2008: My Trenton Times "Sentimental Journey" column

A number of people who are located in various places around the country have contacted me and said they have not been able to access my "Sentimental Journey" column on the Trenton Times website. In contacting the Times, I was told that they would check to see what the problem was and re-post my columns. I just checked, and my last column (Nov. 15) wherein I recall Canteen night at Hamilton High School has been posted. Here's the link.

http://www.nj.com/living/times/community/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1226725527182740.xml&coll=5

2008 My "Sentimental Journey" Trenton Times Column

A number of people who are located in various places around the country have contacted me and said they have not been able to access my "Sentimental Journey" column on the Trenton Times website. In contacting the Times, I was told that they would check to see what the problem was and re-post my columns. I just checked, and my last column (Nov. 15) wherein I recall Canteen night at Hamilton High School has been posted. Here's the link.

http://www.nj.com/living/times/community/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1226725527182740.xml&coll=5

2008: Another HHS '56 Passes On

This from Jack Lacy, HHS '56:

Hi All !

Received this info about the passing of HHS56 classmate Paul Patterson from classmate Jake Hasili. Paul was living in the Dallas, TX area with his sister and had been suffering from cancer for some time.

Jack

************************************

Just finished talking to Paul's brother about Paul's passing.

He died on Saturday, Nov 22, 2008.

Approx; 10;00 pm, Texas time.

He was at his sister's home outside of Dallas, Texas.

He will most likely be cremated and put by the remains of his parents in Texas.

God Bless him, his suffering is over.

Jake

2008: VISIT MIKE MCNICOLL'S CHAMBERSBURG WEBSITE

I just received an email from Mike McNicoll advising me of his Chambersburg website. Mike, I haven't gone through all the pages, but from what I see, you have a winner! Well done. I am so happy to see folks from various neighborhoods posting historical and nostalgic webs. We now have Mike's Chambersburg, Gary Lippincott's Grovevillememories.com, and my local site. I will add a link to mine as time permits, Mike. In the meantime, thanks for the heads up and good luck.

http://mackstruckofwisdom.blogspot.com/

1916: Colonel Anthony R. Kuser's Generous Gift

From my very extensive "Kuser Family" folder in the Hamilton Library Local History Collection, this article detailing A.R. Kuser's gift to the town of Bernardsville. I assume this gift was seperate from his gift of High Point to the state of New Jersey.

1916: Trenton's Engine 9 Moves to Brunswick Avenue

1916: Pilgrim Presbyteriam to move to So. Broad St.

The photo included with the article was not a part of that article. It is from a postcard in my collection. The building still stands on Liberty Street and (Woodland Ave.?) If there are any Pilgrim Presbyterian visitors, please verify the above Liberty Street building as being your original edifice.

1916:TRENTON POLICE OFFICER KEEPING WARM AT HIS WINTER POST

Before the red, organge and green traffic light, police departments all over America tried various ways to keep the flow of traffic moving. The illustration above from the Daily State Gazette has no caption nor article describing the photo. However, in December 1916, right before Christmas, Trenton had a heavy snowfall accompanied by bitter cold. The background of the photo gives no indication of where the officer is stationed. It doesn't look like State and Broad, but could well be North Clinton and Hanover Street.

1916: "BROMLEY FIRE CO." (HAMILTON VFD)

It is really interesting to read very early articles the many fire departments in the Mercer area. I recently uncovered these two articles from 1916, and the following post from 1922 as they relate to our Hamilton Volunteer Fire Company. There is also an article on Trenton's Engine 9 locating on Brunswick Avenue and Pine Street which will be posted today.

1922: Hamilton Fire Company's new Seagrave Pumper

Here's another Hamilton Fire Company graphic from the early years of Bromley.

1916: A KUSER SCHOOL CHRISTMAS

In 1916, the Kuser area was still using the original 4 room school house. It would be eight more years before the two wings were added.
Christmas was always a very special time when I was a student at Kuser. Those of us who were involved in music and dramatics were really immersed in a fascinating experience which extended from the first week of December or so with extensive practice, right up to the Christmas progam which we performed in the Kuser Auditorium. Those special memories are indelibly impressed in my aging mind.

