RHS 1977 on FaceBook

Even though I am now a card carrying member of AARP I am not too old to see the charm of FaceBook. I have found many old pals and am enjoying the virtual connections we are maintaining.

Maybe in a highly transient society that is a good thing, who knows? I believe it is harmless enough and is certainly better than no connections at all. I also believe the whole process of connecting via the Internet will get better and more complicated as the build-out of high speed broadband Internet access starts to catch up to countries in the Far East. All good things come with a price. We will all just have to be on our guard and not post too much information for the general public or future employers to see. The Internet remembers everything, for good or for bad.

Let's just have some fun with it, and someday people will look back and see that this was the entertainment we enjoyed during the Depression of 2007-2010, much like people playing Monopoly during The Great Depression of 1930s.

Freedom of the Web

As an added comment on my earlier post regarding the decline of Newspapers in America, I have to quote another source. This is worth mentioning in a blog like this which "recollects in tranquility" those powerful feelings we felt while growing up. Hopefully we are still amused by the pictures and moments described here.

I mention it because a pal of mine, Frank James, is the editor of the Chicago Tribunes Washington Bureau and the source of this information.

Frank's work has repeatedly reminded me of the fact that Newspapers in America deserve our consideration because they have provided innumerable services over the years. Who can forget the first time they were able to read The New York Times, The Bergen Record, or The Ridgewood Herald News through without anyone having to explain it to them? Maybe this occurred as late as college but it still happened none the less. This defining moment is being lost on a generation growing up with their primary source of information as The Internet. In my opinion, they need to be reminded of our simpler time and the less technological method in which we all shared our news. Please don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer in the potential of The Internet, as it affords me a lifestyle I have always dreamed about here in New York City.

My point is we need to pay attention to the decline of newspapers in America. They do not deserve an unceremonious send-off. We need to figure out a way to keep them relevant and profitable.

Without further commentary here is the piece which inspired this post:

...increasingly, Americans, free to roam like the buffalo, are turning to the Internet for their news.

Before anyone celebrates the decline of newspaper readership and the increase in Internet viewership, it's worth considering the financial resources that strong newspapers and magazines bring to bear in the investigation of corruption in government, wrongdoing in private life and abuse of power in general.

The business model of the Web-site and the resources it takes to publish one aren't likely to sustain the sort of prize-winning journalism that Americans have come to cherish as a national tradition and indeed expectation. There are several strong newspapers behind this Web-site, for instance - struggling with the economic troubles that have besieged the national in general, for sure, yet still robust enough to deliver the sort of journalism that brought to light the corruption of the former governor of Illinois.

The Pew Research Center has found that, among those surveyed last year, just 39 percent of Americans said they had read a newspaper the day before, either in print or online. That was down from 43 percent in 39 percent in 2006.

The proportion reporting that they had read solely a print version of a newspaper fell by roughly a quarter, from 34 to 25 percent. And the 14 percent of Americans who said they had read a newspaper online was up 9 percent.

"The balance between online and print readership changed substantially between 2006 and 2008,'' Pew reports. "In 2008, online readers comprised more than a third of all newspaper readers. Two years earlier, fewer than a quarter of newspaper readers viewed them on the Web. This is being driven by a substantial shift in how younger generations read newspapers.

"In 2008, nearly equal percentages in Generation Y (born 1977 or later) read a newspaper online and in print; 16% said they read only a print newspaper, or both the Web and print versions, while 14% said they read a newspaper only on the internet, or both online and in print. In 2006, more than twice as many in Gen Y said they read a printed newspaper than the online version (22% vs. 9%).

"There is a similar pattern in newspaper readership for Generation X (born between 1965 and 1976). In 2008, 21% read only a print newspaper, or both an online and a print newspaper; 18% read a newspaper only on the Web, or both online and in print. In 2006, 30% of Gen X read a newspaper in print, while just 13% read a web version.

"Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) and the Silent/Greatest Generations (born before 1946) continue to read newspapers at higher rates than do those in younger age cohorts.

