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As discussed during the October 30, 2020 post titled "Where Is The LaGuardia Bust?", I'm still looking. This post covers the next stage in the search for the fleeting sculpture. 
On October 17, 1969, the Proclamation Ceremony was held in the auditorium during which the school was renamed the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and a bust of Fiorello was presented. Available for our viewing is the program that was handed out during the ceremony. Thank you to Irene Simonsen-Davis, Class of '70, for saving her copy.
Regardless of the memorable ceremony, afterwards, the bust of Mayor LaGuardia was nowhere to be found in the school.
Mrs. Maria LaGuardia passed away on September 22, 1984 in Riverdale, Bx. County, NY. As of 11/19/20, I contacted Robindra Deb - Membership, Database, and Technology Manager at Alumni and Friends of Fiorello H. LaGuardia HS of Music and Art and Performing Arts. She stated: "I have not seen a bust of Mayor LaGuardia at the school, but that does not mean that there is not one anywhere. Unfortunately, the school has been temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 rates, and there is no one there that would be able to tell us if a bust is there, and where it is located." So the mystery of the present whereabouts of the Mayor LaGuardia bust continues.  Link to the prior post:
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 Mayor La Guardia speaks over WNYC on Grade A milk from Budget Room, 1940. I came across this article from the Daily News newspaper (N.Y.) from October 4, 1969, about the renaming of the High School of Music and Art. The person instrumental in the school's creation, Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia, had his name added on October 17, 1969.  Daily News (N.Y.), Oct. 4, 1969, page 7, by Richard Mathieu Also mentioned in the news item is a bust of Mayor LaGuardia that was to be presented to the school back in 1969. To my knowledge, that bust doesn't exist. The LaGuardia Arts website states, "In 1969, the Board of Education honored Mayor LaGuardia by naming the new building after him."* No bust mentioned. I've checked throughout the 1969 or 1970 yearbooks but no mention there either. I can't find any evidence of the bust anywhere. Am I missing something? Students from Music and Art give their experiences.
 
Do you know where the mystery bust is or have you ever heard of it? Let me know and I'll enter an update.  * https://www.laguardiahs.org/mission__history It will be challenging to forget 2020 with all it's ups, downs, and disappointments, but let's pause. Let's try harder to remember what we all have in common. Remember the long wait that finally ended when Performing Arts and Music and Art became LaGuardia?  Some remember the joining like it was yesterday. But for those who were not there, It was best said in The Daily News on Friday, September 7, 1984.          TWO GREAT SCHOOLS, ONE BIG REUNION was the headline on page 173 of The Daily News newspaper on Friday, November 25, 1983. The first-time ever reunion of the two individual schools occurred on Sunday, November 27, 1983, across the street from the LaGuardia we all know today.
Bess Myerson, Edward Kleban and a multitude of other famous alumni attended the reunion, as written in the Daily News article below. TWO GREAT SCHOOLS, ONE BIG REUNION       I found this article about Principal Steigman's hope to structure post-graduate work after M&A. Can't find any further information. Anyone ever hear of this?  Benjamin M. Steigman, Principal From: The New York Age newspaper, page 5, Saturday, April 28, 1945   
Take a walk with me on a beautiful June afternoon from St. Nicholas Avenue and follow me upward toward the Castle.
These stunning photographs of St. Nicholas Park were taken by me on June 9, 2019.
 
 
 
Check out the "Walk To The Top" video through St. Nicholas Park.
 By the month of May 1971, the hallways of Music & Art were buzzing with the news that many of their own would be participating in the All City High School Chorus and Orchestra and would be appearing on television, LIVE! The exciting event would take place on Wednesday, May 5, 1971 at the Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center and be broadcasted over WCBS-TV (Channel 2) 9pm - 10pm.  Spotlight on 1971 seniors
 Also scheduled to perform on May 5th will be French horn player Milton Tillman (left) of M&A. Check out the Daily News article dated Sun., May 2, 1971, page 105.
 
