The Item of Millburn and Short Hills from Millburn, New Jersey • A5

www.TheltemOnLine.com The Item of Millburn and Short Hills Thursday. June 10. 2010 A5 CIRCLES OF HISTORY Town set for old-fashioned Fourth When young students visit the historical society museum, the artifact that attracts the most attention is the rotary dial telephone. It is not unusual for students to ask how to dial a number on the phone. This small bit of ephemera came from the estate of Mr.

fn F. Irwin Smith, formerly on Stony and was on his 8 UKexel I sift If rotary dial telephone for A as long as he lived in the house. "Drexel 9" is the ft reason for many of the "379" area telephone numbers. An exchange name is used to represent the first two letters of a seven-digit telephone number (exchange names have nothing to do with area codes or country codes). The first two letters of the exchange name are the first two digits of the phone number, when they are spelled out on a telephone dial or keypad.

The Millburn-Short Hills Fourth of July Committee will continue the tradition of presenting the celebration of an "Old Fashioned Fourth of July" in the Township. The program begins on Sunday, July 4, at 9 a.m., with the annual presentation of the Patriot Award and concludes well into the night with a fabulous fireworks display with plenty of fun and games in between. The celebration begins in Taylor Park with a flag-raising ceremony conducted by the American Legion, an invocation and the singing of the National Anthem, led by Millburn's own Anne Pollock. The presentation of the Patriot Award will follow. As 2010 is the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America, this yeafs honoree is the entire Boy Scout community in the Millburn-Short Hills area.

Plenty of scouts will be on hand and the local leaders of Pack 1 and Pack 17 will be on hand to accept the award. Immediately following the ceremonies at approximately 9:30 a.m. is the ever-popular bike, trike and stroller parade. Children are encouraged to decorate their "rides" (and themselves) in their most creative patriotic-themed expressions. Prizes will be awarded in several categories.

The annual girls All-Star Softball Game will be held after the morning ceremonies at Taylor Park. This year's competition will feature middle school players from the Millburn-Short Hills travel softball team. This select team is comprised of township residents and competes with other towns in summer leagues and tournaments. At the same time, the annual youth Baseball and Lacrosse Skills Competition will be held. Boys and girls ages 8 to 13 can participate in three skills contests: throwing for accuracy, throwing for speed and running the bases for speed.

Prizes will be awarded for age group winners. There is no need to sign up in advance. Participants are asked to gather at the backstop of the baseball field adjacent to Ridgewood Road. The "Big Event" in the park begins at 1 1 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.

This is a grand day of rides, games, history, refreshments and fun for all ages. This year's rides include the brand new Amazon Extreme Water Slide, Slip Slide Water Slide, Tig-ger Bounce and many other popular favorites. Those with a sense of adventure will enjoy rock wall climbing and bungee jumping while younger patriots may ride the Train Trolley, hop on a pony for a trot or try out the new Ocean Adventure inflatable playing space. Youngsters can test their strength, skill and agility all day long with miniature golf, the "high strikers" sledgehammer swinging game and the "amazing maze." Yellow, blue and pink rubber ducks will be racing on the hour beginning at noon. When a race is announced, participants can pick a duck and watch it race down the Taylor Park "rapids." It only costs a "buck a duck" and prizes are awarded for each heat.

The "Old Fashioned Fourth" spirit will be in full force with the popular Family Field Games, including three-legged races, water balloon tosses, sack races and a watermelon eating contest. Continuing a Millburn Fourth tradition, the Morgan Rifles Revolutionary War encampment will be on hand to give a living depiction of what it was like in the days of our country's founding. Ever want to work a real front loader? The township Department of Public Works is providing kids the opportunity to sit in the rig with one of the operators and operate the big shovel. There will be plenty of Ail-American refreshments on hand: hot dogs, ice cream, cotton candy, real "Philly" pretzels and much more. The Fourth of July wouldn't be the Fourth of July without fireworks, and the area's finest and most entertaining display will be talcing place at the high school.

They'll be shot off to the accompaniment of your favorite patriotic tunes around 9 p.m. after the singing of "God Bless America" by township resident Patty Hetherington. Entertainment will be provided by Krazy Kat DJs. Bring some spare change to have a chance at the 50-50 raffle, (last year's winners shared nearly $700) or to purchase refreshments and glow-in-the-dark toys and trinkets to make the night fun-filled for the whole family. Gates at Dr.

Keith A. Neigel Field open at 7 p.m. Bring blankets and beach chairs and come early to get a good spot. Tickets for the entire day and night festivities are $10 in advance and $12 at the park (all rides and games included). "Fireworks Only" tickets are $5 and can be paid at the gates of the field that evening.

Advance sale tickets will be available at various locations around town, including the recreation department office at Town Hall, The Millburn Deli, Bunchers Hardware, Futters Shoes, Michael's Hair Salon and La Strada Pizza. Buy early and save. For further details and sponsor information, visit www.millburn.comjulyfour. The Millburn Fourth of July Committee is a 501(c) (3) organization and is not affiliated with or funded by Millburn Township. The events are funded by ticket sales and the generosity of sponsors and individual donors.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MILLBURN-SHORT HILLS HISTORICAL SOCIETY The most recent addition to the collection of the Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society is a collection of medals awarded to the former Short Hills florists Pitcher Manda. One 1888 medal, seen here, was "The Medal of Superiority awarded to Pitcher Manda for a new Japanese Chrysanthemum Mrs. Alpheus Hardy." The popular mum was named for the Boston benefactress of a young Japanese man who came to the U.S. in the late 1880s to study Christianity for his goal of missionary work in Japan. Pitcher Manda bought the rights to the large, white, incurving Mrs.

Alpheus Hardy mums and their 1891 catalog has a picture of the medal on its back cover. SOPAC 2010 Spring Gala SATURDAY JUNE 19 SOPAC SOUTH ORANGE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER MORNING KIDS 11AM SOPAC Theater Community Sing-Along: Songs From Around the World Rebecca Frezza, Marafanyi Drum, Dance Song, and Peri Smilow BEST! A A Fire up the Happy Father's to make DAD the BEST backyard barbecue ever! EVENINGGALA Featuring performances by: Christine Ebersole Joanna Young Kelly Bishop Sandy Rustin Max Weinberg Charlie Pollock MMBP Voted Bill Charlap Jessica Kirson SOPAC 2010 Spring Gala 6PM SOPAC Loft VIP Reception with Artists Silent Auction 8PM SOPAC Theater Gala Performance and Arts Celebration 10PM SOPAC Loft Renee Rosnes Christiane Noll Jamie LaVerdiere Suzzanne Douglas Nat Adderley, Jr. Lydia Johnson Dance Sarah Partridge Post-Performance Dessert Reception 1 South Orange Avenue South Orange NJ 07079 www. edengourmet.com.