Thanksgiving means many different things to many people, but in almost all cases, celebrations and festivities focus on family, church services to offer thanks, large dinners, and the main course, turkey.
In 1932, in the midst of the Depression, turkeys were reported at their lowest price ever, at least ten cents per pound lower than the year before. Local large purveyors had train carloads of turkeys delivered, with advance orders guaranteeing they would all be sold.
The price of turkey for Thanksgiving in 1932 in Monmouth County? Twenty-nine cents a pound!
In addition, turkeys were said to be better than ever in quality, given the weather conditions during their growing seasons and improved methods of raising turkeys.
In 1779, it was raisins that were hard to get to complete the Thanksgiving meal. According to a letter written by a young girl, Julianna Smith, to her cousin, Betsy, the family, at least three generations of both sides of the family, were gathering at Uncle Simeon’s house for the annual feast. Uncle Simeon was a merchandiser and had quantities of needed items in his inventory.
According to Julianna, everyone in the family in their own homes baked two or three days to make all the pies, cakes and breads necessary for the feast. And absence the raisins, dried sweet cherries were used, both beside the turkey in sauce and in pies and breads. The two grandmothers present at the Thanksgiving dinner were described as “handsome old ladies,” made even more handsome since they were surrounded by generations of their families.
When all the spices were not available, Uncle Simeon went into his stored supplies and came up with a jar of ginger preserves from a foreign port to put in the Suet Pudding, which replaced Plum Pudding for Thanksgiving. The pudding was also filled with dried plums and cherries, and the ginger was used in the mince pies.
Noted military historian Paul E. Zigo will make a presentation on the attack on Pearl Harbor, the entry of the United States into World War II on the Day of Infamy, 2 p.m. Thursday Dec. 7, at the Info Age Science and History Museum, 2201 Marconi Rd., Wall.
The author will go into detail about the events of the bombing of US ships at port in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941, a day President Franklin Roosevelt said would “go down in Infamy.”
Zigo, the founder and director of the WW II Era Studies Institute is a graduate of Rider University, Temple University and the US Army War College. He was the executive producer and narrator of the cable network series Triumphant Spirit: World War II Generation Speaks, a program that ran for three years and can still be accessed at the Library of Congress’s Victory History Program.
He is the author of numerous books, including The Longest Walk, the Amazing Story of the 29th Infantry Division on D-day, June 6, 1944 as well as Witnessing History: The Eisenhower Photographs featuring the photos taken of the former General and President by his personal wartime photographer, Al Meserlin.
A 30-year veteran of the US Army, Zigo retired as a colonel and is a founding sponsor of the National Museum of the US Army.
Entrance to the program, which is $10 for all from age 12 and $8 for those younger, includes access to all the museums at the Cape Evans Historical Landmark site. Membership in Info Age is always available
An intimate and informal memorial ceremony took place Sunday afternoon at 3:30 for Jane T. Reynolds, the beloved former librarian at the Atlantic Highlands branch of the County library.
Jane died Nov. 1 following more than three years of courageously battling GBM brain cancer.
Guests attending the memorial ceremony in the library took advantage of the opportunity sharing their joy at knowing Jane and the very personal reasons why she was so special to each, as well as the joy and lessons they learned simply by knowing her, working with her, and seeing her in watching the sun set or helping a youngster select a book. They shared everything from Biblical stories to A.A. Milne and intimate incidents or memories to recall a friend, mentor, and ever joyous individual.
With guitarist Nick Esposito playing soft music in the background, friend and fellow librarian Faye Sacco showed the joy in Jane’s face and her “TaDa” attitude a photo she brought to the memorial. The photo is Jane at the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire’s White Mountains and it was taken right before she was diagnosed. “She trained hard for her mountain adventure,” Sacco said, “and she was so happy in the process. I know she is cheering us on.”
Born March 17, 1960, Jane was the daughter of Joseph and Maria Reynolds and was known for her love of children and working with them. She was an instructional aide at Atlantic Highlands Elementary School, a volunteer for Literacy Volunteers of America, and also volunteered with Head Start and Lunch Break as well as UNICEF.
But she is remembered warmly and in a special way by the members of the Atlantic Highlands Book Lovers Club and the throngs of children who sought and received her help with everything from homework to simply cheering up a youngster’s day. Always eager to encourage children to read, she took the time to seek out the perfect reading materials for each child, while at the same time stimulating a love for the written word, not only with children but adults who came to the library as well.
