We all had a teacher or teachers who had an influence on our lives long after we left the hallowed halls of grammar and high schools. For me, there were three: Miss Louise Baird, Miss Julia McClain, and Miss Ruth Margerum. Miss Baird and Miss Margerum were the two teachers who cultivated my lifelong interest in music, while Miss McClain encouraged me to focus on my natural talents of reading and writing way back in the 6th grade at Kuser School. These teachers instilled in me an incredible interest in these fields that has remained with me at the age of 80 plus. Did you also have a teacher or teacher whose influence is with you to this day? I'd be interested to know what school, and what teacher and how you were influenced. 

1944: HERMAN THE GOOSE

I was born and raised in the rather non complimentary area then known as "the sticks." We had a very large garden during the growing season. We also had three chicken coops staffed with "Barred Rocks," "Leghorns," and "Rhode Island Reds." Add a gaggle of geese and you had one of the area's "garden farms." The photo shows mom Glover feeding our Leghorns. the article tells the story of "Herman the Goose." During the Great Depression, the chickens and their eggs, along with our famous "beefsteak" Jersey tomatoes, served as an escape from a food shortage. Our next door neighbors was the Arena family. Mom Arena and Mom Glover engaged in an active over the fence activity known as "bartering." Mom Arena's pasta, etc. for Mom Glover's eggs, and chickens. A lost art. Our relationship with our next door neighbors was similar to our family relationships. Summers on the front porches and hours of pleasant conversation, or perhaps a snappy game of "catch five," poker or rummy. Wonderful memories from a special time in my life.

1992: JIM MALONEY'S TRENTON CATHOLIC

 Even as I have written well over 50 columns over the past 32 years recalling my years as a student at Hamilton High School, so too does my old friend Jim Maloney as in the articles above he retells some of his memories of his time as a student at that venerable in irrepalceable high school which met an unfortunate demise in the early 1960's. Frank Tylus also added a few memories. Note that the articles are not in the order in the 3 Tom Glover columns in the graphics above

1930: PAWLUKEWICH'S GENERAL STORE

I have a special fondness for photos of the old "corner store," "general store," "and "grocery store" before they were run out of business by the excuse the expression, "convenience store." These folks were part of a vanishing era of Americana that is sadly missed these many years later. I never had the pleasure of attending the beautiful store in the graphic from Ms. Valerie Seefelt whose Dad's family owned the E. Trenton store on Klagg Avenue. However, I would bet that Mr. Pawlukewich had customers like the Glover family who were down on hard time during the depression and very generously and kindly kept a running log of money owed. Many never paid back the credit so generously extended by these wonderful people from the "Greatest Generation."

1951: REMEMBERING MY HIGH SCHOOL YEARS.

Unfortunately, many of my classmates from the class of 1951 are not computer users. If you know any Hamilton High alumni from the 1950's and correspond via email, copy and paste the link below and let them spend a few minutes remembering Hamilton High when it was the only high school in Hamilton.

THIS PRESENTATION IS BEING REVISED TO REPLACE THE LAST SONG IN THE PRESENTATION. SOMEHOW, THE SONG I CHOSE BY JONI JAMES WAS REPLACED WITH A SCREAMING FEMALE WHOSE MUSIC DOES NOT BELONG ON MY SCREEN.

Email comments to tglover320@optimum.net

The graphic is just one of 68 photos found in my "HHS '51" which is a "Smilebox" presentation. I was careful to find musical accompaniment that matched the mood of the video. Below is the link that will take you to the presentation. NOTE: The VERY BOTTOM left of the screen allows for full screen viewing. When a slide similar to the above graphic comes on screen, click on the "play" arrow and you will pause the presentation so you can read the excerpts from my "Hamilton High Odyssey" article I wrote a number of years ago.

THIS IS A LARGE 68 PAGE PRESENTATION AND TAKES SOME TIME TO LOAD
.

http://www.smilebox.com/play/4d7a6b354d5455304f544d3d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link&partner=smileboxm

1936 AND 1938: VILLA PARK SCHOOL

I have been posting numerous photos, articles, and nostalgic ephemera on Facebook, but find that there are apparently spammers, hackers, or other n'er do wells who have caused the founder of that wonderful site to close down. Unfortunately, there is a problem with an "open" website where comments can be posted that are hurtful and offensive. Fortunately, Blogger allows me as Webmaster to remove any spam, junk, foul language, or off color and offensive comments. I am "back home" on this blog and will stay here and concentrate on posting quality historic, nostalgic and very interesting material on Hamilton, Trenton, Ewing, and indeed Mercer County.

