The ceremonies at Thorne Middle School last week hosting the caravan of volunteers heading from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery was a refreshing and stimulating contrast to the Atlantic Highlands Elementary School’s complete disdain for any outward appearance of recognizing Pearl Harbor Day the week before.
The numbers of people of all ages waving flags, cheering on people from all over the country on their way to place wreaths on the graves of military men and women at the nation’s cemetery was far more refreshing than an Atlantic Highlands councilman saying the borough “did the right thing” by not lowering the flag for the entire day, in spite of the President’ s proclamation to do so under law.
The inspirational principal at Thorne, and a social science educator who has made World War II study, especially at a battle in which one of its own lost his life, a vital part of the Thorne School curriculum, were more American, patriotic and memorable, to say nothing of being educational for students, than an Atlantic Highlands council who sat quietly without issuing a single word about the school a block or south west of it that did not make any outward sign of even remembering Pearl Harbor, let alone teaching it in the classroom.
But Middletown government leadership fell by the side of the road as well. As did Monmouth County. Where were they when the Wreaths Across America caravan was present at Thorne School paying homage to Middletown’s veterans?
There were no members of the County Commission present, though two were at the ribbon cutting for a dog park in Atlantic Highlands that same day.
There was no one from the governing body there , although the Chief of Police was in attendance and coordinated with his department all the necessary traffic safety issues to enable the caravan to honor the local military.
Too many times, too many people, are dropping the little nuances, the simple ceremonies, the presence and appreciation of times, places and events that keep it uppermost in our minds that this nation did not get to be the great place it is to live, does not offer the freedoms and opportunities that surround us without the blood, sweat, tears and often times lives, or those young and brave men and women who remember the history of the nation and what it has taken to remain as great as it is.
What will happen to a nation whose next generation s not being taught, or shown, the importance of remembering the past?
A belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past.
Traditions can persist and evolve for thousands of years—the word tradition itself derives from the Latin tradere meaning to transmit.
The song “White Christmas” is a tradition. Written in 1942 by Irving Berlin, it is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling single of all time.
Shelden Harnick wrote the lyrics sung by Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, the story of a Jewish family in Imperial Russia that believed in tradition:
And who has the right, as master of the house,
To have the final word at home?
The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.
Who must raise the family and run the home,
So Papa’s free to read the holy book?
The Mama, the Mama! Tradition!
Traditions are important, they’re memorable, they make a celebration important, they pass on values. They teach love and respect and honor and special home-made traditions that keep it all alive.
Two Families
I learned of two families with a very special tradition that started when the children were very young, some not yet even born. It is a tradition these families have kept alive for more than two decades. Now they have passed on to the spouses and friends of their family as well as the next generation.
It’s a tradition that started at NWS Earle, the Naval installation that sprawls across five different towns in Monmouth County. Earle has seen Marines and Sailors, officers and enlisted, spend time here, either as visitors on ships loading or unloading the powers of war as well as those stationed here, their families living in their own community in base housing.
It was a tradition for the civilian arm of the Navy personnel to have festive Christmas celebrations each year, celebrations that included the children dropping letters to Santa Claus in special mailboxes on base, sure they would get a response from the jolly bearded gentleman.
And they did.
Every year.
Families came and families went.
Navy & Marines
One time in particular, there were two families who were stationed there at the same time, one a Marine family, one a Navy family. Both loved the traditions of Christmas and loved the ones celebrated at Earle. They loved them so much, in fact, that when they both moved on to accept other orders and continue to defend and protect the nation, they decided they never wanted the tradition of Santa letters to die.
For the next many years, children in both families, or their parents, continued annual letters to Santa regardless of where their military members were stationed. Santa loved the letters, loved keeping up with the families’ growth, learning more about the different bases where they were stationed, the heart breaks and happiness that life in the military brought, the joys of family. And always the tradition.
Expanded Tradition
At least one of the families has expanded on that tradition of writing to Santa and receiving his response. They saved the letters. And over the years, they have started another tradition. On Christmas Eve, the family gathers around the tree or the Manger scene, pulls out that year’s letters as well as some from previous years, and re-reads all that Santa has written. The youngsters of yesteryear laugh and remember the past, they wonder where Santa is and how he still knows where they live and what they are up to. They don’t really care, though. They just love the tradition.
