Erasmus Hall High School - Arch Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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1 . . ,, .vp '4 19, E p Egan.. :Nix Q' 7 fiiiw Ni X L.. .1 - N V 2: sa.-isa... XX S X i ' it ,. X X ' 'Q' C' . :W THE CHURCH ON THE CORNER It was warmg very warm as my friend and l walked out of Garfieldhs. The usual lunchtime crowd was not visible. A few women pushed their carriages listlessly-complaining loudly about the weather. We decided to spend the remainder of our lunch period in the cemetery across the street, in hope of finding comfort from the heat. lt was so calm-so very peaceful in the cemetery that it seemed incredible we were in the midst of a shopping district with theaters. cabs and trolleys outside. While men and women were resting here, a city had built itself around the spot. ,lust across the street the Kenmore proclaimed its latest hit. I wondered what these people, buried here all these years would think of everything that went on around them. Perhaps they did have a way of knowing-perhaps . . .

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Miss BATCHELOR: Appellation: Adoration: Irritation: Ejaculation: Aspiration: Miss MCGLUE Appellation: Adoration: Irritation: Ejaculation: Aspiration: MR. STRATTON Appellation: Adoration: Irritation: Ejaculation: Aspiration: MRS. BERl4owsKY Appcllation: Adoration : Irritation: Ejaculation: Aspiration: DR. SERo'1'A Appellation: Anton Adoration: Peggy and Quick Quiz Ellen Graduating Class of February 1948 Gum Chewing HDear', For all her 6'chillun', to be successes Anne The Leaders Club Scratching Honesty Above All She has reached her goal Just My Bill Sweet Young Things lnefficiency Now . . . look . .. To utilln his garden Ruth X .Y.Z. People who cannot add, subtract, multiply, divide My advice for the regents- 'LDon,t forget to eomew To be a teacher Irritation: Politicians . . . I no names please j Ejaculation: Donft change the subject . . touched my heart 2 . I Your problems has Aspiration: To write a book on the idiosyncracies of humans . . K and students Q Miss MASTIN Appellationz Ripley Adoration: her dog Irritation: plagiarists Ejaculation: lim just wild about poetry Aspiration: To return to her home on the Hudson MR. HERBERT FRIED Appellation: uHoiby Adoration: Miss Frazitta Irritation: Eraslnian French Ejaculation: What do you think I'm standing up here . . . Aspiration: A tete a tete with HMadelon,,

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I was thrown back into reality when I felt the pressure of a hand on my shoulder. I turned to find a man-white haired but erect-a kind smile on his face-a mischievous spark in his blue eyes. He introduced himself as Mr. Hodgett, sexton of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church. He seemed to sense our interest in the place, and began to tell us about its history. WThe first church built on this site was nothing more than a small frame building. It was ordered constructed in 1654 by Gov. Stuyvesant and it is from this date that our written records begin. This was the first church in the area that is now Brooklyn, and is the oldest church site in Greater New York. The original building was replaced by one of stone which stood for ninty-five years-all during the Revolution. After the battle in what is now Prospect Park, many dead soldiers were buried close to the church. ln 1796 a new building was completed over the bodies of those dead soldiers. For that reason our church has no cellar. L'The bell of our church was a gift of Capt. John Vanderbilt, a member of the congregation. It was cast in Holland and sent here in a Dutch ship. At that time England and Holland were at war, and the ship was captured by the British and the bell carried to Halifax. GGWllCH Capt. Vanderbilt and the other members heard of this, they organized a party, went to Canada and were able to retrieve the bell. They brought it back here and fastened it in its present site in the belfry. Those bolts and screws that hold it now were those placed there by Vanderbilt and his group one hundred and fifty years ago. G'When Pres. Washington died the bell tolled sixty-seven times- once for each year of the President's ag'e. Ever since, the bell has been rung at the exact time of the funeral of every President of the United States. MAH the early Vanderbilts, including Capt. John, as well as other distinguished Dutch families lie in this cemeteryf' We then followed Mr. Hodgett down into the Community Center of the church. We saw rooms for movies, a gym and an auditorium. In the movie room there was a small framed document. Upon closer obser-