Jane studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York, and was a hiker, camper, and mountaineer, citing as one of her great achievements that last mountain climb.
Jane is survived by her brother and closest friend, Joseph, II.
Donations in Jane’s memory can be made to NB Tumors of Newton Mass at http://braintumor.org or to your favorite environmental or arts non-profit organization.
It’s kind of funny how Highlands first Mayor, David Miller, selected the first borough clerk when Highlands officially became a borough in May, 1900.
After the new borough council was elected along with Mayor Miller, Charles Snyder, Atlantic Highlands attorney, officially swore them in to the new offices of governing the brand new town, now no longer part of Middletown.
The first thing they had to do was name a borough clerk. Two men had applied for the position: Fred Johnson and William Ahearn.
The mayor liked both gentlemen and did not want to make the choice. So he turned it over to the other council members.
There was a tie vote, which went the decision was back in the mayor’s hands to break the tie. He didn’t want to do that either, because he did not want to offend either gentleman.
So he did the only thing he could! He tossed a coin, and the first borough clerk, by the flip of a coin, was Mr. Johnson.
But wait! Before he was even sworn in, the following week in fact, Mr. Johnson resigned from the position. No reason given. Simply up and quit.
But Mr. Ahearn, who would seem the logical choice, was not appointed even then.
That’s how Jesse Sculthorpe became the first official working borough clerk in the new borough of Highlands.
There were other appointments, all of which went quite easily. Mr. Snyder, who had sworn in council, became the borough attorney, and Alonzo T. Derby became the marshal. Assistant marshals were W.E.Parker and Job. G. Liming. John Burdge became the Overseer of the Poor.
The only other appointment made at the organization was for the Board of Health and five gentlemen were named to that: Allen Reed, Charles Rogers, John Layton, James Taylor and George Foster.
Taxation was the next topic and the governing body felt they were so much better off as an independent community rather than part of Middletown. They figured the first year they would bring in $500 in taxes and another $1100 for license fees, giving them a total of $1900 to run their new town for a full year.
That was a good deal and the town could be affluent, they all agreed. They estimated Middletown never spent more than $500 in the territory which was now Highlands in any year.
Seeing so many Christmas decorations already up, even seeing a couple of trees in family living rooms, I figured I really ought to put my Christmas Legends of the Bayshore book up for sale for gift giving to youngsters or oldsters who like to read legends and fables in and around the Bayshore.
I wrote the book last year, in part compiling some stories I had written each year for my own children. My custom during their growing up years, well, way into their 20s, was to write a legend then create a tree ornament that depicts the character in the legend. I wrote the book so other parents could be creative with ideas for ornaments that would match any of the stories.
While some of the stories could happen anywhere, in the ocean, like The Starfish and he Christmas Tree, or in any home, like “The Ornament not Selected,” there are many that focus on local people… fun legends about local legends like former Mayor Helen Marchetti, Highlands Mr. First Aid, Harry Duncan, or even the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club team. There’s even one about the men and women who go to mass at St. Agnes every morning, “The Peanut Lady,” and another that takes place in Hartshorne Woods.
The book, in larger print suitable for younger children to read, are $15, and available at Bayshore Pharmacy, Bahrs Restaurant, or this blog.
Every once in a while, it’s just fun to bring a little make believe into your life
OPRA, the New Jersey state Right to Know Law, was designed by the state legislature to ensure the public gets all the facts they have the right to know from official documents, records and reports of every elected body in the school districts, municipalities, counties and state.
It’s a great step and a mighty effort to give the people their rights. But it still isn’t enough when public entities, or their attorneys or other professionals, really go out of their way to hide things.
In dealing with information from four different municipalities in the past year, there have been so many instances of these bodies withholding, hiding, or making it very difficult to get the facts. I have found filthy and sneaky means of keeping the people from knowing the truth, the whole truth, and nothing about the truth, about so many things. So far, of the four towns where I have attempted to learn information I am entitled to learn, Highlands, Atlantic Highlands, Oceanport and Sea Bright, Sea Bright is the only one where I have not found any attempts to keep me from knowing what’s going on. But then, I haven’t tried to get any information from any Sea Bright elected body yet.
