Thursday, April 15, 2010

Schoolkids honor Jacob Riis

From the Daily News:

In the constellation of today's teen idols, a muckraking photojournalist from Queens at the turn of the 20th century doesn't resonate perhaps as much as athletes or movie stars.

But try telling that to an enterprising group of students at Immaculate Conception School in Jamaica Estates.

When they found out that a statue of their hero, Jacob Riis, had been missing for more than 40 years from the Far Rockaway park where it was first displayed in 1940, they decided to do something about it.

Several classes of Aquinas Honor Society members have been working to replace the bust that was stolen from Jacob Riis Park in 1964.

"The rumor is that it was taken as a prom night prank," said park ranger Lincoln Hallowell. "Then, it was basically forgotten."

Until now.

The middle school students have commissioned Brooklyn artist David Ostro to re-create the bust. It will be unveiled at a ceremony on Saturday.


(P.S. Riis Park is not in Far Rockaway.)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

These kids are our future. I hope someone steps up and makes a nice donation to help them along...
Maybe it's better if they do it all themselves.

Anonymous said...

Jacob Riis is one man who deserves to be remembered by every New Yorker, not just the residents of Rockaway.

Helen said...

Great school! Larger class size than the public schools and (usually) lower pay for teachers yet the featured photo of the Aquinas Society speaks volumes about the reward for Catholic School teachers~ the success of the pupils.

Jamie Escalante said...

Great school! Larger class size than the public schools......

Awaiting the reply from public school bureaucrat/spokesperson "Ragazza Italiana" in 5...4....3....2...1

Anonymous said...

Jamie,

Best. Comment. Ever.