Playtime. Tickling us until we couldn’t breathe. Pushing us on the swings. Pretending to be a train so we could ride on his back around the house. Wrestling with us and letting us win. Racing us across the backyard. Teaching us badminton, tennis, and golf. My daddy. After he came home from a long day (smelling like chocolate—yum!—one of the benefits of being an engineer for Godiva and R.M. Palmer), he would still make time for us. Every child needs a parent who will be silly and forget the world of grown-ups even if only for a few minutes each day. Our moments with dad held us over as we got older and his job got more intense, requiring long hours and weekends when we no longer had time with him at all.As the years go by, I cherish my childhood memories, especially as I think of what’s important to my own children. My dad worked hard and taught us to do the same. Having struggled through his own childhood and working three jobs to put himself through college while learning English at the same time, he showed us that every challenge is an opportunity to grow and achieve our dreams. Despite the la
ck of time he had for us as we got older and the endless arguments and stress we caused him when we were teens, we knew that he loved us because he laid the foundation for a solid relationship with each of us when we were little. It doesn’t matter how old I get, I know I’ll always be daddy’s little girl. He still wants what’s best for me and he’s not afraid to give me his honest opinion every chance he gets. And for that, I’m extremely grateful. Being a parent isn’t about being a buddy; it’s about making difficult choices and guiding your children especially when you see their decisions are leading them down a path that might not be best for them. To my daddy: Boldog Apák Napját kivánok, Apu! Thank you for being the best. (Szeretlek most és mindig!!!!) To all dads, grandpas, uncles, and men who play a positive role in the lives of children—Happy Father’s Day! Always remember, if you touch the life of a child even if just for a moment, you have made a significant impact.
Yesterday, Reading Central Catholic High School (CCHS) closed its doors forever. I think it’s
fitting that this will also be my last post about CCHS. It’s time to say goodbye. The past few months have been a whirlwind of emotions since the CCHS community found out that the school would be merged with Holy Name to create the new Berks Catholic with the start of the 2011– 2012 school year. Emotions and drama ran high on both sides of the Schuylkill River as the arch rivals tried to make sense of what was about to happen. I’m grateful that the current CCHS administration organized the Mansion Memories event in May for alumni and that I was able to attend. As soon as I stepped through the wrought iron and glass front doors of the Bon Air mansion (our school was once the Bon Air mansion and home of 
William Luden), memories of rushing from class-to-class, friendships forged, high school crushes and heartbreak, cheerleading practice, basketball games, play rehearsals, falling in love, and, most importantly, learning, came back in an instant.
While memories can offer heartwarming solace when it’s time to bid farewell to something or someone, it’s important to remember that they also last forever. The good, the bad, and the ugly are all part of our histories and high school sure offered its fill of every high and low that’s an essential part of every teen’s life.
As I left the event on May 14th, I found myself hopping down the school’s back stairwell just like I used to 15 years ago. Right when I reached the doorway, I caught myself and realized that this was the last time I would ever feel the school’s exubera
nt energy, touch the banister, and set foot in the place I called my home away from home for four years. From my spot on the first floor, I glanced back into the school, said goodbye, and wiped the tear that managed to escape my sad eyes. I left a little bit of my heart there, but I’ll carry the countless memories with me forever. Walking down the pitch black, tree-lined Eckert Avenue late that night toward my car, my thoughts drifted back to wandering the halls of CCHS and meeting with old friends and classmates. In that moment I remembered instantly what it felt like to be a part of such a close-knit community. It’s not the school that creates such a sense of belonging. CCHSers were, are, and always will be a family. "We love thee, Alma Mater,
Dear old Central High,
Within your walls may it be said that hidden treasures lie.
So we must keep on seeking them,
Though strength we have no more.
But we will keep you on the top, Excelsior!
Oh, Alma Mater, we will fight!
Through thick and thin
For the red and the white,
Because on you we can rely
All hail to Central Catholic High!
When the great wide world surrounds us,
And our ideals would mar,
Then all your teachings through the years
Will be our shining star!
Though each New Year brings memories
Of days that have gone by,
The ones we’ll cherish most are those of Central High!"