Tradition. It brings families together. Helps people laugh over sad times, reminds them of things of the past, hopes for the future. Provides a stability, a family that stays together and passes on its own values.
“The traditional ways and rituals of all of Earth’s peoples are kept in containers of poetry, song, and story. It is how we know who we are, where we are coming from and who we are becoming.”
A love for tradition has never weakened a nation, indeed it has strengthened nations in their hour of peril.
Sir Winston Churchill
Is this the year your family should start its own new Christmas tradition?
This is that very special time of year when there is something in the air that somehow makes you feel better, happier, stronger. I wish the happiest and best of the Christmas season to all those readers of venividiscripto.com who read the blog in their own countries in their own language.
I also thank you so much for your faith in my writing, your respect for my opinion, whether you agree or not, and your many kind words of support when others do not like, or believe, or think I have the right to address issues of importance to so many.
Joyeux Noel!
It is a special time of year, for at Christians we can look back on that miracle more than 2000 years ago when God truly did come to earth, become one of us, and lead us through trials, tribulations and faith. It’s Pere Noel who brings the gifts to the children Christmas morn, adorned in his red suit and large sack. But the celebrations start the first Sunday of Advent with the lighting of the first candle on the Advent Wreath, special prayers and a season of preparation for the birth of Christ. The bright lights on the Christmas trees symbolize Christ as the light of the world.
Feliz Navidad.
It is a time when we learn about and can participate in the traditions of some many other nationalities and become just a little better because of them. The Spanish tradition of Navidades lasts until January 6 with the arrival of the Three Kings. For many children in Spain and throughout Mexico, the most anticipated day of the year is “El Día de los Reyes”, which begins on Jan. 5 with the “Cabalgata de Reyes,” the arrival of Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They arrive for the next day’s celebration on big floats and throw candy to the children on the street. They leave gifts behind which the children see and open when they wake up in the morning.
Nollaig shona dhuit!
One old custom in Ireland that many continue to observe is the placing of a candle in the window on Christmas Eve, a symbol to welcome strangers and to remember those who are far away from home. Crowds gather for friendly get togethers in pubs early on Christmas Eve, then all the pubs close and the Irish attend Midnight Mass in their parish churches. The light in the window also shows emigrants who left that they will always be able to see their way back home.
Buon Natale:
Italy is a country full of traditions, and the Feast of the Seven Fishes is one of the most popular on Christmas Eve. That is when the family gathers around a feast of seven different seafood dishes or one or two different types of fish prepared in seven different ways. Or a seven course seafood meal.
All are designed to show the appreciation of the nation to the bounty of the sea and most likely began during the time when the Catholic church forbade the eating of meat on the day before Christmas. Seven goes back to the seven sacraments, the seven days for Creation, or the believe that seven is repeated more than 700 times in the Bible. Regardless of the birth of the tradition, you can expect to see anchovies, sea bass, baked or grilled fish, or similar on every Italian table, along with desserts that include panettone and pandoro filled with prosperity and love.
God Jul
The celebration of Jul in Sweden is centered around family, friends, and spending time with people you love. Celebrations begin four weeks before, since by the first Sunday of Advent, Swedish families have their houses spotless, decorated, and including Advent stars. Children enjoy Advent calendars and receive a small gift each day, a tradition adults have adopted for their own small gift giving or wine gifts every day. A candle on a wreath is lit each Sunday for the four Sundays, with lussebullar, Sweden’s version of Italy’s Santa Lucia buns, a treat when the last candle is lit.
Chúc Mừng Giáng Sinh
is Merry Christmas in Vietnam, one of their four most important festivals of the year, although less than 10 per cent of the population is Christian. The Christian influence came during the time of French rule, and because of the joy and understanding of the people, celebrations blended with Taoism and Confucianism. During Communist rule, Christians had to observe the holy day in privacy. Today, Christmas is celebrated with much fanfare, a strong Western influence, and midnight Mass Christmas Eve, back home for a sumptuous dinner of chicken soup to turkey and Christmas pudding, and Christmas Eve celebrations that include lots of confetti and crowded streets. Children stage nativity plays to celebrate the birth of Christ, known as Kito.
