School History Documentary Screening Recap – The Film Is Now Online

The Scarsdale community really knows how to “show up.” Around 200 alumni, neighbors and friends came together for a rare opportunity to celebrate our public school district on Wednesday night at the high school auditorium. As conveyed in our new film From the First Schoolhouse: A Scarsdale Story, this community-minded spirit is what has helped the Scarsdale Schools thrive. 

Left to right: William Klayer ‘73, Tony Arenella, Ruth Friendly, Scarsdale Historical Society President Randy Guggenheimer, filmmaker Lesley Topping and trustees Lori Rothman, Deidre Michael, Leslie Chang.

From a beloved centenarian educator, to a founder of the Scarsdale Alternative School, to an original Alternative School alum, we had true Scarsdale Schools legends in the high school auditorium. They are featured participants in the documentary, and here’s more background on them:

Ruth Friendly

Ruth taught at Greenacres, Heathcote, and Edgewood from the 1960s through the early 1980s. After teaching, she joined her husband Fred, the former president of CBS News and the Edward R. Murrow Professor Emeritus at Columbia University, to produce programming for the Media and Society Seminars, later known as the Fred Friendly Seminars. The programs aired nationally on PBS and explored major issues of our time. In the 2000s Ruth served for eight years on the New York State Commission of Nomination for the Court of Appeals.

Tony Arenella and William Klayer

Tony Arenella was one of the founders of the Scarsdale Alternative School (A-School), which was planned in 1970. Tony taught English, and then became the director of the A-School in 1981 until he retired in 2003. Beginning with only sixty-two students, three full-time teachers, and several part-time teachers, the early team developed the groundbreaking philosophies and structures that still shape the A-School today.

William Klayer was one of the first students to graduate from the A-School in 1973, and went on to build a distinguished career in television and film as a director and photographer. His extensive credits include 30 Rock, Suits, Law & Order, and the award-winning short film Under a Stone.

We are so grateful to the filmmaker Lesley Topping for creating this film. Through her documentaries, she skillfully preserves Scarsdale’s most important stories—and they’re all available here.

Lesley Topping

Lesley, a Scarsdale Schools alum, is the editor and director of the film. Her credits also include many short videos, feature films and television documentaries for CBS, A&E and the Cousteau Society.

Thank you to Scarsdale Public Library for the partnership and for co-sponsoring the event. Don’t miss their new exhibit on the Scarsdale Public Schools, created by the library’s Local History Librarian Dan Glauber. It’s on display in the Local History Center of the library, or online here.

We also thank Scarsdale Public Schools Superintendent Drew Patrick for his support throughout the production of this film. His opening remarks added a moment of extra distinction to the event.

Scarsdale Public Schools Superintendent Drew Patrick introduced the film.

The audience was very engaged during the Q&A Session, especially all of the alumni that shared stories from their school days.

At the panel discussion, left to right: Dan, Leslie, Lesley, and William. Tony and Ruth answered questions from their seats in the audience. 

Scarsdale Historical Society trustees greeting attendees, from left to right: Lori, May Cowan, Lesley Shearer, and Leslie

The event drew a crowd of all ages, and alumni enjoyed seeing the newly renovated auditorium.

“From the First Schoolhouse: A Scarsdale Story”

Women Rising: Extended Interview with Former Editor of Scarsdale Inquirer

The Full Interview Conducted by Film Director Lesley Topping for Our Film, Women Rising: The Scarsdale Suffragists

In 2024, for our film Women Rising: The Scarsdale Suffragists, we had the privilege of interviewing Linda Leavitt, an accomplished journalist who served as Associate Editor and later Editor-in-Chief of the Scarsdale Inquirer from 1984 to 2015. Beyond contributing to our project, we also sought to document Linda’s remarkable career and legacy.

The following two videos highlight Linda’s reflections on her journey in journalism, her most memorable stories, the evolving roles of women in Scarsdale, and the history of the Scarsdale Inquirer.

The Scarsdale Inquirer was Scarsdale’s first local newspaper. It originated in the late 1800s, as a neighborhood newsletter in Scarsdale’s Arthur Manor and later evolved into a newspaper under the ownership of the Bronxville Review. When the paper faced financial difficulties in 1919, a group of Scarsdale suffragists, who had recently formed the Scarsdale Woman’s Club, bought the paper. Over the years, the Scarsdale Inquirer was transformed into award-winning and beloved local newspaper. Although the Woman’s Club sold the paper in 1959, it continued to be staffed mostly by women. After Linda Leavitt’s retirement in 2015, Valerie Abrahams succeeded her as Editor-in-Chief, and led a team of talented dedicated journalists until the paper ceased publication in 2024. 

About Linda Leavitt

Linda Leavitt joined The Scarsdale Inquirer in 1984 as associate editor covering Scarsdale schools, arts and entertainment and religion. When editor David Kirkwood retired in 1991, she was appointed editor, serving until her retirement in July 2015.

During her tenure as editor the paper won many awards from the New York Press Association, including overall best newspaper, general excellence and awards for editorials, news and feature stories. Along with her predecessor Kirkwood, Leavitt received the New York State Bar Association Media Award in 1985 for the paper’s coverage of the Scarsdale crèche case.

The Inquirer was honored by the Scarsdale community several times over the years: in 1997 by the Scarsdale Historical Society and in 2001 with the Town and Village Civic Club Public Service Award. In 2006, Leavitt was named a distinguished alumna of Scarsdale High School and also received the Scarsdale Teen Center Visions of Community Award. In October 2015 the Scarsdale Forum presented her with its public service award.

Since retiring, she has joined the boards of the Scarsdale Adult School and the Scarsdale Woman’s Club. She takes painting classes with the adult school and writes a monthly column and occasional theater reviews for the Inquirer.

Leavitt moved to River Road with her family in 1954. She attended Greenacres Elementary School and was in the first class to go all the way through the Scarsdale Junior High School. She attended Connecticut College and received her B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College.

She is a lifelong member of Hitchcock Presbyterian Church. She lives in Stamford, Connecticut with her husband Liam Murphy. She has two daughters and four grandchildren.

For a further exploration of the Scarsdale Inquirer’s history, see The Story of Our Century: 1901–2001: Celebrating 100 years of Scarsdale News. This book is available at the Scarsdale Public Library. 

The Scarsdale Inquirer has been digitized from 1901 - 1977, all available online. This was part of a joint project with the Scardale Public Library.

Part 1: Interview with Linda Leavitt

Exclusive Content From Women Rising: The Scarsdale Suffragists

Part 2: Interview with Linda Leavitt

Exclusive Content From Women Rising: The Scarsdale Suffragists

Watch Now: Scarsdale in the 18th & 19th Centuries: From Hardscrabble Farms to Gracious Estates

We are pleased to present our new documentary video “Scarsdale in the 18th & 19th Centuries: From Hardscrabble Farms to Gracious Estates.” The video is hosted by Scarsdale Historical Society V.P. and Historian, Barbara Shay MacDonald and was produced and directed by Scarsdale native Lesley Topping. Ms. Topping is an independent filmmaker, producer and film editor whose work includes dramatic films, documentaries, and television programs.