Alumni from Schermerhorn Street attended an inaugural reunion
luncheon on November 19 at the Hilton Garden Inn on Staten Island.
About 130 people were in attendance to celebrate their time spent
at what was known as the “Brooklyn Center,” St. John’s vertical
campus located on Schermerhorn Street in downtown Brooklyn.
Alums who attended that campus are proud of their history and came
together to reminisce about the things that made it unique,
especially the famous Quonset huts, Jim and Jean's, and some local
pizza places.
The event was proceeded by a Mass held in the Hilton ballroom,
with Fr. Kevin Creagh, C.M. ’91SVC, ’04PD providing the invocation
for the luncheon. Along with a tasty brunch of food which included
a wide range of selections such as omelets, waffles, fruit, chicken
and steak, there were plenty of memories about the olden days of
ski trips, setting off the sprinkler systems, and attending the
Annual Autumn Ball where attendance tickets cost a whopping $7.00
apiece! Former faculty member Teresa Trimarco entertained those in
attendance with stories and the group sang “Class Ode” in
remembrance of the Brooklyn Center.
Everyone agreed that while the Schermerhorn Street location no
longer exists as a part of St. John’s, the spirit will remain alive
and well forever. Plans are currently underway to organize a
similar reunion for next year, and those interested in volunteering
for the planning committee are invited to contact Susan Damiani
Kissane at (718) 990 – 7562 or e-mail damianis@stjohns.edu.