1898: VANDALS STRIKE HUTCHINSON SCHOOL

TRANSCRIBED

FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1898
VANDALISM AT THE HUTCHINSON SCHOOL HOUSE IN HOMEDELL

When the janitress of the Hutchinson school, at Homedell entered the building on Wednesday, she found a side door unlocked and everything in the interior of the building in the utmost confusion. Paper, pencils, penholders, ink bottles and rubbish of all kinds littered the floor; blackboards were scribbled over, and the teacher's desk in the primary department broken open. The Webster's Unabridged Dictionary which had cost the county $12 a year or two ago, was completely destroyed, the leaves torn out and torn to pieces. The handsome new globe was also seriously damaged. Fortunately, the map which had been procured for the school through the kindness of ex-Judge James Buchanan was not destroyed, and the miscellaneous library was not molested.
Nothing definite is known as to the depredators, but the authorities are on the lookout, and if the miscreants are found they will he severely dealt with. Such conduct comes under the head of malicious mischief and is a State Prison offense.

*****************

Tom's note: Hutchinson School was on property owned by the Hutchinson family. Symmes Hutchinson was a veryrespected member of the Homedell community. As the years unfolded, a Homedell School would be built in the area we call Homedell.

1898: FARMINGDALE SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

Long before the arrival of the personal computer, in fact, it was the early 1980's when I began to transcribe historical articles from the Trenton area into a huge collection of articles. I was using a very early IBM word processor which utilized 8 inch "floppy drives to store the output. (remember them?) When I got my first PC back in the latter part of the 1980's the articles were transferred and saved in "rtf" format which is the mode to use when you want to be sure that any computer can read the output. You will be reading many of these transcriptions in future posts. This one relates to the Christmas program as presented by the students at the old Farmingdale School on Nottingham Way, just past East State Street. Local old timers may find relatives listed.

NOTE: FUTURE POSTS FROM THESE FILES WILL BE HEADED, "TRANSCRIBED."

*******

DECEMBER 25, 1898

Following was the program of Christmas exercises at the Farmingdale School, where Miss J. Chinnick is the teacher:
Song: News on Christmas Morning, by the students
Recitation: Welcome Christmas, by Joseph Reynolds
Recitation: Wish You a Merry Christmas, by Nellie Klockner.
Recitation: A Letter from Santa Claus, by Jennie Griffith
Recitation: A Merry Christmas, by James Riley
Reading: Joy To the World, by the students
Recitation: Christmas Carol, by Harry Orandack, Willie Bradshaw, Willie
Reed, Earl Craig, John O'Reiley.
Reading: A Christmas Surprise, by Jennie Griffith
Recitation: The Christmas Dinner Bell, by Nellie Bickel
Recitation: Hang up the Baby's Stockings, by Howard Klockner
Song: Jesus, the Light of the World, by the students
Recitation: Clap Your Hands for Christmas, by Clara Delonger
Recitation: When I call My Kitty Santa, by Joseph Reynolds
Recitation: Santa's Secret, by Ada Reynolds
Recitation: The Story Ever New, by Mamie Walker
Reading: Peace and Good Will, by the students
Recitation: Christmas Memories, by Grace Stults, Edith Evans, Elsie
Williams, Gladys Pettit, Georgiana Evans, Ida Kurts, Grace
Findler, Eva Findler, and Annie Reed
Recitation: Tommy's Christmas Fancy, by Jennie Griffith
Recitation: A Secret With Santa Claus, by Edith Evans
Recitation: Stretch It a Little, by Nellie Beihl
Recitation: Dance of the Months, by Walter Chinnick
Song: Beautiful Star of Bethlehem, by the students
Address: by Mr. A.W. Hartwell.

1912: BROMLEY IS GROWING

Newspaper real estate ads began appearing in 1910 as Trenton's population expanded eastward. Bromley took its name from the Bromley in Great Britain. It is said that Charles Fulkert, the first Bromley Inn proprietor suggested the name. Bromley Place and Bromley Manor were early settlements. In this article the Park Lane area is building. Apparently it was known as Bromley Park.

1918: Bromley residents want a local school

This would be early citizens' negotiations for what would become the new Greenwood School.

1941: THE MIDWAY AT THE N.J. STATE FAIR

MANY THANKS TO RANDY RIGGS FOR THIS EXQUISITE PHOTO OF THE MIDWAY AT THE OLD STATE FAIRGROUNDS. THE OFFICES AND ENTRANCE TO THE GRANDSTAND IS SEEN IN THE VERY CENTER OF THE PHOTO. THERE'S A 1941 FORD IN THE CENTER OF THE PHOTO, RANDY, SO I CORRECTED YOUR VERY EDUCATED GUESS AS TO THE YEAR.
RANDY WROTE:

My dad took this photo on the backside of the Speedway, looks like after
the races were over for the day. My guess is 1940, based on the other photos
he took at the same time which I will be sending you. At the time, his sister
Evelyn was married to Walt Keiper, who was a local area race driver
(she later married Harold Tilton of Tilton Bakery).
Enjoy!
Randy Riggs

1918: The Great Flu Epidemic

Reading this collection of articles relating to the terrible epidemic of Influenza in 1918 is a reminder that we all get our flu schots!

