Holiday Fairs on the Horizon
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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With the holiday season upon us, put these special holiday markets on your calendar. This weekend, St. Pius X Church will hold a Holiday Craft Fair and Market on Saturday evening November 16 from 4- 7 pm and on Sunday November 17 from 9 am to 3 pm. Shop for unique art, festive crafts and delicious treats.
Then on Saturday November 23 from 10 am to 4 pm the Junior League of Central Westchester will hold their Holiday Boutique at Wayside Cottage, 1039 Post Road, Scarsdale
Get ready for an amazing selection of handcrafted gifts, jewelry, clothing, accessories, and so much more—all in a variety of styles and price ranges to fit everyone's taste!
And don't miss the beloved League table, where you'll find delightful handmade goodies crafted by League members, including tasty candied nuts, gourmet cookies, and a variety of charming holiday and hostess gifts.
Are you hosting a holiday sale? Contact us at scarsdalecomments@gmail.com to spread the word.
Former SHS Principal John Klemme Passes Away in Florida
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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(Updated November 2, 2024) This week we learned that former SHS Principal John Klemme passed away in Florida where he was a teacher at Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach County.
Klemme was the Principal of Scarsdale High School for twelve years, and left here at the end of the school year in 2011. He led the school through some challenging times including Columbine, September 11 and the Homecoming event of 2002 which got out of control. He also shepherded the school through a controversial transition from AP to AT courses.
Read an interview with Klemme upon his 2011 departure from SHS here.
He was initially an English teacher at Oxbridge Academy in Florida but also served as their interim Head of School from 2016 to 2018.
Here is his obituary, forward to Scarsdale by Josh Klemme, John's son.
John Eugene Klemme, Jr., of Juno Beach, Florida, passed away at his home on Monday, October 28, 2024 at the age of 75. He was born on July 9, 1949 in Memphis, Tennessee, to the late John Eugene, Sr., and Ruth Ann “Patricia” (Ellis) Klemme. John earned three degrees from Wayne State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English, a Masters of Arts in English, and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership.
John devoted his life to secondary education, serving for over 50 years in varying roles in Michigan, New York, and Florida, and touching the lives of thousands of students. In Michigan, he taught Advanced Placement and honors English, and served as English department head and speech and debate coach at Wylie E. Groves High School in Birmingham, before taking the position of Assistant Principal at the newly formed Birmingham Covington School. In 1998, he joined the nationally-renowned Scarsdale High School in New York as Principal, where he served for 11 years.
John completed his career as an original faculty member at the Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches in Florida, where he returned to the classroom, served as interim Head of School for two years, and finished his tenure as English Department Chair and Honors Seminar English teacher. John was instrumental in the creation of the popular Cambridge Scholars Program, an ongoing 10+ year partnership between Oxbridge and Cambridge University, and was the namesake of the annual John Klemme Arts and Literature Award.
John loved the arts and humanities – particularly opera, musical theater, English literature, and renaissance and modern art. Over his life, he was the recipient of multiple fellowships, from the National Endowment for the Humanities to Northwestern University.
John’s other love was his family. He is survived by his son, Josh; daughter-in-law Kristen; foster son, Adam Levi; grandchildren, Alden Klemme, Violet Klemme, Leland Klemme, and Lily Klemme; former partner Adrienne Meyer; and brothers, Ted Klemme and Sam Klemme. He is preceded in death by his parents, John and Patricia, and his sister Dawn.
John was a fundamentally kind, generous soul with complex interests and a deep appreciation for human thought and expression. He will be remembered by so many for the guidance and empowerment he gave and his depth of caring for the futures of both his loved ones and his students.
Following cremation, a celebration of John’s life will be held in the Palm Beach area in early 2025. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be made to the Metropolitan Opera Endowment, which provides funding for productions, broadcasting, education, and capital projects – enabling the growth of this institution John loved. Interested parties may donate here:
Here is a letter from Oxbridge about his tenure there.
Dear Oxbridge Alumni Community,
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved English Department Chair and Honors Seminar English teacher, Mr. John Klemme, who has served the Oxbridge Academy community with dedication, wisdom, and compassion since our founding in 2011.
Mr. Klemme joined Oxbridge Academy after retiring as the principal of Scarsdale High School in New York, driven by his enduring love for teaching. Throughout his career, he inspired countless students and faculty with his passion for literature and the Great Books—timeless works like Dante’s Inferno, Aeschylus’s The Oresteia, Shakespeare’s King Lear, and Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. Mr. Klemme taught students not only to read and understand these classics but also to love and appreciate them. He believed that literature elevates our understanding of the world. Many of his former students credit him with transforming how they read and interpret books, often describing him as the teacher who had the most significant impact on their writing and speaking, helping them become more insightful and precise thinkers.
Beyond the classroom, Mr. Klemme was instrumental in establishing the Cambridge Scholars Program in 2014, forging an exclusive partnership with Cambridge University. Each year, this rigorous two-week course allows 15 qualified juniors to study British history and literature at one of the world’s most prestigious universities. Through this program, Mr. Klemme helped students engage deeply with complex ideas and hone their critical writing and analytical skills. His work on the Cambridge program has left students with a lasting appreciation for history, literature, and the interconnectedness of global issues.
From 2016 to 2018, Mr. Klemme also served as Oxbridge Academy’s interim Head of School, leading the school with integrity and a strong commitment to students, faculty, and staff. As a colleague, he was one of the kindest individuals—always known for his warmth and generosity. He loved opera, Broadway theatre and his family. He cherished his son and grandchildren, proudly sharing their photos whenever possible.
