They were both Brentwood teachers. Claire retired from South Middle School in 2002, and John taught at Hemlock Park Elementary School.

     Reflecting upon other paths he might have pursued had he chosen not to teach, Nick shared his early interest in acting, in becoming a writer, working for the State Department and entering the foreign service. He ultimately decided on public service. As an educator in love with the subject areas of History and Social Studies,- he was able to include most if not all other paths to which he’d initially given consideration.
     Thinking back on his earliest experiences Nick concluded that his mother really enjoyed the cleaning and cooking she did for their family. It also appeared to him that his father enjoyed his numerous wood projects. He was good at fabricating; at making things with his hands. Thinking back, his earliest memories did not include him and his father spending a lot of their time together since his father always seemed to be working. There happened to be other significant adult influencers in his life; people he looked up to and admired, like several teachers he had. Also, in the various jobs he had taken on he met people who had opened the world of experience to him by teaching him life lessons. There was his first boss in the Pharmacy in which he worked who had shared his love of opera and impressed Nick with a passion for Italian operas that he nurtured throughout his life. This fellow wasn’t even Italian but had it not been for him Nick might not have awakened in himself, his passion for serious music and culture.      Acknowledging the role teachers can play in the lives of young people’s personality development there were several teachers in Junior High and High School who took an interest in him and instilled the desire to become a positive influence in the lives of other young people. He had an eighth grade Social Studies teacher, Mrs. Converse for example, who encouraged him to compete in a Citizenship contest which, with a great deal of help from her he went on to win. It was an award presented in 1945 from Williston Park High School before the entire assembled student body. Today, that community is part of the Herricks District. Nick was already becoming a serious reader and given to enjoying works of fiction. He was becoming an introspective observer of the world around him and became the first member of his family to achieve higher education. As a consequence of winning the competition he became focused upon foreign service and therein registered to attend The Latin American Institute on 45th Street, where he attended classes for a year.
     After attending the Institute and with a letter of recommendation from another important teacher in his life, Mr. Goostry who had served during the Korean Conflict, he switched to a four year degree program in 1956 at Hofstra College. It was during that time he redirected his career to becoming an educator and Social Studies teacher.
     All his prior experience specializing in Latin American History, conversational Spanish and Grammar was about to stand him in good stead as he arrived in Brentwood in 1963. He was assigned to teach a Seventh Grade Spanish Class for the first half year replacing a teacher who had left. unexpectedly
     Like most teens at the time, Nick had chores to do at home while attending high school. His responsibilities included certain kinds of shopping and lawn care. He had an early part time job that he hated, delivering L.I. Newsday to homes in the neighborhood. He felt pressured by management to bring in additional subscriptions. He also worked at a neighborhood Pharmacy when he was in high school and while attending college. He began working at a second pharmacy in Westbury. He also worked for a while at Bohacks Supermarket before it closed its doors.
     Nick considered himself a “news junkie”. He read everything that came before him in the way of world events. He remembered well the period of duck and cover, atomic bomb testing during the Cold War, and threats posed by Communism or The Red Menace. He talked about an English teacher he once had that was personally damaged by the perceived threat during the controversy surrounding Julius and Ethyl Rosenberg when his teaching contract was pulled and he was labeled a “Pinko” because he was a Liberal. He remembered the loyalty oaths required by Brentwood’s administration of all district employees and how the depression and its’ consequences effected his families feelings of personal security. He always enjoyed living on Long Island in the temperate zone where the four seasons exist. His favorites have always been Fall and Winter, disliking as he did, the oppressive heat of summer. He likes getting an early start on the day but also appreciates occasionally staying up late.      The preponderance of his graduate work was done at Hofstra University. He spoke of having had a job for a while at Idle Wild Airport working for a small Mexican Airline prior to being drafted into the military. They had but two flights per day – to and from Mexico and he was learning all facets of the operation that would have served him well had he remained in the industry, but he didn’t. He joined the U.S. Army instead for two years in 1961 until 1963, was stationed in Fort Dix, New Jersey and Jackson, South Carolina.
     His favorite subjects in school were English and Social Studies. His least favorite subjects were Science and Math. Then in March of 1963 he learned about an opening in North Junior High in Brentwood from a frat brother and college friend, created by a teacher who had been let go. When he spoke with John Maroka who interviewed him for the position, he told Nick, “If you can last a week, if you want it the job is yours”. He earned $5,200 or $5,300 his first year.
     He remembers being impressed by the presence in the District of the Ford Foundation. That included people like Dr. Eugene Hoyt, Dr. Joseph Dionne, Dr. Raymond Scheele, Dr. Raymond Fournier and Vincent Presno. Idealism and a sense of promise abounded, It was before the union movement and during the tenure of Professional Associations. Such was the belief that a good negotiation team accompanied by a cooperative spirit could prevail. Such an approach was seen as a better alternative than a blue collar working class mentality of the labor union. Most people felt that way. Milton K. Siler Jr. was the Social Studies Department Chairman and teachers were encouraged to get involved in the process by becoming active in various student activities. Some of Nick’s involvements included becoming Advisor to the Senior Class, the Junior Frolics, Student Counsel, orchestrating the Homecoming Parade. This was during a period of controversy surrounding dress codes; skirt length and boys wearing shirts outside of pants. After his thirty years Nick was asked about his favorite years and he pointed to those at the beginning and those at the end of his service.
   

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