2014: THE PHOTO IN TODAY'S "SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY" TRENTON TIMES COLUMN

Unfortunately, space is at a premium in newspapers today. My sentimental journey to St.Anthony's church column today had this photo of my singing group, "Wings of Song" as we sang for the prayer group at Our Lady of Sorrows back in the 90's. Our music was really Biblical scripture put to music, and we really made beautifully spiritual and uplifting musical moments. The photo was too small to include the identity of those wonderful singers.  

2014: IF IT'S THE LENTEN SEASON, CAN SPRING BE FAR BEHIND?

Here's an interesting article detailing the 1869 Lenten season. A number of years ago, Father Mick Lambeth held a Tenabrae service as Sacred Heart Church here in Trenton. As a convert to the Faith, I had never known there was such an interesting service. One of the more fascinating aspects of the Faith lies in the incredible historic traditions that have survived the centuries. 

1814: TRENTON'S SACRED HEART PARISH TO CELEBRATE 200th ANNIVERSARY

Trenton's Sacred Heart Parish will celebrate a 200th year anniversary in this year of 2014. The oldest Roman Catholic parish in New Jersey was founded way back in 2014 and has an incredibly interesting history. There are well over 200 digital files relating to St. John's/Sacred Heart, and the folder is added to as new material is found. 

1909: YOUR GREAT GRANDFATHER'S CHAMBERSBURG

When Chambersburg was "peach and apple orchards, wheat and corn fields."

Above is a fascinating and historical view of very early Chambersburg. As told by

John Schimmel, a Chambersburg pioneer.

This is a fascinating photo showing a house mover's progress in moving a structure from Elmer Street as seen from So. Clinton Avenue. The colored photo to the right is what I believe to be the same view as seen via a Google Earth, which I modified somewhat to bring the photo into the area I believe was the subject of the 1909 photo. Note that in 1909, offset newspaper photos were very primitive and lacking the fine detail found in today's news media. 

This article tells of the growing unemployment problem among the Italian immigrants to this area. 

1910: A MERCER TAXI FOR THE "TRENTON TAXICAB CO."

I drew this in pen and ink way back in 1989 for one of my columns. If you go to the Trenton State Gazette of July 7, 1910 you will see a very poor offset photo of this unusual Mercer Automobile Company vehicle. The art of newspaper offset printed graphics was in its infancy and the original photo is very poorly reproduced. My interest in the Kuser family was the inspiration for this drawing. It pains me to know that Fritz and Edna Kuser passed away before they could read and view some of the wonderful material I have on the Kuser family that is being preserved in the Hamilton Township Public Library Local History Collection. 

1982: EVEN AFTER 32 YEARS, KUSER FARM IS STILL HOME

Those who have been following my writings over the past 30 plus years will recall that I have COUNTLESS memories of growing up with the Kusers from the age of 12 right up to the sad day when Edna and Fritz Kuser could no longer handle the responsibilities of managing that wonderful old homestead. My family's encounter with the Kusers began way back in 1938 when my older brother Bud began working for the Kusers as a young boy doing chores such as raking leaves, cleaning up fallen branches, and as he matured, painting, repairing, and ultimately becoming an operator of Fritz Kuser's "Simplex-Acme" portable 35 millimeter motion picture projectors. I followed in my brother's footsteps when Bud entered the Navy in World War II. After all these  years, Fritz and Edna Kuser's "Kuser Farm" is now known as Hamilton Township's "Kuser Farm Park." For me it has become a spiritual  getaway for me where every nook and cranny holds a memory. I will be ever grateful to my dear friend, the late Maurice "Maury" Perilli for counseling fellow Democrat Edna Kuser as to the best way to leave their beloved home to the area citizens as a park, and to former Mayor John "Jack" Rafferty for making it happen. Psychologically, I would assume that my devotion to this place is why I have been bringing my nostalgic music program to Kuser Park Gazebo each summer for the past 8 or 9 years. These musical presentations certainly do not draw standing room only crowds; no high profile local celebrities, no high profile politicians, just common folks such as I who are devotees of music from an era when music was music. At age 80 approaching 81, I don't know how much longer I will be able to maintain my singing voice, but I will go on until my vocal chords are no longer at my command.  

2014: REMEMBER ME? CABIN FEVER!

I had a TON of catching up to do during this prolonged snowy holiday weekend! Indeed, I spent HOURS between shoveling snow and doing SERIOUS maintenance on this computer. With over 500,000 files and the LONG time it takes to scan for viruses, duplicates, etc., I had little time to go on line here or on Facebook. But I'm back and ready to go. In the meantime, here's a memory of my wonderful years working for Fritz and Edna Kuser. Enjoy!

