A great high school experience
Sender
Vincent Safuto
Email
vsafuto@outlook.com
Posted On
2024-10-11
Last Updated 2024-10-11
Last Updated 2024-10-11
Year
1974
Memoir
I thought Newtown was the best place to go to high school, even though 1974 to 1978 were about the worst years for New York City and its budget, and the schools took a beating, Newtown was like a safe space despite all the issues.
I remember how people referred to it as "Zootown," but I was in English honors classes and we learned so much. My fondest memories included how every English class would start with five minutes of discussion on the previous night's "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" episode. We had split sessions and came in at 11 a.m. for the afternoon session.
I almost never missed a day of school.
One year, we were studying "The Scottish Play" by William Shakespeare, and they took us to the Cocteau Repertory in Manhattan to see it performed live in an intimate small theater setting.
Another memory: Taking a music appreciation class in the fifth floor "Tower" classroom and the teacher analyzing "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin. One time, I saw carved into a desk by a spelling challenged rocker: "Led Zeplan."
You can have your Aviation High School and your Performing Arts School and Brooklyn Tech. Newtown was good enough for all of us.
I remember how people referred to it as "Zootown," but I was in English honors classes and we learned so much. My fondest memories included how every English class would start with five minutes of discussion on the previous night's "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" episode. We had split sessions and came in at 11 a.m. for the afternoon session.
I almost never missed a day of school.
One year, we were studying "The Scottish Play" by William Shakespeare, and they took us to the Cocteau Repertory in Manhattan to see it performed live in an intimate small theater setting.
Another memory: Taking a music appreciation class in the fifth floor "Tower" classroom and the teacher analyzing "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin. One time, I saw carved into a desk by a spelling challenged rocker: "Led Zeplan."
You can have your Aviation High School and your Performing Arts School and Brooklyn Tech. Newtown was good enough for all of us.