prevailed and I mentioned that I had read and heard that Manhasset had one of the finest school systems on the East Coast. Oh, we would go on to talk about other teacher topics. Yet, the clincher came when I started talking about the football player, Jim Brown. I happened to recall from reading a football program that Jim Brown had graduated from Manhasset High. After graduation, Jim Brown would go on to star for Syracuse University (and later the Cleveland Browns). My father was an SU alumnus. I had two uncles who had also graduated from Syracuse University. I had seen Jim Brown play football in person when the Orange played Holy Cross at Fitton Field in Worcester, MA, and also when Syracuse played Boston University at BU Field(the former Braves Field). Well, as soon as I mentioned Jim Brown, the principal took over and regaled me with stories about Brown and his playing days at Manhasset High. We must have talked for about another ten or fifteen minutes when the principal mentioned that he had a social studies opening. Was I interested? That day, I was hired. I would teach in Manhasset during the mid-to-late 1960s.
As I look back, those were wonderful times. I was living in Manhasset (later in New Hyde Park), teaching social studies, and going to a thoroughbred or harness track three or four days a week. However, after a couple years, I longed for my Boston roots. In 1968, I accepted a position teaching history at East Boston High (I could nearly see Suffolk Downs from my second-floor window). I remember jockeys like Hank Wajda, Norman Mercier, Tony DeSpirito, Carl Gambardella and RudyBaez. Later, Stewart Elliot and Jose Lezcano would get their starts at Suffolk
Well, I'm retired now, but as I look back, when it came to accepting teaching positions, it was the classic case of "The Tail Wagging The Horse." Sure I was interested in the school system's quality of education, and their commitment to academic excellence, but even more important was the question: "Was there nearby horse racing?"