In Atlantic Highlands, where the borough clerk is highly professional and efficient, there is never any problem in getting what you ask for. In some instances, the answer comes within the hour, with further information that an OPRA wasn’t even necessary to get it.
It was either the governing body, or its attorney, who made the decision to name that ordinance Redevelopment Plan but never saying it was the Mother Theresa School property. They did this at the introduction of the ordinance and the innocuous name would not have awakened anyone to the fact it was all about the property the people have been saying for three years they want for senior citizen housing.
It was only because local resident Mark Fisher keeps his eye on everything governmental and is so astute at keeping the people aware of what the powers that be should actually be keeping the people informed about, that it was made visible to the average citizen. What’s worse, neither the owners of the property, nor their attorney in negotiations with the borough for sale of that property were advised before it happened that there was a plan afoot to change the use of that property even before the sale is completed. The attorney was ZOOM present at the meeting and said it is the first he’s heard of it. Just like everybody else.
Until Mark Fisher got the governing body to make it clear. WOW.
In Highlands, the approach is just as seemingly underhanded but in a different way. In trying to get some information on how the new borough hall cost has risen by millions since it was first introduced, wrong information was forwarded under an OPRA request. A second request brought some information, but not all of it as requested. Still the clerk closed the OPRA as if it were a fait accompli. It was not. So there was yet another attempt to get information I’m entitled to receive. How did that go? Still did not get it, instead, I got an insulting written message from the clerk saying attend a Council Meeting. Knowing full well that due to a disability, I can not
WOW!
And how can I forget that ‘e-mail friendship’ that was attempted to be formed by a lawyer in the firm that’s being paid by the Oceanport Board of Education to protect all their thoughts and deeds? That was back a year ago or so, when Highlands, Atlantic Highland and Sea Bright were talking about the regionalization plans for the school districts.
The Oceanport school board attorney wasn’t openly involved yet, nor did she tell me that she was an attorney and her name had not come out at all in the regionalization discussions. Of course, I could have searched for it, but why would I? This was simply discussions between municipal bodies on the studies they had paid for to see whether regionalization was a good idea. Heck, Oceanport had not even asked a single question about any of it.
Yet I, a senior citizen who just likes to write and has spent a lifetime trying hard to keeping the public informed, received a chummy e-mail from an attorney in that law firm, asking for some information, saying she saw me at meetings, read my blog, and wanted to chat about something. But she never once mentioned she works for the lady who is representing Oceanport and opposing anything the other towns were proposing.
An attorney who wanted information about a deal that involved an elected board her company represented. But with all her legal background, she never thought it was important enough to share that information before asking questions of a private citizen rather than the governing bodies.
WOW!
So in the end, what does it all say? Does it give you a warm cozy feeling that you can trust your elected officials? Does it look like the people who have the right to know get that right easily? Does it look like we need more Mark Fishers attending more meetings and asking more questions?
More importantly, does it make you wonder why so many elected officials really want to keep things under cover? Does it make you wonder whether there might be some chicanery going on in some places?
Does it make you want to get involved and ask more questions?
I was less than eight years old when in our regular talks around the dinner table with my brothers, sister and parents every night,my father had told us that God did not give Israel many natural resources, none, in fact, that I know of. Then my father taught us that it was probably because this little piece of land had so much to teach, so much history we as Christians should know, and so much to offer. He said it is the people, not the gifts in the earth, who would do so much themselves rather than relying on natural resources to make the world a better place.
I was in grammar school when I learned the Christian importance of Israel, and learned the joy surrounding its becoming a nation on its own when it took over a piece of land occupied by Palestine and David Ben Gurian announced its independence and proclaimed Israel an independent state. It remains the only nation on earth where its indigenous people returned to their own land after thousands of years of forced exile.
I learned throughout my high school years how brilliant the people of Israel are, and how they combined brilliance with hard work and innovation, becoming the inventors and creators of so many things that make our everyday life so much better and easier. I admired the fact, that although they are the 100th smallest of all the nations in the world, they also have had more Nobel Peace Prize recipients, some 22 per cent of all those ever presented, a staggering percentage considering the small population and youth of it as a recognized nation.
I was the mother of a Marine whose ship pulled into Israel when he learned, and shared with me, how wonderful the people were, how even the women had to serve in the military and how people live in kibbutz’ to make each other’s lives better and help each other on a daily basis, all doing their share. He was the first I knew who visited there and I was happy to hear his stories of how they loved our military and America.
