Yes, I'm going back to Runnemede, for real, in late May. The church in which I grew up is celebrating it's 100th anniversary, and my family, since dad was the pastor at the church for more than half of the church's existence, will be coming to town in droves, so to speak, at the end of May.
Most my children and grandchidren, several of my nieces and nephews, and their children, are going to descend on Runnemede. We're all looking forward to a great family reunion, as well as a reunion with some of the church members who are still around.
I guess the last time I visited the church was five years ago when our nephew (on my husband's side) got married. We arranged it so that we would visit the church on the morning after the wedding and worship with them and then head home after that. The only thing we missed that trip was the trip to Phily diner after church, which was a custom in the last years of my father's life. How he loved that place. And they loved him. He was a big tipper!
One of the ladies on the celebration committee called me today to let me know some of what is going on, and as time goes by, I'll add "events" to my BLOG. The church has quite a few planned starting in late May and going through December, with a planned Christmas celebration to mimic one they had in 1910. Ledgers written by the church "secretary" have given the committee lots of insight as to what it was like in 1910 and one of the events for which they have an old ledger is Christmas in the early 1900s. I would so love to see those old papers and read through them. Imagine what history there is in them?
So, I'm really gearing up for this trip "home". Maybe as the trip time gets closer my memory will be jogged and I'll be able to post more things remembered about Runnemede.
I am also enjoying the Facebook page: I grew up in ole Runnemede, NJ. It's a bunch of us oldsters talking about what we did as children and the memories we have of the town in which we were raised. You can read the entries by going to Facebook.com and then search to Runnemede. One of the search responses is the "I grew up..." site and you can read what many of us have written. I especially like the history discussion group.
So, for now, I'll say ta-ta. Be writing soon.
ttfn
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The town tailor
In reading Mr. Leap's book about Runnemede, he mentioned Mr. DiCecco. Mr. DiCecco was the town tailor, and his shop was on the Pike between Pitt's Drug Store and Weber's Bakery. It was a tiny shop. And if it was tiny when I was tiny, it must really have been tiny.
I don't recall whether Mr. D sold new suits in his shop, but I do remember going in with my father on one occasion when dad was having his trousers altered. Not the pair he was wearing, but another pair.
Well, Mr. DiCecco seeing me with my father, told me to wait in the outside area of the shop and not go behind the curtain where he was going to measure my father for the alterations to his pants. My dad would have none of that and told Mr. D: "She's my daughter, it's okay if she comes back with me." I don't' think Mr. D was very happy about that. I guess he though that if I saw my dad in his scivvies I'd be morally corrupted or something.
Come on! We lived in a house with one bathroom, and at that time two bedrooms. It was a home where there was little privacy, and daddy didn't get entirely dressed in the bathroom. I had seen my father in his undies on more occasions than I could remember, even at the age of 6 or 7.
Needless to say, Mr. D completed his measurements in record time, saving me from being corrupted, I suppose, not that I was even caring about my dad being in a partial state of undress. I was too busy reading a new comic book.
It didn't keep daddy from going down to Mr. D's shop. I went with him on several more forays into that store.
I loved Runnemede!
I don't recall whether Mr. D sold new suits in his shop, but I do remember going in with my father on one occasion when dad was having his trousers altered. Not the pair he was wearing, but another pair.
Well, Mr. DiCecco seeing me with my father, told me to wait in the outside area of the shop and not go behind the curtain where he was going to measure my father for the alterations to his pants. My dad would have none of that and told Mr. D: "She's my daughter, it's okay if she comes back with me." I don't' think Mr. D was very happy about that. I guess he though that if I saw my dad in his scivvies I'd be morally corrupted or something.
Come on! We lived in a house with one bathroom, and at that time two bedrooms. It was a home where there was little privacy, and daddy didn't get entirely dressed in the bathroom. I had seen my father in his undies on more occasions than I could remember, even at the age of 6 or 7.
Needless to say, Mr. D completed his measurements in record time, saving me from being corrupted, I suppose, not that I was even caring about my dad being in a partial state of undress. I was too busy reading a new comic book.
