Wish You’d Stop Being So Good to Me, Captain

Was Captain Kangaroo Really a Captain or Just Some Clown on TV?

The West Islip Kindness Project began in a small village on Long Island during the summer of ’52. The baby boom had been detonated and several friends gathered at the home of Bob and Jeanne Keeshan to discuss the fallout. They didn’t realize it at the time, but this great generation was forming the nucleus of our country’s soul in a post-war world.

The Concordian was a community newspaper created after WWII by an eclectic group of misfits, including Captain Kangaroo, the Man of La Mancha and, oh, my mom.

The Keeshans

The Elliotts

The Clearys

And the rest...

In the years since then, we’ve seen a presidential assassination, four impeachments, five major wars, moon landings, mass shootings, big pharmaceuticals, a global pandemic, an insurrection and a few acts of kindness. Somewhere along the way, however, the wrong pig met up with the wrong bat.

Blogging is not writing. It is just graffiti with punctuation.

CONTENT TO COME

Bob Keeshan jumps at the chance to become “Captain Kangaroo.”Â Pat Cleary sewed his prototype jacket (Simplicity 4107.)

Lawrence Elliott pens “A Little Girl’s Gift” and joins the editorial staff of Reader’s Digest.

Captain Kangaroo’s TV studio, which also housed “To Tell the Truth,” “The $64,000 Question” and other popular shows, was converted to the famed Studio 54 discotheque after the Captain left the building.

style=”text-align: center;”>Concord Village West Islip</h4>

<h2 style=”text-align: center;”>A Village Person</h2>

Jeff Olson, the Cowboy in the Village People, lived next door to the Cleary’s on Alwick Avenue in Concord Village. Jeff and Peg Cleary were playmates. In fact, they were so close that they strung two tin cans between their bedroom windows to keep in touch. Jeff is credited with saving Peg’s life the day she fell asleep in a pipe at a construction site.Â Peg, in turn, didn’t tattle on Jeff when he removed the pegs from the lobster claws at the fish market. Jeff got caught in his own net, anyway, when his mom did the laundry and the pegs came out of his pockets. No punishment. No penance. Everyone knew his naughtiness was out of compassion for the crustaceans.</p>

<p>It was a true case of puppy love. So much so that when the Olson’s bitch gave birth, the Cleary’s got pick of the litter. In turn, Tige, the puppy, had his pick of retainers. He started with Kathie’s.</p>

<p>We’re not sure what happened to Tige, but we all know what became of the boy next door.

<h2>Richard Kiley</h2>

The Concord Village</h4>

<h2>Boom</h2>Clarabell the Clown says “goodbye, kids” and launches The Concordian</em> with Lawrence Elliott (Editor, Coronet Magazine) and Pat Cleary (mother of Peg and Kathie.)[

Bob Keeshan jumps at the chance to become “Captain Kangaroo.”Â Pat Cleary sewed his prototype jacket (Simplicity 4107.)

Lawrence Elliott pens “A Little Girl’s Gift” and joins the editorial staff of Reader’s Digest.

style=”text-align: center;”>Concord Village West Islip</h4>

<h2 style=”text-align: center;”>A Village Person</h2>

<p>We’re not sure what happened to Tige, but we all know what became of the boy next door.

<h2>Richard Kiley</h2>

<p>With six kids in the family, the Kileys always had a full house. The best seats, however, were in the painted station wagons circling the block. Open windows, summer nights and a view of Richard getting ready for his next roll was the stuff of impossible dreams. The ladies behind the wheels loved to hear Richard Kiley narrate their stories. They spared no expense.

A Condensed Gift</h4>

<h2>LARRY ELLIOT</h2>

<p>With three girls in each family at the time, the Elliotts and the Cleary’s formed a formidable flock of females. Barbara and Ellen quickly paired up and were inseparable for the first nine years of their lives.</p>

<p>Larry Elliott, already the recipient of the Freedoms Foundation award, went on to author several biographies of inspiring people. As an editor at Reader’s Digest, he wroteÂ <em>A Little Girl’s Gift</em>, aÂ touching, true story of a child whose courage changed thousands of lives.</p>[

Thank You, Gentlemen

by trish@trishcleary.me | Jan 3, 2023 | Blog, Featured, The Concordian

In recent issues, the CONCORDIAN has had occasion to point with mixture of disappointment and anger to what appeared to be the indifference of town officials to the obvious danger of children and untended fires, one official said, quite simply, “Tell the children to keep away.”

Much Ado About Something

by trish@trishcleary.me | Dec 31, 2022 | Blog, Featured, The Concordian

In the news pages of this issue, you will find a complete report of Reporter Pat Cleary’s investigation into the matter of the unused foundations and the trash piles in and around them.

Mr. Siegel Makes a Point

by trish@trishcleary.me | Dec 29, 2022 | Blog, Featured, The Concordian

We have told the story as it happened and was told to us and have tried not to put editorial emphasis on any of the facts. Nevertheless, the facts themselves seem so crystal clear that in their light, Mr. Siegel comes off as a man with a job to do.

Foundations Become Town Issue

by trish@trishcleary.me | Dec 28, 2022 | Blog, Featured, The Concordian

Long Island Home Builders Institute, Inc., offers feeble reply to CONCORDIAN reporter Pat Cleary.

LAST MINUTE F-L-A-S-H-E-S

by trish@trishcleary.me | Dec 27, 2022 | Blog, The Concordian

In response to a letter from the CONCORDIAN outlining the hazards of the unused foundations and asking for help in protecting Concord villagers therefrom, the Long Island Home Builders Institute, Inc., has just replied to CONCORDIAN reporter Pat Cleary as follows: