1943: HAMILTON TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS AND THE WAR EFFORT

We had projects galore at Kuser School during WWII, as did all schools in Hamilton, Mercer County, and indeed, all of America. Posters, music, and dramatic presentations were part of the mix. We basically got our news from the legendary "Weekly Reader," sort of like a kid's version of "Time" or "Newsweek."

1930: A SPELLING BE FOR HAMILTON SCHOOLS

Check out the familiar names in the class listings above: Middleton, Hughes, Klockner, and I even see Magdalena Houlroyd, an Atlantic Avenue resident who went on to become the Librarian at Hamilton High School.

1917: HONOR STUDENTS FROM HAMILTON TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

Look closely; perhaps your mother, grandmother, or great grandmother is among those in the class list above. There are MANY very familiar Hamilton area names in the graphic above.

1897: Hamilton Township School Picnic at Broad Street Park

The annual school picnic was a very popular program back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Note that the article talks of 10 schools, but only 6 are listed.

1895: HAMILTON TOWNSHIP'S FRIENDSHIP SCHOOL

Before there was a Kuser School, before the Hutchinson School and Homedell School, there was a "Friendship School" on the Cedar Street hill. Cedar Street ultimately became Cedar Lane. I recall Mrs. Helen Mack Sutterlin relating stories of her trip to school. She walked from her home at Kuser Farm where her father was the caretaker, across the woods, and over to Cedar Street, then across fields to the old Hutchinson School in the area of today's Woolsey Avenue. This would have been after the Friendship School was abandoned in favor of the Hutchinson School, which in turn was the predecessor to the Homedell School which was built in 1911.

1922: A HAMILTON TOWNSHIP TEACHER'S CONTRACT

Here is another bit of history that I managed to rescue from the recycle bin many years ago. I'm sure the teachers of today will find this a very quaint and uncomplicated contract.

1989: DR. JAMES FEDERICI RECEIVES FELLOWSHIP AWARD

DR.Jim is now retired but very active in the local community. He is currently serving as the president of the Historical Society of Hamilton Township. Jim's knowledge of local history is a matter of fact. He has led numerous school children to historical sites throughout the township, and is very active in the operation of the John Abbott II House on Kuser Road at the entrance to Veterans' Park.

1988: KLOCKNER AND KUSER SCHOOLS: TWINS

Klockner school celebrated their centennial in 1988, the date when the township voted for a new school on Klockner Road. The school actually opened in 1909, the same as Kuser School which is now embarking on a 2009 Centennial year celebration. With few minor exceptions, Kuser and Klockner are twins. In fact, Klockner still maintains the little "Boys" and "Girls" foyers on either side of the school. Kuser had the identical construction back in 1909, and Kuser added the present "wings" in order to add rooms. Both schols started out as four room school houses.

1935: HAMILTON TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS, ETC.

THE ABOVE ARTICLE IS IN THE HAMILTON LIBRARY'S "HAMILTON BOARD OF EDUCATION" FOLDER. IT IS QUITE INTERESTING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS TO READ ABOUT THE PERSONS, PLACES, AND THINGS IN THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. PARTICULARY INTERESTING ARE THE TEACHERS AND THEIR ASSIGNMENTS.

1897" ROWAN SCHOOL

IT WAS ALSO KNOWN AN THE "BROAD STREET PARK SCHOOL." IT WAS LOCATED ON THE PLOT OF LAND WHERE RUSLING HOSE VFD IS CURRENTLY LOCATED.

THE SCHOOL AT BROAD STREET PARK

THE SCHOOL REFERRED TO IN THESE POSTS REFER TO THE SCHOOL WHICH WAS LOCATED ON CHAMBERS STREET ON LAND NOW OCCUPIED BY THE RUSLING FIRE HOUSE.

1914: BROAD STREET PARK ALUMNI

1943: Meanwhile, in WWII Hamilton....

I was in the 4th grade at Kuser School. Yes, I remeber this WWII public school effort. I even remember my project. It was a poster. I drew a 10 year old boy's picture of a "P-39" Bell Airacobra shooting down an ME 109 German Messerschmitt. For me it was the era of "Hop Harrigan, Ace of the Airways,"and "Captain Midnight." My 4th grade teacher, Miss Rhelda Steiner liked my drawing, but I wasn't among the defense stamp and defense bond prize winners.

1990: THIS IS DISCIPLINE?

SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT IN TODAY'S PUBLIC SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, TROUBLE MAKING STUDENTS ARE TREATED WITH KID GLOVES WHEN COMPARED WITH THE GENERATION OF CITIZENS WHO ATTENDED OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS IN THE 1930's THROUGH THE 1950's.

1943: Hamilton Township Schools Support the War Effort

When this column appeared in 1943, I was in Miss Ruth Margerum's third grade at Kuser School. I can't say I remember the booklet referred to, but I can sure recall the various WWII home front programs. Tuesday was "Defense Stamp Day." Those of us who came from a family with limited means were lucky if Mom gave us a dime to buy one red ten cent defense stamp. Some of my classmates from more affluent families went first class and bout the beautiful green twenty five cent stamp. When the ten cent book was filled, it was redeemable after a period of time for.....as I recall, $18.75. Please correct me if I am in error. And then there was "Red Cross Day," where we bought in our pennies, nickels and dimes, and contributed to the Red Cross. Remember that little white button with the red cross on it?

1900: Andrew Rowan School Controversy

Andrew Rowan was a wealthy philanthropic land owner in the Broad Street Park area of Hamilton. He, along with Rusling and Willey andid much to improve the area back in the early years of Broad Street Park. As can be seen in this article, the Board of Education ran out of money and couldn't abide by the strictures set on money Rowan set aside for a four room school house.