"However, the proportion of Baby Boomers who said they read a newspaper yesterday slipped between 2006 and 2008, from 47% to 42%. The decline among Baby Boomers has come entirely in print readership (from 42% to 34%).''

Class of 1979 30th Reunion

According to Greg Van Houten over at the RHS Alumni Group on FaceBook,

The RHS Class of 1979 is having a reunion June 5-6, 2009. Check rhs alum site for details.

When I track down a web site or blog I will post it. To date I have refrained from including sites like Classmates.com and Reunion.com because they charge for their services. Let's be clear, I have nothing against people making money. I am simply very old school and believe the information should be free. Call me an idealist but that is how I believe the information will best be disseminated. Face it, we are in a Depression and everyone is watching their pennies. Why charge for a service when a "free" blog like this one can do the same job?

As an FYI regarding the Class of 1979 Reunion, good luck trying to find the link over at the Ridgewood Public Schools site. It appears they go out of their way to avoid mentioning the word "alumni" for fear we will reappear. ;-)

We might even go as far as to offer some suggestions or ask that our reunion information be posted. Fortunately, we have sites like this one to pick up the slack. Given the nature of The Internet, I am sure more are on the way. Just go look at FaceBook and you will see numerous sites devoted to connecting graduates from elementary school on up. Though it looks like we have our work cut out for us if we ever want to tie them together into an RHS portal. I am up to the challenge and will continue to do my part. I hope you will also.


25 February 2009 Update: The Class of 1979 Reunion link

I have included it with the others on the right side. Thanks to Greg Van Houten for sending it along.

1887 Map of Ridgewood

The USGS map below shows sections of Bergen and Passaic counties in 1887. Ridgewood is in the upper lefthand corner. Many of the main roads still used today are discernable, including Maple, Ackerman, Linwood, Glen, and Ridgewood Avenues. There is a small pond shown near the Ho Ho Kus "Creek" which would be expanded in the 1930s to create Graydon Pool. Many more old maps, including the same area in 1900, are available here. I love old maps, and could while away hours at that site perusing the way things used to be.

101 Posts

I just noticed that there are 101 postings to this blog. I guess that is some sort of a milestone to be celebrated. The responses from RHS alumni across the country have been very heartening and I truly believe this blog will evolve into something with "durable significance" as one of my old professors at Dickinson College used to say.

Please keep an eye on our progress, and don't let the current economic climate dissuade you from doing some reminiscing. In 1974 we had an energy shock, price controls, and much higher unemployment. We made it through those troubled times and we will survive this panic, too.

It might just be best to dwell on something else for a time. I often find it soothing to ponder what the best and brightest minds have written. For instance, consider what William Wordsworth believed were the origins of poetry. He makes the point that "poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility." I wouldn't want to say that the quality of my blogging can be compared to the effort which a poet must put forth, though the origins could be from the same source. My recollections regarding Ridgewood are produced during my more tranquil moments, and they do suggest an overflow of powerful feelings for a town which I visit more often in my mind than I do via automobile.

Hopefully I will regain a more balanced view in the future and have more reason to see Ridgewood as it is today. No question the changes have been staggering over the last 30 odd years. The funny thing is that during the times I am able to cruise Ridgewood Avenue or drive by my old house on Glenwood Road, I do find some things which haven't changed a bit. Maybe the lesson is that as we grow older recollections of our childhood can and should be brought to light, if only to give us a prospective on where we are heading in our adulthood. In other words, you won't know where you are going until such time as you fully understand where you have been.

The Bucket List

I am anything if I am not flexible. This falls under the category of "Keeping Your Fingers on the Pulse of the Internet" and thus deserves our attention. I give a big shout out to Joe Farrell, my new friend on Facebook for tipping me off. It is one more way for to tell our stories, the theme of this blog if you haven't figured it out.

An X goes next to those you have done. On many sites you are supposed to send these to your friends. I will be charitable and not fill up your inbox. If you are here voluntarily then you are already my friend. Thanks.

