MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL

 

One of the subjects very near to the top of my interest in local history lies in the old one room school houses that once dotted our very rural past, and the early 20th century schools that replaced them. Above is a photo of Maple Shade School prior to the construction of the familiar red brick building that was once located on White Horse Avenue. The original was black and white and I took the liberty of hand coloring it to give it a bit of realism. Below is an early 20th century class photo with many well known local White Horse residents.

MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL ALBUM

Over the years, I have acquired a substantial number of photos and articles relating to the many venues in the Hamilton-Trenton-Mercer County area. Above are only a very few photos and articles from the "MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL" folder in the Hamilton Township Public Library's Local History Collection. As I enter my 80th year and realizing that I have been actively researching, saving, and writing about these various subjects, I have come to realize that there is a historically valuable collection of rare and historical photos and articles from all areas. Granted, there are only a select few of us who treasure this history project, and even though it gets little publicity, one day these little bits and pieces of local history will be appreciated by a more history-aware public.

1956: HERE'S MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL'S CLASS OF 1956

How time has flown! This class would go on to be the class of 1960 at Hamilton High. Unlike my generation, many of these former students are computer literate. Accordingly, if there are any visitors to this site who can identify the students in the photo above, I would really appreciate it.

Bob Chianese said...
Tom:I have a complete list of our 8th grade Maple Shade School classmates--their signatures on the back!. We all moved on to high school together and we're holding a reunion this October, our 52nd year after being graduated together from Hamilton High in 1960. I believe Eleanor Goldy Guear just sent you the announcement--that's us!By the way we were a bunch of students who were bussed all around the township for grade school--DeCou (K-3), Rowan (4), back to DeCou (5) the new MacGalliard (6), then Maple Shade (7-8), then Steinert (9) then Hamilton (10-12). DeCou, Rowan and Maple Shade are gone, though we are still here, at least for a while yet.Bob Chianese
Thursday, August 09, 2012

Great to hear from you again, Bob. I have posted the page identifying the students. Thanks for taking the time to send it, and also for visiting.

Tom

1934: Maple Shade School's Class of 1934

There's a McClain, Sharp, Grice, Pullen, and other old White Horse family names in the class photo above, all preserved for posterity in the "MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL" folder in the Hamilton Township Public Library Local History Digital Database.

1934: THE PLAYGROUND AT MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL

The many school playgrounds established by local municipalities were very popular gathering places for the kids who grew up during the Great Depression. Here we see a number of White Horse children having the time of their lives enjoying the fresh outdoors in a wholesome atmosphere.

Circa 1984: Mary Meyers Schujko Remembers Maple Shade School

Long before I got into computing, and during the time that I was writing a weekly column for the Mercer Messenger with a typewriter, many readers sent me letters which could not be published in the paper due to space constraints. I have saved many of those letters, and now after quite a few years, I am publishing them for the benefit of the community. Mary Meyers Schujko's memories of Maple Shade and her school years in Hamilton parallel my own memories of a very pleasant era in our lives. Mary, if you are a visitor, here's a re-run of a very heartwarming letter you wrote reminiscing about your years at the late, great, much missed, Maple Shade NEIGHBORHOOD School.

1989: TOM GLOVER'S MAPLES SHADE SCHOOL AND WHITE HORSE

I wrote this White Horse related article which appeared with the Mercer Messenger's feature on historic persons, places, and things from Hamilton Township's historic past. The two photos have been added.

1937 MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL HONOR ROLL

Many familiar old line White Horse names in the above list of students.

1936: Maple Shade Class of '36

This and the following Maple Shade series of class photos is included in my "Maple Shade School" digital and hard copy folders in the Hamilton Library. As indicated elsewhere on this website, I have a special interest in class photos; probably due to the fact that I have met many of the individuals in the various photos from schools all over the Hamilton-Trenton-Mercer County area.

1933: MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL CLASS OF '33

These Maple Shade students are in their 90's now. I see my friend Lillian Tindall Smith from the Hamilton Township Historical Society in the front row, and another old friend, the late Al Thiel who was an active member of St. Anthony's Holy Name Society when I was president of that august group back in the 1980's. Al operated the cemetery monument business across from Greenwood Cemetery, and in some distant way is related to the late Phoebe Thiel, who was my uncle Charlie Gaudette's sister. Other names in that class are very familiar: Gropp, Stemhagen, and Markgraf.

1974: JULIANNA MEYER SCHUJKO REMEMBERS MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL

I am not the only person who has very pleasant memories of my grammar and high school years. Julianna Meyers Schujko has the same sentiments as I as she recalls some of her more memorable years at White Horse's Maple Shade School. Well done, Julianna! Memories are made of this!

