I believe that the reasons you find so
many of us older people on this site are because:
At the time that we were young Newark was the place to be. I think
we enjoyed each other as neighbors a lot more. I knew everybody
by name on my block, and I liked them too.
The war years had a lot to do with it. I was very young, but knew
what was going on.
Just about every window in the city had a small white flag. Each
flag had a star for a member of that family that was serving in
the armed forces. I can remember the panic and concern when a telegram
was received. Too often it was tragic and that white star changed
to gold. The city had something in common and they pulled together.
Now I don’t want anyone to think that things have changed.
I have not been in Newark since 1958 so I don’t really know.
But back then you knew your milk man, mail man, bread man, rag
man, garbage man and most of all your police man. Doctors made house
calls, and most of the time you got a lollipop.
If someone past away the entire neighborhood would pay their respects.
You could have fed a army with all the food that they gave you.
You could find a house of worship in safe walking distance from
our home. Public Service buses and trolley were on every corner,
they came every five minutes ,except in February when you were freezing
your butt off, then they never came. But when they did come, it
was a safe warm place. The perverts had not arrived yet.
The schools! Seemed like there were thousands of them. They were
all run by teachers. We respected all of them. After we graduated,
I found that, not only did I miss them, I remember all of the wonderful
thing they did for us.
In the school that I attended (Abington Ave ) Mister Finnelly
the school janitor was just as much one of the many good memories.
He kept that old school clean and comfortable. There was never a
mark on any wall, the old wooden floors were always clean an highly
polished. He love us and we loved him.
I have been around the world and there is not much that compare
with the good old USA. Newark has it all.
The many parks and playgrounds. Branch Brook was my park. Can
anyone imagine having a place to play that stretched from Bellville
to Barringer High School? That park offered almost any activity
anyone would want. And what a sight at cherry blossom time.
I could go on forever I am loaded with old memories of Newark.
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