Things you have done during your lifetime:
(X) Gone on a blind date - Yes.
(X) Skipped school - Yes, especially after I turned 18 and could call in my own excuses.
(X) Watched someone die - My father on 20 December 2008
(X) Been to Canada - Montreal and Quebec in the summer of 2005. I would return again in a heartbeat.
(X ) Been to Mexico - No.
(X) Been to Florida - My Mom resides in Sarasota.
( ) Been to Hawaii - No. it's too long a ride from the East Coast. Maybe when I have retired and can spend a week in San Francisco first.
(X) Been on a plane - Can you say, Frequent Flyer?
( ) Been on a helicopter - No, though it looks like fun.
(X) Been lost - Many times before my wife bought me a GPS (Garmin).
(X) Gone to Washington, DC - I lived in the area for almost 5 years. It still is a favorite city of mine.
(X) Swam in the ocean - Mostly in the Atlantic.
( ) Swam with Stingrays - No.
( ) Cried yourself to sleep - No.
(X) Played cops and robbers - Always liked being a cop. I still resemble one and am often stopped on the NYC when I wear my NYPD shirt. I try to be helpful but always remind people that I am not a cop and only a NYPD supporter.
( ) Recently colored with crayons - No.
( ) Sang Karaoke - No.
( ) Paid for a meal with coins only - No
(X) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch - with my family 40 years ago. My Dad was from Missouri.
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't - Just like everyone, I does this sometimes.
(X) Made prank phone calls - Up until the age of 8.
(X) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans - Once and witnessed two drunks fighting in the middle of the street at 7 in the morning. It is a great food town and I will go back.
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose - Many time while in K-12 in Ridgewood.
( ) Laughed until you peed yourself - No.
(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue - Yes, and I still like the taste of them.
( ) Danced in the rain-naked - No
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus - In the 60s and he always seemed to deliver at least something which I asked for.
(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe - Just this past Christmas by the love of my life, Ana.
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone - Yes.
(X) Blown bubbles - Yes, my dog likes to chase them.
( ) Blown bubbles in the freezing winter and watched them solidify-- No
( ) Exploded bubbles filled with natural gas in HS science class - No
(X) Gone ice-skating - Many times and on Coles Pond, too.
(X) Gone to the movies - There is nothing like a Matinee.
( ) Been deep sea fishing - No
(X ) Driven across the United States - Once
( ) Been in a hot air balloon - No
( ) Been sky diving - Not a chance in the world.
(X ) Gone snowmobiling - Yes
( ) Lived in more than one country - No
(X) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets - Summer of 1977.
(X) Seen a falling star and made a wish - Yes
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser - No, but it's on my list.
( ) Seen the Grand Canyon - No, but it's on my list.
(X) Seen the Statue of Liberty - Yes, and have been in the crown.
( ) Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle - No, but it's on my list.
( ) Been on a cruise - No interest.
(X) Traveled by train - Yes on both commuter and long distance. I still want to try a sleeper car.
(X) Traveled by motorcycle - Never again.
(X) Been horse back riding - Never again.
(X ) Ridden on a San Francisco cable car - Once and I will do it again this spring.
(XX) Been to Disneyland OR Disney World - Once in 1974.
(X) Truly believe in the power of prayer - Yes, who I am too dispute it?
(X) Been in a rain forest - Only at the Central Park Zoo
( ) Seen whales in the ocean - No
(X) Been to Niagara Falls - Once.
( ) Ridden on an elephant - No
( ) Swam with dolphins -No
( ) Been to the Olympics - No
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China - No
( ) Saw and heard a glacier calf - ?
( ) Been spinnaker flying - ?
( ) Been water-skiing - Once and I fell down repeatedly.
(X) Been snow-skiing - Smuggler's Notch.
( ) Been to Westminster Abbey - No
( ) Been to the Louvre - No, but it's on my list.
( ) Swam in the Mediterranean - No, but it's on my list.
(X) Been to a Major League Baseball game - Go Yankees!
(X) Been to a National Football League game - Go Giants!
(X) Swam with sharks - No
(X)Done something nice for someone for no reason - Yes, it's called, Paying it Forward."

