August's arrival means summertime is running out for school-aged kids

On Aug. 1 you'll hear a lot about the “dog days” and the “heart of summer” and all that, but when I was a kid, this day made me feel sick to my stomach. Why? Because it meant there were only a few more weeks of summer bliss before we had to return to school.

It seems as if most young people today like school and look forward to starting class again. Last week, I saw a young girl shopping with her mom for school supplies and she seemed genuinely excited.

Opinion: Make Tuesday's National Night Out Erie's Night Out

I was OK as a kid once we were back in class. No use fighting it then. But the thought of summer slipping away, and a full year of school lying ahead, gave me a palpable feeling of dread. We had nice teachers for the most part, as long as you kept your distance from the paddle or yardstick.

You don’t find those utensils at most schools anymore, which could be a reason why modern kids don’t mind returning to class.

● Ask Jack Anon, M.D. to see the terrific photos he took during a recent trip to South Africa. A skilled photographer who has made pictures across the globe, Anon is also brave, as he drew close to wild animals to get just the right shot. His pictures have been featured in books and magazines.

● Marty Kaverman was only 35 when he took over as principal of Westlake Middle School in Millcreek Township. But he became an institution over the next 21 years, leading the school to new heights. Sadly, Kaverman died July 19 at the age of 56 after a long battle with cancer.

He was a talented fly fisherman who tied his own flies, and he coached many of the sports his children played. He was just a great guy and will be missed by his wife, Annie, children and his many friends.

Obituary:Marty Kaverman, 56

● When playwright and actor Jason Miller, who starred in “The Exorcist,” “Rudy,” and other movies, visited Erie some years ago, he talked at length about his friendship with Paul Sorvino. Miller, a Scranton native, spent a year at the Erie Playhouse in the early 1960s.

He became close to Sorvino, who died recently at 83, when his play, “That Championship Season,” made it to New York and later became a film. Miller called Sorvino, who starred in the play and movie, a brilliant actor, singer, and all-around performer. Sorvino must have felt the same about Miller, because he made a beautiful sculpture of his friend that is still on display in Scranton.

● Erie Lions hockey fans were saddened by the sudden death of Paul Gamsby, who starred for the team in the 1970s. Paul suffered cardiac arrest and died July 16 in Bradenton, Florida. He and his wife Patty (Sansone) had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary just 12 days earlier.

Gamsby served as general manager of the Erie Zoological Society, which included the Erie County Fieldhouse until 1982. He helped bring many top bands to the Fieldhouse, not to mention the world championship fight between Roberto Duran and Lou Bizarro in 1976.

Obituary:Paul C. Gamsby, 73

● Mario Pino, the popular jockey who became a favorite of fans at Presque Isle Downs and Casino, will be featured on national TV horse racing shows in the coming weeks. Pino brought home his 7,000th victory last October, which is the tenth-most of all time.

● I hear a new Italian restaurant will replace the IHOP on West 12th Street, which closed earlier this year. Erie used to have more than a dozen excellent Italian restaurants, but not anymore.

● It’s good news that the family of the late Pete West, longtime owner of Ricardo’s, plans to keep operating the iconic eastside restaurant. That would make the West happy and it would certainly please Ricardo’s many customers.

Obituary:James “Pete” West, 78

● Ed and Mary Kissell have decided to close Anderson Vacuum Sales & Service at 801 W. 21st St. The pandemic forced the Kissells to temporarily close their shop and now they’ve decided to retire.

Doug Yaple, who owns two vacuum stores in Erie, said the Kissells always ran a classy operation. “Ed and Mary would do anything to satisfy their customers, and they will be missed in Erie,” he said.

● Buck O’Neil, who died in 2006, didn’t seem to get much publicity when he was recently inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. O’Neil starred in the Negro Leagues for years and later became a major league coach and scout. He was a key figure in Ken Burns’ memorable documentary on baseball.

O’Neil visited Jerry Uht Park some years ago during a celebration of the Negro Leagues and was a huge hit with local fans. He told fascinating stories about Sam Jethroe and other pioneers who helped integrate Major League Baseball. It would have been nice to hear more about O’Neil during the Cooperstown celebration.

● Speaking of the Hall of Fame, the artist hired to create the plaques of the new inductees must have poor eyesight. The images on several of the plaques look cartoonish.

Kevin Cuneo can be reached at kevin.cuneo1844@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Kevin Cuneo: August's arrival means summer is running out for Erie's kids