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Vivid Memories
Nuala Purcell
Bronx Journal Staff Reporter
Woodlawn residents recall the Shandlers, their
tragedies and the joy they brought to the
neighborhood
The Allen Shandler Recreation Area in the
North Bronx is not just a landmark - it also holds a sentimental spot in
the hearts of many local residents, thanks to the committed
contributions of the Shandler family of Woodlawn.
The residents of this small Bronx community
are quite familiar with the heart-wrenching story of the Shandlers even
40 years after the family gained notoriety. After so many years, whether
young or old, native or newcomer, the residents of Woodlawn were able to
recall with great fondness at least one piece of information on the
Shandlers and also knew how the recreation area got its name. Clearly,
the Shandlers cared a great deal about their community and their
enormous efforts undoubtedly paid off, based on the sentiments expressed
by residents of Woodlawn Heights.
"Sure I know how the recreation area
got its name," says Maury Downes, a 67-year-old man who recently
retired from Consolidated Edison after 35 years of service. "I’ve
had many a barbecue on those grounds with my family. When Frank Shandler
owned the newspaper shop on Katonah Avenue in the 1970’s, he had
newspaper clippings posted near the cash register about his son Allen.
Apparently the little boy was a fine baseball player and that’s why
they named the park after him." Downes also reminisced about Frank
Shandler's community clean-up days in Woodlawn. "Frank would
recruit young people from the neighborhood to sweep the sidewalks and
get rid of litter."
Frank Shandler owned a small newspaper shop
located on the corner of 237th Street and Katonah Avenue in the Woodlawn
section of the Bronx, before retiring in the 1980s. His family seemed
beset by one tragedy after another during the 1960s. In 1960, two young
boys from the neighborhood killed Shandler’s mother-in-law by setting
her on fire. Shandler’s son, Allen, gained notoriety in the community
for publicly forgiving the two youths for what they had done. Sadly,
Allen developed a brain tumor and died in 1966, at the age of 15. During
his illness, Allen and his father staged several fund-raisers to collect
money for the Holly Park recreational area in the Bronx, in hopes of
providing safe and adequate grounds for sports activities and picnic
facilities. The Shandlers worked diligently to raise $300,000 for
renovations to be made to the park, and as a tribute for their efforts,
Holly Park was later renamed The Allen Shandler Recreational Area in
1967.
Clearly, the Shandler family has left a
great impression on people of all ages years after they sold their shop
on the main street so many years ago. "Yes, I remember them,"
says Marie Murphy, 32, a schoolteacher who has been a Woodlawn resident
all her life. "I used to go into Frank’s candy shop every day on
my way home from school. Mr. Shandler was quite the extrovert but his
wife was much more reserved. In warm weather, Mr. Shandler would wear
shorts and he’d ask us kids if we liked his knees."
Murphy seemed quite amused as she recalled
her childhood experiences of the friendly couple. "Mr. Shandler
would tease me about all the candy I ate and he said I was going to turn
into Tangy Taffy some day. I always remember feeling sorry for him and
his wife since I knew their son had died, yet they remained so cheerful
every day," says Murphy. "Funny enough, I see Mr. and Mrs.
Shandler walking around the neighborhood from time to time. I would love
to get talking to them so I can thank them for all the happy memories
they gave me," she continues.
It is clear, that despite the Shandlers’
inner sadness, they loved interacting with people, especially children.
Perhaps daily contact with their neighbors, friends and customers helped
them to get through the difficult times.
The Allen Shandler Recreation Area is
located at the intersection of Jerome Avenue, East 233rd Street, and the
Major Deegan Expressway, while conveniently situated adjacent to the Van
Cortlandt Park golf course. The Allen Shandler Recreation Area is
situated at such a busy intersection, it can make passersby, whether
traveling by car or public transportation, very curious as to what this
little "Bronx secret" is all about. The recreation area has
baseball diamonds, barbecue facilities and picnic tables, which make it
an ideal location for a day of good family fun. People of all ages
continue to go to the recreation area to take advantage of what this
lovely park has to offer. It’s also visible from the MTA’s Bronx #16
or #34 bus.
The Department of Parks and Recreation has
a huge green sign displayed prominently at the foot of the trail
entrance, with the name of the recreation area in plain view. This sign
serves as an invitation to Bronxites, and visitors from all over the
metropolitan area who come by to explore this enchanting area, and to
see firsthand what the Bronx has to offer.
"I have passed that site almost every
day for over 25 years," says Ann Marie O’Neill, 58, a registered
nurse, originally from Ireland. "To be honest, I had never visited
the recreation area nor did I know who this Allen Shandler fellow was.
About 10 years back, I was in the public library on Katonah Avenue and
there was a speaker talking about the history of Woodlawn. I immediately
recognized the name Allen Shandler but I couldn't remember why. The
whole thing clicked with me the next day when I took the bus to the #4
train. I saw the sign that I must have looked at a thousand times but
didn’t pay much attention to. Now that I know my Woodlawn history,
perhaps I’ll take a walk over to the field in the summer.
It must make the Shandlers feel good to
know their son made a huge impact on the Bronx, both in life and
death," says O’Neill. The contributions of Allen Shandler and his
parents are still being felt by the residents of Woodlawn and will most
likely continue to do so. One can only wonder if the Shandler family is
aware of how much they have touched this small community. Based on the
vivid recollections of the residents of Woodlawn, the Shandler’s
contributions are both grand and small. Whether talking about candy and
baseball, showing public forgiveness, raising money for a worthy cause,
or dealing with the death of a young person, the Shandler's genuine
sincerity and courage has affected many people. We can only hope their
family’s legacy will continue for years to come. In the words of Maury
Downes, "Frank and his wife were the kind of people that never
talked about themselves. They were more concerned about how their
customers were. Ironically, I never realized how much I knew about these
two incredible people until right now."
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