Beyond the Wishing Well: The History of Roosevelt, Ny

Copyright © 2010 by Sheldon Parrish.

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Contents

Introduction

Mentors And Trailblazers

Sound of Music

Velt Ministers and Ministries

Gone and But Not Forgotten

Voices from the Velt

The Politics of Things

Opinions and Observations:

The Roosevelt School District

MY PRECIOUS CHILD, HOW I LOVE YOU. I CREATED YOU TO EXPERIENCE AND SHARE MY LOVE. DO NOT ALLOW THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE TO COME BETWEEN US. RATHER, UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS THE THINGS HAPPENING THAT SHOULD DRAW US CLOSER TOGETHER. ALL THAT IS HAPPENING HAS A PURPOSE.

I HAVE STEADFASTLY SAID, FEAR NOTHING, LOOK EVER TO ME AND I WILL BE YOUR STRENGTH.AND I WILL BRING YOU PEACE AND ORDER. DAY BY DAY MY WORD WILL UNFOLD TO YOU.WALK WITH ME AND KNOW THAT I AM LORD AND YOUR FAITH IN ME IS YOUR STRENGTH.

DEDICATION

To My Dad

Dad you were always a hard worker who kept his family paramount to all other matters of life. At a time when a lot of my friends had little or no knowledge of their dad, you were a constant who maintained a supportive, nourishing home.

The home was also a place of support, reflective humor and fun. Easily was that Saturday when youngest brother Todd had to be at a local weigh-in for his football team at 8 am and by 1:30 pm you were in Hamilton NY for my game at Colgate University which was 40 miles south of Syracuse NY.

Then dad, there was the night that you were so excited about your NY Knicks winning the 69’ Championship. We were all watching in your and mom’s room and suddenly you jumped up and said, I knew my Knicks could do it, as you strutted out the room and down the hall. High stepping caused you to get to the stairs a little sooner than you expected causing a very noisy fall. Mom forced back laughter in order to ask if you were alright and when you mumbled Yes we all fell out laughing. You calmly came back upstairs and climbed back into bed without saying another word.

For all the sacrifices that you made to make things happen for mom, me and my 2 brothers we are appreciative. But life is strange. As I flashback to so many active memories it is hard to see you suffer at the hands of Alzheimer’s. We love you Dad. (Written before his passing on April 22.2010)

To My Mom

No tribute to Dad would be possible without given you mention. You were and have always been the anchor of our family. You decided early on to serve your Lord and Savior and so life although fun, was disciplined and spiritual in its affect. It was a rule in our house that you had to play a sport and an instrument. This, along with maintaining grades was the total answer to whatever energy we needed to expend. I remember, after receiving a drum set for Christmas, I asked if I could join this band and you said Sure, we will take you around for band practice and concerts as long as you play in church on Sunday.

Mom I grew up with a great level of respect for you. That level has grown due to my observation of your direct care for Dad. Others respected you in the workplace as well as in the community. You are a trooper and I know God has a place all newly furnished for you. Love ya.

Acknowledgement

THEY SAY THAT when I was an infant we lived in an apartment above my grandparents in Jamaica, NY. My grandparents had a dog, a boxer named Star which they say I rode around the house like he was my horse. I don’t remember those days and Star got an early eviction notice when he developed a habit of sitting in the middle of my grandparent’s bed and doing his business, mad from being left alone while everyone was in church.

My first memory is my fifth birthday (Nov 22, 1963) which is also the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Since Malcolm X was perceived as a radical at that time, I was not made aware of his death.

The next major event, I remembered so well because the week before I had chosen Martin Luther King Jr. as my topic to do a book report. Just days later, in April of 1968, he was killed in the middle of my project for which I begged to be let out of. My teacher very adamantly refused. Two months later Robert Kennedy was killed as well.

When I was a child I always wanted to spend time on my great-grandfathers farm in South Carolina. But after what happened to Emmett Till that topic was not open for debate. The sixties were some very turbulent times. I have always been opinionated so my mother probably saved my life.

I can remember that some people demonstrated for civil rights, while others demonstrated against Viet Nam. The March on Washington and Woodstock (Hendrix) are still so unforgettable. At the same time, man walked on the moon. Believe or not, the incredible city of New York celebrated the Knicks (Willis Reed), Mets and Jets(Namath) as they all won Championships to close out the decade.

The seventies brought about the emergence of Black Music with groups having male singers with soprano voices. Bold new fashions put Blacks in less European oriented attire stretching from Bell bottoms to wide brim hats and Dashikis. Afro haircuts and The Red, The Black and The Green was the Mantra celebrated with songs about Black Power.

In 1974, as a high school sophomore I was fortunate to be able to perform on the famous Apollo stage as a drummer for my church choir. Thoughts of us downstairs waiting to perform with the Quartets stomping on the floor above are still fresh. There was some stage name for that waiting area that I don’t remember but I do remember praying that the floor didn’t collapse and kill us all.

