Closkey. The tuition was $8 a month — my dad would pay $4 and I would pay $4. The other option was I could By JOSEPH E. RAY guy named George Nugent, transfer to Albany High now an Albany police officer, School. I could go for free was my helper. t the age of 12, I and play sports. I was pretty started helping a I worked the paper route good in basketball and base15 year old with for almost two years. When ball. Yet, all my grade school his afternoon I became a freshman in high friends were at Cardinal Mcpaper route. The name of school (Cardinal McCloskey Closkey. I decided to come the paper was The KnickerHigh School), I tried out and up with half of my tuition. bocker News. His route was made the freshman baseball I knew my dad did not have 105 papers, six days a week. team. George got the route any money to give me to go Each paper cost 42 cents. for himself. out. I already had odd jobs You had to collect each week After the baseball season shoveling snow, cutting grass from the customers, mostly ended, I needed to find a and would do anything else on Saturdays. If you were job. My father was a hardfor spending money, i.e. setlucky, sometimes a customer working man with three ting pins at bowling allies or would give you 50 cents; children. My older sister working at VFW Bingo setsome would only give you 40 went to Vincentian Institute. ting up tables and selling hot cents. My grandfather paid for her dogs. Bingo was a big deal in The way to get a paper tuition. the early ‘60s. route in those days was to When my baby sister Looking back now, I start off helping an older kid came along, my dad was sav- should have gone to Albany with their route. When they ing for a house to get out of High School. Life would turned 16, they would find a small two-bedroom flat. He have been easier and when I other jobs. I got the route told me I had to pay half of met my future wife at 19, she when I was almost 14 and a my tuition at Cardinal Mcgraduated from Albany High
Once a paper person...
A
School the same year that I graduated from Cardinal McCloskey. After I graduated from Cardinal McCloskey, I got a job at General Electric in Albany. I got married, had a little boy and bought a twofamily house. Things changed in a big way. General Electric told me I had to go on nights when I was married for just two years. Neither my wife or I wanted that, so I changed jobs. I got a job at LaSalle School for Boys, which dealt with troubled kids from the state. LaSalle was run by the Christian Brothers, a great group of people. My daughter came along soon after. After some time, the Brothers encouraged me to go to college. They said they would help pay if I agreed to commit to stay with them
Continues on Page 12
111823_4
APRIL 2020 — CDSENIORSPOTLIGHT.COM 11