I learned through reading over the years the statistics on how Israeli people have made their nation the country that brought in more trees into the 21st century than any other nation, all of whom are still talking about preserving the environment. And that’s in spite of it being a desert. I learned it is in the process of building the world’s largest desalination plant and right now using more treated salt water for a variety of uses than any other country in the world. I learned that 90 per cent of its homes heat their water by solar power.
When it comes to science, Israel can’t be beat. They’re second in the world in space science, and its people hold more patents than are held in Russia, India and China combined.
Nobel prize winners for literature are as varied as the humorous Melissa Bank or the essayist Isaac Singer, or David Stromberg and so many more.
And it’s the only country in the world that revived its own unspoken language after thousands of years.
But it’s all its advances in medicine for which I love Israel the most. They’ve made great strides against diabetes…look at Oramed, insulin that can be taken orally, and Orcin to fight blindness, or ReWalk Robotics, the exoskeleton that helps the lame to walk. Israelis knows how to create medicine and make healthy bodies.
It’s more than five years since I had the faith in a Freehold radiologist NJ and an Israeli innovation to enter a trial for cryoablation, a simple, easy, painless way to kill a cancerous tumor in my breast. It was a procedure that took less than half an hour, let me keep a lunch appointment a couple of hours later, and took a band-aid to cover the tiny scar where the needle was inserted with the magic stuff that literally froze the tumor to death without even leaving the needle or injecting anything into my tissue.
I had the opportunity to visit Israel a few weeks after the procedure and was overwhelmed when I met with the men…and women, so many of them, who participated in the innovation and brought it to reality. I was humbled by their appreciation of me for entering the trial; I will never forget their warmth, charm and graciousness when they welcomed me to their part of the country .
Israel. A country smaller than New Jersey, a people who have spent their history in battling enemies that surround them, a bright and refreshing haven in the middle of a desert.
There are 26 official Muslim nations in the world, there are 18 official Christian nations in the world. But there is only one Jewish state in the world. Israel.
Finally the Atlantic Highlands Harbor Commission has made some headway in correcting some of the wrongs that leasee Capt. Harold Smith and his TowBoat/US has had to endure for the past two years.
Since the new $1.5 million dollar was built 22 months ago at the Harbor, and been leased to both the NJ State Police and TowBOAT/US, Capt. Smith has complained about the improper, unsafe, or inadequate construction problems that were apparently overlooked when Kappa Construction built the facility and walked away from the job as complete.
Since then, Smith has pleaded with the Harbor Commission, then when nothing was done, appealed to the governing body as the borough is building owner. He asked that he be released from his lease that he has been paying without any discounts for the incomplete or incorrect work and continued to ask that it be corrected. Council referred the matter back to the Harbor Commission saying it was their facility, and the Commission has been working with an attorney since then.
Last month, the Commission made some corrections and promised more, and Smith reported this week they have kept their promise. Borough council, however, had not yet taken any action on releasing Smith from his lease.
The businessman reported this week that the shut off valves for the gas have now been properly put in and his PTAC unit installed. He’s now waiting for a heavy rainfall to see if it’s been successful. He also indicated nobody has shared the results of the water test they conducted nor released any results of the survey they did.
But things are looking up, Smith said, as he continues operating the business he has had at the harbor for more than a decade.
Kappa Construction, meantime, is keeping on schedule at its $10-plus million dollar construction of the Highlands Borough Hall on Route 36 in Highlands. Most of the exterior initial siding and roof construction is in place and expected to be completed before colder weather sets in so work can continue inside during the winter months. A portion of the parking area on the west side of the building has been paved, and Kappa employees, after Police Chief Rob Burton reminded the firm parking on the state highway is illegal, are now parking within the property fencing and keeping both the highway lane and the sidewalk open for motorists and pedestrians.
Dan Lieb will be the guest speaker of the Middletown Township Historical Society discussing the USCS Robert J. Walker, a steamship that made headlines in 1860 off the New Jersey coast.
Lieb will present his program on the historic ship Tuesday Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. at the Middletown Township public Library. There is no admission fee and an invitation is open to all to attend; there will be no ZOOM presentation of the program.
