Who Was Watching The Schools?

Did New York City Oswalds entangle Lee Harvey Oswald in their schemes? They had the inclination and opportunity.

Between 1943 and 1952, Manfred Oswald lived at 420 Central Park West in Manhattan. In late 1951 or early 1952, Manfred opened his retail business at 127 East 90th Street, Manhattan. (1) He sold fine European linens. Manfred Oswald served an exclusive clientele. His quality merchandise attracted affluent and cultured patrons. Manfred was comfortable with his customers for he was of the same breed.

In early 1953, Manfred Oswald moved to 78-10 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens. Manfred had much in common with his new neighbors. They were accomplished and proud of their lineage. These people had a special bond. They understood government could not muster the private sector to defend their liberty. Eagerly they did their share to win the cold war. Manfred Oswald and neighbors had taken up the cause of internal national security.

A neighbor introduced Manfred to the locals. In less than six months, Manfred was ready for the opening of a new school on the next block. Manfred Oswald began running student spies in September 1953.

The motive for this activity were some students at Intermediate School 145 were children of former and present Communist Party members. Probably, Manfred Oswald felt undisciplined youths might expose any clandestine student activity.

Of course, Manfred Oswald had help. Mortgage bankers by adjusting the cost of their money steered moving families. The friendly neighborhood realtor, The Cord Meyer Company, (2) was eager to find housing in Jackson Heights and Elmhurst for selected families. A few individuals in the right places exerted disproportionate influence upon who lived where.

Manfred Oswald was part of a larger operation in Northwestern Queens. Mrs. M. J. Oswald owned a home at 85-15 Britton Avenue, Elmhurst. She was a resident since the thirties and was an influential member of the community. Many students at Intermediate School 145 came from Public School 89 at 85-28 Britton Avenue.

Oswalds had a special interest in William C. Bryant High School at 48-10 31stAvenue, Long Island City. In the early fifties, Henry Oswald lived at 30-61 48th Street. Between the mid fifties and early sixties, Caroline Oswald lived at the same address. These Oswalds were across the street from Bryant High School. The reason for the special interest was students from the nearby Woodside public housing projects attended Bryant.

The Oswalds worked closely with agents in the Woodside projects. These agents watched known and suspected members of the Communist Party. The public housing agents suppressed left-wing political activity in the projects. When a teenager from a party family entered Bryant, the housing agents informed those watching the schools. In turn, agents watching the schools obstructed any left-wing political activity by students.

Between 1957 and 1962, Henry J. Oswald (3) lived in the Woodside projects at 50-41 Newtown Road. Henry J. Oswald was not an ordinary resident. He belonged to a suspicious group of tenants. After living in the projects for a few years they moved to middle-class neighborhoods. Many of them moved to private homes. One moved to a private house in East Elmhurst. This house was less than one block from Public School 127. Henry J. Oswald was less fortunate. In 1963, he moved to an apartment house in a pleasant section of Astoria.

Finding four Oswalds near the public schools and an Oswald in a public housing project is significant because these five Oswalds represented one-fifth of all listed Oswalds.

Oswalds concentrated in the adjacent communities of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Woodside and Long Island City for historical reasons. During the thirties and forties the Communist Party recruited many members from these neighborhoods. Some of these members settled in these neighborhoods and raised families.

Oswalds did not limit their activities to Queens. They were more active in Brooklyn. During the fifties and early sixties Oswalds lived in the immediate vicinity of Public School 18 at 101 Maujer Street, Public School 75 at 95 Grove Street, Public School 115 at 1500 East 92nd Street, Public School 116 at 515 Knickerbocker Avenue, and Franklin K. Lane High School at 999 Jamaica Avenue.

Oswalds were nearly as active in Manhattan. They lived within one block of Junior High School 45 at 2351 First Avenue, Public School 98 at 512 West 212thStreet, Public School 151 at 1763 First Avenue, and Public School 187 at 349 Cabrini Boulevard.

Public School 151 was less than one block from John Pic's apartment at 325 East 92nd Street. Upon arrival in New York City, Marguerite and Lee Oswald lived with John Pic for a few weeks. They were living across the street from John Oswald who between 1950 and 1964 resided at 320 East 92nd Street. This was the first of two possible encounters between Lee Oswald and New York City Oswalds residing near public schools.

Between the early fifties and the early sixties, The Bronx averaged twenty listed Oswalds. As in the other boroughs between 15 and 20 percent of the listed Oswalds lived less than two blocks from public schools.

Oswalds lived near Intermediate School 12 at Orering Street and Tratman Avenue, Public School 28 at 1861 Anthony Avenue, Public School 36 at 1070 Castle Hill Avenue, Public School 56 at 341 East 207th Street, Public School 86 at 2756 Reservoir Avenue, Public School 87 at 1935 Bussing Avenue, Public School 104 at 1449 Shakespeare Avenue, Walton High School at 2780 Reservoir Avenue, and William Taft High School at 230 East 171st Street.

When Marguerite and Lee Oswald lived in the Bronx, they were not near any New York City Oswalds. Their residence at 1455 Sheridan Avenue was half a block from William Taft High School but then no other Oswalds lived nearby. Both Public School 44 and Public School 117 were remote from any Bronx Oswalds.

However, Lee Oswald attended the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School while living in Manhattan. The Trinity School at 2125 Watson Avenue was one block from the 2267 Chatterton Avenue residence of Edward R. Oswald. In early 1952, Edward R. Oswald moved to Chatterton Avenue and was less than two blocks from Public School 36. This was the second possible encounter between Oswalds residing near public schools and Lee Oswald. Both possible encounters were concurrent and reminiscent of operational surveillance.

Notes

This business remained open at the same address beyond 1972.
Cord Meyer bought the farmlands of Newtown, NY during the 1890's. He became the primary developer of Elmhurst.
Henry J. Oswald is likely a different person from the Henry Oswald who lived across the street from Bryant.