KAREN PETERSON BROWN, KUSER '47

What a joy it is, as I go through the pages of my newspaper collection, to find people with whom I have walked at some time during life's lengthy journey. I have been posting photos of World War II veterans who served valiantly during the years of "Greatest Generation." It is special when I find very close friends with whom I went to school. Thus it is with Karen, who spent all 12 years with me as we journeyed through the excellent Hamilton Township public school system. I was moved to write a short poem, along with Karen's photos and the results are depicted above. Love ya, Karen!

ATTENTION KUSER SCHOOL ALUMNI!

I have received an email from Kuser Principal Roberto Kesting announcing the first formal meeting of the Kuser School Centennial Celebration. I know there are some visitors to this site who are "Kuser Kats" and have expressed an interest in being kept informed as to the activities surrounding the planning for this memorable and historic celebration. If you are interested in being kept informed, or are interested in attending as an alumnus (as I am), contact either Mr. Kesting at the address below, or email me.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF
THE FIRST CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION MEETING

The first Kuser School 100th Anniversary meeting will be held this Tuesday, September 9th @4PM. This will accommodate parents and alumni that wish to participate. The first meeting will be held at 4PM. The meeting is open to parents and alumni are cordially invited. The initial agenda will be a discussion of each committee's objectives and activities. We will solidify our memberships in each committee. Mr. Kesting stated that his goal is for our committees to be self-sufficient and our future meetings will be to discuss progress in each committee.Thank you for your support in this exciting endeavor!Roberto KestingPrincipalKuser Elementary School70 Newkirk AvenueHamilton, NJ 08629(609) 631- 4155 ext. 3850rkesting@hamilton.k12.nj.us

PLEASE EMAIL ME. RE: THE KUSER SCHOOL 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

THE CENTENNIAL OF KUSER SCHOOL WILL BE CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 2009. MONTHLY EVENTS WILL CELEBRATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEST GRAMMAR SCHOOL IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. WE ARE CURRENTLY TRYING TO COMPILE A LIST OF KUSER ALUMNI EMAIL ADDRESSES. THERE ARE MANY WHO ARE NOT ON THE COMPUTER. IF YOU HAVE FRIENDS OR RELATIVES IN THAT CATEGORY, PLEASE GET THEIR PERMISSION TO INCLUDE THEIR MAILING ADDRESSE.

PLEASE EMAIL THE INFO TO ME AND I WILL SEE THAT THE ORGANIZERS OF THE CELEBRATION RECEIVE IT

I AM KUSER '47. BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOURS! IF YOU WERE A KUSER "KAT" AFTER THE SCHOOL CHANGED TO A K-5, PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR YEAR.

EMAIL: thomglo@verizon.net.

2009: WILLIAM "BILL"PARENT OBIT

TO THOSE WHO WERE HAMILTON STUDENTS BACK IN THE 50'S, BILL PARENT WAS A HOUSEHOLD NAME. IF YOU PLAYED "HOOKEY" FROM SCHOOL, BILL WAS "THE MAN." HE REPLACED "POP" WATSON AS HAMILTON TRUANT OFFICER. BILL AND HIS SISTER ALICE PARENT GOETZ WERE BOTH INCREDIBLE SINGERS. ALICE HAD THE LEADS IN NEARLY ALL OF THE OPERETTAS AT HAMILTON HIGH DURING HER YEARS THERE. SHE WAS MY TEACHER AT KUSER SCHOOL IN THE 7TH GRADE. SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE CLASS OF '39 AT HHS.
BILL'S MAGNIFICENT VOICE WAS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE AREA AND I RECALL ONE OF HIS VISITS TO OUR HAMILTON HIGH CHOIR BACK IN THE LATE 1940'S. HE WILL BE MISSED. BILL LIVED IN HIS FAMILY HOME ON ELLWOOD STREET IN HAMILTON RIGHT UP UNTIL RECENTLY, WHEN HE BECAME INCAPACITATED. THE GLOVER FAMILY KNEW BOTH MR. AND MRS. PARENT WAY BACK IN THE 30'S WHEN WE LIVED ON BEAL STREET.