The Ridgewood News

I received a copy of The Ridgewood News this week from Rick Flannery (Thanks!) which contained a terrific article about efforts being made to reconnect Glen School alumni. Unfortunately, the paper is not online so you will have to buy a reprint. This can be accomplished by calling 973-569-7017, or via email to reprints@northjersey.com. It ran on Page A4 on Jan. 30, 2009 and was titled "Blogger hopes to Reconnect Glen School Alums." It was featured in The Ridgewood News in Vol. 89, No. 5.

I wish The Ridgewood News was online as that is how I receive the majority of my news these days. Don't get me wrong I still love the feel of a newspaper and nothing makes me happier than buying The New York Times first thing in the morning. It's just that I don't rely upon newspapers the way I once did, the way we all once did.

The real problem with Newspapers is obvious: they can't be printed and distributed fast enough to keep up with the Internet. I understand this but it doesn't lessen my desire for them to survive in some other form. An online version to me is the next step they must take to survive, and most major newspapers have already done this.

This leads me to wonder, what about the local papers like The Ridgewood News? Its been published continuously since 1889 and would be missed if it weren't around any more. Is there a way for it to continue, and be profitable, in this day and age? Are newspapers the sort of thing which should be run by non-profits and thus not be required to make money? Instead, they would be recognized for being a voice in the community which keeps politicians and special interest groups honest. You just have to see all the print being devoted to the ongoing Graydon Pool renovation plans to believe that without The Ridgewood News these sort of discussions would be a lot less open, and the public wouldn't have much input at all.

New Players Company

As an old thespian from my Dickinson College days (Mermaid Players), and as one who helped at GW with props, I couldn't help but add the RHS New Players Company web site to the list on the right of this blog.

The New Players perform at the Little Theatre, a place where my early love of theatrical performances was cemented for life. I vividly remember the first day of school in the 10th grade when they sat us down for a performance of The Fantastics. The performers were, as I recall, from the class of 1974. They were appearing just before they were scheduled to go off to college. Looking back this probably added quite a bit to the inevitable stress behind the performance. All I can think is that it must have been because they loved the material. For most actors this sort of performance would have been asking too much. In any event, The Fantastics has been my favorite musical of all time ever since.

Here is clip of the most memorable song in the show. It was sung by the original El Gallo, Jerry Orbach, with Marvin Hamlisch on the piano.

It's funny to think that some people at the Utube site commented that they didn't know Jerry Orbach could sing. I guess they only thought of him as Baby's Dad from "Dirty Dancing" or from all those episodes he did with "Law and Order" on TV.

Here is the song as they were asked to performed it by Ronald Reagan at the White House in 1988:



Here is some history of The New Players Company from their web site:

In 1972, Jack Boyle, a member of the RHS English Department, founded the New Players Company as a co-curricular activity involving 30 to 40 students who produced two or three plays during the year and another two in the summer. By 1979, the program had expanded to four to six plays during the school year plus a summer program and a special production for children, introduced by Brian Aschinger, who was then the Artistic Director of the Company. In 1986, Rachael Daum and Dennis Carroll, both faculty members at RHS, were appointed co-Artistic Directors. Two more resident directors, both English teachers at RHS, joined the company during the next two years: Lori Barnett in 1987 and Meg Schaefer in 1988. During the 1990’s student participation in the New Players Company steadily increased, until it comprised over 10% of the student body. Also during this period, numerous alumni began to return to the New Players Company to serve as directors and designers, most notably Laurie Sales, who assumed responsibility for running the Junior Company Program, as well as directing one or two senior productions each year. In 2005, Meg Schaefer was appointed Artistic Director of the Company.

RHS Class of 1958

I found a link to the RHS Class of 1958 web site on Facebook. They should be congratulated for celebrating their 50th reunion this past September. It appears they are having some fun with the various features which can be added to a web site. Hopefully they will try a blog out for a good measure. As far as technology suited for announcing, promoting, and communicating news of pending reunions, there is nothing better today than a blog. When something better comes along I will be sure to blog about it and deploy it when the time is right.

