Here is a note received from Anthony Palisi describing his appreciation for all the tributes from former students.
To My Friends from Madison School: I have procrastinated purposefully in responding to you for your many kind words that appear in our Madison School web site about our experience together during those early years. I hoped that I might find the words to express my gratitude to you, but I am no closer to discovery today when with moist eyes I first read your recollections.
I thank God daily for having had a good life, especially for the sustaining contributions of my wife, Dyane, and family and particularly for an engaging and somewhat varied professional experience. With respect to the latter, I profess that no professional experience of mine surpasses the time I shared with you in Madison School. Our experience at Madison School became the standard against which all of my subsequent experiences are compared, and most of them paled.
Relationships, of course, are the core of life. On paper, our relationship took the complementary roles of teacher/student. For me, it surpassed that—a lesson that I relearned painfully every June when it was time for you to move on.
So, I thank you all for informing me that our time together had meaning in your life, as well. We are still together, in memories shared. For that, I am most grateful to you.
Anthony T. Palisi
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A Tribute To
Anthony T. Palisi
Teacher
While our Madison School web site is primarily aimed at bringing together former students to share memories, it seemed appropriate that those memories should include some of the teachers and staff who made our experience there something special. It was an interesting group of people who had the opportunity to ‘create’ a new school, with its own culture.
Perhaps more than any one person, Anthony Palisi was a central figure who helped to establish a tone of enthusiasm, dedication to the process of education, and the importance of ‘having fun’ while we learned. He and his great pal, Harold Schweitzer, transmitted their joy of being involved with us in the way they actually played on the playground, exchanged their cartoons on each other’s chalk boards poking fun at each other, and their incredibly intense desire to help us learn.
With so many former students recalling him, we felt that it would be interesting to know how Mr. Palisi’s career evolved….a sort of 'where is he now' report. We begin with his professional “Journey” that reveals a great deal about the motivation and drive that we students intuitively noticed.
Along the way, however, because of the respect and appreciation that so many of his former students expressed, we also decided to include their tributes to a former teacher who, after over 50 years, remains one of the most memorable and influential teachers many of us had.
As you read others’ tributes to Mr. Palisi, if you would like to add your comments, stories, memories, feel free to add them on our Messages page of the web site.
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Mr. Palisi
a professional JOurney
Certainly, Anthony Palisi was a master teacher who mattered simply because he made students feel ‘they’ mattered. But as gifted as he was in his classroom, equally remarkable is the direction his life took in the post-Madison years. In fact, his professional journey is one that exemplifies the man: motivated, talented and intelligent. In the years following his departure from Madison School, Mr. Palisi grew and evolved in much the same way that we grew over the years.
Normally, once we leave elementary school for high school, we generally leave the teachers there: in our minds, they were our fourth or seventh grade teacher, and in our minds, they stay there. While our lives meander and change with great regularity, few of us give any thought to the possibility of our elementary teachers’ lives changing at all. When I contacted Mr. Palisi 25 years or so after being in his class, I was quite surprised to discover the path his professional life had taken. A little background: Young Anthony went to Lincoln School, just up the street from his Central Avenue home near the stadium, and completed all his elementary education there. Then on to Rahway High, graduating in 1947. So, he is a 'Rahway boy' through and through. His teaching career actually started in St. Mary’s Elementary School in spring of 1953, after earning a Bachelor's degree from Seton Hall University, and that fall of 1953 he began his tenure at Madison School, as part of the first core of teachers to open the new elementary school. In addition, something I wasn’t aware of, he was the Assistant Principal there from 1953-1957, riding shotgun for Principal Leroy Potts. He and his brother, Marino, also coached the freshman football team during those years. Those on the team can probably still remember Mr. Palisi being able to punt a football a mile with a perfect spiral.
Now, here’s where his travels begin, in 1957. He heads off to serve as Vice-Principal at Franklin School. While working there full time, he manages to squeeze in a little study time and to get a Masters degree in Educational Administration. Then in 1960, he assumes the position of Principal of Hillcrest Elementary (with 1,000 students) in Franklin Township. At the same time, he becomes an adjunct faculty member at Rutgers and Temple Universities.