1937: LAWRENCE ROAD AND RICHMOND AVENUE

Any Lawrenceville visitors out there who can locate this photo's location in Lawrence? A Google Earth search failed to find a Richmond Avenue.

1948 - 1949: TRACY'S - HAMILTON FOOD MARKET AND JIM STANTON'S HARDWARE

This fascinating collection of Villa Park legends has a treasured place in the Hamilton Library Local History's "BUSINESSES-TRENTON" folder. I spent quite a long time computer coloring the top photo but it was worth the effort. Stanton's Hardware was a regular stop for folks in our Colonial Gardens neighborhood as was Groh's Hardware just up the street.

1942: TRACY'S "FIVE AND TEN;" A VANISHING PIECE OF AMERICANA

Tracy's was the "in" place for nearly all your household needs. Here's a World War II photo of that great old five and ten cent store so familiar to those of us who are old enough to recall Woolworth's and Kresge's. I have another copy of this photo which I hand colored and calling attention to that familiar red background with the gold TRACY's in bold relief. Tracy's also had stores in Morrisville and Hightstown.

1940's: CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH

 

 

February 4th was the birthday if my "big brother" Bud who went to be with the Lord in the year 2012. He and I and his family were very close. Like me, Bud was a convert to the Faith; he to the Baptist, and I to the Roman Catholic. I received an email from Bill Zulker who was a member of Central Baptist back in earlier years. I graduated from and was a Hamilton High 1951 classmate of Ginny Zulker who was a fellow member of Louise Baird's legendary Hamilton High School choir. This was back in the years when we were allowed to sing religions hymns glorifying our Lord and indeed we sang some hymns that literally moved us to tears. Brother Bud's entry into the Faith came as a result his meeting and marrying his wife of 59 years, Florence Adam, whose Central Baptist family roots go way back into the 1930's.Below is an email I received from Bill Zulker who was one of the very zealous members of that legendary Baptist church in Trenton, and now Ewing Township. One of the wonderful things about this computer age lies in our ability to re-kindle old acquaintances; here's an example:

BILL ZULKER WROTE:
Hi Tom,
My aged 87-year-old brother Chuck keeps reminding me of your writing.
Yesterday, I was looking at your blogs and want you to know that you "jogged" my memory about two things.

First, The Contemporary Club on West State Street was the location where we held Youth For Christ meetings each week - Friday nights or Saturday nights in 1947.
After my return from serving in the Army - 1945-1947, I founded and directed this youth movement in Trenton. During my service in Europe, I had become the President and Director of Frankfurt, Germany Youth For Christ which was primarily a "soldier's" ministry at the time. When I returned home I was encouraged to start it there, and obtained a charter from the national organization to do so. The idea was to keep it independent from any specific church or denomination, and thus we rented the auditorium at the Contemporary Club. What memories. You can read more about this ministry on my web-page - www.williamzulker.com

The second memory came about when I saw your blog of Jan 19, 2014 showing South Broad and Front Streets. In 1948 as a part of TYFC we rented the third floor of that corner building for a Youth Center. We wanted to provide Christian young people with a setting to meet others after school, in the evenings and on weekends in a suitable environment of Christian fellowship. Mayor Connolly cut the ribbon on Memorial Day right there at street level at the door pictured to the far left.
Unfortunately, things didn't develop as planned when in September I un-expectedly decided it was time to start college just shortly before my 22nd birthday, and left for South Carolina. The vision was not caught by anyone else!

Seeing this photo of "1949", I don't recall the large Pale Dry Billboard and don't think it was there in the Summer of 1948. We had several windows like the one that looks open at the front.

And just up the street was The Eton Shop where I worked from the summer of 1943 until I went in the Army in June 1945 during my Junior and Senior years at Hamilton High, and again when I returned in 1947 til I went to college in 1948.

Soooo, I just thought I would tell you how much I enjoy reading your reflections.

By the way, when we moved from the Philadelphia suburbs here to Lebanon County, PA a few years ago, I was very interested in knowing more about this seemingly remote area that was so different. The upshot was that I ended up writing a column for the Lebanon Daily News each month entitled "The Way It Was" in Lebanon County in ???? year. After two and a half years I gave it up, but you can read those columns in my web-site as well.

Keep going, and have a great year.

In admiration,

I will be presenting "Music for Lovers Only;" an on-screen musical valentine presentation at the Kuser Mansion. Mayor Kelly A.Yaede and Kuser Mansion Program Coordinator Ms. Patti Hill extend an invitation to this free hour and a half of lovely ballads we all know and love. 

The fire code limits seating to 50 in the Kuser Farm Theater. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED.

