HHS 50: CRITERION JUNE, 1950

1950: HHS CLASS OF 1950 "FAREWELL PROGRAM"

I RECEIVED AN EMAIL RECENTLY FROM BOB RUSH, HHS '50. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS IN THE CLASS BEFORE MY HHS '51, I IMMEDIATELY REMEMBERED BEING IN A CLASS WITH HIM, BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO REMEMBER WHERE, WHEN OR HOW. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WHEN I WAS A SOPHOMORE AND IN MR. MAURICE QUIMBY'S CLASS, BUT I CAN'T BE SURE. BOB, IF YOU'RE READING THIS EMAIL, DO YOU REMEMBER? (BOB DIDN'T INCLUDE HIS EMAIL ADDRESS WHEN HE SIGNED THE GUESTBOOK.) HERE'S AN INTERESTING PROGRAM FROM HHS '50. THEY WERE A VERY ACTIVE CLASS. HHS '50 ALSO HAS A WEBSITE AT http://www.hhs50.com/. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY FASTIDIOUS IN KEEPING A RECORD OF DECEASED, LOST AND ACTIVE ALUMNI.

1944: Fire Hazards Addressed by Hamilton Town Fathers

I still miss the smell of burning leaves on a crisp, cool day in autumn!

1944: WWII LOCAL BROAD ST. PARK AND KUSER MEN INDUCTED

Here's a list of those men who were inducted into military service. There are many familiar names on the list.

GEORGE GOLDY: PHOTO REVERSED?

ABOVE IS A REVERSE PHOTO OF AN EARLIER POST WHICH IS QUITE CONFUSING. I HAD A TOUGH TIME GETTING ORIENTED. I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING EMAIL FROM YARDVILLE OLD TIMER GEORGE GOLDY. HE SUGGESTED THAT MAYBE THE PHOTO WAS ACCIDENTALLY REVERSED AT THE TIME OF PLACING IT IN THE PAPER.

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GEORGE GOLDY WRITES:
Tom:
As a former Lakesider and after looking at the picture is it possible that the negative was reversed? If you flip it over the mill would be on your left, the store at the lake would be in the correct place and the bridge to Yardville would be in the correct place.George GoldyHere is a reversed copy of the photo. I have made a few notes. Any other comments welcome.And George, many thanks for the e-mail and the suggestion. Let me know if you can now decode the mystery.

THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTION, GEORGE.

LET'S SEE IF THIS MAKES THINGS CLEARER.

1911: The Broad Street Theater

Not to be confused with the RKO Broad Theater which was also on South Broad Street, the original Broad Street Theater is illustrated above in a graphic I created especially remembering the late, lamented RKO Palace Theater which replaced the Broad Street Theater. I remember there was a little novelty shop across the street from the Palace when I was a boy. It was filled with all types of inexpensive novelties: magic tricks, cap guns, fake ink blots, fake broken glass, and other "junk store" stuff that we kids loved. The Palace? I was only there once, way back in the late 40's.

1912: The Interior of St. James P.E. Church, East State Street

This incredibly interesting photo of the interior of the original St. James P.E. Church on East State Street has been reposing in my "St. James P.E. Church" folder for a number of years. It was from a glass slide, taken around during the Christmas season circa 1910-1912. Note the wood/coal burning stove.

1896: The New St. James P.E. Church Dedicated

I have been posting interesting historical graphics from St. James P.E. Church. The one hundred plus year old church started with a small group of Wilbur residents back in the 1890's, where they held their services in a place called the "Wigwam" on East State Street near North Olden Avenue. The nearby area known as Millham (today's East Trenton) and Wilbur had many English immigrants who came to America to work the many potteries in the neighbhorhood. The little congregation grew rapidly and it soon became apparent that a more spacious facility was needed. The article above recalls the construction of their first real church building, built on a plot of land on East State Street, near the intersection of Garfield Avenue. The building is still there occupied by the Rehoboth Church.

