1947 Kuser Annex Christmas Entertainment

What memories this program brings! It has been severely compressed in order to allow for complete legibility. This program was presented back before they expelled God from the public schools. You will notice that my name doesn't appear in the program. The reason? Miss Jean Larzalere didn't like me. (The feeling was mutual.)

1981: My Very First Column

HOW TIME DOES FLY! I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT I HAVE BEEN WRITING A COLUMN FOR NEARLY 26 YEARS. THE GRAPHIC ACCOMPANYING THIS POST REPRESENTS MY FIRST INCURSION INTO THE FIELD OF JOURNALISM. THE MERCER MESSENGER WAS A WONDERFUL LOCAL INTEREST COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. "THE WAY WE WERE SURVIVED AT THE MESSENGER UNTIL THE PAPER FOLDED IN THE EARLY 1990'S, AT WHICH POINT I TRANSFERRED IT OVER TO THE PRINCETON PACKET'S HAMILTON OBSERVER. COMMUNITY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS IN THE TRENTON AREA ARE NOT TOO SUCCESSFUL WITH THE COMPETITION OF THE DAILY TRENTON TIMES AND TRENTONIAN.

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.

A TOM GLOVER REMINDER FOR NEWCOMERS

If this is your first venture to my "Unofficial" Kuser School website, welcome!

1) THE GRAPHICS CAN BE ENLARGED BY CLICKING THE IMAGE. IT WILL OPEN FULL SIZE. IF YOU ARE USING AN EARLIER VERSION OF INTERNET EXPLORER, WAIT FOR THE BLUE AND GOLD ICON WHICH WILL APPEAR TO THE LOWER RIGHT OF THE GRAPHIC.
2) IF YOU WANT TO EMAIL ANY OF THE GRAPHICS TO YOURSELF OR YOUR FRIENDS, LOOK DOWN TO THE RIGHT AND SEE THE LITTLE ENVELOPE ICON. CLICK ON IT AND FILL IN THE BLANKS.
3) YOU WILL NOTE THAT THERE IS A "COMMENTS" OPTION NEAR THE ABOVE-MENTIONED ENVELOPE ICON. IF YOU HAVE ANY, BY ALL MEANS SEND THEM IN.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CONTACT ME AT thomglo@verizon.net

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!

1918: Influenza Epidemic

An earlier post told of the horrible flu epidemic which afflicted the U.S. back in 1918. Quarantines were commonplace, and as you can see by the article, even the churches suspended services.

1953: Check Out a Classmate's Website

I received an email from Lee Donehower, Steinert H.S. Class of 1966. He has set up a very nice website dedicated to that Spartan Class. There are also some photos of the Kuser Class of '53 who became the class of '66. Check it out at http://www.lee-pat.net/Steinert/Steinert.html

1957: Emily C. Reynolds

She was a giant among the educators in Hamilton Township. It was a privilege to have been a student during her time as Principal of Kuser school. I was in the Army in Europe when she passed away in 1957, and I recall the shock when Mom Glover's letter came, advising me of her passing.

Miss Kelly's "Reception Grade"

It's nice to know that the beautiful little nook in Miss Kelly's "Reception Grade" room is still just as it was when I was there back in the late 1930's. I still remember sitting in that little alcove, cutting out pictures from "Liberty," Saturday Evening Post," and "Look" magazine.

The Bicycle Ramp

I frequently take a quiet walk around the Kuser School, and rarely do I pass a spot that doesn't hold many childhood memories. This digital photo shows the sloped entrance way to the basement where we used to park our bicycles.
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On a negative note, every plastic window in the school has turned an opaque and ugly brown, due to what I suspect is ultra violet exposure. The company who sold those windows to the Board of Education should be sued! When the bricks on the building were re-pointed back in the 80's, those "windows" were beautiful. Look at them now!

1953: "Reception Grade" Class Photo from Marsha Church King

Thank you Marsha! This and the following 3 posts are from Marsha and her fellow classmates from Miss Mary Kelly's "Reception Grade." They are much appreciated and a very nice addition to the historic heritage of Kuser School. Marsha's Mom provided the identification.

1953: The Principals

What a treasure! Ruth Parker and Emily Reynolds as we knew them! Ruth was a teacher when I was a student at Kuser. Emily was the Principal. Thanks to Marsha Church King, former "Kuser Kat" for this wonderful photo,.

1953: Pages from the Kuser School Yearbook

Thanks to Ms. Marsha Church King, Kuser 4th grade class, whose Mother saved these photos for posterity. If there were more Moms like Marsha's, we would have a much more comprehensive collection of memorabilia. Sorry to say I have not identification, but there may be in the future. Come back another time!

Please note that this graphic was scanned at 300 dots per inch for enhanced clarity. Use your computer mouse to navigate the page up and down and side to side.

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.

1937: Kuser Annex Soccer Team

Here's a team photo of Kuser Annex's 1937 soccer team. There will be more material on "KA" as I dig deeper into my collection.

1947 Kuser Annex "CRIER"

Even as Hamilton High School had their "CRITERION" as the official school newspaper, so too did we at Kuser Annex have our class newspaper. This is the cover on the Christmas 1947 edition. The paper was printed via mimeograph. I have digitized all the issues and they are safely preserved for posterity.

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.

FYI

Many people have told me that they save my "Sentimental Journey" columns and send them to friends and relatives out of the local area. My column is in the "People" section of the Times EVERY OTHER SATURDAY. Tell your out of town friends and relatives who have computer/internet capabilities that they can find my column published online on those weeks when it appears in the paper. The internet site http://www.njo.com is the site where the Times and the Star Ledger post archives, but it is somewhat difficult to get to the 14 day archives. I find it easier and much quicker to go to Google, and in the "Search For" block, enter this string:
TOM GLOVER HAMILTON TRENTON
you will find my column if it is a week when my column is published.

1934: Kuser 4H Club

SORRY FOR THE LENGTHY ABSENCE! FOR THE PAST 2 WEEKS I HAVE BEEN LITERALLY OVERWHELMED WITH VARIOUS COMMUNITY PROJECTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE.

These young ladies are cooking the most delicious dinner for their parents. In my day it was known as "home economics," as I recall. There was no 4H group at Kuser when I attended in the 40's.