Frohe Weihnachten
The Advent Season, Advent wreaths, and lighting a candle each Sunday for the four week before Christmas are also traditions In Germany, where the tradition of decorating a tree is only about 400 years old and followed the tradition of hanging evergreen branches inside at Christmas. The modern day Tannenbaum usually include bright red apples, gingerbread and silk flowers, along with live candles or light strings, and delicate ornaments handed down from generation to generation. Children often make cookies that add to the ornaments on the tree. But the most common ornament is the Weihnachtsengel, or Christmas Angel, miniature angel figures generally with musical instruments, carved from the woods of the mountains between Saxony and the Czech republic.
It is always so easy to count the many things that make me happy. But sometimes it takes things that bring tears to my eyes that make me appreciate how really much I have and how fortunate I am.
This time it was a couple of minutes in Walmart when I got a new realization that not only do my children love me but they show it in so many ways. And how fortunate I am for something I take for granted.
Not so the lady I met at Walmart.
Checking out on a long and slow moving line, I noticed the woman standing alone, a bag in her hand, obviously looking for someone. I smiled at her, enough of a gesture to start her chatting with me as I waited. “I’m too old to be shopping,” she said before asking, “how old are you?” When I told her she responded, “you shouldn’t be shopping either but I see you are. You’re younger than I am so I guess it’s ok.”
She found a friendly ear so continued, “I’m 88 years old and I live alone,” she explained, obviously happy to have someone listen to her, “but my son lives close and I’m here waiting for him. He told me to wait and he’d be right for me.” She continued to search the faces of all the people in line or walking past.
They she began again. “It’s tough getting old. Nobody want you around. You can’t do anything. I try to go out, I try to do things, I like to stay active. But it’s different.” I nodded, as she continued “and I don’t live with my son because he doesn’t want me. It’s been very difficult. I wish I weren’t here.”
Not seeing anyone coming to find her, I continued talking to her and said, “ah, life is pretty good. There are good things that happen. I think I’ve had a great run so far.” You might think so, but not me, she muttered.
Within a couple more minutes, still waiting in line, both of us silent, I saw a heavy set middle-aged man coming toward her and yelling, “There you are mother, I’ve been looking for you for half an hour.” “I’ve been standing here waiting for you,” she responded. “I told you to wait over there,” he said, pointing to the opposite side of the checkout counters. Come on, let’s go now.” As he shouted at her, he turned his back and continued to walk towards the door. She started moving, behind him, toward the door and he continued, in range of everyone still waiting in line. “I’m going to have to sign you in to that assisted care apartment. I know you don’t want to go, but I can’t do this anymore. You need help, you need your medicine, you don’t do what you’re told, you can’t do anything right.” He continued walking briskly as she walked a few feet behind, following.
As she passed me she said quietly, “Do you see what I mean that I haven’t had a good run? It’s been nice talking to you though. And I’m glad you have.
A former Marine sent me this poem which has been circulating for a couple of years at Christmas. He thanked me for upholding honoring the memory of the importance of Pearl Harbor.
He asked me if I would post the poem on venividiscripto.com so people will always remember that whether we are a nation at peace, a nation at war, or a nation somewhere in between, we are always a nation with strong and brave men and women who, absent a draft, remain willing to sign away years of their lives to do something important, to help their nation, to play a part in making us a better country. But with all their generosity, they are so often forgotten, so often go unappreciated.
For some military members and their families, wherever they may be, Christmas is a sad time. Let us never forget them.
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A MARINE,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE MARINE LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES MARINE.
WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I’D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE MARINES
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE MARINES,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN’T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE MARINE AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
“SANTA DON’T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON’T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.”
THE MARINE ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN’T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT’S CHILL.
I DIDN’T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE MARINE ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, “CARRY ON SANTA,
IT’S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.”
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
“MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.”
Atlantic Highlands Mayor & Council have a Failure to Communicate, while it seems that there is no one keeping Atlantic Highlands residents more aware and urging them to ask more questions of the governing body about municipal business than Mark Fisher.
Either hearing him ask questions in a definitive manner, his facts in tow, his recollections of earlier promises and statements intact, or reading his comprehensive review of previous meetings, facts and statements online is enough for anyone to realize Mr. Fisher is an interested citizen, one who follows every action of the governing body, and asks a lot of questions when he cannot get any answers.
He certainly is not a resident who is seeking any kind of position with the borough or election to any office. Indeed, it certainly appears he wouldn’t accept any office if offered to him. He’s just a very intelligent, very interested citizen who loves his town.