It didn't keep daddy from going down to Mr. D's shop. I went with him on several more forays into that store.
I loved Runnemede!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Weber's Bakery
Reading through some Facebook entries from the "I grew up in ole Runnemede, NJ" page, I was reminded of something I do not believe I have ever mentioned.
There was a bakery in Runnemede, on the pike. It was between First and Clements Bridge Road on the east side of the pike. It was either right next to Pitt's or the tailor was next to Pitt's and then the bakery was next in the line of stores, followed by the hardware store.
Weber's Bakery was a place I loved to just walk by and smell what was being baked. Since my mom wasn't much of a baker, I didn't know what I was missing by not getting something from that store.
My dad took me into the shop a couple of times. He would go in and get some cinnamon buns. Rarely he would get me a cream donut. We usually stopped in the store when he went to the tailor shop. I guess that tells you how often we went to the bakery. I mean, my father did get his clothes tailored very often. It seems to me that the tailor also did some shirt washing and starching. I might have that wrong, but I might have that right. If anybody reading this knows, let me know.
I know I've mentioned the cream donuts that I used to get from Kelly's Bakery, down in Glendora, but I had forgotten that we had a good bakery in Runnemede for a few years. Kelly's was a hike, but worth the hike. Weber's was a two block walk. Getting there, too, was worth the trip.
So -- here's to Weber's Bakery. See, I eventually will remember or be reminded of things forgotten but stored in the computer in my head.
ttfn
There was a bakery in Runnemede, on the pike. It was between First and Clements Bridge Road on the east side of the pike. It was either right next to Pitt's or the tailor was next to Pitt's and then the bakery was next in the line of stores, followed by the hardware store.
Weber's Bakery was a place I loved to just walk by and smell what was being baked. Since my mom wasn't much of a baker, I didn't know what I was missing by not getting something from that store.
My dad took me into the shop a couple of times. He would go in and get some cinnamon buns. Rarely he would get me a cream donut. We usually stopped in the store when he went to the tailor shop. I guess that tells you how often we went to the bakery. I mean, my father did get his clothes tailored very often. It seems to me that the tailor also did some shirt washing and starching. I might have that wrong, but I might have that right. If anybody reading this knows, let me know.
I know I've mentioned the cream donuts that I used to get from Kelly's Bakery, down in Glendora, but I had forgotten that we had a good bakery in Runnemede for a few years. Kelly's was a hike, but worth the hike. Weber's was a two block walk. Getting there, too, was worth the trip.
So -- here's to Weber's Bakery. See, I eventually will remember or be reminded of things forgotten but stored in the computer in my head.
ttfn
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Round House
This is truly a "Runnemede Remembered" item.
When I was a child I would bike all over Runnemede and Glendora (the town just south of Runnemede). Located in Glendora, not far from the Runnemede border of Evesham Road there was a house which all us children found fascinating. It was fascinating because it was ROUND. Who ever heard of a round house? Well, there it was on Rowand Avenue in Glendora, having been building in 1947. It's still there. I would ride my bike past it and gawk at it hoping to see someone who lived there, imagining what the layout could possibly be, and wondering what it would be like to have a bedroom with a curved wall -- imagining having any room with a curved wall.
We knew someone resided there because the lawn was kept, there were blooming plants, in season, and you could see lights in the windows should you ride past the place late in the afternoon.
This is just a memory that I had forgotten, but knew someday it would be one of those which I would find and take out of one of the corners of my mind (sounds like a line from a song?).
Picture is of the round house, now titled and referred to as The Cookie Jar House.
ttfn
Addendum to Triton fight
I had a request for more information about that rebellion that took place in 1961, I believe it was in late March or early April.
Gerry Drinkwater, as far as I knew, did not organize the don't drink milk/cafeteria strike. In fact, he ate and bought his lunch as he normally did. The line was very short, so everyone knew who was NOT going with the flow. Gerry was a laid-back guy, football player, getting ready to head out to Brigham Young University, when he was told "no prom."
Sorry to say, he was not permitted to attend. The school administration did not back down, and I guess we just got hungry or wanted milk, but the rebellion lasted as I remember for about one week.