Still on the move, in 1965 Mr. Palisi becomes an Assistant Professor of Education in the department of Counseling Psychology at Seton Hall University. In the years between 1965 and 1982, he earned his Doctorate in Psycho-Educational Processes from Temple University (1973); rose in rank to Associate , then Full Professor; developed programs in Group Process and Alcoholic Counseling; and even served as Acting Dean of Graduate Studies. A long, long way from teaching seventh Grade English!
Not content to achieve success in academia, Dr. Palisi started a private psychological practice in 1982 and even though he ‘retired’ in 1994, he still does some counseling to this day. One measure of a person’s commitment to his/her profession is service. Dr. Palisi served his profession as President of the National Academy of Counselors and Family Therapists.
How many of you know that from 1949-1958 our Mr. Palisi was a feature writer, sports editor, and interim editor-in-chief for several magazines and newspapers in the northern NJ area? He also wrote or co-wrote over a dozen articles in professional journals and even authored a couple of short stories.
What makes all these accomplishments even more impressive is that for much of his professional life, Mr./Dr. Palisi was working at full-time jobs, going to graduate school to earn degrees, and raising four children—no small task, that.
And even now, our dear Dr. Palisi simply can’t sit down and take a break. He is, at the young age of 79, in the middle of writing a biography of Milt Campbell, the 1956 Olympic Decathlon Champion! At a time when most people are just content to sit it out and ride off into the sunset, this fellow begins to write a book!!!
You may have noticed his first 'major' acting role as well--in the Madison School Video that John Ludwig, a Madisonian alumnus (and RHS '62 grad) wrote, directed, and produced. Our dear Dr. Palisi narrated the nostalgic retrospective of Madison School that included Madison alumni and current students. Sketching this most interesting life of an elementary school teacher, it seems on one hand to be astonishing to the point of disbelief (certainly gets into the “Who’d a thunk” category), yet on the other hand, completely natural for this dynamic, energetic teacher who cared so much about his students, expected the best from them, and as it is so obvious from this account, set the same high standards for himself as he did for us. ________________________________________ |
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_________________________________________________________________ Mr. Palisi English Teacher Madison School
1953-1959
Tributes from Former Students For the Madisonians who had sixth or seventh grade English between 1953 and 1959, the unique experience of having Mr. Palisi as an English teacher was perhaps inspiring, challenging, or terrifying, but it certainly was unforgettable. Mention his name to a former student and the first thing that pops out is the reference to ‘Diagramming Sentences”. One former student said that diagramming gave him a sense of the way English was constructed, a sense that served him well through his graduate studies. Another student recalls his fear of being called upon to diagram a sentence in class. But many students remember Mr. Palisi as one of the most influential teachers in their educational experience.
Perhaps a story will help demonstrate this influence. While at a party in Baltimore one Saturday evening in the late 1980’s, I found myself chatting with a psychiatrist about education. Eventually, the discussion worked itself around to teachers who had had an impact on our lives. I mentioned that my elementary school English teacher had influenced me a great, especially since I had become an English teacher. When this fellow asked me what it was that made this teacher special, I commented on how he was able to play in the school yard with us, but maintain strict discipline in the classroom, how he made his lessons incredibly challenging, but humorous and memorable. Then I recalled a technique that he used.
He would have something on the chalkboard, most likely a sentence to be diagrammed, and he would show us a sharp pin that he held in his hand. Then, he would walk around behind us, and when we missed a question, he’d correct us and with great glee, ‘apparently’ stick us in the back or the neck with this pin. As I was telling this story, the fellow’s eyes got bigger and I continued by saying, “And then the teacher would say….” At this point I paused for added effect but was taken by surprise when, with great enthusiasm my listener completed the sentence with, “Get the point?”
I was pretty much astonished that he would be able to guess what I was going to say, even if he ‘was’ a psychiatrist. But he then said, “That was Mr. Palisi, wasn’t it?” He said that he had gone to Madison School in 1953 for a few years, but moved away. Dr. Robert Fiscella had Mr. Palisi for English and remembered him as I had: without a doubt, “THE” most influential teacher he had had in his entire educational experience.
