L to R: Daniel Virgilio (head of the Hebrew Academy English Department),
Linda Tyson Font (1968), Dena Levine (principal, upper school), and Terry Brooks (1969)
A presentation was made at the Melvin J Berman
Hebrew Academy on Mar 22 when Terry Brooks
(1969) and Linda Tyson Font (1968) went to present them with a copy of "Of Mice
and Men by John
Steinbeck as read by Vincent G Gibbs". They were very gracious in accepting our
donation on behalf of
the REPHSAA. In the photo I am presenting the recording to the principal of the
upper school, Ms.
Dena Levine. Also there was Mr. Daniel Virgilio, the head of the English
Department, who arranged
the opportunity for Terry and Linda to make this presentation to them and a
group of students. Both
Ms. Levine and Mr. Virgilio expressed gratitude for us thinking of them and for
sharing this academic
legacy from Peary High School. And the students thought it was neat that Terry
had grown up with one
of Melvin J Berman's kids!
So, now this little project is officially over. A big Thank You again to Mr.
Gibbs for his generous
cooperation and without whom this treasure would not exist, and to Joe Fab
(1969) for his help as
project Producer. All fifty copies are accounted for and are in the loving care
of grateful alumni
and/or faculty, and another donated copy resides at the National Steinbeck
Center in Salinas, California.
The last copy, which I bought to have as a "loaner", has made its way to over a
dozen alums around the
country and around the world. (It is currently on its way back from Indonesia --
with a bit of a delay
because of all the 9-11 rituals that mail now has to go through.)