The Glover family were followers of the Protestant Episcopal persuasion. My mother and father were married in Christ P.E. Church on Whittaker and Hamilton Avenue in 1923. Before I converted to the Roman Catholic faith, I attended St. James and a number of other P.E. churches. My very early years were spent at St. Paul's P.E. on Centre Street. I was confirmed at St. Michael's on No. Warren Street. With St. James Church being located closer to our Hartley Avenue home, I became a parishioner back in the 1940's, when Rev. Gerald Minchin was the Pastor.

John Stinger - Roots in Trenton and Trenton's Famous "Post 93"

THANKS TO JOHN STINGER FOR HIS REMINISCENCES OF HIS EARLY YEARS IN TRENTON. JOHN SENT ME THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ALONG WITH A LINK TO HIS ART WEBSITE. THANKS, JOHN.
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Hi Tom:

We have never met but I really enjoyed your web site and all that fun history about my hometown! My mother and father were born in Trenton too. Dad was a city fireman and so was my uncle, Captain Art Stinger, Engine 10.I grew up with lots of great police and firemen who use to catch me in between the baseball season. (I had the good fortune to pitch and play baseball for the American Legion team the Trenton Schroths Post 93 way back in the 50’s under Coach Kelly Polumbo.) I am 71 now, live in Stewartsville NJ and retired from corporate life but work every day as a landscape painter exhibiting and selling my paintings. Please visit my web site http://www.stingerfineart.com if you are interested. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to re-visit Trenton’s good old days while I’m taking a break from my painting!

Best regards, John
Ps -please add me to your email list!

1922: TRENTON'S "STATE THEATER"

It wasn't nearly as sumptuous as the Mayfair, Lincoln, Capitol, or Trent, but I attended many
"second run" (as opposed to "first run") movies at the State and the Stacy. It's strange, but many old time Trentonians approach me whenever I write about the theaters which were scattered around Trenton in the 30's and 40's, and recall their attendance at a theater I may have neglected to mention. Does anyone know anything about the "Majestic" theater? I just uncovered an old faded newspaper photo of the place, and without checking my Trenton City Directories, I wondered where it was located.

ST. JOACHIM'S TRENTON PARISH PRIESTS

Lawrence Historian Bob Immordino and I have been working on a very comprehensive multimedia presentation on the history of Chambersburg from the early rural years when it was orchards and cornfields, up to the many years when the American-Italian community made the neighborhood locally famous. This is one of the graphics which are included in the presentation.

1915: TRENTON'S LEGENDARY TAYLOR OPERA HOUSE

That grand old edifice was long gone before I came along, but in its heyday it was the venue for performers from all over the country. It hosted everything from old vaudeville programs to dramatice stage plays.

1910 Circa 1910 Photo St. James P.E. Church

This is an interior photo of the original St. James P.E. church which was located on E. State Street near Garfield Avenue. The building is still there. See the following post for additional information on the history of the church. Note the wood/coal burning stove in the front of the church.

1907: St. James P.E. Church, E. State Street

Back in the 1890's, the St. James Wilbur area Protestant Episcopal mission was organized, meeting in a building known as "the Wigwam" on E. State Street in Wilbur. As the congregation grew, a larger building was constructed and served the parishioners until 1913 when the So. Logan and Greenwood Avenue church was built. This building still exists on E. State Street, diagonally opposite Garfield Avenue. It is currently the home of the Rehoboth Church.

1914: LAKESIDE PARK: A BUNGALOW COMMUNITY

Many Trentonians found Lakeside Park to be the ideal summer getaway back in the early 20th century. These "bungalows" could be had for a price which today seems incredible. I wonder if there are any Lakeside Park visitors to my website who can identify this house.