Mr. (now Dr.) Anthony Palisi was the rarest of teachers: a natural teacher, the kind of teacher one never forgets, one that stays with his students as they proceed through life. When you talk to him today, he remembers the names of so many of us who were in Madison during his tenure there: 1953-59. Imagine, 55 years later, he can look at a photo and remember more names of students than even we who were in the classes can recall!
Approaching his 80th year, he remains active and in touch with many of us, and it seems so natural, almost as if those 55 years that have passed didn’t even happen. So, one of the wonders of our generation, the Internet, provides us--his many former students spread all over the country--this opportunity to show our respect and appreciation for all that he has contributed to our lives.
Jim Cook
Web Site Coordinator
Mr. Palisi stands out in my mind from the Madison School phase of my life as someone who made me feel very welcome and connected. His English was important to me since I was born in Germany and learned English here in the USA. Although I spoke English coming to the USA, I thought in German. His classes bridged the abyss that existed within me: the difference between knowing English and thinking in English. He was also my football coach as a freshman (I think it was 9th grade) and encouraged me there as well. I mean what do you want from a kid that thought football meant soccer?
Heiko Ganzer
Entered 5th Grade in 1953
I attended 7th grade at Madison School when it first opened, 1953-1954. I transferred from Roosevelt School and seventh grade at Madison was a brand new ball game for all of us. My home room teacher was Anthony Palisi. He was also my English teacher. He couldn’t believe how dumb some of the guys were from Roosevelt. We didn’t know a noun from an adverb. Diagram a sentence, who knew how? My sixth grade teacher at Roosevelt couldn’t see or hear too well, so some of the guys would just stroll out of her English class. I was one of those dummies. We had great fun in sixth grade.
Fast forward to seventh grade to the new Madison School – the fun times were over! Mr. Palisi would have the entire class stand and you would remain standing until you answered correctly. Guess who was one of those guys still standing? How embarrassing! Seventh grade was the year that turned my life around. Everything was new including teachers that conducted classes just like college. I studied now. You bet I learned how to diagram sentences and became very good at it. Dr. Palisi was one of the best teachers I ever had which includes post graduate studies.
"Frank A. Stiso, D.C., FICC, CCSP
Chiropractic Physician
Madison School, 1953, grade 7
RAHWAY REDUX - MADISON MEMORIES 8/1/09: Reminiscing on Mr. Palisi
It’s difficult for me to think of Mr. Palisi without remembering Mr. Schweitzer. I join them as a pair – and not only because they were my first male academic teachers. They were both the bearers of a new and mature era of learning for me; they each taught only one subject and they did it with enthusiasm and devotion. I was impressionable. A single subject class implied a more serious and worthwhile endeavor. Their dedication to a specific area of knowledge led me to a first connection of a path of learning and ideas that had been traveled for thousands of years from before the time of Homer to our current scholars and authors. My first six grades were but a preparation for this lifelong journey, and S&P would initiate us. After six grades of the basics, boredom was setting in, and I was ready for the big time.
And Palisi delivered! He was a warm, friendly, and engaging man who enjoyed his work and us, his students. Most amazing was his lack of focus on enforcing discipline. We had only slightly gained in maturity since sixth grade, but Mr. Palisi was quite serious about the notion that, despite the sound of his name, his task was to teach and not police. Early on we learned that he was compassionate but did not suffer fools lightly if we showed disrespect about our opportunity to learn. He offered to teach us a powerful skill that we would use on our path to wisdom or, of equal and practical importance, a good job. He would teach us the mechanics of writing; we could then use this skill as we wished. We began by mastering the ten parts of speech and then meandered through punctuation. This work prepared us for the greatest glory of grammar, the holy of holies: diagramming sentences. Perhaps, for our peers out in the Wild West, a similar experience was learning to ride a horse or hunting down that first deer; but, for us in suburban New Jersey, a rite of passage focused on achievements of the mind. We followed the tracks of subjects and predicates, nouns and verbs. In the shadow of Manhattan, our success depended on being successful schoolboys/girls (gender correctness) rather than cowboys/girls.
