East Rockaway, revisited

Texas resident Ed Berkoben finally returned to his hometown of East Rockaway — 60 years after he left. He moved away with his family after his sophomore year at East Rockaway High School. Along with his wife, Karen, his sister Charlotte and her husband, Tom, who are from Wisconsin, Berkoben toured the village and Bay Park for the first time since 1950. Berkoben chronicled his trip in photos and observations. This is his story, in his own words:

“Going back to ER for a short visit to relive some long old time memories after 60 years ... been trying to do that for a number of years, but it never worked out ... I’m coming out for the day, June 9th, along with my wife, Karen (from da’ Bronx), also my sister, Charlotte, and her husband Tom ... her last year in ER (1950) as a freshman and me a sophomore at East Rockaway High School.”

“How sad for the young kids nowadays — no swimming, no crabbing, no fishing — but I guess the community is happy for the extra revenue from all the boats moored on the East side. The canal had plenty of activity back then — winter ice skating, hockey ... frozen toes ... fires to warm up ... do they still clams in the bay? Break open the clams on the side of the boat ... Oh, man!”

“And would you believe fish flopping in the East and West Boulevard streets? Well, some were after one hurricane in the forties. And would you believe ice skating from our house alongside the canal into town to the bakery to get some bread and a delicious chocolate éclair after one snowstorm one very frozen, cold winter day?”

“Discovered Rhame Avenue Elementary burned down in the eighties ... fourth-grade teacher, Miss Taylor ... my first crush ... she was purdy ... spelling bees ... one half of the class against the other ... Oh, the pride and joy of just an average student outlasting and beating the two brainiacs in the class.”