Mr. Fisher also points out in many different instances where the actions of the governing body do not always coincide precisely with what they say or what they plan.
Mother Theresa
The Redevelopment plan for the Mother Theresa property is only one example.
The resident has cited on more than one occasion that three years ago, when the Mother Theresa property first became a hot topic of conversation for sale, no one , not a single person from the public, indicated they would like the property sold to a developer for the construction of yet more houses in the community.
Senior Housing
Many spoke at public meetings on the need for senior housing, how the former parochial school could be converted to housing to meet a need, and how that use would fit in with the neighborhood and help long time residents having difficulty paying taxes and not needing large homes in their senior years, could still be accommodated within the community.
The governing body never said much after that public hearing. The public was led to believe there was a study afoot, they were looking at the best use, etc. Apparently the borough was negotiating with the church for purchase of the property. Absent any other comments from the governing body, the residents, wisely or not, “assumed’ any plans would include senior housing…the thing most said they wanted at more than one opportunity.
Redevelopment Plan
Then came the Redevelopment Plan and all of a sudden, not only the residents, but even the church attorney involved in negotiating the sale of the property learned for the first time that senior housing wasn’t even being considered by the governing body.
The plan finally announced to the public was strictly for more houses, as many as 13 in fact.
Thirteen more houses in addition to all the new apartments on First Avenue, West Avenue, Hennessey Blvd, and the houses on the McConnell tract which were also approved.
That’s an awful lot of development for a town whose Master Plan seems to want to keep it a small, neighborhood community.
That makes you wonder:
Is the Mayor and Council in the real estate business?
Are they approving a design of a neighborhood for the good of the town or for a sale of a large piece of property?
The state Master Plan calls for improving the quality of life, improving economic growth of the community; Fisher asks how are 9 to 13 more houses on property that currently has none, is going to improve the economic growth of the town?
For that matter, how are more houses, more vehicles, more noise, more use of open land, going to improve the quality of living for the community?
Master Plan
The Master Plan urges protection of the borough’s history and culture, as well as open space and recreational assets. How is tearing down a building that could enable local residents to continue to live here, tearing down a recreational building residents in that former school building, together with all borough residents, could use, and building still more houses on open space meeting those Mast Plan ideas?
The list goes on.
The Redevelopment plan also includes specifics…the colors these houses can be, the materials that can be used to build them, plus a few other items far outside the scope of what is required in zoning of any other area of the borough.
That makes one wonder……is the governing body, in financing this redevelopment plan which is a far cry from what people said they wanted, creating its own special ‘neighborhood’ in town?
Is it a real estate decision that this area should stand out because of its distinctive color or one or two different house designs?
Is promoting a ‘special’ section of Atlantic Highlands that would not look like any other neighborhood in a town steeped in history and generations of the same families going to make it exciting for a real estate venture?
Always left with Questions
All the questions still remain in spite of three years of talk. Yet the same planners who designed what apparently the council wanted, but not the general public said it wanted, will be at the Town Hall meeting, whenever that will be in the new administration, to explain and listen.
The administrator said they are eager to be there and looking forward to it Could that be so?
Are they ready to hear the public criticize a plan they designed that includes tearing down a couple of buildings and building new houses with specific materials and colors or design?
Did they even hear any of those comments from the public before launching into their plan?
If they did, did the governing body simply tell them to ignore the public and draw up a plan for more houses, colors and design? Or did they do that on their own and the governing body never told them what the public wanted?
Will the Song remain the Same?
If this governing body is in the real estate business, will the next be any different?
How much difference will it make when people speak out at yet another Town Hall meeting, another hearing before the planning board, and another before an ordinance is passed?
When the Thorne Middle School played host to Wreaths Across America Wednesday as one of only four stops in New Jersey enroute to Arlington National Cemetery with tens of thousands of wreaths for military graves, it paid special honor to the school’s own hero. Cpl. Horace M. “Bud” Thorne, killed during World War II in Belgium and the recipient of the military’s highest honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Thorne, a native of North Middletown, was one of nine children and attended the Port Monmouth and Leonardo High schools before enlisting in the Army in March, 1941. He married his friend’s sister, Leah Pinson in Mach, 1944, and served in the European theater beginning in August, 1944.