Under Mr. Palisi’s tutelage, we learned and prospered. By the end of our year, we could diagram and withstand any grammar challenge that he could muster. If he had only taught us performance goals, we would be successful but hollow, grinding away at our daily tasks. Beyond his lessons, he shared with us his enthusiasm for his work and for us his students. He gave us the opportunity to enjoy the path rather than to just get a stamp of achievement at the end of our seventh grade English journey. I never had to worry about the mechanics of writing after the seventh grade; I only had to concern myself with the ideas about which I wished to write. Since I ended up in a career in which I have to write a great deal, he’s saved me many a writing migraine and enabled me to focus on the energy of ideas. Thank you, Mr. Palisi, for the ability to think about ideas without the baggage of worry about grammar. Not that our written grammar needs to be perfect; he also enlightened us about the foolishness of impressions of perfection. Proofreaders and editors need work also.
As important as the skills that Mr. Palisi taught us was his enthusiasm about his work and the academic challenges he presented to us. He could have garnered more prestigious positions – e.g. teaching eighth graders and beyond. He later did. His experience with us may have even stimulated him to do that – I won’t go there. Mr. Palisi’s enthusiasm about his work and about us students has certainly served me well in my education and career. It may sound strange, but I actually looked forward to going to school during his tenure, and this continued in my many years of school well beyond seventh grade. He helped develop my enthusiastic attitude because of how he was as a person as well as the skills he taught us as a teacher. Inspired by my experience with him, as well as many others, I developed a career helping people, and, on good days, I work with his style – and enthusiasm.
So here’s to Tony – uh, Mr. Palisi – who taught us enthusiasm and love of life as well as English. He taught us not only to achieve but to enjoy our work. And he’s still at it! I wonder if he was paid at actor’s equity rates for his narrator role in “Madison, The Early Years.” I wonder if it matters to him. He looked like he was having a good time teaching us, just like in the old days.
Bob Rostkowski
Entered 5th grade in 1953
Memories of my grammar school days at Madison cannot arise without my recollections of the teachings of Anthony Palisi, a teacher who had a significant impact on a young ADHD, acting out kid. I especially remember being part of an experimental track program under Palisi that allowed us to bring typewriters to class to work on "Contracts". Hard to imagine being the type of kid I was, that I actually bought a typewriter with my own saved paper route money.
Contracts were home work assignments that were collected and graded every few weeks rather than in days. These Contracts afforded the students to work at their own pace on large chunks of homework and in class material that covered weeks rather than days. These Contracts I assume were to instill discipline with students' working and organizing their own time schedule. In later years I had already been trained to produce large volumes of work at the last minute in order to meet deadlines.
Everyone who passed through Mr. Palisi's classes was subjected to the brutality of learning the “parts of speech" and diagramming sentences. Personally, I took to these tasks fairly easily. I actually enjoyed the diagramming that was intended to teach grammar and sentence structure. Although I may at times cause Anthony to cringe today with my syntax, I would hate to think how it might be otherwise.
Another benefit from Mr. Palisi's teaching was through his classes in literature... I graduated from the morbidity of "Tales from the Crypt" comic books to reading Edgar Allen Poe. (In later years I also appreciated Poe’s Prose). And from Superman and Batman comic books to reading the short stories of O'Henry.
Although I am today still stuck with the same typing proficiency and short attention reading skills as I was back in those sixth and seventh grade classes, I am thankful to Mr. Palisi for helping me to get this far. Again, thanks for the memories and your teachings.
John Ludwig
Entered 4th Grade in 1953
2007, just a few days before Christmas, as I was emailing some late Christmas greetings, up popped an email saying "perhaps we can diagram a few sentences." Wow! It had been over 50 years since I had diagramed a sentence and the only person who may be even the slightest bit interested in the subject of diagramming, (no, it couldn't be), but could it be my former English/Grammar teacher Mr. Palisi? I looked at the email address and amazingly it was atpalisi@..... I replied with "Could it really be you?" The response was "Yes, Joyce, it is I. How many years later?"
So that was the beginning of 53 years of catch up. Now, how many teachers cared about or could even remember their students from back that far?
