1941: KUSER PTA ACTIVITIES

This little, seemingly insignificant article detailing the affairs of the Kuser PTA will be of interest only to those of us who recall Kuser School in the 30's and 40's. For me personally, Mrs. Jesse Anderson was the mother of one of my best friends, the late Jess Anderson, with whom I went through all my years at Kuser and on through Hamilton High as we both graduated from the class of 1951. Mrs. Lloyd Cherry was the Mom of Kuser student, Lloyd Cherry who I believe was in the class of 1945, but I am not sure. And of course, Mabel Carnall was my second grade teacher; one of a number of teachers who had snow white hair. Dr. Herman Cohen delivered all ot the Glover children. He was our family doctor and had two "Straight A"Kuser students, Barbara and Eleanor.

1918-1937 "KUSER IN THE NEWS"

I have painstakingly assembled this vignette of just a few Kuser School related articles from the distant past, adding a few embellishments which will be attractive to visitors to Kuser related history some 50 or 60 years hence. Of particular interest to me is the "Broadcaster," which was the Kuser newspaper back in the 1930's. The "Broadcaster" illustrated above has been digitized page by page and reposes in the "KUSER SCHOOL" folder in the Hamilton Township Library's Local History Collection.

1913: BACK IN 1913, THE PTA WAS "THE MOTHERS' CLUB"

Whether they were known as "The Mothers' Club" or the PTA, grammar school parents have always been a valuable asset to the education system. Even though Halloween is two months away as I post this interesting Kuser School fundraiser, it is obvious that Kuser had great support from the parents in the local area.

1916: PREDECESSOR TO THE PTA

THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY SAW THE LOCAL SCHOOLS GAINING SUPPORT FROM THE PARENTS. EARLY ON THE NAME MOST SCHOOLS CHOSE WAS "THE MOTHERS' CLUB." THAT NAME MORPHED INTO TODAY'S PTA. THEN, AS NOW, THE PARENTS PLAYED A VERY IMPORTANT PART IN THE SUPPORT OF THE TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND SCHOOLS.

1930: Kuser's PTA; ALWAYS THERE!

During nearly 100 years of Kuser's existance, the Parent Teachers Organization has played an active and valuable part in assisting the faculty in fund raisers, and all other types of support. Then, as now, selfless parents volunteered their valuable time to aid the school in various ways. This interesting article gives a thumbnail sketch of the Kuser PTA.

1925: Movies at Kuser School!

Kuser's PTA has always had an active and very loyal parental following. I attribute that fact to the "nieghborhood school" system, where everyone knows everyone and the espirit de corps runs very high. Here we see that the PTA is planning a revolutionary motion picture program.

1946: The Charm of the "Neighborhood School"

The clipping accompanying this post is an example of "the way we were" during the era of the "neighborhood school." As I read that article, I realized that I knew almost every person listed. I hope I am not here to witness the complete demise of the neighborhood school. Thankfully, Kuser, Klockner, Greenwood, and Lalor schools are keeping the neighborhood tradition, and all point to a glorious past. Maple Shade, Farmingdale, DeCou, Rowan, Willey, Hamilton Square, Groveville, Homedell, Deutzville, Washington, Edgebrook, and Friendship schools served their neighborhoods admirably for many years prior to their demise. The neighborhood school provided a comfortable, familiar learning environment which really went a long way to provide educational excellence. Unlike many parents in today's society, the majority our parents were very active and supportive of all of our school affairs. They were active PTA contributors, were very attentive to our report cards, and attended our many school plays and musicals. We lost a very viable educational system when the neighborhood schools of our past went the way of the passenger pigeon. Long live the survivors!