RHS Band.org

While I never was a member of the RHS band, I can readily attest to the enthusiasm with which they went about their practices. As a distance runner on the track team I usually saw them as I was going on a run and when we returned. You had to respect them because they had to both play an instrument and do it while in a precision march. If you add in the spiffy uniform they wore, even on a hot day, you have a very physical endeavor. In terms of running it would rank up there with legendary runs we took to Lower Cross on freezing cold days, or running at the Eastern States Cross Country Finals at Van Cortland Park in a pouring rain. Both of these I can now recall with some nostalgia, though they were ordeals which we endured just the same. I can only imagine what it would take to march in the 4th of July Parade when the weather was in the 90's or better.

I added a link to the RHS Bands.org on the right side of this blog as it's a very well developed site for a school-based organization. It appears they have lost none of their ardor, as can also be attested to by the 247 member group I found on Facebook.

President's Day 2009

Until 1971 there were holidays in February honoring two of our most legendary and most written about Presidents: Washington and Lincoln. This all ended when Richard Nixon declared one single federal public holiday. It is observed on the 3rd Monday of February in honor of all past presidents of the United States of America.

When I was attending elementary school the two holidays broke up an otherwise dreary month. They fell on odd days, not just Mondays, and gave us all a respite from the grind. I think the teachers even enjoyed them.

Now with most families needing to send both parents out to work in order to pay the bills, the Monday holiday is the compromise solution. Can you imagine if parents had to juggle their schedules every February so someone would be around to watch the kids who had been given two holidays by their school system? There would be a mutiny and most kids would probably end up at school anyway in some sort of mass day care program.

The offshoot of the one holiday, I believe, is that we spend less time considering our history, and the courage which both Washington and Lincoln had to display as leaders of our country. They were not perfect men but they did rise to the occasion and made critical decisions which shaped our current nation. When we lump all the Presidents together we tend to not make a distinction between the bad and the good ones, the ones who acted timidly and the ones who showed the mettle they were made of.

I know we will never go back to two holidays in February but I do fondly recall the whimsy it provided our schedules. If a snow day occurred somewhere in the middle of the holidays it made the entire month fly by, and then spring would be right around the corner.

Molly Ahearn and Paul Ruck on Graduation Day 1977

I think my Mom had her finger over the camera lens in this one. Molly and Paul were two good pals of mine and it was great to be able to stand for this photo in front of my home on Glenwood Road.

As you all know, the Ridgewood Graduation is a night and day to remember. We start off in the late afternoon all dressed in white, and continue on well through the next day, when the stouthearted among us go to the New Jersey Shore. There are numerous parties throughout the night and innumerable promises to stay in touch forever.

Looking back I fondly recall this wonderful town tradition. It involves seemingly everyone, from parents and family members, to all sorts of people who watched us grow up like ministers and teachers. If you were to pick one reason for raising a family in Ridgewood it would have to be the send-off the town gives its graduates. This is a day that graduates realize they have accomplished something important in their lives. If they are lucky it gives them a momentum for the next stage of their lives, whether it be college, or a working life.

My 8th Birthday Party

I might as well continue posting all the old pictures I own before they succumb to age. No doubt they are not as sharp as those taken with newer vintage cameras but they are priceless none the same.

This is actually a good one circa 1967. From left to right Steve Jewell, Bill Nolan, Ted Gehrig, myself, Jens Larson, my brother Donny, Jay Buckley, and Scott Griswold.

We went bowling that day and were all very pleased to be given Coca-colas and birthday cake, as well as something hot off the BBQ. We cooked with charcoal briquettes, and to this day it is still my favorite way to BBQ. Though any chance I get to BBQ is alright by me as I am a city dweller these days.

Glen School Teacher Search!

Along with contributing on this wonderful blog about Ridgewood, I also do the blog at glenschool1967.blogspot.com. While we are searching for ALL the "kids" that attended Glen School we are desperately searching for teachers or the families of the teachers that taught at Glen School. We also would love to find the families of people like Agnes Larsen (Glen School secretary), George McFall (custodian) and Bea Blumquist (librarian) as well as others.

I am thrilled to report that we have located 5 teachers thus far - 3 as a direct result of the recent article in the Ridgewood News. So lets keep developing this network - as Paul and I have said in emails back and forth we ultimately hope to do the same with the other schools in Ridgewood (Willard, Somerville, BF, etc).