You know how these things start? One person is upset by what has happened, thinking the punishment was unjust, and someone else says, "There has to be something we can do." Alas, in those days parents didn't file lawsuits or even threaten them if they felt their child had been maligned in any way, not that Gerry's parents thought that. I think someone suggested the saying, "Don't drink milk, drink water" and the strike was off and running.
We still ate our lunches, we just didn't BUY anything in the cafeteria. I don't recall that we made signs or carried any banners or formed a parade, we just didn't buy anything in the cafeteria.
I bet the kids who didn't go along with the crowd, and decided to buy their lunches anyway, loved the support for Gerry, because lunch line was non-existent. You just went up to the counter and got your lunch. What a blessing because on a GOOD day you would wait in line for 15 minutes. There were even days (usually pizza day) when the line was still moving when the bell rang. What did those kids do? Skip lunch or skip class? I often wondered about that.
ttfn
Gerry Drinkwater, as far as I knew, did not organize the don't drink milk/cafeteria strike. In fact, he ate and bought his lunch as he normally did. The line was very short, so everyone knew who was NOT going with the flow. Gerry was a laid-back guy, football player, getting ready to head out to Brigham Young University, when he was told "no prom."
Sorry to say, he was not permitted to attend. The school administration did not back down, and I guess we just got hungry or wanted milk, but the rebellion lasted as I remember for about one week.
You know how these things start? One person is upset by what has happened, thinking the punishment was unjust, and someone else says, "There has to be something we can do." Alas, in those days parents didn't file lawsuits or even threaten them if they felt their child had been maligned in any way, not that Gerry's parents thought that. I think someone suggested the saying, "Don't drink milk, drink water" and the strike was off and running.
We still ate our lunches, we just didn't BUY anything in the cafeteria. I don't recall that we made signs or carried any banners or formed a parade, we just didn't buy anything in the cafeteria.
I bet the kids who didn't go along with the crowd, and decided to buy their lunches anyway, loved the support for Gerry, because lunch line was non-existent. You just went up to the counter and got your lunch. What a blessing because on a GOOD day you would wait in line for 15 minutes. There were even days (usually pizza day) when the line was still moving when the bell rang. What did those kids do? Skip lunch or skip class? I often wondered about that.
ttfn
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Triton cafeteria fight
It wasn't a food fight. And it was a silly issue, really.
What happened was: The class president, and the best looking boy in the entire class, was banned from the senior prom (class of '61). His name was Gerry Drinkwater. I don't recall why he was banned from the prom, but it may have had something to do with Gerry's inappropriate actions OFF campus, or it may have had something to do with his car and parking illegally?
Anyway, Gerry was banned and in protest the entire class of '61 decided to boycott the cafeteria. All I remember of the "event" was that we didn't buy any food for a week or so -- like the school administration would care if the seniors didn't eat their lunches for a week -- and we all wore signs that said: "Don't drink milk, drink water instead." Get it?
Just something I recall from those Triton years.
What happened was: The class president, and the best looking boy in the entire class, was banned from the senior prom (class of '61). His name was Gerry Drinkwater. I don't recall why he was banned from the prom, but it may have had something to do with Gerry's inappropriate actions OFF campus, or it may have had something to do with his car and parking illegally?
Anyway, Gerry was banned and in protest the entire class of '61 decided to boycott the cafeteria. All I remember of the "event" was that we didn't buy any food for a week or so -- like the school administration would care if the seniors didn't eat their lunches for a week -- and we all wore signs that said: "Don't drink milk, drink water instead." Get it?
Just something I recall from those Triton years.
History finished
I have finished reading The History of Runnemede, New Jersey by William Leap. The book is available from Amazon, but it's expensive, I guess because it is rare.
The book had it's boring parts, but since I do enjoy reading history, the book for me was mostly interesting. I only wish the maps were more legible. Reading the book brought back some memories and throughout the night, between waking and sleeping I thought of several things about which I wanted to write reminding my family of things that occurred when I was growing up. Alas, I cannot recall what I was mulling over in my mind throughout the night. Perhaps the events I wanted to recall will come back to me. But for now they are in the deep recesses of my mind.
