1800's - 1900's:SEGREGATED TRENTON SCHOOLS

The history of the African-American community is and has been one of the subjects that has some very interesting historic facts. One of those subjects relates to the segregation of the African-American population not only nationwide, but locally here in the Trenton area. I have been researching material on local schools for a presentation for the Hamilton Township Historical Society which I will be making in the fall of this year. Along with such intriguing names as Friendship School, Edgebrook, etc. there are the schools which were set aside for the black children who lived in Trenton at the time. Thus far, I have found that there was a segregated school for the "colored" in the mid 1850's on Trenton's Hanover Street. Bellevue Avenue was originally known as Higbee Street. The teacher's log book shown above was from the time when the "Bellevue Avenue Public School" was located there. It is believed that this school was not a school for black students. The Lincoln School, then the Nixon School succeeded it and were schools for black children. Note that this is SPECULATION on my part, and subject to correction if someone should have information that will further enlighten those who are interested in researching the subject. 

 RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HEY MIKE, THIS IS RALPH, LETTING YOU KNOW I,M STILL AROUND. I'M GONNA BE 95 YEARS OLD IN AUGUST AND LIVING UP IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA. IT'S A CRIME THAT MY BROTHER CHUCK PASSED AWAY SO YOUNG OR ELSE HE WOULD HAVE GONE ON TO BE SOME DOCTOR. BASEBALL WAS THE BIG THING IN BOTH OUR LIVES UNTIL THINGS CHANGED ALL THAT. I OFTEN RECALL THE HAMILTON BOWLING LANES ON ROUTE 33 IN 1954 AND WHAT MY BROTHER LOU AND I DID WE WENT OUT TO INDIANAPOLIS IN 1948 TO SEE CHUCK HELP WIN THE AMERICAN LEGION WORLD SERIES. MAY GOD BLESS HIM AND MAY HE REST IN PEACE .

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

 

 Anonymous said...

Ralphie:

Glad to hear from you, and learn you are still with us.

Chuck was 2 years ahead of me in school, and I knew him as a super nice, and very accomplished guy.
I was in Jr. 4 when the Schroths won the championship. Ronnie Holford, Andy Greener and Gino Silvestro as I recall were his teamates. They too were friends of mine. I also knew his wife, and her twin sister.
All great people in a far better time of our country.
Where are you in No. Carolina. I'm in Virginia, about a half hour from the State line with NC.

Be well, and Cent Anni.

Mike Kuzma

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

 

1916: THE STRAND THEATER

E-mails and guest book entries such as this from Ms. Judy Bingley Staed make this project a personally rewarding endeavor not only for me, but for the many visitors to this blog. Judy captures the moment as she recalls her trips to the movies with her mom back in those innocent, less complicated, and bittersweet times. Thank you Judy; and please thank your friend who put you in touch with this blog. I am humbled. Judy wrote:

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

Dear Mr. Glover,

I want to thank you and express my appreciation for all the endless photo and fact finding you have done in reference to Trenton in days past. Your work is so valued by so many. Again, thank you.

Just recently I have begun thinking of Trenton and the "old days." I friend of mine directed me to your website. What a wealth of information it is.

I was raised on Hoffman Avenue near Stuyvesant Avenue. Many were the nights as a small child when my mother would take my hand and off we'd go to the Strand Theater. My dad didn't care for movies and so I made for some company for Mom on these outings. Off we'd go down Hermitage Avenue. It was only a short walk to the Strand.

I remember clearly seeing The High And The Mighty and also Dial M For Murder at the Strand during those very young years in my life. There were so many more movies, however, that Mom took me to see.

Those years evolved into my teens and the Strand was almost like a second home. Every Friday night I'd go to the movies there and after the movie cross Hermitage to Tanzone's where friends and I would have a true Trenton "Tomato Pie."

I have been fortunate to see pictures on your website of the Strand in 1916 and also 1930. I have wondered though if you have ANY pictures of the Strand from the 1950's. I would so love to see one.

Thank you, Mr. Glover, for memories restored and renewed, and most certainly for the opportunity for me to recapture in thought some of the sweetest days of my youth.

Sincerely,

Judy Staed

==========O============

 West End Sal said...

Tom:

I share Judy's love of The Strand -- It was wonderful place where we would go on Saturdays followed by a trip across the street to The Arctic for the best ice cream in the world. The theater was a short walk from Carteret Avenue. I have downloaded a picture of the Strand from your website so it is as close as my desk drawer. Thanks for all you do, Tom

1932 TRENTON HIGH TO OPEN TOMORROW

Please, Facebook users, when you find a graphic that interests you, give credit to the originator of the graphic. Most instances of non credited posts are done without realizing that crediting the source of a graphic is important. There are an increasing number of graphics being posted by those who give proper credit to the Trenton Public Library Trentoniana collection and I would hope that you do the same. I posted the above graphic on this website back in 2012. We have a treasure of old Trenton Times newspaper photos on this website, and it takes a lot of time and tweaking to ready them for posting. THANK YOU in advance!