Posted below is a Glen School faculty photo that was recently sent to me by my 3rd grade teacher Amy Beattie-Carvell - enjoy!

Back Row l to r: Pat Prescott, Nancy Cook, Rhea Boerner, Pete Gahara, Amy Beattie (Carvell), Jeanette Janicke, unidentified, Miss Trantum (Jones)

Front Row l to r: Alice Coan, Bea Blumquist, Art Linden, Agnes Larsen, Pat DeJongh

Gene Ricci

Here is an article and picture from 1974 featuring Willard School teacher Gene Ricci. This one will make Jim Schoneman of the class of 1974 very nostalgic. It is from the Official Publication of The Ridgewood Public Schools:

"Gene Ricci (pronounced Ritchie) is known in the Willard School area as "the plant doctor." Parents and students bring their ailing plants to school to see if his green thumb can spark new life into a wilting hibiscus or a fading gardenia. Thousands of plants are raised by the children in his sixth grade classroom each year in an elaborate greenhouse he has rigged up along the classroom windows. Because of Ricci's knowledge and enthusiasm for plant life, floriculture has become a popular part of the school's sixth grade curriculum and his plant club has more than forty students on its waiting list.


Ricci is a "late bloomer" in the teaching profession. As a boy growing up in Pennsylvania he learned meat cutting as a family trade. He worked his way through college as head chef at a fashionable restaurant and is still a gourmet cook. He became a bookkeeper and a business manager in the years after his high school graduation in 1944. An opportunity to teach course for an industrial corporation led him ot decide that his real vocation was teaching. He had always had a special rapport with children, and he decided to go back to college in 1960 and prepare himself for a teaching career. He now holds a B.A. and an M.A. from William Paterson College in the field of elementary education with a concentration in mathematics. He has been attending courses in floriculture at the North Jersey Institute of Applied Horticulture to advance his knowledge of botany.


Gene came to Willard as a practice teacher in 1964 and has stayed ever since, first as a fourth grade teacher and now in the sixth grade. In what he calls "The Willard System" he teaches mathematics to homogeneous groups, and science to all sixth graders. The other sixth grade teachers are responsible for language arts and social sciences for the entire grade as well as special sections in mathematics. He feels that this plan gives Willard "the best of team teaching, the best of departmentalization, and the best of the self-contained classroom."

Alison Rosica

This one was taken in the spring of 1977 shortly after I had been accepted to Dickinson College. It was taken at Alison's house, the historic Van Dien's house on Grove Street. The picture doesn't do her justice but I thought I would include it for grins. I had many fun, laugh-filled times at her house my senior year. Her parents were very warm and inviting. They introduced me to Famous Amos, the cookie entrepreneur. Alison's Dad and Mom are the ones who helped make him famous. They are best known for introducing the term "Cause-related Marketing" into our vernacular. In a nutshell, it is a public relations practice that links for-profits with not-for-profits for mutual benefit. This is also known as corporate responsibility, corporate philanthropy, and corporate social responsibility.

From Wikipedia:

In 1979, John Rosica, introduced Wally to Literacy Volunteers of America. From that point forward, Wally Amos has advocated literacy and helped thousands of adults learn to read; in 1987, he also hosted a television series designed to teach others how to read.

Memorial Day Run 1978

This was taken at the Ridgewood Memorial Day Run in 1978, shortly before my family moved out of Ridgewood and back into New York City. I remember this day as being very hot and that more than one person had to be taken to the hospital. The race itself was uneventful for me, except for the fact it was one of the last ones I ran. This was the spring after my freshman year in college and my interests were no longer centered around running, as they had been in High School. This largely had to do with my missing my old running mates and track coaches from Ridgewood, and the fact Dickinson College had much to offer in terms of diversions. It came down to this: going to the track each afternoon for practice didn't really interest me anymore. I had so many good memories from my Ridgewood track days that running with new teammates, and for a coach who actually smoked cigarettes in the locker room, was more of a chore than it should have been. Yes, during our Ridgewood days we froze in the winter, and were rained upon in the spring and fall but it couldn't deter me from remembering those as good times. Who doesn't color their memories this way?

