November 22, 2024 was a milestone in my life that I can hardly believe. It was a celebration of 50 years since I graduated from Essex Catholic High School in Newark, N.J., in 1974. I have no idea how 50 years could have gone by.
My family lived in Newark’s North Ward, and my parents didn’t have much of a choice of high schools because city’s the public schools were very volatile during those times. Essex Catholic, located at 300 Broadway, was a massive architectural gem, a six-story building that took up an entire city block. When I enrolled as a Freshman in the fall of 1970, there were more than 2,000 students. Though Essex was all-boys, there were co-ed activities with nearby all-girls’ high schools like East Orange Catholic and Our Lady of Good Counsel. The girls were our cheerleaders, and we would participate in each other’s plays, choruses, dances, food drives, etc.
It was a great experience. As a Freshman, I joined the Fencing program, coached by the legendary Doc D’Ambola. I had no idea what fencing even was! I remember the upperclassmen explaining that our Fencing program was the strongest in the country for nine of the past 10 years. If you were a good fencer and had decent grades, there was a good chance you would get a college scholarship offer. You didn’t have to be big or strong to do well. You didn’t get hurt. Good reflexes, strategy and efficiency were skills that could make you succeed. I fenced all four years.
I returned to Essex Catholic (which in the fall of 1980 relocated to East Orange) in 1982 to begin a 40-year teaching career—without any teaching classes or experience. I taught Freshman Art, Sophomore Business and Senior Mechanical Drawing for the six years I was there, through1988. I became head Fencing coach, and by utilizing my former coach Doc D’Ambola’s formulas, was able to turn around a dismal fencing program to become repeating State Champions, not losing to anyone in my final three seasons. I also was Moderator of the Talon yearbook, Young Christian Students Club, and was Varsity Tennis Coach for a couple of years.
I left Essex Catholic in 1988 and moved into public education because I needed much more than what I was earning to support my family. I taught at the Ocean County Vocational Schools, Hamilton Middle School in Elizabeth, Colonia and Woodbridge High Schools and Iselin and Fords Middle Schools. It’s truly a miracle that someone without any teaching experience stayed in education for 40 years, earning a Master’s in Educational Leadership and attaining Principals and Supervisors licenses. I also had the honor of being inducted into the Essex Catholic Hall of Fame in 1987, nominated by Inspiration to be a teacher, Anthony “Brother Nick Naclerio.”
In 2023 I was asked to be the “Captain” of my graduating class and try to reach as many 1974 alumni as possible for a 50th reunion It was a six-month task, and on November 22, we had a double commemoration. Several of us met at Brick 46 on in Rockaway and caught up on five decades’ happenings. We shared lots of fun stories about things that happened in school, though sadly learning of classmates who were no longer with us. Then, most of us went to 43rd Alumni Dinner and Hall of Fame Induction, where Essex Catholic graduates from all years gather. Two alumni I had nominated were inducted into the Hall of Fame: my classmate Stanley Golon, and my good friend Frank Mustilli ’69, an accomplished Fencing coach in New Jersey who produced 18 State Championships and two Olympians and a host of other achievements. Frank’s brother Alex, my inspiration to remain in Fencing and take it to much higher levels, came up from South Carolina to attend the event. I was happy to see another teammate inducted, Pat Arre ‘72, who helped get me started in Sabre. Frank went on to fence for West Point and Rutgers-Newark and became Superior Court Judge for Hudson and Essex Counties.
The entire night was a blessing. I was very happy to reconnect with many of my classmates. I’m hoping we can each reach out to others and add to our 1974 alumni.
George LaTorre ’74