"PASTIMES FROM PAST TIMES:' AN ON-SCREEN PRESENTATION

Above is a press release from today's Times of Trenton announcing a program I will be doing for the public
at the March meeting of Hamilton's Baha'i community; The on screen presentation will bring memories to many who will be attending. There will also be a short musical interlude during the presentation. Hope to see a few of my local visitors at the program. The program will be held in the LOWER level of the Hamilton Library in room No. 3.

CHARLES CONRAD ABBOTT: AN HISTORIC HAMILTON LEGEND

THE DINING ROOM TABLE: NOT JUST FOR DINNER

For many in my generation, the dining room was our "rec room." It was here that we found the old and very heavy and sturdy dining room table. Along the wall was the "sideboard" of equally sturdy and heave wood,  and in the Glover home, an old piano that my father bought from Henry Liedtka for 3 dollars as I recall the story,  back during the depression. It was here that I and my brothers and sister did our homework, played rummy, catch five, snap, war and countless other card games while listening to the old Gulbranson Radio over in the far corner. Here too that we sat around the table while Pop Glover regaled us with the popular songs of the day. Mom Glover always asked me to sing "When Mother Nature Sings Her Lullaby" and "I Come to the Garden Alone." Our dining room was reserved for dining when relatives came. Our kitchen was our normal dining room. It was here where I added my love of music that was simultaneously being cultivated in me over at Kuser School in Miss Ruth Margerum's third grade. 

1941: I'M SO OLD I REMEMBER THE ST. LOUIS BROWNS!

Well, maybe I don't remember their 1941 team but I sure do remember how they fought for last place in the American League with Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics. Bing Crosby keeps the St. Louis Browns alive for posterity in his role as a Priest in "Going My Way," where he appears a number of times in a St. Louis Browns warmup jacket. The "Brownies" went down in history when out of frustration at all their losses, they hired a "little person" who really stymied the opposition pitchers. 

1986: SENIOR CITIZENS: KEEP THAT GRAY MATTER ALIVE!

One of the numerous nemeses that confront senior citizenship and the aging process is senility, loss of memory, and Alzheimers disease. It has been my impression over the past ten years or so to note that many of my contemporaries have thus far avoided those dreaded "old age" maladies. For me personally, I believe that keeping active with reading, writing, and other mental gymnastics that keep the brain focused goes a long way to postpone the inevitable. Such is the case with the 22 year old article I wrote in a column from that year. So for the relative few senior citizens who are on the computer, see how many of the things referred to in the article you can recall. 

2014: ERROR IN TOM'S "SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY" C0LUMN

If you are a reader of my "Sentimental Journey" column:

There is an error in tomorrow's edition (Sunday March 9 - page 2) which I failed to find until after press time. I erroneously wrote that the old Sacred  Heart School was on Cooper Street. It was on Lamberton Street. I knew it was on Lamberton Street and have no idea why I wrote Cooper Street. Let's call it another of my senior moments. The correction won't appear until at least Monday morning.

2014: TOM GLOVER AND HAMILTON'S CAMP OLDEN PARK

Bob Butera and Vince Mercandetti: Two gentlemen who were in contact with me in the summer of 1992 after I had written an article relating to Hamilton's Camp Olden; a subject I had been researching for years. It all began in early 1990's when I began paging through thousands of pages in my 100 year collection of daily Trenton newspapers, I came upon the story of the "The Potters' Company," and the very intriguing story which involved Henry and Joseph Lawton and another Trentonian, John Beech. When the article on the left in the graphic was published in July, 1992, these two pioneers of the Camp Olden Civil War Roundtable contacted me for more information which was the fruit of my research. Little did I know that Mr. Joe Seliga was researching the same subject as I. I naturally wondered if any of my research was involved in his research. It would have been nice to compare notes. The bottom line: Then-Mayor Jack Rafferty was approached and the founding of Camp Olden Park became a reality. 

1940's: DID YOU EVER PLAY "BUCK-BUCK?"

Today many of our younger generation are clicking on their Ipods, Ipads, Iphones, an Wii units and getting intellectual entertainment; not physical. Before all these 21st century electronic gadgets, we spent hours and hours outdoors, only coming home for lunch and back out again until dinner and in those long days of "Daylight Savings Time," back home until the street lights came on. I dare say there are many in my generation who played that rough and tumble game of Buck Buck, along with many other outdoor activities.

1995: WARTIME HAMILTON-WARTIME TRENTON

The Alice Mount in the article above was the fictional Hamiltonian whose name was the name of my Mom, Alice Mount Glover. Even though the keeper of this diary is fictional, the persons, places, and things written in this fictional diary are accurate accounts taken from the newspapers of the era, along with the memories of her then ten year old son, "Tommy" Glover. 

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.