1941: When Scholastic Excellence Prevailed at Trenton Central High School

What a great story! Imagine Trenton having a school with an excellent scholastic record. Thus it was at Trenton High and also in Trenton's Junior and grammar schools. Where did we go wrong?

1941: Hamilton High's "TULIP TIME" Repeated as tenth anniversary operetta

Tulip Time was the first operetta presented at Hamilton High in 1931. It was repeated again in 1941 as seen in the above graphic. My class of 1951 also carried on the tradition and presented it as the 30th anniversary of the schools music-drama program. It would really be great had the school continued the custom right up to the present time. The quaint and innocent story line and lovely music would have brought an entertaining presentation to the audience.

1949" Remembering those Saturday Night Canteens

Iwrote this column back in 1983. It has aged well. Indeed, as time moves on and the years pile on, the canteen of which I wrote gains a certain amount of nostalgic charm. How well I recall those canteens! What a problem it was when I was an "underclassman" still tooling the rural streets of Hamilton Township on my bicycle. All those other guys had their drivers' licenses and could pick up their dates, go to the canteen and stop in at "Toone Towne" for an ice cream soda or a coke. The only dance I knew was the "two step," taught to us in 5th or 6yh grade at Kuser School. I was intimidated when I saw guys like Ray Kelvy dancing like Fred Astaire with his date. Back then "Coke" was Coca Cola. We never knew there was such a thing as cocaine until we had to visit the dentist for an needle. How innocent we were!

1971: Hornet J.V. Soccer

Thanks again to Lea Terry for this photo of the guys from the 1971 Hornet soccer team. Hamilton's soccer teams over the years have been extraordinary. Some of the 40's and 50's Hamilton teams I recall included Bobby Soffel, Lee Cook, Don Cook, and Thomann. All Group 4 champs.

1949: Thanks to Lea Terry for this photo

In the photo he's identified as Bernie Hughes. We knew him by the nickname, "Pinky" Hughes. Lea Terry let me copy many of his photos when he visited my table at the 75th anniversary of Hamilton High. Ed Marchand left the teaching profession because he couldn't live on the meager salary he was paid at the time. He was my "phys ed" teacher along with Don Divine in my Sophomore year.

1939: 70 Years ago! Will there be a reunion?

1954: JANET NILSEN MCGLATHERY: A SAD FAREWELL

A Goodbye to a Wonderful Friend
by Marion Goldenberg Schwartz
Hamilton High School, Hamilton, NJ, Class of 1954
September 12, 2008
Janet Nilsen Meglathery, Hamilton High School Class of 1954, passed away on May 23, 2008. I am deeply saddened. Following is the Obituary in the Asbury Press:

I just learned of her death and have been crying off and on for a few days. I have lost a great friend. She was my neighbor and buddy through elementary schools (Rowan, Willey, Lalor), through Hamilton High School and beyond our 1954 graduation. We shared a love for fun and for the absurd. Janet was very intelligent with a well developed, albeit droll sense of humor. We survived fights in elementary school about, for example, whose legs were more bowed! Together and in groups, we went swimming, skiing, ice skating, to the “Feast” in Chambersburg, to parties, to dances and to the movies in downtown Trenton. We just hung out, grew up together and shared our secrets and our dreams for the future.
Her mother Hilda, from Norway, was a skinny dynamo, who was always very well dressed and who fussed over Janet to a fault. She had a great sense of humor and taught me how to make fattigman, Norwegian cookies! I loved her as well! When they took a trip to Norway to visit relatives, they brought back lovely souvenirs for me.
In high school, Janet was a good student. She was a three year Modern Dance Club member and a two year member of All State Orchestra. She played the violin. She was captain of the Orange Sports Team and was a three year member of the hockey and basketball teams.
She was especially loved by me, Marilyn Block Lister and John Gibbs, also classmates of hers in 1954. Our lives in the fifties were carefree, unsophisticated and truly “happy days”.
Janet and Marilyn Block Lister were bridesmaids, when I was married in 1962. After we were all married and had children, we lost touch only to meet one more time at a bittersweet lunch, which included John Gibbs and Frank Giacobbi, when we celebrated our 50th year reunion. I never saw her again, even though we vowed to get together.
The worst part of getting old is the increasing loss of beloved family and friends. These are people who shared your unique place in history. But how lucky I am to have known someone to whom it was so hard to say goodbye. “A friend hears the song in your heart and sings it to you when your memory fails” (anonymous author).
Rest in peace, my old friend, Janet, you are loved and will be missed by so many.

1954: MARION GOLDENBERG'S TRIBUTE TO A BEST FRIEND

OLD FRIENDS ARE THE BEST FRIENDS. MARION GOLDENBERG SCHWARTZ, HHS '54 POSTS THIS TRIBUTE TO HER BEST FRIEND WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY. MARION GOLDENBERG AND JANET NILSON WERE INSEPERABLE COMPANIONS IN THEIR EARLY YEARS. IN MY NUMEROUS EMAILS FROM MARION, IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO ME THAT SHE HARBORS VERY PRECIOUS AND BITTERSWEET MEMORIES OF THE HAPPY YEARS SHE SPENT WITH JANET NILSEN FROM THE CLASS OF '54. JANET PASSED AWAY RECENTLY.
I AM ADDING A QUOTATION TO YOUR WONDERFUL SENTIMENTS AS POSTED ABOVE, MARION. LOUISE BAIRD WAS MY FAVORITE HAMILTON HIGH CHOIR AND VOCAL MUSIC TEACHER WHEN I WAS AT HHS. SHE ASKED US TO COMMIT THIS TO MEMORY. IT IS A REFRESHING SENTIMENT, AND EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NEVER MET YOU NOR JANET, I THINK IT FITS BOTH OF YOU. YOUR FRIENDSHIP CERTAINLY EPITOMIZES BEAUTY:

"THOUGH YOU TRAVEL THE WORLD OVER IN SEARCH OF THE BEAUTIFUL,

YOU MUST CARRY IT WITH YOU OR YOU FIND IT NOT."

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

1929: HAMILTON HIGH CONSTRUCTION DISPUTED

THESE TWO ARTICLES WERE A COMPLETE SURPRISE TO ME. I HAD NO INFORMATION ON THE CONTROVERSY WHERE LOCAL INDUSTRIALISTS DIDN'T WANT THE HAMILTON BOARD OF EDUCATION TO BUILD HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL. RATHER, THEY FELT THAT HAMILTON STUDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE BEING BUSSED TO
TRENTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE MONEY ALLOCATED FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL SHOULD BE CHANNELLED TO A JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.