DATE? MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL: GOODBYE, OLD FRIEND

What sad days they were, as the wrecking ball demolished still another grammar school. Along with Farmindale, White Horse's Maple Shade grammar school lives on in the memory of many of the alumni who are still with us. Thankfully, many of the early 20th century grammar schools have survived the wrecker's ball, with community and municipal personnel maintaining them.

CAN ANYONE ASSIST ME WITH DATING THE PHOTO ABOVE?

Tom - 1975 or 1976 is as close as I can come to an approximate year of Maple Shade's demolition. I substituted in Maple Shade when my son was in first grade at another school, and he was born in 1969.Lakeside Girl
Friday, February 20, 2009

1945: SCHOOL VANDALISM

The next time you drive past Kuser School, take a look at the windows. Back in the 1980's, Kuser was restored and all dressed up for the 75th anniversary celebration of the founding of the school. The great old building was refreshed with a newly re-pointed red brick surface, and new windows.
New windows? I can only speculate as to why the school system chose to go with replacement windows made of lexan, plexiglass, or whatever the plastic industry uses instead of plate glass. I assume it was due to the proliferation of those criminals in our society whom we call "vandals." Over the years since the installation of those new windows, ultra violet and other of Mother Nature's weapons have rendered those windows completely ugly and non-transparent.
As you can see by the 1945 article published above, school vandalism was alive and well back in 1945. Indeed, a few articles dating back to the 1800's are in those old newspaper clippings, where these anti social creatures decimated public taxpayers' property.
Were I the judge facing these CRIMINALS, they or their parents would repair or replace the damage. If they resorted to graffiti which we find all over the area, each "artist" would be given a toothbrush to erase their un-wanted "tags." Thankfully, I am not a judge. I'm sure the ACLU would have me removed from office for "cruel and unusual punishment" to the little darlings whose names may not be published because we wouldn't want to tarnish their future.

1935: MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL CLASS OF '35

THE ABOVE PHOTO WAS TAKEN WITH MY CAMERA. THE ACTUAL PHOTO IS NEARLY 36" WIDE AND MUCH TOO LARGE FOR THE SCANNER BED. IT IS ON DISPLAY IN MY HAMILTON LIBRARY ARCHIVES WORKSHOP.

1937: HAMILTON SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS

EACH SUMMER, THE TOWNSHIP OF HAMILTON THREW OPEN THEIR SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS FOR THE USE OF THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. ILLUSTRATED HERE ARE KIDS PLAYING AT THE MAPLE SHADE AND DECOU PLAYGROUNDS. THE POST THAT FOLLOWS IS FROM THE SAME SUNDAY TIMES ADVERTISER PICTORIAL.

AN EARLY VERSION OF MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL

THIS GRAPHIC WAS ORIGINALLY A SEPIA COLORED PHOTO FROM THE MCGALLIARD FAMILY VIA MS. ELEANOR ROGERS OF HAMILTON SQUARE. I UTILIZED MY GRAPHICS SOFTWARE TO HAND COLOR IT, LENDING A BIT OF AUTHENTICITY. THE ORIGINAL PHOTO DIDN'T REVEAL THE COLOR OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDING, SO THE COLOR SCHEME I CHOSE IS PURE SPECULATION. (THE GRASS IS AUTHENTIC!)

OUCH! THE DEMOLITION OF MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL

HOW SAD IT IS TO SEE A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL GO UNDER THE WRECKER'S BALL. I HOPE KUSER, KLOCKNER, AND LALOR WILL MAINTAIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONCEPT.

1936: MAPLE SHADE '36 GRADUATES AND FACULTY

JOHN KROSCHWITZ, IS THAT YOUR DAD IN THE PHOTO? THERE ARE MANY FAMILIAR NATIVE WHITE HORSE FAMILY NAMES IN THIS PHOTO.

1937: MAPLE SHADE KEYSTONE PATROL

I AM POSTING A STRING OF MAPLE SHADE SCHOOL RELATED GRAPHICS. IT WAS TRULY A SAD DAY WHEN THAT GRAND OLD SCHOOL WAS DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR AN OFFICE CENTER. A PHOTO OF THE DEMOLITION IS INCLUDED IN THIS STRING OF GRAPHICS.

1934: MAPLE SHADE CLASS OF 1934

One of the more fascinating facets of this history project is unearthing is reading about many of the relatives of those in the photos which are being posted. On a personal basis, I have found photos of my cousins, my uncle,and even the wedding announcement of my mother and father. I would ask that you ignore the "White Horse School" entry at the top of the graphic.....a senior moment.