2008: THE OLD FASHIONED "BLACK BOARD"

KUSER SCHOOL: A BLACKBOARD AMONG THE PROLIFERATION OF GREEN BOARDS!

Publish Post

The graphic above is really and appeal to the powers that be in the Hamilton Township school system to PLEASE realize the necessity of preserving whatever can be preserved in the vintage schools in Hamilton Township. The black board is as extinct as the equally extinct "cloak room." We must be sure to save as much of Hamilton's magnificent historic heritage as possible, and make sure these relics and memories thereof don't end up in the trash bin!

"AND THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING!"

Did anyone notice that we are approaching 100,000 hits?
WOW!
PROFOUND, GRATEFUL, AND HUMBLE
THANKS TO ALL MY LOYAL VISITORS!

1916: GEORGE ANTHEIL: MUSICIAN AND ARTIST

Here's another graphic featuring the noted area artist, George Antheil. I had heard of his musical expertise, but didn't realize he was so multi-talented. If any viewer has additional graphics relating to Antheil, Mr. Mauro Piccinini from Italy would be interested. Send anything you may have to me at thomglo@verizon.net and I will see that it gets posted.

1916: DISASTROUS FIRE AT THE HOWARD AUTO PLANT TIM KUSER, I NEED YOUR EXPERTISE

If Mercer auto historian Tim Kuser or any other auto historian can fill me in on the connection between Howard, Walter, and the Mercer auto company I would really appreciate it.

1916: Colonial Volunteer Fire Co.: IN THE BEGINNING

Even though their equipment shows the 1920's as the founding of Colonial VFD, the local Colonial neighbors were petitioning for a new fire district in the growing Newkirk-Hamilton-Olden Avenue area.

1915: TILTON-WELLS WEDDING AT WHITE HORSE

I am going to assume that Lillian Tilton was related to the Broad Street Park Tiltons. The Tilton bakery was a very familiar name to the Glover family. Back when I was a boy, "Snuffy" Tilton was a familiar name. Indeed, there were a number of bakeries including Rowley's, Townsend, and one of my very favorites, Nowak's on Partridge Avenue in Hamilton. If you didn't get to Nowak's before 6:30 or & A.M. on a Sunday Morning, you were out of luck. Early on, Mr. Nowak delivered his delightful baked goods to the Slabicki family on Sylvan Avenue.

1922: SHARING THANKSGIVING WITH THE LESS FORTUNATE

Poverty will always be with us. Were this photo dated 1934 or 1935, a member of the Glover family might very well have been be seen waiting in that line. I remember my mother taking me to the second floor of the Colonial Fire Company on Liberty Street and Newkirk Avenue, where we picked up our share of dried peaches, dried apples, flour, powdered milk, and other "commodities" as they were called.

1933: Anthony Christofaro's NRA Creation

See the following post for more information on the National Recovery Act.

1933: The National Recovery Act

The NRA was one of Franklin D. Roosevelt's programs to bolster the economy during the height of the great depression. Wherever one went, whether big city or small town, the NRA emblem was on display. President Roosevelt's first term was much like that of incumbent president Barack Obama, in that the new president will be facing an incredibly damaged U.S. economy.

1916: PENNINGTON CITIZENS HONOR CIVIL WAR VETS

This monument was erected at the Pennington Seminary. If there are any Penningtonians visiting, I would be interested in knowing whether the monument still exists.

1972: KAY'S FOLLIES: A VERY SUCCESSFUL GROUP OF PERFORMERS

I remember it well! "Kay's Follies" was a very successful group of performers back in the 1970's as we sang and danced into the hearts of parishioners from St. Anthony's, St. Joachim's churches, numerous fund raising benefits for other worthy causes.

1916: Hamilton Loses the Ultimate Historian

2008: HHS '56 WALTER RAYWOOD OBIT

From Jack Lacy, HHS '56:

Hi All !

