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Generally Speaking: Society hails Bay Ridges 160th anniversary

December 27, 2013 Theodore W. General

Photos courtesy of Ted General

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At their December monthly meeting, the officers of the Bay Ridge Historical Society offered a toast to the 160^th anniversary of the naming of Bay Ridge. This past December 16 marked the day back in 1853 when the name of the area in southwest Kings County known as Yellow Hook was formally changed to Bay Ridge.

Later, society President Andrew Gounardes introduced the guest speaker for the evening, Staten Island College political science professor Dr. Richard Flanagan who lives in Bay Ridge and is the author of three books.

Flanagans talk was on Mayor Robert F. Wagner who served as the citys 102^nd chief executive from 1954 to 1965. We learned later that Flanagans next book will be titled The Fight for City Hall: The 2013 Mayoral Election and the Future of NYC.

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Saint Patricks Catholic Academy recently held its annual Christmas Pageant in the school auditorium on Fourth Avenue. Participating classes ranged from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. The principal is Andrea DEmicI just couldnt resist publishing the latest photo of our youngest granddaughter, Grace Teresa, who just turned four years old. Her proud parents are Jovanni and Terry.

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What an absolutely terrific Christmas concert the other night in the Aldo Bruschi Auditorium, on the corner of 97^th Street and Fourth Avenue. The event featured the Interschool Symphonic Band conducted by founder and maestro Brian WorsdaleThese young, talented musicians hail from New South Wales, Australia. They are currently on tour in California, New York and Chicago, and have performed in Vienna, Paris, Hawaii and Japan.

As part of the Bay Ridge performance, with over 100 musicians participating, Worsdale had the opportunity of conducting the session in which both bands played Sleigh Ride and A Christmas Festival in unison.

The auditorium was packed and the Aussie musicians received sustained, standing applause. It once again only proves that you dont have to travel to Manhattan to see and hear top flight talent! And maybe the best part is that there was no admission charge.

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May your Christmas be blessed with happiness and love.