I graduated in 1976, Senior year was big because not only was I captain of a the co-champion Roosevelt Riders football team but while on austerity budget I was asked along with classmate Corliss Bailey to represent the school district in a promotional fundraiser coordinated by the then NY Nets and alum, Dr. J Julius Erving.

Two others events happened that year. The Viet Nam War had finally ended and President Jimmie Carter suspended the Draft so seniors did not have to sign up that year. The suspension only lasted one year.

The movie Saturday Night Fever helped to usher in the Disco craze. I know some people I went to school with at Colgate were glad when that fad passed. It became a racial thing for them. Funny, I had no problem with Steely Dan, Bruce Springsteen and I even got used to Pink Floyd.

The seventies was the decade that thoroughly entrenched the color television in every American home. Over the last few decades we have seen the normal residential television size go from 19 to 42. Cameras have gone digital, the inception of the VCR recorder’s beta stage has led to the current Blue Ray DVD’s. Audio tape players have gone from eight track and cassette to CD’s and IPOD. Computers started out as big as a room and now they can fit in a shoulder bag. Phones are very seldom hung from the wall now. Most phones fit in your pocket. Houses have gone from very few electrical appliances to Smart Houses.

The Regan Assassination attempt, the downing of the Berlin Wall, the numerous bombings around the world, Y2k, 911, the break up of the Soviet Union and the election of an African-American president of these United States of America.

The world map doesn’t look anything like the map I was responsible for knowing in school. I don’t think I would have wanted to travel this path at any other time. No other time would I have been so historically or culturally enriched. I thank God for having made this journey at this juncture and God Bless America.

I am very thankful for all those who submitted flashbacks, bio information and images which have contributed greatly to the value of this project. Your opinion was greatly appreciated.

I would also like to thank those individuals who have helped with the annual basketball tournament for the children.

Special thanks to Gary Louis Charles, Curtis Hammond, Dave Moses, Billy Scott, Mike Jones, Mike Miller and the Roosevelt Alumni Association for your help with the tournament.

Most of all I would like to give my utmost gratitude,respect and appreciation to Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams for his efforts to support the children in our community.

I encourage all those who ever wanted to write a book to do so.

One Square Mile and Beyond The Wishing Well were representative of a place; the desire and the talent cultivated in that place, Roosevelt, NY, Da Velt Exit 21 in Strong Island.

Introduction

BEYOND THE WISHING Well is a continuation of Sheldon Parrish’s first project entitled, One Square Mile, The History of Roosevelt NY from an ‘Autobiographical Perspective’. This second project is the author’s attempt to analyze history from other perspectives. Parrish admits that there was some information that was not made available to him early on. Some of the people who possessed the information were not aware of his seriousness in completing the original project. Others did not understand the whole deadline aspect of writing a book. As One Square Mile" circulated people began to realize they had some potentially valuable information and started to track the author down to give their revelations.

The writer says the title Beyond The Wishing Well, is derived from the fact that when you drive off the Southern State Parkway at exit 21(Roosevelt),at the bottom of the exit ramp stands a wishing well on Brookside Avenue. This landmark very eloquently welcomes visitors to town and residents back home.

This sequel will name Educators, Mentors and Role models who were not documented earlier as well as those who have since moved on to their transitional home. There are also a couple areas that were not hitherto mentioned including other professionals who have represented Roosevelt well and should be duly noted. This hamlet in the Town of Hempstead is also rich with clergy of many different descriptions.

Beyond the Wishing Well duly notes the residencies of people like Arville Shaw, the world-renown Jazz bassist, former NY Knicks GM Steve Mills, comedian/actor Charlie Murphy, Internet radio pioneer Bob Davis, photographic reporter J.Conrad Williams and recording artists Aaron Hall/Guy.

The Roosevelt School district has yielded some great names during some great times. Over the last few years this tradition has been thwarted by the hindrance of a state takeover which is also analyzed. Read One Square Mile and Beyond the Wishing Well and imagine walking the hallways or playing in the park with these people as a teenager. He lived it and still can’t believe it. Please enjoy Beyond the Wishing Well.

Trolley car that ran through Roosevelt, from Freeport to Mineola

(Supplied by Valerie Abrams-Forman)

(If you see this image on the side of a C-SPAN Bus wave it’s my man Garney Gary)

 Mentors And Trailblazers

Harvey L. Palmore

Educational Excellence

(excerpt from the Roosevelt Alumni Journal)

AN OUTSTANDING HIGH school athlete in Washington, DC, Mr. Harvey L. Palmore graduated from Eastern High School. Mr. Palmore was a three-letter athlete, excelling in football, basketball and track. From Eastern High School, he won a football scholarship to Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland and managed to maintain excellence both on the field and in the classroom. In May of 1968, Mr. Palmore graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree