Special Contribution by Edith Knoblick
The Celebration of Miss Anna Kovaly’s 100th Birthday
Retired Colonel in the US Army and West Point graduate Laureen (Lorrie) Barone had not expected to speak, but was overcome with the public outpouring of affection for her former second grade teacher, Miss Anna Kovaly.
“Unlike the book All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten,” Barone said, “all I really needed to know I learned in the second grade, by Miss Kovaly.”
Barone said that one of the most memorable, among the many things of the class and Miss Kovaly that was so special, was a ritual at the end of every day:
“We would line up along the wall, you remember the wall, we would line up and as we left the room Miss Kovaly would kiss all the girls and hug all the boys. Every day. She made us better people,” said Barone.
Barone presented Kovaly a U.S. Flag that was flown over the Capitol Building in honor of Miss Kovaly’s 100th Birthday. (St. Mary’s in Tuxedo donated the display case for the flag.)
Centenarian Miss Anna Kovaly was recently celebrated and presented both a Presidential Greeting signed by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama and a Governor’s Certificate from Governor Andrew Cuomo.
It was a standing room only crowd at the George Grant Mason Multi-Purpose Room at Tuxedo High School last Sunday as students and colleagues of centenarian Miss Anna Kovaly gathered to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Generations of Tuxedo children, now adults, who had the good fortune of being taught second grade by Miss Kovaly, organized the grand celebration. Miss Kovaly worked at the Tuxedo School for 35 years, first teaching kindergarten, a few years of third grade, and the remainder teaching second grade.
Decorated in balloons and table art created by current H.S. students who also helped greet guests, hand out name tags and generally do whatever needed doing, the former gymnasium filled with anticipation awaiting Miss Kovaly’s arrival.
Tables filled with food and drink lined the back walls. Some homemade delicacies, other delicious donations from Tuxedo Junction (co-proprietor Jimmy Barone was another former student) as well as committee contributions welcomed hungry guests. As the hall filled, smiling faces greeted each other with hugs, kisses and laughter, all anticipating Miss Kovaly’s arrival.
A mass was given in Miss Kovaly’s honor earlier in the day that packed the pews of Our Lady of Mt Carmel Catholic Church before congregants and other guests began filling the old High School Cafeteria at noon.
Applause erupted as Miss Kovaly entered the doorway and lines of people gathered around with cameras flashing photos for keepsake. All eyes focused on the smiling face of a petite woman who had influenced their lives in the Tuxedo School years earlier.
Superintendent of the Tuxedo Union Free School District Carol Lomascolo welcomed Miss Kovaly and guests.
Mr. Timothy Tocher, both a former student and colleague, acted as Master of Ceremonies and presented both the Presidential Greeting and the Governor’s Certificate. The Honorable Annie Rabbitt presented a New York State Citation, followed by Gary Phelps presenting the Key to the Town. Other citations from the Tuxedo Teachers’ Association and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church were presented.
Miss Kovaly shined from her seat near the podium.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” Miss Kovaly said, beaming. “I never thought that a little girl from an immigrant family, who couldn’t even speak English when I first started school, could come to all of this!”
She waved her hand to the crowd: “I loved every kid I had. I had so many!”
Another classroom ritual concluded the celebration after both a member from her first class and a member of her last class presented the birthday cake and song. It was Miss Kovaly’s Prayer. The entire room recited it together:
Father, we thank thee for the night
And for the pleasant morning light
For rest and food and loving care
And all that makes the world so fair.
Help us to do the things we should
To be to others kind and good.
In all we do, in all we say
To grow more loving every day.
The feeling of love for the petite yet powerful educator was palatable in the room.
“I just love the town of Tuxedo,” Kovaly continued. “Help one another, and don’t forget to pray.”
Original photos courtesy of Edith Knoblick.