This remains the worst part of this class communicator job but, unfortunately, it's also the most constant. Walt was living at: 7274 Bass St., Wewhahitchka, FL 32465. I don't know of any surviving family members beyond the brief description in the obituary.

Jack

Raywood, Walter	View/Sign Guest Book
PORT SAINT JOE, FL - Walter Raywood, 71, formerly of Hamilton, passed away November 15 after a lengthy illness. He is survived by his brother Bob Raywood and his wife Pat of Titusville and several cousins, nieces, and nephews. Funeral services are private.
Published in The Times, Trenton, on 11/23/2008

2008: Tom Glover's "Kuser School Diary" Audio File

Way back in 1981, before digital audio came to personal computing, I made an audio recording of my Mercer Messenger "Kuser School Diary" columns. This particular series was published on 8 consecutive Thursdays. Please remember that this was recorded on a reel to reel MONAURAL (not stereo) tape recorder, and the quality is a click or two below marginal. With my audio-converting software, I was able to convert "Kuser School Diary" from analog to a digital "mp3" file. Below is the link to that file.

WHEN YOU CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW, YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO THE HOSTING WEBSITE. CLICK ON MY "KUSER SCHOOL MEMORIES" FILE AND DOWNLOAD IT. IT SHOULD LOAD AUTOMATICALLY INTO YOUR WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER.

http://www.speedyshare.com/555173553.html

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU WERE ABLE TO PLAY THE FILE PLUS ANY OTHER COMMENTS. YOUR ASSISTANCE WILL DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT I POST FUTURE AUDIO FILES.` ( thomglo@verizon.net )

1954: Trenton Catholic High School Guide Book

Many thanks to Mr. Ed Kiernan, (TCHS Class of ??) for a nice little collection of Trenton Catholic memorabilia. It is being preserved in the Hamilton Township Public Library's Local History "TRENTON CATHOLIC" folder. Included in the collection is an original sew-on blue and gold "C" varsity letter. Thanks, Ed, you're the best! (Nowhere in the collection did it mention which class Ed was in. If Ed or a relative or friend knows, please let me know so I can update this post.

1926: GLEN AFTON TRENTON

The same gentleman who developed Hamilton's Lakeside Park in Yardville was responsible for the development of Glen Afton; the area west of the city of Trenton and along the Delaware River. Except for the frequent flooding, the area is a dream location for those who love living along the river.

1916: THE DELAWARE RIVER STEAMER "DOLPHIN"

Do you remember that old 40's song, "Cruising down the river, on a Sunday afternoon..?" I could never figure out why some wealthy entrepreneur didn't revive tours along the Delaware. Even Mark Twain must be shaking his head in disbelief. Even as the Mississippi still has riverboats plying up and down river, one would think that the Delaware would be a wonderful spot for a riverboat casino, or for non-gamblers, a romantic ride from Trenton to Delaware Bay. My Niece Gwen is a croupier on a Mississippi steamboat out of St. Louis.

They ARE "Cruisin' down the River on a Sunday afternoon..!" Not from Trenton, but from Burlington. Check out this email from my Groveville historian Gary Lippincott:

Speaking of River Cruises, this is worth a ride to Burlington, Just to see this at the Water Front. I don't expect you to advertise for these guys, but it is a beautiful boat. I think one of their dinner cruses would be fun. This would be nice, tied up at the Trenton Marine Terminal.
Thanks, Gary.
For some reason, my computer won't let me create a hyperlink for the followin address....type it in or cut and paste it in and see if you get to the deck of the "Liberty Belle."

www.thelibertybelle.com

1938: THE HOMEDELL "BUSY BEES"

Many of these children went on to Kuser School to finish their grammar school education. There are numerous names in the photo above which are quite familiar to me.

1928: Buses to replace the Yardeville Trolleys

From my "TRANSPORTATION" folder, this article on the transition from trolleys to buses on the Trenton-Yardville line. The top graphic foretells the end of the trolley era in Trenton. Immediately above, the article notes the replacement of trolleys with buses on the Yardville route. At the ripe old age of 75, I never saw a trolley on the streets of Trenton, Hamilton, or all of Mercer County.

2008: HAMILTON'S ROCKEFELLER CHRISTMAS TREE

Thanks to my friend Paul Woolverton (W2AEI) for sending this link to me. It is New York WNBC Channel 4's coverage of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Many thanks, Paul!

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/around_town/the_scene/Tree_Makes_Fateful_Trip_To_Light_The_World_New_York.html

IT'S A LARGE FILE; BE PATIENT.