THIS EMAIL RECEIVED FROM "LAKESIDE GIRL."
Hi Tom - I believe this house is the former home of the Vogt family on the corner of Lakeside Blvd and Dancer Drive (formerly 6th Ave)Lakeside Girl.
THANK YOU, "LAKESIDE GIRL;" YOUR INPUT IS APPRECIATED.

waltsgirl29 has left a new comment on your post
"1914: LAKESIDE PARK: A BUNGALOW COMMUNITY":

This home faces Birch Street and is at the corner where Tettemer crosses it. The house looks the same today. Lakeside will always be "home" for me, so I love the wonderful old photos, thank you. My grandfather built on Tettemer and raised his family there. My father built on Lincoln Ave and raised us there. I raised my girls on Dancer Drive, sold the house to my daughter and in Jan. she will have a son to raise there.

THANKS TO BOTH "LAKESIDE GIRL" AND "WALTSGIRL" FOR ENHANCING THIS POST. YOUR INPUT IS REALLY APPRECIATED. (TOM GLOVER)

1922: "LAKESIDE" IN 1922

Amateur photographer Warren Donaldson took this photo of Gropp's Lake as it looked in 1922. With the very limited number of photos in my collection, I have to admit that I have a really rough time identifying the building in the background. That mysterious building in the upper right is a real puzzle. I do have a very old and very faded photo of the building once on the site when it was Lowrie's Mills, but I can't seem to tie it in with the building above. Perhaps local residtents of the area such as Gary Lippincott or Harold Yaede can enlighten us.

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1906: EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: A CRY FOR HELP

LIKE THAT OLD OAK TREE IN THE POEM ABOVE, THE EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HAS ALSO STOOD SILENTLY AND STATELY THROUGH HUNDREDS OF YEARS. THE RAVAGES OF TIME HAS TAKEN A TOLL ON THAT
MAGNIFICENT CHURCH. IT HAS BEEN STRUCTURALLY COMPROMISED AND THE TOWNSHIP WAS FORCED TO PLACE IT OFF LIMITS TO THE PARISHIONERS. SAY A PRAYER THAT FUNDS CAN BE FOUND TO RESTORE THAT HISTORIC PLACE OF WORSHIP SO THAT IT WILL STAND FOR ANOTHER CENTURY.

WOULDN'T IT BE WONDERFUL IF THE EVER-GENEROUS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WOULD CHANNEL SOME OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FOREIGN AID FUNDS BACK TO AMERICAN AREAS WHICH ARE IN REAL FINANCIAL NEED?

HOW ABOUT A FEDERAL DEPARTMENT ESPECIALLY DEDICATED TO FUNDING PROBLEMS SUCH AS EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IS EXPERIENCING? I EVEN HAVE A SLOGAN FOR THE NEW GOVERNMENT AGENCY:

"CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME."

(THERE I GO, DREAMING AGAIN!)

1931: Lawrenceville's Morris Hall

Next week I will be presenting one of my "The Music We Grew Up With" to the residents of Morris Hall, the historic "home for the aged." It, along with St. Michael's Orphanage in Hopewell, were part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton's effort to provide for the less fortunate in the area.

1875: DEUTZVILLE: THE FORGOTTEN COMMUNITY

Tucked away on the border of both Trenton and Hamilton, I have always felt that Deutzville was the forgotten community. During the early years when the Deutz family operated the nationally known gold jewelry factory, it was much more prominent. Except for the very viable and locally popular Easter festivities at St. Jehosophat parish, we hear very little news coming from that section of Hamilton. The map was scanned from an 1875 Evert-Stewart Atlas in my collection, now in the Hamilton Library Local History Collection.

1888: When "The Burg" was out in the country

In the 19th century, much of Chambersburg was considered to be somewhat rural with cornfields, orchards, and a number of smaller farms. With the expanded industrialization of Trenton, housing developments began to spring up and the area began to draw immigrants from Germany and Italy.

1918: TWO WORLD WAR I SERVICEMEN

Each week during the "teens," the Trenton Times dedicated a page to Wilbur on one day, and Chambersburg on another. They have provided a fascinating incite to the activities of those communities. Hamilton's Bromley neighborhood was often included in the Wilbur page.