Now I must say that back in 7th grade this teacher was an excellent English teacher but to a shy young girl student, his teasing made me blush. Diagramming was challenging and grammar was important. Mr. Palisi made it fun! He never let up on his students and was determined that we would learn in his class. I am sure that he is one of the rare professionals that wanted all his students to accomplish their very best.
I was a member of the seventh grade girl’s basketball team and Mr. Palisi and Mr. Schweitzer were our coaches. There again, we were to do our best but in the process we enjoyed the game and the coaches. These two dedicated young men were a blessing to Madison School and to the students, including me.
And that email, in 2007, has been the start of an amazing journey back to The Early Days of Madison School, renewal of friendships, a new bond with a wonderful man, Dr. Anthony Palisi, and fellow students of those precious childhood days.
Joyce Hudock Boos
Entered 5th Grade in 1953
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More Tributes From Former Students I knew when I had Mr. Palisi for 6th and 7th grade English that he was a very good teacher. However, I don't think as a youngster you really appreciate this or think much about it. I did learn that he was far superior to any English teacher I had in either high school or secretarial school, after reflecting back years later. I feel the camaraderie between Mr. Palisi and Mr. Schweitzer played a large part in how we learned. We had fun mixed with work. They both taught us on a higher level than we were used to and expected more from us. We enjoyed and respected them so much, it pushed us to try harder not to let them down, and consequently we learned so much more.
In my career as a Customer Service Manager for an International company, I had to write many letters and reports. I am certain that the proper grammar and parts of a sentence that I learned from him have served me well over the years.
I always held a special place in my memories for him and I am elated to see so many other students feel the same way. I am so pleased that we have this chance to show him how his dedication has enriched our lives. I don't think too many teachers ever get to see or hear exactly what impact their work had on their students.
Does everyone remember his artistic ability? I always loved the little comic type characters he drew.
Thank you, Mr. Palisi for your continued dedication and caring from a very appreciative former student.
Virginia (Ginny) Pavelec Granata
Entered 5th Grade in 1953
Immediately I think how special Mr. Palisi is because I am so lucky to be able to e-mail him with "spell check". He reminded me it was a helpful tool to use when my brother Jim and I met him and his wife for lunch this past May. Once an English teacher, always an English teacher. What I remember most about Mt. Palisi besides fear of diagramming sentences is he let me know he liked me. He liked kids--whether you were the brightest student or not. He took time for us. He organized the cheering squad in no time at all to cheer for the freshman football team. That was such fun. I still remember our uniforms, the excitement and the feeling of self esteem that emerged. I also danced (ballet) in a talent show, and he told my Mother how well I had performed. My Mother was thrilled for I had studied ballet for many years by then. You, Mr. Palisi, gave me the push I needed to try some things outside my comfort zone and prepare me for the big school next door. Thank you so much for all you brought to your classroom.
Jeri Cook Jefferis
Entered 6th Grade in 1953
I can't help thinking about Mr. Schweitzer and Mr. Palisi together whenever I think about Madison school and the seventh grade. The two are forever linked in my mind because of the colorful chalk cartoons they drew on the blackboards in each other's classroom. I know it was done to "kid" each other, and it made for a fun day for the students whenever we found one on the board. There was no regularity or special reason for the bursts of chalk creativity as I remember - just cartoonish fun and games between the two that made seventh grade so memorable to me.
I think that Mr. Palisi was the instigating Picasso. He drew and exaggerated an up-turned nose ala Bob Hope when cartooning Mr. Schweitzer. I have a very hazy memory of exaggerated spectacles as the symbol of Mr. Palisi. Under the tightest of secrecy, it must have been done early in the day or during lunch because I don't remember that anyone ever saw the artist or artists at work. We students looked forward to and loved them.
Mary Jo Rostkowski
Entered 6th Grade in 1953
We were the first 7th grade at Madison School and our class was made up of students from Franklin, Lincoln and Roosevelt schools. There were some familiar faces but many more unfamiliar ones. Mr. Palisi, as my homeroom teacher and English teacher, managed to make us all friends with his pleasant manner and great sense of humor. He was approachable. You could ask him questions and you got answers. Thanks to him, I learned to love English and all its rules. He has always remained one of my most favorite teachers, along with Mr. Schweitzer, who taught me History can be interesting.