CALL 890-3630 NOW TO BE SURE TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT OR SEATS!

A list of those who reserve will be checked at the door.

1935: WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DEPRESSION TRENTON

This is a copy of a previous post that I am re-posting for the benefit of Facebook patrons who will not be able to read it on their facebook page due to Facebook's size limits for graphics. It is a fascinating look at the Trenton area and the ads are absolutely riveting.

1937: WEST STATE AND WILLOW STREET

Here's a zoomed in view from the Duke University Library R.C. Maxwell file number XXX3527 which gives a beautiful closeup of the Stacy Trent and Hildebrecht hotels including the Llewellen corner drug store as it looked in the year 1937.

1955: JUST A FEW OF MY MEMORIES OF TEEN AGE "EATERIES"

Above is a column I wrote many years ago telling of a few of our teen age destinations either before or after a date with that special someone. Somewhere among the thousand plus columns I have written over the years is the story of a legendary hot dog stand known to many of my generation as "Dirty Bill's" up along the River Road in Yardley just a bit away from the bridge. These were years right out of the movie "Grease" where we were in the bloom of youth. We guys had raging hormones, and the girls had that special femininity which can be liked to fresh, newly matured gorgeous flowers. In those years before the in your face sex we find in the media, the girls were home taught in the area of social behavior while we boys CHASED girls that were CHASTE. Read the above article and let's go back for a very few precious minutes to a much simpler and less complicated time. 

1936: TRENTON'S "BROOKVILLE BRIDGE"

I will defer to old time former and present residents of the Brookville section of Trenton for any information on this vintage photo of "The Brookville Bridge," taken in 1936. The Brookville area is along the Riverside Drive-Sanhican Drive area. I was told that years ago, a tile manufacturing company was located in the Brookville area. That tile company was the predecessor of the American Biltrite Rubber Company. Perhaps a local visitor familiar with the area can fill us in.

1912: DEVELOPMENT OF THE CUYLER ST. AREA

Neighborhood development history is exciting. It gives one the chance to know when a neighborhood had it beginnings. Here's a plat map of the Cuyler, Cook. and Ardmore area which was quite suburban back in 1912.

1949: SOUTH BROAD STREET AT FRONT ST.

I really love this photo. It is an area of Trenton close to Goldberg's; which was my favorite place when I was a boy. Their "Toyland" was beyond compare. Later in my young life, I worked in the mens; wear department at Gimbels with Mrs. Whitebread, the mother of one of my Kuser grammar school sweethearts. Then, along came Swern;s and Santa's annual climb up the ladder to the second floor of the store, and finally, Lit Brother's took over. With the social unrest, rioting and pillaging of the town back in the sick sixties, all those great old landmark stores left town.

1949: NO. OLDEN AVENUE EXTENSION AT PENNINGTON ROAD

PETE SAPNAR, THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING MY ERROR!  It was I who gave the incorrect information that this was a view of Pennington Road "heading toward the city of Trenton." Thanks to the sharp eye of Peter, it is really North Olden Avenue Extension heading toward Parkway Avenue.


A CORRECTION FROM FACEBOOK 
VISITOR PETE SPANAR:
Pete Sapnar The photo captioned "1949: Pennington Rd at No. Olden Ave Extension" is mislabeled as the camera is looking up No. Olden Ave. The cross road is Pennington Rd. Note the sign pointing to the right leading to Ewingville and Flemington and pointing left to go to Trenton

Following is the re-written information which will correct the error:
 This was familiar territory for me back in 1952 when I was employed in the very beginning of what would be a dead end career at the Trenton Bearing Company at 1812 North Olden Avenue Extension. Frank Ayres' Esso station is on the right, and across the street one of my many lunch time stops, a littl shack on No. Olden Avenue where a guy I only recall as "Frank" offered the most delicious Italian sausage sandwiches you could imagine

1940: INTERESTING PHOTO ROUTE 33 AT GREENWOOD CEMETERY

Here's an interesting view of NottinghamWay at Greenwood Cemetery. In the distance you can see the continuation of Nottingham Way and Greenwood Avenue to the left. The "Cottage Counter" is on the right. today there's a pizza restaurant at this location, The Cape Cod style building housing the Cottage Counter is long gone.

1922: THE ROARING TWENTIES IN TRENTON NJ

This exquisite  R.C. Maxwell-Duke University Library photo taken from the area of Trenton's City Hall has remarkable detail. I have brightened up the dark areas and balanced the overall contrast in this photo with PhotoShop. It was originally scanned in color in the Maxwell Duke library  instead of gray scale. Converting to gray scale allowed for enhancement as seen in the photo.