1888: Chambersburg Law and Order League

No, they weren't vigilantes. Rather they were community-minded citizens. Rather, they were there to make sure that the punishment fit the crime. "Law and Order Leagues" were commonplace in many 19th century communities.

1914:

1914:

1909: DRAINING HUTCHINSON'S POND

WE'RE DEALING WITH GROPP'S LAKE HERE, FOLKS. MANY VISITORS TO THIS SITE MAY BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THE BEAUTIFUL SPRING-FED LAKE ON SOUTH BROAD STREET IN THE LAKESIDE PARK-YARDVILLE HEIGHTS AREA HAS AN INTERESTING HISTORY. ONCE KNOWN AS LOWRIES' MILLS, KIRBY MILLS, AND HUTCHINSON'S POND, IT WAS A VERY POPULAR SWIMMING AND BEACH AREA BACK IN THE 30'S AND 40'S WHEN WE ALL CALLED IT "LAKESIDE." TODAY IT'S GROPP'S LAKE; NAMED FOR THE PROMINENT GROPP FAMILY FROM THE WHITE HORSE-LAKESIDE PARK-YARDVILLE HEIGHTS AREA.
FOR FURTHER INFO ON THE AREA, ENTER THE KEYWORDS GROPP'S LAKE IN THE "SEARCH BLOG" AREA ON THE TOP LEFT OF THIS SCREEN.

1947: ST. JOACHIM CATHOLIC YOUTH CLUB

IN THE 60's, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF A ST. ANTHONY-ST. JOACHIM PTA GROUP, "KAY'S FOLLIES,:" UNDER THE ABLE DIRECTION OF "KAY" CHIORELLO. WE DID MANY PERFORMANCES IN THE DELIGHTFULLY VINTAGE ST. JOACHIM AUDITORIUM. IT WAS AT THESE VISITS THAT I DEVELOPED A STRANGE FASCIANTION WITH THE ANTIQUITY OF THE OLD EDIFICE. HERE IS A PHOTO OF THE ST. JOACHIM CATHOLIC YOUTH CLUB.

1947: COLONIAL LADIES' AUXILIARY

1947: Trenton Police Officer Damiano Brings Down a Bad Guy

In today's society, Officer Damiano would probably be suspended until an investigation determined whether or not firing his gun with deadly force was warranted.

1947: THE HAMILTON GRANGE

This article harkens back to the years when Hamilton Township was a farming community with the Hamilton Square, Yardville, Kuser Road, Klockner Road, and Edgebrook area was blanketed with farms. Some of the most predominent farm families are listed in the article.

THE DOUGLAS DC-3 - MILITARY C-47

I haven't heard the drone of a DC3 or C47 passing overhead since the arrival of the jet age, but I be I would recognize that familiar sound if I heard it today. When I was a boy, the familiar sound of a DC3, the whistle of a P39 Bell Airacobra, the familiar sound of a Grumman Avenger passing overhead imprinted a permanent memory into my young gray matter. The DC-3 was one of the aircraft heroes of WWII, and I felt moved to put together the above graphic in memory of an airplane which is still in use around the world.

1947: VETERANS' HOUSING CONNECTICUT-LYNWOOD-WALNUT AVENUE AREA

These homes are just a "stone's throw" away from my home. The end of World War II saw a severe housing shortage for returning servicemen. Hollywood produced a movie on the subject, 20th Century Fox's production of "Apartment for Peggy," starring Jean Craine. Many newly weds lived in incredibly cramped and austere conditions in attics, basements, and any other place they could find until permanent housing could be found.

GIOVI'S AND THE "BEACON" ON ROUTE 130

EVEN BACK WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, I WAS ALWAYS FASCINATED BY THE BEACON THAT WAS ON THE PROPERTY OF THE FORMER GIOVI'S IN YARDVILLE. TODAY I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM "ANONYMOUS" WHO HAS VERY INTERESTING INFORMATION ON THAT YARDVILLE LANDMARK.

