I just returned from DC where I participated
in the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice. I went there
via NJ where I spent several days with my sisters touring the greater
Newark area.
I took the opportunity of driving through my old neighborhoods
to see if the houses I grew up in were still there...nada. Blessed
Sacrament Church is still there, the Jewish Temple across the street
from it is now a protestant church, Baptist I think, and it is operating
just fine, it seems. My old neighborhood on So. 11th is an unrecognizable
disaster, as is most of the Clinton Hill section.
I drove down So Orange Ave, past St Antonitus, around past the
Dominican Sisters cloistered convent on 13th Ave. I ventured downtown,
through Broad and Market and was pleased to see that some of the
old buildings were still in pretty nice condition - the City Hall
was beautiful - and I found McGovern's! The last time I was in McGovern's
was on St. Patty's day, 1957, after the parade and it hasn't changed
one bit from what I can remember. Thank goodness something is still
there from the old days. I had a long talk with Bill Scully, the
owner, who knew a host of cops that I worked with years ago. Scully
just sold the place and is retiring. He is a real gentleman.
I visited the art museum...wonderful! Anyway, I thought I might
run into someone from this website just by chance while I was downtown,
no luck. If I had more time I would have contacted Jule but it'll
have to wait until next time. Anyway, McGovern's was great, Museum
Great and it was all in all a nice tour through my home town
CIRCA 1945.
The Police and Fire Athletic League was launched in Newark. Fire
House Stations and Police Precinct Stations sponsored neighborhood
baseball teams, uniforms and all! It was the first time many of
us played in an organized baseball league on a real diamond, usually
we played in a dirt field or empty lot, used large rocks for bases
and an old, used ball, taped over with electrical tape or Johnson
& Johnson adhesive tape for a baseball. Our coaches were policemen
and firefighters...great coaches, friends and role models who probably
prevented many of us from going down the wrong path and getting
into serious "trouble".
The Greatest Show On Earth
Who remembers when the three ring circus would come to town, pitch
their tents and put on the Greatest Show On Earth. As I recall,
they used to set up in a field down around the railroad tracks,
not sure of the location. In later years the circus would set up
the tents in Elmer's Field in Irvington. We used to sneak under
the Big Top to see the three ring show...and there were the sideshows
too, remember? Does the circus still come to Newark or is that all
history now?
Blue Star banners and War Bond rallies
Most of you may not know what I am referring to, so let me explain.
During World War II, when a young man or woman was serving in the
military, the family would hang a small white banner with a blue
star in its center, usually suspended from the lock of the front
window of their home, which could be seen by passersby. The size
of the banner was not more than 5x8 inches. If more than one family
member was in the service, than a star representing each person
in the service, would be on the banner. There were many homes in
many neighborhoods in Newark that proudly displayed these banners.
If a serviceman was killed in action, the family would then display
a similar banner with a gold star instead of blue, signifying a
son or daughter who made the supreme scarifice. To this day there
exists an organization known as the Gold Star Mothers of America
whose members have lost children in any of the wars or military
actions since and including WW II.
National Guard Armory
Does anyone remember the National Guard armory on 16th Avenue and
Littleton Ave or Camden Street circa 1937? As I recall it was the
meeting place for a cavalry unit composed of black soldiers. I was
very, very young at the time but seeing those spit and polish soldiers
left an indelible impression in my memory. The soldiers wore military
jodhphurs and wrap around leggings. As I recall, some had knee high
riding boots that were polished to a mirror like shine. All the
soldiers wore campaign (Smokey the Bear) hats. Obviously, a very
impressionable sight for a five or six year old to see as I can
still recall the scene.
Remember the Drum and Bugle Corps?
When I was pre-teenager I was a member of the Robert Treat Cadets
Drum and Bugle Corps, sponsored by an American Legion post that
was located on North Broadway. We practiced once a week and proudly
marched down Broad Street in every holiday parade. I alternated
between being a bugler and a flag bearer, which, I think, prepared
me for my stint in marine corps. There were other drum and bugle
corps around the Essex County area. Some of the guys from my neighborhood
played and marched in the other corps, however, we would practice
together in our neighborhood, a couple of drums and a couple of
bugles and voila! a jam session. The Robert Treat Cadets also played
at many of the WW II dedication ceremonies and war bond rallies
where communities dedicated their Blue Star banners, a huge banner
containing a number of blue stars, arranged similarly to the stars
on the american flag, each star representing a young man or woman
who was serving in the military. Too many of those blue stars became
gold stars, representing those young americans who made the supreme
sacrifice for us.
Horseback Riding
During the late '40's I lived on So 11th St between Avon and Wooldland
Avenues. We were then in our teens and my friends and I did a lot
of horse back riding, even owned our own quarter horse. We rode
through the South Orange Mountains and Livingston every chance we
got..and played hookey many times to do it. We wore Levi's long
before they became popular and the only place in Newark they were
available was at a Red Allen's store on Prince Street. Our favorite
music was then called "western or cowboy' music..and the DJ
who played it broadcast from the top of the Robert Treat hotel,
I believe the station was WAAT. I remember one night my friends
and I visited the studio just for kicks and we ended up being interviewed
for about an hour, between songs. In those days the big names in
country music were, Ernie Tubbs, Little Jimmy Dickens, Homer and
Jethro and Hank Williams...and of course Tennesse Ernie Ford who
was just beginning to "cross over" to popular music. A
couple of the guys I rode with later became mounted policemen in
Newark. I am still in touch with some of those old friends and we
all still ride horses... and we don't have to play hooky to do it.
Those were some really great days!
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