Here’s the Reading Central Catholic High School (CCHS) article that 
some of you have been waiting for patiently. Before we say goodbye to our school for good, we have to acknowledge its permanent residents. Most Americans (roughly 66%) don’t believe in ghosts, but spend some quiet time wandering the halls of the CCHS mansion after hours and you might just change your mind. For some of the teachers who spent years at the school and for those of us who stayed late at night for 
extra curriculars, CCHS held some supernatural surprises—a heavy presence in the air, the feeling of being watched, and the worst, feeling like we weren’t alone. Here are four of my favorite stories, which were told to us by the teachers themselves back in the day. (If any of you are reading this and want to add/fix details, please leave a comment below.) All of these events took place in the original Luden Bon Air mansion part of the school. Crash
A teacher on the second floor was busy preparing classwork at her desk after school one day. Most of the students had gone home by this point. The second floor was virtually empty except for the last few faculty members working silently in their classrooms. Suddenly, an enormous crash echoed through this teacher’s room. Jumping to her feet, she ran to the class supply closet, where it sounded like every shelf just fell to the floor knocking down all of the contents. As she threw open the closet door, the most amazing site met her eyes. Everything was still in its proper place. She checked with the other teachers and all was well in their classrooms too. It’s interesting to note that this particular room was once one of the main bedrooms for William Luden’s family. It’s Just the Wind
“It’s just the wind” my parents used to say to reassure me of every creepy noise echoing in our house. Creaking staircases and the moans of a house settling are things most of us have experienced. 99% of the time, it’s nothing; but that 1% possibility for the unexplainable is what makes us wonder, “What if?” One day our assistant principal was speaking 
with a teacher on the second floor hallway, which was lined with the boys’ lockers. The windowless hall led to several classrooms, another hallway into the main school, and the marble staircase to the first floor. As they were speaking, all of a sudden the locks on both sides of the hallway began to swing as if someone had run down the hallways and dragged his hands across each locker. Was it just the wind? The Joke’s on You
Our senior year Science Fair projects had just been set up earlier in the day along the tables in the physics lab on the third (and top) floor of the mansion. It was late in the evening. The physics teacher was finishing up another long day in the classroom. He was used to being the last to leave the school at night. He finished his daily routine, checked that the classroom was secure one last time, turned off the lights and made his way down three flights of stairs and out to the faculty parking lot. As he opene
d his car door, he glanced up to the top of the school and saw that the lights were on in the physics lab. He was sure he had shut off the lights. Regardless, he couldn’t leave them on all night, so he made his way into the school again and up to the top floor. When he reached the class, the lights were off. He double checked the room to make sure nothing was causing this strange anomaly. When he was satisfied that everything was ok, he made his way to the parking lot for the second time. As he got in his car, he looked up to his classroom again and there they were—the lights were shining brightly. Convinced someone was playing a joke on him, he rushed back inside and looked around the building but couldn’t find another living soul. Flabbergasted, he went back to the lab. This time the lights were still on, but that’s not what grabbed his attention. All of the windows were wide open and the science fair projects on the tables closest to the windows were knocked over. It appears that the playful spirit of CCHSers carries onto the other side. One thing was for certain, our teacher was not amused. There’s a Monster in the Attic
Every summer a few teachers and students would care for the school until the new school year began. Performing necessary maintenance, these individuals had access to areas of the school which were typically off limits to the rest of us. One hot summer day, a teacher was working in the attic. As he kept to the task at hand, something caught his eye. It was something that he certainly didn’t expect to find and something that he’ll never forget. In the room stood a young man dressed in a white shirt and white pants. As the teacher tried to make sense of what he was seeing, the young man vanished. Every ghost story is sp
arked by rumors—some containing a grain of truth, others altered by time and imagination. According to records, William Luden lost his first wife and a couple of his children. A slightly more sinister take on this fact was that one of William Luden’s sons committed suicide in a stairwell between the second and third floors. This staircase was boarded up years ago. The mansion was built in 1914. By the end of the last century the electricity was shaky; the heating was bad; the school needed repairs. This alone could cause strange things to happen in the building. But for the people who knew the place, their experiences aren’t so easy to explain away. The Ludens loved their home. Perhaps some of them never left…
ck of time he had for us as we got older and the endless arguments and stress we caused him when we were teens, we knew that he loved us because he laid the foundation for a solid relationship with each of us when we were little. 
