1957: EMILY C. REYNOLDS

To those of us who are Kuser School "natives," the e lady whose biography appears above was one of those Readers' Digest "Most Unforgettable Characters I Have Ever Met." She was indeed. Ms. Reynolds was a legend at Kuser School during her 40 plus years at the school.

A TIP FROM TOM

Basic "How to" information is located
at the top of the home page.
(How to save graphics to your computer,
the guest book, etc.)

TO NOTEBOOK COMPUTER USERS:
AS I AGE, I AM BECOMING MORE AND MORE "OPTICALLY CHALLENGED." I HAVE FOUND A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE IN THE PAGE WHEN IT IS VIEWED AT A DISPLAY RESOLUTION OF 800 X 600 (LARGER IMAGE) INSTEAD OF THE STANDARD 1024 X 768. (SMALLER IMAGE).
Click on START on the bottom left of your computer screen, click on CONTROL PANEL, find and click on DISPLAY, click on SETTINGS,
slide the resolution setting to the left
from 1024 x 768 to 800 x 600.
Your screen will blink and the new resolution will appear. Click Click APPLY, or click on OK.
Simply reverse the process to return to the
original screen resolution.

TRY THIS LINK TO ACSCESS MY RECENT COLUMNS

A number of people out of the area have sent me emails advising me that they tried to get my most recent Trenton Times "Sentimental Journey" columns. They are buried deep in the "14 day archives." All of my columns are archived, but the only ones available free of charge are the two most recent submissions. The link below worked for me. Click on the link below and see if it works for you. If it does, copy and paste the link and save it to your hard drive for the next posting of my column. Let me know if you succeed (or fail). The first time I tried, it failed. It worked on the second trial.
http://search.nj.com/sp?aff=100&keywords=tom+glover

1909: LAWTON SELLS LAND FOR KUSER SCHOOL

Years ago I read an article detailing the sale of the Kuser School land purchase from the Lawton family. The article indicated that the land was on a portion of the Kuser Farm. I was confused by the article and at the time asked if anyone knew that the Kuser land holdings extended all the way down New Street (Newkirk Avenue) to Hamilton Avenue. No one knew. I did read somewhere that the Lawtons sold the land to the township for one dollar. What added to the mystery is that the house which stands today on the northeast corner of Liberty St. and Newkirk Avenue was built by Herman Mack, who constructed most of the out buildings we see at today's Kuser Farm Park. During my childhood years, the Mack family lived there and operated a small bakery with the entrance on the Newkirk Avenue side. In an interview many years ago with the late Helen Mack Sutterlin, I was told that Fred Kuser and Herman Mack had a "falling out" when the Kuser questioned the source of the materials used to build the home. The Mack family served as caretakers at Kuser Farm in the early part of the 20th century.

1989: Kuser Principal Richard Klockner

I'm sorry to say I didn't get to know Mr. Klockner. He was the Principal at Kuser School while I was commuting daily to New Brunswick. However, Klockner and the area in which Klockner School is located is quite familiar to me. Somewhere in storage, I recall articles relating to Daniel Klockner, a devastating fire at the Klockner Farm, and also an article regarding the Klockner cabbage farm.

2009: ATTN: KUSER ALUMNI FROM 1959-1961

I received the following email from Ms. Pat Hoffman, requesting contacts with Kuser classmates from her class at Kuser School from 1959 through 1961. Pat then went on to Reynolds Middle School. If you are a Kuser Kat who was in her class, by all means contact her. She will be glad to hear from you. Thanks for writing, Pat. I hope you receive a response.

Tom

PAT WROTE:

Hi Mr. Glover,

Way back in September we both attended a meeting at Kuser School my name is Pat Hoffman and I was (and still am) a Kuser Kat from 1959 through 1961. Although I offered my help at that meeting I was a little disappointed that no one ever called or e-mailed. I would love to contact any former classmates. I also have a book from 1959 with all class pictures and staff. I have listed my phone and also e-mail address - HOPE TO HEAR FROM FORMER CLASSMATES.

Thank you so much for all you do.

Cordially,

Pat Hoffman

Home Phone: 609-888-0593

Work Phone: 609-587-6641

1936: KUSER CLASS OF 1936

These were the "big brothers and big sisters" for my 1940's generation. I still live in the Kuser neighborhood, and I am familiar with many of the students in the class.

A reminder that Kuser School will be celebrating its Centennial throughout the year 2009. Kuser was "opened for business" in September, 1909. See the announcement of the "Centennial Kickoff" program scheduled for January 16th at the school. Also, see the announcement further down this website and read about the June celebration at the Nottingham Ballroom.

1989: HERE THEY ARE, THE DECEMBER 1988 "STUDENTS OF THE MONTH!"

Most of these "Kuser Kats" are now in their 20's.

KUSER SCHOOL CENTENNIAL "KICKOFF" PROGRAM

A REDUNDANT REMINDER!
This announcement was received from Mr. Roberto Kesting, Principal of Kuser School, announcing the kickoff celebration for Kuser School's Centennial Celebration. Call the school if you plan on attending the program. If you haven't already requested inclusion in the Kuser School alumni listing, call the school at the number on the graphic or email me at thomglo@verizon.net and I will forward your name and year of graduation to the school.