THANKSGIVING YESTERYEARS

No comments needed. Happy Thanksgiving.
And remember to whom we are giving thanks!

1910: THE BEAUTIFUL HOLY CROSS R.C. CHURCH

This beautiful edifice served the Polish community for over a century. The above graphic is from a very distressed page from the State Gazette. Through the miracle of graphic software I have been able to restore the original article, even though it is not as it appears in the original. The text has been changed from three columns to one, to match the size of the engraving. The headline above the engraving had to be repaired using "cut-copy-paste," and a few un-restorable texts replaced as many letters were missing. The date and photo block with the photo of Father Dziadosz was inserted from other sources. I'm sure you will agree, the restored graphic will serve well to illustrate just a slice of time in the lineage of this classical Trenton place of worship.

1938: A Scene at Scudders Falls

This photo was among a number of old photos I received a number of years ago. With the bridge over that area, it would be difficult to pinpoint the actual place where this photo was taken.

1922: Jacob Rue's Horse Shoeing and Carriage Shop

I posted the above photo some time ago and received the message above from Warren Rue, whose family is pictured in the graphic. Warren, thank you very much for your message. I am happy to see that I struck still another chord with still another visitor. Visitors who have a personal connection to my posts makes all the effort worth while. I went back and did a bit of "tweaking" to enlarge and try to enhance the photo a bit.

1914: Grafton

The date on this is uncertain, but I would guess it would be in the early to mid teens. The building we know of as "Grafton" was once the home 18th century home of Mercer County Sheriff Jacques. A member or members of the Dilatush family have visited my site, and perhaps will re-visit and add to the historic lore of both the legendary Dilatush family and historic Grafton.

1913: I Agree With C.C. Abbott

There was a "battle of historians" back in the early part of the 20th century; a battle over for who founded the city of Trenton. On the one hand, due to his early settlement, Mahlon Stacy was declared by many to be the founder. On the other hand, and much more logically, William Trent established a little village changing the area from "Littleworth" to "Trent's Town."

1928: St. John's School

I haven't been able to find the "C.T.A. League" in my research thus far. However, and educated guess would be that the C.T.A. is something like the "Cadets' Temperance Association" or something to do with temperance.

1913: Broad Street M.E. Church Mini History Part 1

This excellent news photo of the church on South Broad Street and Chestnut Avenue was extracted from a mini history of the church which will be seen "Part 2" in the next post.

1913: Broad Street M.E. Church Mini History Part 2

This mini history of the church located on South Broad Street and Chestnut Avenue has a very interesting history. This graphic has been divided into two separate graphics in order to maintain a modicum of legibility.

1913: Still another Olivet Baptist Church News Note

If the congregation burned the mortgage, it is unlikely that the building in an earlier photo was the original edifice. Certainly from the parish's founding date of 1863, the mortgage would have been long since paid at least by the turn of the century. Perhaps an Olivet Baptist member will come along and straighten me out.

1937: The Old Heidelberg

This view of the interior of the Old Heidelberg Restaurant on Hamilton Avenue conjures up memories of the many Sunday afternoons when Judy, Louise Baird and I went to that great old eatery for dinner. The second wooden booth from the end was always the one we tried to get. Roast beef and red cabbage was one of their specialties, as well as my favorite, "wiener schnitzel." Yum! In his later years, Charles "Pop" Mitchell, Hamilton High print shop teacher, wiled away the hours at the Heidelberg bar.

1914: St. James' New Greenwood Avenue Church

This may have been posted a year or so ago, but I still find it to be a very interesting graphic. And to Alan Wildblood, there are relatives who probably would agree with me that "He or she who sings, prays twice." Naturally, with my father being a native of Great Britain, more specifically, Stoke-On-Trent, he brought with him the British tradition of the "High Episcopal" church. I was confirmed at St. Michael's in Trenton way back before I can remember, and I have an excellent memory. I subsequently attended St. James' P.E. Church back in the post war years when Rev. Minchin was the Pastor. The thing I recall most about St. James and the Episcopalians lies in the fact that unlike most Roman Catholic parishes I have attended since converting to the faith some 45 years ago, the Episcopalians like to sing; but more importantly sing hymns that everyone knows, and sung at a key that doesn't require a soprano or high tenor voice. I won't even try to count the number of times I, and numerous other male parishioners in nearby pews, sang along a full octave below the stratospheric music being played.

1935: Central Baptist Church