Hunter College High School Class of 1961
50th Reunion - Messages Posted on our "Faceboard"
from Pat Butler Surian
June 1, 2011
Hunter was a breath of fresh air to me. I was in parochial school from grades 4 - 8 and hated the rote learning and the oppressive rules of discipline.
What an amazing world I found at Hunter. Teachers asked what we thought the passages we had read the previous day meant. At first, I thought there must have been a handout page I had neglected to memorize. To my delight, I quickly knew they really wanted our opinions.
Eight girls from my co-ed class of 60 took the HCHS exam. When the nun announced I was the only one who passed, she threw the application into the trash. I kept a low profile and was very quiet, but had the courage to raise my hand and tell her I wanted the application. She glared at me as I walked to the front trash barrel to retrieve it and she said, "You'll lose your faith." Well, I didn't. I'm still a practicing Catholic.
Enjoy the reunion. Since I contracted Transverse Myelitis 14 years ago, the paralysis and related problems make it difficult to travel distances.
At present, I'm only in touch with Eloise Angiola and Marge Schmitt. If you care to call me, I'm in Orange County, CA at (714) 669-1295.
Patricia Butler Surian
from Irving Kizner
May 26, 2011
Permit me to call you all colleagues, since the learning experience requires at least two partners working together. I could not have been the teacher I was in the '60s if you had not been the students you were at that time. I probably learned more from you, singly and collectively, than you learned from me. Indeed, because of you, and members of other classes in the late '50s and early '60s, I realized that teaching required, besides a knowledge of the subject matter, a constant awareness that the entire educational process depended mainly upon the students. The members of your class, not knowingly, took me by the hand and introduced me to the world of learning and teaching, teaching and learning.
I looked forward to every day in the 68th Street building - for that I thank you. I left every day thinking that I had not wasted that day - for that I thank you. I went through the day, every day, content that being a teacher was what I wanted to be - for that, I thank you.
I would love to be with you today. Alas, circumstances do not permit it. Once again accept my gratitude and enjoy this day and all the days to come.
Irving Kizner
Magister
from Miriam Burstein
May 5, 2011
Dear Class of 1961,
I have loved hearing from so many of you over the last few years that it seems the least I can do is to let you know that I have received those messages with great interest and amazement. And now for the Big One I am prevailing on my sister [Deborah Karp] to send you joyous greetings at this last minute. I am sure that meeting up with the world travelers face to face (as well as other classmates) will be a great event.
Best regards to Irving.
Miriam Burstein
(Photo: 2001)
(Photo: 2005?)