1941: SO. BROAD STREET AT GREENWOOD AND CENTRE STREET

This is a beautiful R.C. Maxwell copyrighted photo of the "Green-Mar" area of Trenton, adjacent to Trenton's Sacred Heart Church; the oldest parish in the State of New Jersey which is celebrating its 200th anniversary in this year of 2014. Note the predecessor to Samuel F.B. Light. Note also the Gulf station that is long gone and replaced by a vacant lot.

2014: MY SUNDAY "SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY" COLUMN IN THE TIMES

Thanks to Mr. Dennis Hawver of West Windsor for this interesting link to the 1950's in the Delaware Valley.  

Dennis wrote:
 
Liked your Sunday column on earlier TV. Here's a video from only 58 years ago (only???)

Notice all the things and places that aren't there anymore!
Thought you might like to re-see a little history ---

This is a Mid-Fifties slice of life and landscape in Philadelphia and its surrounding towns, with excellent color footage of downtown scenes, neighborhoods, the Mummers Parade, Levittown, factories in Camden, NJ, and many other subjects that can no longer be seen.

It was produced at the time by WPTZ Channel 3, now known as KYW CBS 3. Pete Boyle Sr., father of Pete Boyle, cast member of Everybody Loves Raymond, had a children's show and is briefly shown in this clip. Some good shots of Dock Street as well. Notice too that all the cars shown are American!

CLICK ON LINK BELOW

http://www.archive.org/details/Miracleo1955

1946: "LEST WE FORGET:" VILLA PARK REMEMBERS

It took a little longer than I usually do to put together this graphic, but my admiration and respect for our men in women in uniform serving our country is a small sacrifice. Here we see that those citizens of one of Trenton's lovely neighborhoods also had respect and admiration for their native residents who served in World War II.

2014: "LOVE; IT'S WHAT MAKES A SUBARU A SUBARU"

Truer words were never spoken! My Impreza literally walks on the snow. Here's my two driveways that were made passable by my Subaru Impreza that is seen in my garage.

1941: GRAND OPENING OF THE WHITE HORSE BOWLING ACADEMY

I dare say that grand old bowling palace was the most popular venue back in the day. I wasn't and am not a bowling person, but most of my buddies were. Indeed, I would guess that most of the local community visited this legendary bowling academy at one time or another.

2014: WOW, THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS!

Bill Klek is, and has been a regular visitor to this website. He is also an accomplished researcher who has found numerous items for which I have been searching. Yesterday I received this email from Bill and was very pleased to see that we are considered a source. Thanks very much for this much appreciated "shot in the arm!"

MESSAGE FROM BILL KLEK:
 
Tom:

I finally got a reply from the library of congress. The researcher went above and beyond trying to find any diagram, picture, sketch; did a great job searching numerous resources. But in the end, no luck. But get this: She mentioned you by name, and said I should contact you!

Bill

2014: BLOGSPOT DID IT AGAIN! JANUARY 2014 LOST!

This website is hosted by Google. In all the years that I have been posting, I have only ran into one glitch which resulted in the loss of material which I have posted. In doing routine and necessary housekeeping I was prompted to erase errors of posts that were defective for one reason or another. I am still trying to find out what caused the loss, but unfortunately there is no peronal contacts; only "FAQ" type situations. I have gone to my most recent posts and post some of the recent graphics. You will note that the page following this dates back to December which means I lost most of January for the past 20 days. Sorry for the error.

Tom: I will repeat my post which obviously was victim of the "Google Gremlin" You never fail to hit the right key strokes with your postings. My favorite two subjects are connected herein. The " Fitzgeorge's who as the adv. noted as the selling agents for the Chambersburg lots, lived just in the 200 block of Jackson St. where my sister, and cousins once lived, just a block from our revered Sacred Heart Church. Ted Fitzgeorge; his grandson was a communicant at Sacred Heart while I was a regular attendee there. Ted a local attorney married a fellow student of mine from where else; Jr. 4 by the name of Joy Nabinger. See my 2 favorite places, all in one paragraph. Nice going Tom, and Thanks for all the wonderful memories. As I have said before, Performing the hundreds of wedding ceremonies, and reading your blogs, keep me from destroying some beautiful golf course with my inability to play the game. 
Best always Mike Kuzma

With the drastic and rapid change in the Chambersburg we all know and love, the history of that wonderful "borough" is a very apropos subject. With the advent of the personal computer and the ability to display graphics of historic interest, I find more and more historical material on the web. Facebook has many local interest historic pages relating to our local area. It's difficult to envision that very crowded area of Trenton as being farmland dotted with cornfields, orchards and open farm land. Above is graphic proof that indeed it was.