Mr. Leap's book is about one-half pre-1900s history and the rest is history of what happened in the town after 1900. That part of the book was more interesting because he wrote of actual interviews with people who had lived the times written in the book. And there were pictures of those times -- photographs.
I have searched the web for other pictures of Runnemede, but have found only a few, and those are very recent photographs. So, in a few days, I'll be posting the websites I did find that gave me more insight into the history and development of Runnemede, items that have become available since Mr. Leap wrote his book.
Today is Sunday, and mentally, I'm in church -- Sunday school class with Mrs. Wise, or children's church, playing the piano for the kiddies, then heading upstairs to listen to my father's teaching. Notice I said "teaching" not "preaching". Daddy rarely preached. He was a teacher and would take a few verses or a chapter or a book from the Bible and then pull it apart, and put it back together again, tying it together with other verses, chapters, and verses. He was good at that.
It is now about time for Sunday-afternoon naps. This was a habit occurring only on Sunday -- taking an afternoon nap, that is. I hated it as a youngster, but by the time I was 13, and went through that teenage "sleep" stage, I was happy to take that time to snooze.
After nap time, I would head over to the church again, to practice with other musicians in the church (mostly peers) so that we would be prepared to present some "special music" to the congregation on Sunday evening, and then thinking ahead and practicing something for Sunday morning service.
After practice, we would have our "youth group" meeting, which included a time of Bible study, prayer, and music. That was following by the evening service. Sunday evening service was less liturgical than the morning service and generally just a time of singing hymns and a short sermon.
So I recollect Sundays. After church there would always be a few people who would come over to our house for a small repast -- crackers, lunch meats, and some sort of dessert. Mom always stretched what she had to accommodate those who were invited.
Well, enough about Sundays. I hope I recall what I was thinking about in the wee hours of the morning.
ttfn
The book had it's boring parts, but since I do enjoy reading history, the book for me was mostly interesting. I only wish the maps were more legible. Reading the book brought back some memories and throughout the night, between waking and sleeping I thought of several things about which I wanted to write reminding my family of things that occurred when I was growing up. Alas, I cannot recall what I was mulling over in my mind throughout the night. Perhaps the events I wanted to recall will come back to me. But for now they are in the deep recesses of my mind.
Mr. Leap's book is about one-half pre-1900s history and the rest is history of what happened in the town after 1900. That part of the book was more interesting because he wrote of actual interviews with people who had lived the times written in the book. And there were pictures of those times -- photographs.
I have searched the web for other pictures of Runnemede, but have found only a few, and those are very recent photographs. So, in a few days, I'll be posting the websites I did find that gave me more insight into the history and development of Runnemede, items that have become available since Mr. Leap wrote his book.
Today is Sunday, and mentally, I'm in church -- Sunday school class with Mrs. Wise, or children's church, playing the piano for the kiddies, then heading upstairs to listen to my father's teaching. Notice I said "teaching" not "preaching". Daddy rarely preached. He was a teacher and would take a few verses or a chapter or a book from the Bible and then pull it apart, and put it back together again, tying it together with other verses, chapters, and verses. He was good at that.
It is now about time for Sunday-afternoon naps. This was a habit occurring only on Sunday -- taking an afternoon nap, that is. I hated it as a youngster, but by the time I was 13, and went through that teenage "sleep" stage, I was happy to take that time to snooze.
After nap time, I would head over to the church again, to practice with other musicians in the church (mostly peers) so that we would be prepared to present some "special music" to the congregation on Sunday evening, and then thinking ahead and practicing something for Sunday morning service.
After practice, we would have our "youth group" meeting, which included a time of Bible study, prayer, and music. That was following by the evening service. Sunday evening service was less liturgical than the morning service and generally just a time of singing hymns and a short sermon.
So I recollect Sundays. After church there would always be a few people who would come over to our house for a small repast -- crackers, lunch meats, and some sort of dessert. Mom always stretched what she had to accommodate those who were invited.
Well, enough about Sundays. I hope I recall what I was thinking about in the wee hours of the morning.
ttfn
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