Dan Lieb
Lieb, a found member and current president of the New Jersey Historical Divers Association, will tell the story of the steamboat which was used for surveying. It sunk in 1860, a tragedy which marked the largest loss of government employees whose lives were lost at sea outside of times of war. His presentation will cover the discovery of the site of the coast, and further information on how the expedition was formed and records made at the site. Live will also speak on diver training and divers’ impact on historic preservation.
An employee at Divers Two, Lieb inspects, services and fills scuba tanks, repairs and alters wet and dry suits, sells and rents scuba gear, and runs foreign, regional and local travel for the firm. Certified as a PADI SCUBA Diver at age 17, he has completed more than 2,000 scuba dives from Canada to the Caribbean and holds PADI AOW and Rescue Diver certifications.
In addition to the presidency of the divers association, Lieb is a technical illustrator with 36 years of experience, and has worked on nearly 30 archaeological expeditions recording shipwrecks.
He has identified 14 shipwrecks off New Jersey and lectures extensively on shipwreck history. His mapping expedition for NOAA in 2014 recorded the remains of the Coast Survey Robert J. Walker. In in addition to writing several books on New Jersey wreck diving, Lieb has appeared on the History Channel’s “Deep Sea Detectives” featuring the sunken locomotives off Long Branch. He is also the director and curator of the New Jersey Shipwreck Museum at InfoAge in Wall, and a member of the Explorers Club.
The Historical Divers Association is a not-for-profit historical organization dedicated to the preservation of New Jersey shipwreck and maritime history.
For more information about the Middletown Township Historical Society, please visit MiddletownNJHistory.org.
The library is located on Tindall Road. near Route 35.
While each of the Atlantic Highlands council members gives extraordinary reports at council meetings of all that’s been going on within their respective committees each month, it’s Councilman James Murphy’s reports that are most in depth and in detail, actually keeping the public informed of all that is going on in the departments which he oversees.
As an example, at the other night’s meeting of the governing body, Council members Lori Hohenleitner and Brian Dougherty had nothing to report, Councilman Brian Boms said he had nothing to report, but did mention the planning board had cancelled its scheduled meeting last week because a lack of completed applications, and a about the upcoming fund raiser. Jon Crowley reported briefly, though enthusiastically, about the EM radio site soon to be a realty, Steve Boracchia give a brief report on the Harbor Commission and the impact of the high gas prices there, but nonetheless the harbor should fare better this year than last.
But Councilman Murphy had a page full of details on the first aid, recreation committee and the Public Works Department, keeping the public well informed of how busy all were this month as well as reporting on the success of events including the Halloween house decorating contest and parade. He said he was leaving updates on the police and fire departments to the other council members to report.
So Murphy reported and it was nice for the public to know the first aid responded to 20 calls during October, and another 12 already in November. It’s important for people to know the squad has answered 234 calls this year, a fact that might stimulate more interest in someone becoming a squad volunteer or perhaps contributing funds to help them. He urged residents to “give a smile and a handshake” to Tim Farkas, Mike Berth, Ann Schoeller, Amanda Stolte, John Wilson and Chief Lance Hubeny for being the call leaders for the month.
He reported on the success of the community CPR training class and cited the annual food drive and the Santa Runs which will run from Dec. 5 through Dec.8, directing residents to the squad’s Facebook page for information and how to make donations. He put out the e-mail address, info@ahfirstaid.org for anyone who wants membership information.
Murphy addressed the recreation activities by summing up the success of the Halloween events, as well as reminding parents recreation basketball signups are open until Dec. 4, giving prices, and once again, urging residents to visit www.ahnj.com and check out all information and registration for recreational activities. He announced the annual tree lighting ceremony Dec. 3 and deferred to Mayor Loretta Gluckstein for the most recent update on activities planned for the event.
When it came to the Public Works Department, Murphy reiterated their busy schedule, announced leaf pick-up, organized by zone, is on schedule, and there will be no more brush pick-up for the year, but announcing when the yard is open for drop-offs. He cautioned everyone to be aware of the heavy rain event predicted for this week. He reminded residents that DPW Director Jimmy Phillips is always ready, willing and capable in answering any questions concerning the department, its schedules, and the work it does.
A lengthy, thorough report. A lot to absorb in a single meeting but all information the public has a right to know. Perhaps council members should consider putting their monthly reports on the borough page so residents can read what they want, absorb what they need to, and have the opportunity to be kept informed about events, people and places going on in town.