Barbara Larate Norris
Entered 7th Grade in 1953
Anthony Palisi was the most outstanding teacher I have ever had. He instilled in me an understanding of how words relate to each other in a way that kindled a lifetime interest in language. To this day, I remain fascinated by languages and communication skills in general. I believe I can still recite the parts of speech, pretty much as he taught them, although I would flunk some of the more complex diagramming tests he gave us.
Educationally, Mr. Palisi gave me (and, I'm sure, many other students) the skills which allowed me to open up my world. But he was important in so many other ways. As I look back, I was an unhappy, acting out kid, who didn't play sports, was pretty obnoxious, and really didn't fit in very well. Mr. Palisi, along with Ray Cleveland and Giulio Ambrosio, sensed that I had some particular abilities, and made me feel special at a time when I really needed that. Throughout my various teaching endeavors, be it as a medical school faculty member or flight instructor, Mr. Palisi was always my role model. It’s difficult to articulate exactly what made his teaching skills “magical.” Was it his sense of humor and ability to make learning fun? Was it his command of the material? Or was it his ability to command respect, and at the same time instill self-respect and a “You can do it attitude” in insecure adolescents? I suspect that everyone who was inspired by Mr. Palisi has his own very personal reasons for having been inspired, and that’s what makes him a great teacher—he was able to relate to each of us at our own level, while at the same time insisting that we find the best in ourselves.
As a psychiatrist, I've since understood how important all the things he probably did intuitively at the time are to adolescents who have strong potential to go in either positive or negative directions. I also enjoyed the special attention he paid me, taking me down to the Rahway Record on Tuesday nights and allowing me to write headlines and simple articles. Rob Fiscella
Entered 4th Grade, 1953
Of course I had Mr. Palisi for English and 50 years later remember a sentence diagramming test that included one example that wasn't a sentence. Sneaky guy, that Mr. Palisi.
And no recollection of Mr. Palisi would be complete without the funny drawings he and Mr. Schweitzer would draw cartooning each other. The one I remember was a hand sticking out of the water with the caption "Mr. Schweitzer swimming."
Tom Nolan
Entered 5th Grade, 1953
One of the vivid memories that typify the Madison Experience for me was the appearance of Mr. Schweitzer and Mr. Palisi in the playground area behind the school during the lunch break or recess.
What we all seemed to sense was that they actually enjoyed throwing the ball off the wall and playing with us, or playing softball, with Mr. Schweitzer's Ruthian swings and towering fly balls that terrified even the bravest of us. Mr. Palisi has admitted that they loved coming out "to play", and the other teachers appreciated them because it relieved the teachers of lunch duty. In retrospect, and having been an English teacher throughout my career, I realize how amazing these two teachers were to be outside, playing with us one moment, and then to return to the class and establish a disciplined classroom situation the next. It was fine balancing act that they pulled off effortlessly. They were really quite a team, a team that transmitted a good-natured, learning-can-be-fun atmosphere that the kids just sensed. For me, the idea that teachers would want to play with us was a unique experience, and it gave me a whole new outlook on teaching. In fact, it became obvious to me how much these two teachers had influenced me when I found myself as a teacher, trying to establish a bond with students while maintaining a focused class atmosphere. Whether I succeeded or not is open to question, but there was no doubt that the model of these two great teachers was the right one, one that made learning a dual effort of teacher and student. Mr. Palisi, especially, had a profound influence on my life, something I didn’t realize until I had finished my studies and entered my chosen field: teaching English. Like so many others, I had grasped the structure of English through sentence diagramming which made one discover the relationship of words to each other. I also found that as a teacher, I used many of the same strategies that Mr. Palisi did to engage students: humor, attention-getting techniques, and real engagement with students. I always cared about my students, and it was clear to me that this was something that I had unconsciously internalized from the sixth and seventh grades in Mr. Palisi's class.