Growing Up In Ridgewood

 

      Like Paul and Kurt I too am drawn into our Ridgewood history! Its probably because I loved every minute of my childhood and my later school years. That's not to say that I didn't have my ups and downs - I had my insecure years - 6th grade, part of 7th then 10th grade. But through it all it was the best!

 

      I have great memories of all 3 schools I attended (Glen, BF and RHS). I was a fun-loving kid and as such my grades always suffered! But I had some great teachers in BF and RHS that always looked out for me - in fact my Spanish teacher from 10th grade - Miss Muster - came to my graduation to watch me graduate! She had faith in me. In my senior year, I did what I should have been doing every year which was ace just about all my classes! The best was when Mr. McCutcheon congratulated me - he always tried desperately to keep me in line - what a great man! Teachers can and do make a difference in our lives.

 

 

Above is an early postcard of our high school.

 

        

     Graydon Pool - wow! There have always been complaints about Graydon but I hope the core of Graydon never changes - it was the best! It had this distinctive smell - it was this combination of Coppertone, the water, the sand. I went there for swimming lessons. I always wanted to be like my sisters and sit on the "grass" - that's where all the high school kids were! My gym teacher Mr. Bookstaver was a lifeguard there! What an approriate place to end one's school years - the traditional early morning dip there before heading to the Jersey Shore after having celebrated all night long on graduation day! When I was little - my dad and I always went downtown on saturday mornings - haircuts, paper store (baseball cards!), liquor store (wasn't a big deal!), Corde Cleaners, Victor's House of Music, Perdue's Sport Shop for baseball stuff, Drapkin's - I mean the list goes on! The memories are many and doing all of that with my dad was so much fun! In my future posts I will try to focus on one facet of this town we love so much! 

 

       Paul was kind enough to invite me as a blogger and I appreciate the invitation! This will be fun!

Garden State Plaza

     When I was a little kid, Garden State Plaza was the shopping mecca, and it wasn't the climate controlled enclosed shopping mall that's there today. GSP started life as, well, a plaza. It was essentially a strip mall, with the stores turned inward towards each other and the parking outboard. I remember going there with my mom around Christmas, and one of the store Santas turned out to be a Graydon Guard, home on his college break. He recognized us, and was asking us all about Dad, and how we liked our house on Wall St. We were amazed that Santa knew exactly who we were and where we lived. After graduating from college, I worked at GSP as a construction coordinator for the enclosure project. It was exciting to get "behind the scenes" at a place I knew so well. I marveled at all the tunnels that allowed trucks to service the stores from below. Later on, the tunnels themselves were converted to retail areas - the lower level of today's GSP.  

Bamberger's was owned by Macy's. This store eventually became a Macy's when they terminated the Bamberger's name. 

  

I didn't know GSP had a grocery store. But here's the proof, the venerable Grand Union (my mom shopped at Kilroy's Wonder Market in Glen Rock). 

   

You knew Christmas was coming when the giant Santa and his chimney appeared in the parking lot.

I Need To Get Back

It's amazing. I am sitting here in Norfolk, Virginia with my wife, daughter, and four large dogs. And the pull persists: how can I get up to Ridgewood?

I need to get back. I want a buttered hard roll, with poppy seeds. I want to run our old "Lower Cross" 6 mile course through Ho Ho Kus. I want a burger and fries from The Fireplace. I want a slice of pie from Renato's or Mama Rosas's. Is Van Dykes Ice Cream still there? I want that, too.

I am reminded of an encounter my late wife Suzy and I had at a local architect's meeting in Williamsburg. We were at Kings Arms Tavern, talking to an architect originally from Syria, now living in Richmond. It turned out he had previously lived in Ridgewood, and when we connected on that, he grew very excited. Calling his wife over to meet us, he excitedly proclaimed "Ridgewood is the most wonderful place we have ever lived!"

Put the dogs in a kennel and start the Jeep. I need a Ridgewood fix. It's the most wonderful place I ever lived.