Mr. Klemme’s influence and unwavering commitment to academic excellence have helped shape our school’s mission, growth, innovation, and success. His legacy is woven into the fabric of our school, and his impact on everyone who knew him is profound. He will be deeply missed, and our hearts go out to his family, friends and all who were touched by his wisdom and kindness.
We will keep you updated regarding any services.
SHS Class of '74 Celebrates 50th Reunion
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- Written by Michael Bllumstein
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The SHS class of 1974 ("out the door in '74") celebrated its 50th reunion Sept 27-28. About 30 classmates gathered informally on Friday night at the Rye Grill & Bar. The biggest challenge of the evening was no name tags!
The official reunion drew some 94 classmates plus 27 guests Saturday night at Bonnie Briar in Larchmont. Hosts/organizers of the event were Ginger Robinson Smillie, Linda Beir Goslin and George Branche (class president). The Class of 1974 included 425 students, and 424 attended college!
The official Facebook page included photos from the event for days on end, as well as 
Class President George Brancheseveral calls for another gathering in five years (10 years seeming like a very long time).
(Photo credit: Mark Philips SHS '74)
Murray Hill Home to Be Auctioned on November 12th
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Here’s a novel way to buy a home in Scarsdale, bid on it. That’s right. A luxury home in Murray Hill is being auctioned off on November 12, 2024 at 7pm and bids are being accepted now.
The original home at 114 Birchall Drive was built in 1933 and now been totally renovated and expanded into a 6,575 square foot home with 6 bedrooms and 6 ½ baths. The home includes a large eat-in kitchen with custom cabinetry and state of the art appliances and a dining room that can seat 24. A welcoming covered deck runs along the back of the house and looks out over the expansive 1+ acre property. There are wonderful surprises throughout the house including a great room with a wood burning fireplace, a primary suite with a private balcony and a primary bath with a soaking tub, radiant heat and an enormous glass shower.
Take a look at the photos and request a tour here.
Why is it being auctioned off?
Here’s the story: When the builder failed to meet their mortgage obligations in September 2022, the lender foreclosed on the home. In March 2023 the house went into contract for $3,537,500 however the builder breached the contract by failing to obtain the C of O, so the buyer’s 10% deposit was returned. In July 2024, the home was completed and now has a Certificate of Occupancy and is ready for buyer. It is currently listed for $3,499,000.
Details:
-The auction will be held on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 5pm at 114 Birchall Drive, Scarsdale, NY.
-Bidding will be live by paddle.
-Interested buyers must pre-register.
-Real Estate brokers are welcome to represent bidders and simply need to be designated on the Auction Terms & Conditions - Bidder Registration form.
-Showings of 114 Birchall Drive will occur regularly until the luxury auction on November 12th.
A Discussion About Reproductive Justice at Hitchcock Church
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- Written by Bill Doescher
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As this country and local communities work their way to the November elections, the subject matter for the opposing presidential candidates seems to be many, varied, and intriguing, with out-and-out lies aplenty on both sides.
None of those conversations and candidate pronouncements are more contentious and worth exploring carefully than the abortion issue and crucial women’s rights of deciding and personally managing their own bodies by themselves.
It’s on the ballot.
The conversations are serious and widespread, and have included the TV debates, commentators’ thoughts, with or without the pertinent facts, newspaper editorials and the proverbial over-the-white-picket-fence-debacles, and now even a discussion seminar within a church in Scarsdale.
On Wednesday, September 25th in the Clark Room at the Hitchcock Presbyterian Church on Greenacres Avenue, the church sponsored a “Reproductive Justice Seminar” led by its very own RyaLynn Carter, MD, Obstetrics and Gynecology, who is affiliated with New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Rev. Pete Jones, Hitchcock’s senior minister, was the moderator.
The church’s seminar was part of its first-ever Kairos gathering. According to the Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, Kairos is the “Greek term for ‘time’ denoting a special significantly critical point in human history.”
In opening the one-hour seminar, Dr. Carter discussed statistics surrounding abortion and how this has changed since the overturn of Roe v. Wade. She also outlined for the group how the care of women has been compromised as a result. She used several recently publicized examples from around the country outlining poor maternal outcomes as a direct result of state abortion bans. Many of these cases were marked by a delay in care, in some cases, leading to maternal death.
Dr. Carter also said that the current maternal death rate in the U.S. stands at 23 in 100,000 live births, and if this number were extrapolated to a total federal ban on abortion, the number would potentially rise by 24 percent.
According to Dr. Carter, the landscape of women’s reproductive choices has changed vastly after the overturn of Roe V. Wade. “This decision disproportionality affects poorer women with fewer economic resources,” she says, “and greater than 50 percent of those seeking an abortion live below the federal poverty level. They have less resources to travel to a state where they can receive care.”
Dr. Carter also relayed stories from colleagues and friends in practice around the country who feel unable to help vulnerable patients seeking abortion care and who fear simply counseling and advocating for those patients because of near total bans amid hostile attitudes toward pro-choice individuals. Many physicians have left these areas, causing a worsening crisis of ‘maternal care deserts’ where women travel many miles to seek routine OBGYN care.
“I’m so lucky to be practicing medicine in New York State, and I just cannot fathom the repercussions of a federal ban,” Dr. Carter told the folks at the seminar.
Other take-aways from the Hitchcock seminar include the following:
* Pro-choice does not mean anti-birth.
* States with some of the most restrictive bans on abortion also have some of the lowest support infrastructure for low-income individuals (including nutritional support programs and paid maternity leave).
* The abortion discussion is hard with many valid emotions. These discussions about facts are so important and may help us all to find common ground.
No matter what the results are in the widely reported very close November presidential election and the other races for the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, the debates and editorials about the Supreme Court’s decision about Roe v. Wade are more than likely to be with us for a very, very long time.
The reason: it’s personal.