I also remember how proud I was when I was appointed captain of the safety patrol in 7th grade. Never could figure out how or why Mr. Palisi chose me, but it surely boosted my confidence. When I reconnected with Mr. (now Dr.) Palisi in the early 1980s and then again a few years ago, I was struck by how much he remembered--names, events, dates—of those first years of Madison School. It was so obvious to me that even while he had been such a powerful influence in so many of our lives, we, too, had meant so much to him. The Buddha said that a teacher is a good friend. More than any other teacher I had in all my years of schooling, this teacher was, still is, a good friend. Jim Cook Entered 5th Grade, in 1953
My best recollection of Mr. Palisi was when he had a decorated can in his hand and was explaining to us that the each sentence had to have a subject and a predicate. As he was giving his explanation, he opened the can and out came springs covered in cloth that I believe were called snakes. He always had a way of making kids pay attention, finding little tricks like that to help us remember things. Also when we read Macbeth I remember how it completely went over my head. It was many years later that I read it again and finally understood it--all the while recalling Mr. Palisi’s explanation. And of course who can forget the notes and comments that were passed back and forth between Palisi and Schweitzer.
Fred Sonntag
Entered 5th Grade in 1953
Early in my adult life, somewhere in the my first or second year of college, I realized that all the English grammar I ever learned at that time was taught to me in seventh grade, in Madison School, by Mr. Anthony Palisi. The catalyst, of course, was the arcane practice of “sentence diagramming.” I enjoyed this spatial analysis of what, heretofore, had been only words. With sentence diagramming I could see, not just hear, their position in the sentence and their relationship with the other words.
I have kept this knowledge with me and find myself diagramming, at least in my mind, when I encounter particularly confusing sentences. Mr. Palisi’s insistence that we use correct English in writing and speech and that we understand why it is correct opened up a new world for me. As a matter of fact, I wanted very much to become an English teacher at that time! Although my career path took me in a scientific direction, I never lost the love of words I got in seventh grade. I have a sizable collection of books on etymology, the history of language, and current language usage in my home, and I would be very reluctant to part with any of them.
However, grammar was only a small portion of what Mr. Palisi passed on to his students. He introduced many of us to literature, poetry, and the joys of reading scripts. His quick sense of humor could skewer…in a kindly manner…any slip-up or lack of attention by a student. I remember one unfortunate classmate who misspelled his name on a test paper: PUAL, instead of PAUL. “Pyew-All” was red-faced for ten minutes, and the class laughed for fifteen.
Finally, Mr. Palisi taught us to respect our fellow classmates. Without going into detail, allow me to say that we, as a class, were unkind to a new student. Mr. Palisi one day isolated us and told us in no uncertain terms why we were wrong and what we should do to correct the error of our ways. We all grew up a little that day. I’ll never forget it.
It was truly an honor to have been this man’s student. There are very few people whom I have met in the many years after seventh grade that I would consider even coming close to Mr. (now Dr.) Palisi’s stature as an educator and a person.
Dr. Steven F. Yaros
Entered 7th Grade in 1953
There really aren't enough words to describe our feelings about Mr. Palisi.
There are only two teachers that stand out in my mind... my first grade teacher and Mr. Palisi, my 7th grade English teacher.
English was always one of my favorite subjects, but even more so in 7th grade. It kind of amazes me that I remember as much as I do from my 7th grade English classes, but it amazes me more that Mr. Palisi continues to teach and inspire so many of us 50+ years later. He is truly the spirit of Madison School.
Joyce 'Deb" Hansen Harvey
Entered 7th Grade in 1953
Anthony Palisi and Madison School
I attended Madison School from September 1953 to June 1954 – my seventh grade year. I came from Lincoln School and then went to the High School for eighth grade. But my year at Madison was a memorable one. Not only was the building brand new, but also the things that I learned during that year made an impression that has lasted a lifetime.
The English grammar class with Mr. Palisi was interesting, challenging and fun for me! I have used all that he taught me in that class during my career when writing procedure manuals and proofreading papers, documents and resumes for my children and others. I have even diagrammed a sentence or two to show a colleague why a word should or should not be used. He was and still is a mentor!
And just last year I had the good fortune to reconnect with him on the occasion of my father, John Cooper's 95th birthday. He shared with me stories of his relationship with both my dad and my mother which I had not known before and were precious! He still retains his role as a teacher! Susan Cooper Gunderman
Entered 7th Grade in 1953
I marvel at the memories all of you had of what seems so long ago. I remember that it was exciting and a little scary to be going to a new school in the fifth grade and it seemed so much further away than Roosevelt School.
Mr. Palisi as well as Mr. Schweitzer and Mr. Spencer are the people that stick out in my memory. Mr. Schweitzer was stern and a little intimidating. Mr. Spencer had good rapport with the students. He always called Joyce Boos and me “Miss America and Miss Universe” – I liked that!
What I appreciated most about Mr. Palisi is that he was attuned to and sensitive to my shyness. He made his class fun but always had the respect of his students. I am a visual learner and loved sentence diagramming! It was fun, challenging and yet we learned well. Why did “they” discontinue teaching it!
Having three children and my daughter-in-law with careers in education has given me a much greater appreciation how difficult and challenging teaching can be. Teachers are hard working, dedicated and work many extra hours. Most of all they love the children; that was obvious in Mr. Palisi’s teaching.
Our world has changed in so many ways since our time at Madison School. We were so privileged to grow up when we did. My hat goes off to Mr. Palisi and all the wonderful teachers out there!
Tina Davis Bush
Entered 5th Grade in 1953
Considering all the teachers I've had, Mr. Palisi’s English class was one of the few I wanted to attend. Sentence structure and diagramming was easy for me to grasp since they seemed so mechanical in nature. Where he stood out from other teachers was his enthusiasm for English, which was contagious. He showed us that literature could be fun and interesting. I remember how the whole class would listen intensely as he read passages from Edgar Allen Poe's short stories--gruesome with surprise endings. For me, he baited the hook that I bit and cultivated a life-long interest in reading. Thanks Mr. Palisi.
Edward Brown
Entered 4th Grade 1953
Because I did not attend Madison School -- a proud “graduate” of both Washington (K-5) and Cleveland School (6-7) -- I was especially pleased when Jim Cook invited me to add my comments to the tribute for Anthony Palisi. My initial contact with Anthony was in eighth and ninth grades when I played on the Rahway freshman football team, then coached ably by Anthony and his brother Marino. My memory is that Anthony was the more cerebral of the two in his approach and he coached the quarterbacks and running backs (always the brightest bunch except for Steve Jones). Alas, my position coach was Marino, who decided to make me a tackle – thus condemning me to a life as a “dumb lineman” throughout HS, college, and beyond. The third area of our contact has been the best. This has been the wonderful email exchanges that Anthony and I have had over the past couple of years – a correspondence that became instigated by one of those accidental contacts. It was through these musings and related links that I learned many facts to fill voids in my knowledge, for example, the sad news of Marino’s passing, but the wonderful stories about Anthony’s career at Madison School and the esteem that his ex-students hold for him. Many of our messages back and forth have centered on Rahway sports history and nostalgia to be sure, but they have also included wide-ranging discussions on subjects including economic theory, Protestant and Catholic theology, and current politics. What a wise and interesting man! It has been a quite wonderful experience to share the ether with Tony Palisi and I look forward to continuing this pleasurable experience for many years to come. Thanks, coach!
Cheers, Gus Giebelhaus, RHS ’60 Professor Emeritus, Georgia Tech |
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And Even More Tributes I just finished reading the tribute messages sent to Mr. Palisi. What great memories I have of my seventh grade at Madison School with Mr. Palisi and Mr. Schweitzer as my teachers! I have been wanting to write for many months, but I honestly didn't know where to start to describe what Mr. Palisi has meant to me over the years! He was the best teacher I ever had because he taught me how to be a better person and to find joy in learning. He was so enthusiastic and excited about his subject that it became contagious to us to go on the "adventure" with him! I learned that I could take great pride in doing my best, and that anyone could succeed if they chose to do so. I had such immense respect for Mr. Palisi that I naturally wanted to please him. We all seemed to feel that way, because I never remember that discipline was ever an issue in his classes. _______________________________________________________
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