The soldier was advanced to the rank of Corporal serving with the 89th Cavalry Regiment with the 9th armored division and was serving in Belgium in December, 1944, along with his brother-in-law, Lindel Pinson. His Medal of Honor tells the story of his heroism and death four days before Christmas. Pinson has told how he witnessed his brother-in-law’s heroism and how Thorne refused to come down from his position for his own safety
Thorne was buried in the Belgian forest. He was later exhumed and he now rests at Fair View Cemetery in Middletown.
His Medal of Honor, which is on display at the School’s memorial to him, reads:
He was the leader of a combat patrol on 21 December 1944 near Grufflingen, Belgium, with the mission of driving German forces from dug-in positions in a heavily wooded area.
As he advanced his light machine gun, a German Mark III tank emerged from the enemy position and was quickly immobilized by fire from American light tanks supporting the patrol. Two of the enemy tank men attempted to abandon their vehicle but were killed by Cpl. Thorne’s shots before they could jump to the ground. To complete the destruction of the tank and its crew, Cpl. Thorne left his covered position and crept forward alone through intense machine gun fire until close enough to toss 2 grenades into the tank’s open turret, killing 2 more Germans.
He returned across the same fire-beaten zone as heavy mortar fire began falling in the area, seized his machine gun and, without help, dragged it to the knocked-out tank and set it up on the vehicle’s rear deck. He fired short rapid bursts into the enemy positions from his advantageous but exposed location, killing or wounding 8.
Two enemy machine gun crews abandoned their positions and retreated in confusion. His gun jammed; but rather than leave his self-chosen post he attempted to clear the stoppage; enemy small-arms fire, concentrated on the tank, killed him instantly.
Cpl. Thorne, displaying heroic initiative and intrepid fighting qualities, inflicted costly casualties on the enemy and insured the success of his patrol’s mission by the sacrifice of his life.
In spite of Congress using words like ‘Honor” Reflect” Proclaim” Commemorate” Dec. 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Councilman Jon Crowley still continued to tell residents at Wednesday’s council meeting that Atlantic Highlands did “the right thing” by not lowering the American flag to half staff for the entire day.
The Law
Whether it was because of an oversight, an honest mistake, an over busy staff or sheer neglect or lack of knowledge will never be known. But flags on municipal buildings in Atlantic Highlands were still at full staff late morning of Dec. 7. The US Congress and the President had proclaimed the day in remembrance of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii the previous day, and had urged flags to be flown at half staff, a proclamation which has been issued by every Congress and President since it was enacted into Public Law 103-308 in 1994.
Sometime after it was brought to their attention the morning of Dec. 7, be it coincidence or earlier planning, the American flag at Borough Hall and other locations within the borough other than the Elementary School were lowered to half staff for the rest of the day. The flag at the front of the Elementary School was never lowered to half staff on Pearl Harbor Day.
Crowley Comments
Councilman Crowley at that time, in response to this reporter’s comment in VeniVidiScripto.com commending the borough for correcting the issue, explained it was more a planned late lowering of the flag, in acknowledgement of the specific time when, 12.55 EST when the attack was launched in Hawaii, rather than the Congressional law.
When the matter came up once again at the council meeting, Crowley again took offense at any criticism of the borough by this borough resident, and corrected me saying I was incorrect in saying the flag was not flown properly. “It was not an oversight,” he explained, and the borough should not be reprimanded for the actions it took. Instead, he asked “do you want me to tell you how many towns in western Pennsylvania had flags lowered that day?” (In spite my saying I did not want to know, since I doesn’t live in those towns, Crowley said none had the flag lowered.”)
Pennsylvania for God’s Sake?
Comparing Atlantic Highlands to towns in western Pennsylvania or anywhere else when confronted with a criticism that this borough failed to follow PL103-308, is beneath this councilman’s general attitude of pride in and dedication to, Atlantic Highlands, and was rather surprising to hear on the record at a public meeting.
In the end of the brief discussion, Crowley suggested I criticize other towns, “but it is not deserved here. We did the right thing.” He added, however, that future Councils may look to commemorate the day in a different manner.
Veterans Affairs Committee
Borough Attorney Jason Sena was correct, however, in another inquiry this reporter made during the meeting when asking for the urgency of an ordinance passed three months ago but never enacted. That ordinance, which establishes a Veterans Affairs Committee, does not take effect until Jan. 1, 2023 as stipulated in the ordinance. However, no one could explain the urgency of this governing body enacting an ordinance last October and taking no action during the remainder of the term of this governing body. Mayor Loretta Gluckstein said appointments would be made to the new committee at the January meeting by the mayor with the consent of council.