May 1971
The May sunlight rushed through the tall windows of the auditorium. The brightness attempted to surround me with warmth, but I shrugged off the minor comfort. The mixture of students chattering and two singers finding their harmony spread throughout the auditorium, but their distant merriment escaped me. I turned my eyes away from the dull tiled floor and stared at the soft hand holding mine. It wasn’t long before the first tear slide down my girlfriend Regina’s cheek. I spoke to her last night on the phone and felt guilty that I purposely hadn’t mentioned the letter I received from the Selective Service branch of the military. I couldn’t do that to her. Not on the phone. This needed to happen face-to-face.
Even with my head down, I could feel her eyes searching me out. My lack of response wasn’t helping the situation. Regina softly covered her mouth as she tried to contain the approaching emotion. Suddenly, she grabbed both wooden chair handles and pushed herself up to stand. As she did, the letter slipped to the cold floor.
“Hey, Bunny,” Albert said, using her nickname with a smile. His good humor quickly faded when she didn’t answer. He and I watched as she disappeared through the door.
“You mean Muhammad Ali?” Albert quickly corrected me with a question.
“Oh, Right,” I said, only half caring. “I heard on TV that the Supreme Court might be looking at his case. He might wind up going to jail regardless of his religious beliefs.“
Albert shook his head and glanced at his watch. “Yeah. Can’t believe he was convicted in ’67 for refusing to go in the military and four years later he hasn’t done a bit of time in jail. Money talks, I guess.”
The bell loudly sounded. Neither of us said a word. We stood up and left for class like good little soldiers. 
P.S. - The last draft call was on December 7, 1972, and the authority to induct expired on June 30, 1973. America's involvement in the Viet Nam war officially ended April 1975.
I was never called on to serve in the military. “Again, The Castle beckons.” Book Two of Audition Stories - More talented students reminisce and share their experiences. Filled with anxiety and joy from those who dreamed of becoming part of a very special place. In Kindle and Paperback (Black & White or Full Color)
(Excerpt from Reflections of EL: In Search of Self)
September 1973 Regan and I were visiting Music & Art High School. A reunion was being held just before the regular classes got started. Regan graduated in the spring of ’72, so there were still friends in the current term that she could get together with. I had graduated two years ago and was feeling like the senior citizen by being back. After we got past the front door, we walked up the wide stairway that held the familiar five brown doors at the top of the stairs. There were mostly younger people moving around us and it seemed like school was already in session, but I knew that it couldn’t be. Everyone else had his or her own reason for being there prior to the fall term and ours just happen to be a reunion visit. Once in the main entryway, Regan saw some girls she recognized and she started heading in their direction to the left. I didn’t know these people, so I told her I’d be in the auditorium and I’d catch up with her in a few minutes. I stood for a moment in that crowded room of noisy people and felt sadly alone. I quickly shook off my gloomy feelings and concentrated instead on being nostalgic. It was nice being in my old school and I wanted to look around a bit. I went to the right and slowly moved through one of the heavy wooden doors. 
The auditorium still looked the same. The first thing that always struck me was the tall, double-layered royal-blue curtains that towered towards the ceiling on either side of the stage. They seemed a bit older, but perhaps they simply needed cleaning. As I walked down the left side of the three sets of rows of seats, I could see the maroon colored stage, looking well shellacked and as shiny as ever. I had noticed when I walked in that there was a girl seated on the left-hand side of the stage steps. As I got closer, I realized that it was Kelly, who I had met two years ago when I was a senior and she was a sophomore.
For the past nine months, except for the unhappiness I felt with Regan at times, I was pretty much in control of the way I was running my relationships. My head would later be spinning as I wondered what life would have been like if I had gone to the left in the hallway with Regan or if I had simply not come to the reunion at all. It was my time to learn that fate had a new plan for me and there was no way that I could have foreseen it.
“I’m starting at Baruch downtown,” she said as she twisted her mouth a bit. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about it, but I don’t know if I’ll like it. I’ll just transfer somewhere closer to home if I don’t. Hey, are you still seeing Regan? I remember you two were together back then.”
“Yeah. Some things never change,” I said with little enthusiasm. “We’re supposed to meet some people also. Anyway, I’ve got to go. Would you mind if I get your number? I’d really like to talk to you later.” “Let me write it here.” Kelly wrote her number on the small pad she had on her lap, ripped the page out neatly and pointed it towards me, all in one smooth motion. As I began to tug the paper from her fingers, she held on to it. “Don’t forget to call me,” she said, as if she were accusing me of something. “I won’t forget,” I said, acting as if I were apologizing. “But you’ve got to give me the number first.” She loosened her grip on the paper and I placed it in my pants pocket. After giving her another kiss on the cheek, I then turned and walked toward the entry doors. I wanted to check her out one last time, but I was trying not to seem too obvious. As I was walking past the rows of seats, I glanced over my shoulder. I found her watching me, and we began to smile at the same time as if we had both been caught. Once I got past the doors, I told myself I’d call her in about two days. Calling her sooner would seem a little too anxious, even though I really wanted to.
For the rest of the chapter and story, read: REFLECTIONS OF EL: IN SEARCH OF SELF
(FREE on Amazon Wednesday 5/29/19 - Friday 5/31/19)
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Lloyd A. GreenM&A was a blessing, which is difficult to forget. Let's talk about the good times. 
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