ANONYMOUS WROTE:

Tom - Just to clear up the Giovis/Beacon info - the site became Giovi's but the Beacon building did not survive. The lightship beacon that still stands was from a lightship named the Nantucket. A picture hung in the original Beacon building in the 1960's. From a Beacon carhop!

THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION, AND THANKS FOR VISITING, ANONYMOUS.

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GARY LIPPINCOTT'S WEBSITE, WWW.GROVEVILLEMEMORIES.BLOGSPOT.COM
HAS A POST WHICH GIVES A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF THE BEACON AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE RESTAURANTS WHICH WERE ON THE SITE OVER THE YEARS.

1940: GRAHAM HOLLYWOOD

THIS GRAPHIC IS FROM THE HAMILTON LIBRARY'S "AUTOMOBILIA" FOLDER IN THE LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTION.THE "HOLLYWOOD" WAS ONE OF THE CARS THAT HAD ALL THE GUYS OF THE LATE 30'S AND 40'S SALIVATING. AUTO BUYERS WERE LOOKING FOR NEWER AUTO DESIGNS, GETTING WEARY OF THE "BOXY" TYPE AUTOS OF THE EARLY 30'S. IN THE MID 30'S CHRYSLER INTRODUCED THE "AIRFLOW" DESIGN WHICH WERE ADVERTISED AS BEING "STREAMLINED." THEN IN THE LATE 30'S GRAHAM-PAIGE INTRODUCED THE REVOLUTIONARY "SHARK NOSE," GRAHAM. THE CORD AND THE ABOVE GRAHAM "HOLLYWOOD" CONTINUED THE TREND TO MORE "STREAMLINED" AUTO CONSTRUCTION. BY THE WAY......NOTE THAT THE "HOLLYWOOD" SPORTED WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS "SUICIDE DOORS;" THE NAME DERIVED FROM THE FACT THAT THE FRONT DOORS OPENED FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR INSTEAD OF THE CONVENTIONAL LOCATION ON THE SIDE.

1944: THE CRASH OF THE P47. THANKS GEORGE!

GEORGE GOLDY RECALLS THE CRASH. HERE'S HIS EMAIL DETAILING THE INCIDENT:
Tom
I remember the crash in 1944. I lived in Lakeside and went over the farms and visited the site the next day.The crash occurred on the Mays Farm which was located between Klockner Road and Rt 33 and. was in the area behind Cedar Gardens. The site was in a wood area and was a large hole filled with gas, oil and water. The engine was still embedded in the bottom. The trees at the site showed that the plane came in at about a 60 degree angle. I was outside the night it happened and remember the rest of the flight circling very low for about 10 minutes before returning to Millville. There is a housing development on the site now. I hope that this helps you. As you have indicated I too was very interested in airplanes at that time.
George Goldy

MANY THANKS, GEORGE.

2008: HELP! INFO NEEDED ON TRENTON'S "COUNT FELIX"

THE FOLLOWING RECEIVED FROM VISITOR ED STAWSKI. ED IS REQUESTING INFORMATION ON TRENTON'S MUSICAL PERFORMER, "COUNT FELIX." SOMEHOW I ASSOCIATE THE COUNT WITH THE "CENTANNI RESTAURANT (AND BAR?" ESTABLISHMENT IN THE BURG, BUT I MAY BE WRONG. THANKS FOR VISITING, ED, AND FOR SIGNING MY GUESTBOOK.

ED WROTE:

Read all your articles. Terrific. Looking for more info on Count Felix. edstawski@verizon.net

1946: HHS ANNUAL DRAMA PRODUCTION OF "JANIE"

HERE ARE THE GRAPHICS CATHY McHALE, HHS '46 SENT TO THE LIBRARY FOR OUR EXTENSIVE HAMILTON HIGH WEST DIGITAL DATABASE. "JANIE" WAS THE DRAMA PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR 1946. EACH YEAR, HAMILTON HIGH PRESENTED AN ON STAGE PRODUCTION.