1988: KLOCKNER AND KUSER SCHOOLS: TWINS

Klockner school celebrated their centennial in 1988, the date when the township voted for a new school on Klockner Road. The school actually opened in 1909, the same as Kuser School which is now embarking on a 2009 Centennial year celebration. With few minor exceptions, Kuser and Klockner are twins. In fact, Klockner still maintains the little "Boys" and "Girls" foyers on either side of the school. Kuser had the identical construction back in 1909, and Kuser added the present "wings" in order to add rooms. Both schols started out as four room school houses.

1947: "To All the Girls I Loved Before...."

You talk about "unrequited love!" These photos represent just a couple of the girls who captured my heart back in my young years. Not shown in the photo are those who came into my life as a teenager: Madeline Bencivengo, Shirley Whitebread, Shirley Gress, Mary Pyrah, Grace Miller, Mary Ann Sneath, and too many others whose names strangely escape me. I chased and chased and chased all those lovely gals and never caught one. And then, in 1950, the love of my life and wife of 55 years, Judy Britton Glover came along! Don't miss the pompadour on the14 year old Tom Glover who, along with the late George Blackwell, were the shortest kids in Kuser School!

2009: TO ALL KUSER SCHOOL ALUMNI

This announcement was received from Mr. Roberto Kesting, Principal of Kuser School, announcing the kickoff celebration for Kuser School's Centennial Celebration. Call the school if you plan on attending the program. If you haven't already requested inclusion in the Kuser School alumni listing, call the school at the number on the graphic or email me at thomglo@verizon.net and I will forward your name and year of graduation to the school.

1944: "DELIVERING THE MILK"

As many visitors to my various sites and readers of my columns over the years will recall, two of my very best friends throughout my grammar and high school years were Don Slabicki and the late Jesse Anderson. Jess's son Andrew has asked me to help him with my reminiscences of our childhood together for inclusion in a family scrapbook for his children. It occurred to me that one of the best ways to convey these little bits and pieces of memory is to post them here, thereby "killing two birds with one stone," as Mom Glover used to say. Accordingly I am posting this Kuser School memory here for Jess's family and for the upcoming Kuser School Centennial celebration in the year 2009. More to come, Andrew.

2008: My Trenton Times "Sentimental Journey"

A number of people who are located in various places around the country have contacted me and said they have not been able to access my "Sentimental Journey" column on the Trenton Times website. In contacting the Times, I was told that they would check to see what the problem was and re-post my columns. I just checked, and my last column (Nov. 15) wherein I recall Canteen night at Hamilton High School has been posted. Here's the link.

http://www.nj.com/living/times/community/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1226725527182740.xml&coll=5

1916: A KUSER SCHOOL CHRISTMAS

Christmas was always a very special time when I was a student at Kuser. Those of us who were involved in music and dramatics were really immersed in a fascinating experience which extended from the first week of December or so with extensive practice, right up to the Christmas progam which we performed in the Kuser Auditorium. Those special memories are indelibly impressed in my aging mind.

2008: Kuser School Kindergarten Class

These incredibly delightful lads and lasses from the Kuser Kindergaten are performing for those of us whose privilege it was to be invited to Kuser's annual "Thanksgiving Feast," a delightful event which was under the direction of Ms. Julie Smith, Kuser Kindergarten teacher.

2008: Ms. Julie Smith

The lamp is still burning brightly over at Kuser School. Here's a photo Ms. Julie Smith, the charming Kindergarten teacher who along with Kuser Principal Roberto Kesting, invited me to their annual "Thanksgiving Feast." Julie is one of the many dedicated teachers at Kuser who realize the importance of the heritage of this legendary grammar school. In the spirit of former principal Emily Reynolds, the Kuser faculty stress the importance of a quality education. Further, the school stresses the importance of CHARACTER. Character has always been an important part of the Hamilton educational system. In high school, my music teacher, Louise Baird, suggested we boys memorize the following bit of wisdom:

"The true test of a man's character is what
he woud do if he knew he would never be found out."

WORDS TO LIVE BY!

1940'S: EMILY REYNOLDS

She was the most pleasant person one would ever want to meet. She was also the last person any Kuser Kat would want to encounter if and when he or she walked on the wrong side of the rules of her school. As I delve deep into my mental memory bank, I can still see her at a Friday afternoon assembly program reading from the Old Testament: "You shall be like a tree planted by still waters....." or "The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night..." I can also conjure up an image of her pulling up to the Mack home on Liberty St. and Newkirk avenue and pulling her big Buick into the Mack Bakery garage for another school day. Emily Reynolds was the consummate school principal.

1940'S: Miss Julia McLain

Julia McLain was probably the teacher who molded my very early school years with her hands on method of teaching. On the one hand, she was a very strict disciplinarian. On the other, she was always fair, but may the good Lord help you if you violated any of the rules of the school.

"Thomas, there will be no chewing gum in my classroom . You have earned yourself a special seat here at 3:30."
"Emily (Reynolds), Thomas has taken to throwing snowballs in the school yard. I suggest he should be removed from the school safety patrol." (He was)
"Class, sit up straight and keep your eyes on your own paper."
"Thomas, you have a natural knack for reading. Your elocution is excellent."

2008: "THANKSGIVING FEAST"

Herewith the wonderful ladies who were a large part of the successful November 26th "Thanksgiving Feast" provided by Ms. Julie Smith's Kindergarten class at Kuser School. On the far right is Mrs. Carol Bisanzio, Kuser Kindergarten Assistant. Unfortunately, I didn't receive an introduction to the other 3 ladies who have promised to send me their names so they can be identified. Ladies, the feast truly was a delicious repast. Thank you!

Melia said...

The woman all the way to the left is Bobbie Jo VanFleet.

1:59 PM