It seems ages ago, during the '60s and '70s, that I spent a considerable amount of time working at the U.S. District Court (SDNY) located in New York's Foley Square. Lunchtime was often an interesting adventure as we strolled along the culturally diverse and exotic streets of nearby Chinatown and Little Italy. I still recall, as though it was yesterday, the Italian funeral home on Mulberry Street, not far from Chatham Square, which catered to a large number of Chinese funerals. A large photograph of the deceased would generally be displayed on top of the hearse or flower car and a brass band, usually composed of elderly Italian musicians, would lead the funeral cortege through Chinatown's narrow streets. Finally, a group of women, dressed appropriately from head to toe in black, would often be seen outside the funeral home feverishly dabbing their eyes while shrieking and wailing in a most pitiful fashion.

I've often wondered what happened to those professional mourners who would melt into the lunchtime crowd as soon as the funeral cortege was out of sight. However, after reading several letters to the editor, in the March 16 edition, I realize that they moved to Levittown, during the late 1980s, and are now employed as professional apologists for the shortcomings of the Levittown School District.

Speaking of apologists, I suspect Levittown's Million Dollar public relations firm is working overtime trying to obfuscate the results of the district's latest 1999-2000 School District Report Card. It's hard to believe that the recently re-opened East Broadway School, once one of Levittown's finest elementary schools, fell significantly below the Nassau County averages in 4th grade English and mathematics proficiency. Wisdom Lane Middle School kept plodding along by barely equaling the Nassau County average in 8th grade mathematics proficiency. Unfortunately, this was a decline of approximately 27 percent over last year's results. It was also reported, on the positive side, that 49 percent of Levittown's Class of 1999 chose to continue their education at a four year senior college or university. That's the good news! Unfortunately, it is one of the worst percentages in Nassau County where virtually every school district, except Hempstead, Plainedge and Westbury, did a better job preparing their graduates for the rigors of a four-year program. It's ironic that the Roosevelt School District, with all of its problems, reported that 54 percent of its class of 1999 chose a four-year college program.

It is unfortunate that Levittown residents, with one of Nassau County's highest tax rates per $100/assessed valuation, tolerate such mediocre performance. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of Levittown's children, not just some, shared in the district's "Success for Every Student" motto?

James P. Ward