From Tom Buker - a 1954 Kuser Kat

Following is an email I received from Mr. Bob Buker. The Buker family resided on Charlotte Avenue. Leland ("Leon") Buker and his wife Rose were dear friends during my years at St. Anthony's in Hamilton. Tom sent this email, and due to the fact that it refers to Charlotte Wilson Coyle (Kuser 1947), Bob Buker (Kuser 1954), and brother Tom who grew up in the Kuser neighborhood, I felt that it should be included on the Kuser School website. Following is Bob's email:
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Good Morning Tom,
My name is Robert Buker and I am a graduate of Kuser School in 1954. My brother Tom also attended Kuser but graduated from a school in Ewing when we moved there in 1958. He sent me your web site information and I really enjoyed looking at it except for the part about Charlotte Wilson. Charlotte grew up on Charlotte Ave living next to my Grandparents who resided at 11 Charlotte Ave. My grandparents were Rose and Leland Buker. My parents Leon and Ruth Buker, my brother Tom and I lived at 46 Charlotte Ave. I spent a lot of time with the Wilson’s over the years and Charlotte was my baby sitter on numerous occasions and I remember her playing the piano in their living room. When ever I would see her I would call her Fo Fo. I called her that because when I was very young I could not say Charlotte. It has been years since the last time I have seen her but she was always a special person and always laughed when I called her FoFo. Charlotte was a close friend to my Aunt, Margarite Curran (Buker) who at 91 resides in Morris Hall. I am very sorry to find that she passed away.

I wanted to let you know that I have the 1954 graduation class photo at Kuser School. I am going to try to scan this photo in and send it to you. I think I can identify a lot of the people pictured in it. I went to school with the same kids at at Kuser for 8 grades then 3 years at Hamilton and then we moved to Ewing and graduated from Ewing HIGH IN 1959. I will email you the photo and I will look for others that I might have from Kuser.

Bob Buker

1938: My Classmate, Karen Peterson

Here she is, the girl with whom I went through 12 years of school. We began our education right here at Kuser School, class of '47 and then to Hamilton High, class of '51.

Charlotte Wilson: 1933-2006 KUSER CLASS OF '47

Judy and I were shocked when Jim Coyle called and told us of Charlotte's untimely death on January 6th. Judy and Charlotte were like sisters all through their childhood years, living just around the corner from each other, and hanging together through thick and thin. Indeed, Charlotte told Judy she was the reason she converted to the Catholic faith. I started school with Charlotte all the way back in Miss Kelly's Reception grade and through all grammar school and 4 years as a classmate in HHS '51. Charlotte was a straight "A" student all the way through school. I will always remember her as a wonderful, kind, and dear friend. As to Judy, with a tear in her eye, she said "She was my very best friend." May the Good Lord welcome her into his heavenly kingdom.

1922: Harold Wildblood's Promotion Certificate

What an interesting document! Thanks to my friend Alan Wildblood for submitting this fascinating Certificate of Promotion for his father, Harold Wildblood. Note that the terminology is different from later years: "Primary Grade" became "Reception Grade," and "1st Grammar Grade" became "First Grade." Also note that over the years, Emily Reynolds exquisite handwriting, including her signature has remained steadfastly consistent. Many thanks, Alan!

1950: Alex Bencivengo

Here's Alex, our star shortstop on the Plaag's Grove baseball field. We didn't have uniforms, we used rocks or bricks for bases, a baseball that was probably re-covered with black friction tape, and a bat that probably was repaired with a nail to mend a split. BUT.....did we ever have a great time playing our version of "sandlot" baseball! The young fellow you're looking at in this post was our star shortstop. Alex had the incredible ability to cover the SS are of the dusty infield like a vacuum cleaner. Alex was a dear friend during my childhood, and we had many good times together. I miss ya Alex, and think of you often. Alex was the "little brother "of Hamilton School Super Neil Bencivengo, cousin to a childhood crush, Madeline Bencivengo.

Kuser Annex 1947-1948

Here are 3 of my classmates at Kuser Annex in Hamilton High's class of 1951. Alice Schmidt, Lorraine Prieth, and Lucy Spera pose of the camera.

Many of the younger generation are not aware that Kuser School hosted Hamilton High School's 9th grade for those of us who lived in the Newkirk, Liberty, Kuser Road area of Hamilton.

1927: Dorothy Obert's Graduation Program

Here's a gem from the Library's Local History Collection thanks to Ms. Dorothy Obert, Kuser class of 1927.

NOTE: THE ENTRY UNDER THE GRAPHIC ERRONEOUSLY DATES
MS. OBERT AS THE CLASS OF 1947. IT SHOULD READ 1927