With praise and congratulations of Borough historian and author Kevin Coyne, former resident and relative of Bruce Springsteen and former Mayor and baseball player Roger Kane, Glenn Cashion has released his first book, BASEBALL IS IN MY DNA, A TRUE STORY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF Baseball IN FREEHOLD. “
Cashion
Cashion, a Freehold native and a member of the Monmouth County Historical Commission, has researched the history of the sport and the importance it has played in local and sports history, and at the same time intertwined the story of his own family, the Cashions, who have deep roots in the borough.
The author shares insights into both the sport and his family in chapters including Mr. Baseball of Freehold, his brother David “Dem “Cashion. He also includes numerous photographs, newspaper articles and recollections from players telling the stories of what has been known for more than a century as the baseball stronghold of the Garden State.
The history of baseball also includes team rosters, tryout stories, tales about some of the eccentric ball players and how the rules of the sport have changed over the decades.
Glory Days
In promoting the book, Springsteen, who grew up in Freehold and is related to Cashion, noted the book “mirrors the history of this country and this book provides a rich journey through those old glory days. Springsteen said the book, which traces Freehold baseball from 1857 through 1973, “brings back fond memories of my ball playing days, even when I was called out on strikes by Dem.” Coyne, author of “Marching Home: To War and Back with the Men of one American Town, and an adjunct professor at Columbia School of Journalism, said Cashion’s book is “story of a love affair with America’s game his own, his family’s, his town’s and his country’s. Baseball was everything and everywhere in Glenn’s hometown…”
Research
A beacon in the spectacular history of Freehold baseball. Glenn’s meticulous research and narrative offer insight into what Freehold’s baseball culture was like over the last 100 years,” pointed out Kane, who said that as a member of the Freehold Townsmen himself, “I found the section on Dem’s fantastic baseball life to be captivating.”
The author has been employed for more than four decades in senior leadership positions both stateside and globally, with several telecommunications companies. He is an active member of Brown University’s alumni association and the Marine Corps League, in addition to the County Historical Commission and several local historical organizations.
The book is available in paperback and available through Walmart or at gcashion@comcast.net
First introduced at a book reading at the Eastern Branch Library of the Monmouth County Library by County Commissioner Lillian G. Burry, Norman the Christmas Dog was once again on stage at the Montrose School at their annual Christmas celebration.
Norman the Christmas Dog
The book was one of several unique gifts offered at the historic one room schoolhouse annual Country Christmas event which also included the annual reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
Traditionally read by Commissioner Burry, who was unable to attend this year’s celebration, the Clement Moore tale was ready by Mary Pahira, Colts Neck Historical Preservation Committeewoman.
Written by Candice Faust, Norman the Christmas Dog is the story of a dog wanting to be rescued and having a happy holiday season. Burry introduced Faust and her first book at the Eastern Branch library earlier this year, then invited the author to read the book at the Montrose School Country Christmas event. Both the author and Norman were present for “pawagraphs and photos.”
Spicer
The book, which is illustrated by Morgan Spicer of Atlantic Highlands, was also available for sale at the Country Christmas event, along with Burry’s book on the Historic Sites of Colts Neck. Sales of both books were donated to the Historical Preservation Committee.
China and Folio Art Glass
Also on sale at the annual event were China and Folio Art Glass commemorative plates, as well as ornaments and coasters of historical sites, historical maps and note cards. The books and a limited number of other items are still available by contacting Pahira at the Colts Neck General Store or Colts Neck Realty, at 732-462-6888. Both businesses are located on Route 537 near Route 34.
Attendees
More than 160 people attended the annual event, which also features the music of the Mike Wells Trio. Wells, of Union Beach, also captivates his audience and engages them in a singalong of holiday favorites.
Township Committeeman Frank Rizzuto, who serves as the governing body’s liaison to the Preservation Committee, was also on hand for the event.
Guests at the event enjoyed a variety of homemade cakes, candies and cookies, together with sandwiches, hot chocolate and mulled cider.
In a traditional and nostalgic piece of history, Preservation Committeeman Tom Sullivan donated a school bell to the historical committee, and the bell was rung to gather the children to a sit down by Santa for the traditional Clement Moore reading.
