Capital Region Scrapbook: Seeing double? Nah, it was just another day at Mont Pleasant

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jeff Wilkin

Two hearts often beat as one for Dolores Tusang Metchick and Diane Tusang Diana. The identical twins have shared appearances and attitudes for 74 years.

The sisters had company in high school. As seniors at the former Mont Pleasant High School in Schenectady, they were among 10 sets of twins in classroom and cafeteria. A photo featuring 18 of the twins appeared in “The Watchtower,” the school newspaper, on Jan. 26, 1951.

Dolores and Diane graduated in June 1951. Dolores, who now lives in Rotterdam, didn’t think all the familiar faces were out of the ordinary; She said her school mates were just accustomed to twins.

“Everyone got us mixed up,” Metchick said of her personal double play. “We always answered to each other’s name. I’m not going to say, ‘I’m not Diane.’ ”

Kids who were part of a tag team probably had more fun. “My sister and I always played tricks,” Metchick said. “Because we were kind of identical, people got us mixed up.”

People who knew their Tusangs could tell the difference. “I was left-handed,” Dolores said. “My sister was right-handed.”

The sisters always dressed alike. That got Dolores in trouble shortly after graduation.

She was working at the Navy Depot in Scotia, on secret government projects. A Navy man who knew Dolores saw Diane working at Schenectady Family and Child Services, then on Union Street near the Van Dyck Hotel and Restaurant, and thought Dolores was moonlighting. That wasn’t allowed for project employees.

“He got me fired,” Dolores said. “I had to go before the captain. I showed him a picture of me and my sister and this ensign got in trouble. They had the FBI investigating and everything. They never thought to ask me.”

The twins are still close. Dolores said she often sees Diane, now Diane Tusang Diana, who lives in Guilderland.