The Daily Register from Red Bank, New Jersey • Page 17

Publication:
The Daily Registeri: Location:
Red Bank, New Jersey: Issue Date:
Monday, April 14, 1975: Page:
17

The Daily Register SHREWSBURY, N. J. MONDAY, APRIL 14, 1975 17 Highlands senior citizen recalls boroughs golden era as resort took my sister and me for a ride it was like a dream flight to us Youhad to climb three steps to enter the car. I recall Wally was a good-natured boy. always happiest when someone was enjoying things with him." Mrs. Kruse went on. Married in 1914. Mrs. Kruse and her husband opened Kruse's Hotel on Bay a brick bhilding dating from the Civil War. The hotel featured an outdoor pavilion with an orchestra and dancing and a pier where the excursion boats if the old Patten Line docked. "Between the boats and the Central Railroad daily specials to Sandlass Beach we were often swamped with business." Mrs Kruse recalled. Bay Ave became a boulevard of fun when the summer crowds arrived, featuring games of chance, a merry-go-round. swinging tavern doors, singing waiters and giant five-cent steins of foaming beer "Hot dog and refreshment stands were everywhere, with crab sandwiches a specialty. Every day was a guest adventure for us. with guests arriving in everything from fancy-yachts to dinghies It was such fun and so was the Captains Corner Lounge I had later across fhe street. I miss them both." she said One of her guests was Sir Thomas Lipton. many times a loser but never daunted in the races for the America's Cup "The America's Cup races brought people from everywhere. of course Places on Mount Mitchell's scenic drive, the highest point on the Atlantic Coast, were at a premium, and so were seats on borough rooftops. When the winner rounded the hook. I guess we went a little wild Sir Thomas Lipton. whose 'Shamrocks' so often lost, would stop at our -hotel for a cup of cheer. He was a tall, tanned laugh-easily gentleman with a sly sense of humor Trudy Ederle "Then there was Gertrude Ederle. the first woman to swim the English Channel She learned to swim off Kruse's grove near the hotel: her parents rented a. cottage there. When she had crossed the river 22 times she figured she could tackle the Channel." Mrs Kruse went on The day of the big swim the residents of Highlands lived by their radios, awaiting bulletins from overseas. "On her return she rode down Bay Ave in a red roadster with white wheels which was every child's impossible dream for months. We had the welcome-home dinner for her at the pavilion. I dont think the borough has ever experienced more excitement; even cannons boomed And Trudy says her hearts in the Highlands until this day." the former innkeeper recalled. Mrs. Kruse's heart is here, too Asked whether she would ever want to live anywhere else, she chuckled softly "Not a chance. They claim once you've seen the- Highlands water and the Highlands mountain you have to come back. As for me. I have a compulsion to remain here." she said Editors Note; Ms. Wyn Esselbom of Newark, a member of the TwInUghthouse Society of Highlands, the Friends of Sandy Hook, the Monmouth County Historical Association and the N.J. Society, says her heart is in the Highlands, her favorite resort town. She has written a warm sketch of Mrs. Edna Kruse, a senior citizen of the borough who recalls much of Its glittering past. By WYN ESSELBORN HIGHLANDS The memories therished by old-timers are the backbone of any communitys Americana. Those of Mrs. Edna Kruse of 16 Bay retired innkeeper and senior citizen, are of Highlands golden era as a resort community. Mrs. Kruses family moved here from New York City in 1902; she has lived here ever since. Now a widow, she lives in a small cottage a few feet from the Shrewsbury River within sight of the Twin Lights, Highlands littoral eyes since 1862. Her favorite hobby is reliving the old days through photographs and other mementos. It seems people had more enthusiasm then, for simple things, too. I remember when my family, the McGuires, had a telephone put in our restaurant, the McGuire House, on what is now the Bahrs Landing site, Mrs. Kruse recalled. It was the first telephone in the borough, and it caused such a stir! Folks would look for pretexts to use it and they felt so important when they got a call. I often walked over the old Shrewsbury bridge to deliver messages, but being a youngster, I never gave the long trek a thought, she went on. Famous figures Famous figures of the 90s and the early years of this century people Mrs. Kruses memories. I would hear grownups talking of visiting actress Lily Langtry, the Blonde Venus; Diamond Jim Brady, with his jeweled waistcoat; matinee idol Lillian Russell and her big appetite for ears of corn; Col. Jim Fisks yacht rounding Sandy Hook with its many singing canaries and its liveried crew. Of course to me these were Olympian figures, seen only from a distance, Mrs. Kruse explained. A favorite topic for waterfront discussion, she recalled, was the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by rowboat. The feat was accomplished in 1896 by George Harbo and Frank Samuelsen, Atlantic Highlands fishermen. Summer visitors swarmed to the Highlands area in the years following the turn of the century. The sands frequently resembled Army camps. Folks would rent a summer tent for $25 and get their water from a pump attached to a pipe sunk in the ground. Even the well-to-do staying at East View House were casual about swim suits; they would just roll up skirts and trousers and go into the water, Mrs. Kruse reminisced. Favorite pastimes of summer visitors were berry picking Register staff photo VETERAN INNKEEPER Mrs. Edna Kruse of Highlands remembers the borough's golden era in the early years of the century, when such notables as Jim Fisk, Lily Langtry, Diamond Jim Brady and Lillian Russell made it their summer playground. Now she lives with her memories in a neat bungalow at 16 Bay Ave. in the Twin Lights woods, horseback riding and hiking, all done snugly dressed from head to toe with no concession to the summers heat. Wallace Reid, later to become the World War I movie star, lived in the Highlands hills. His mother indulged him, and he received the first automobile in the borough. When he MCEA sings 'fight song at its dinner; teacher firings 'for no good reason hit Byrne tax plan seen lacking votes NEW YORK With some legislative observers contending that his income tax proposal is three to four votes short of passage, Gov. Brendan T. Byrne saicf yesterday hes uncertain how the legislature will vote. If we dont have 21 votes for the tax package theres going to be chaos, Byrne said. The New Jersey Senate is scheduled to vote April 21 on a tax program tied to balancing the state budget. Twenty-one votes are needed for approval in the Unless $500,000,000 in new revenues are forthcoming, he there could be cuts in state aid to schools which, in turn, could leave municipalities no alternative but to increase property taxes. Byrne contended that the legislators know what his program is and should not use the excuse that it has not yet been reduced to a specific bill. He indicated there is room for modifications and lawmakers are exploring a number of possible revisions. Byrne was interviewed on WNEW-TV. The governor said he hasnt decided whether to veto proposed toll increases on bridges and tunnels into New York. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced tolls for automobiles will go to $1.50 on May 5, an increase of 50 cents. LWV hears councilwoman MORRISTOWN I think a womans place is everyplace, lets work together to put her there, said Baltimore, city councilwoman Barbara Mikulski, in her keynote address to the League of Women Voters of New Jersey annual convention here yesterday. Being a woman in the United States in the Spring of 1975 is to be a political woman, said the adjunct Sociology professor at Loyola University. Ms. Mikulski said league women must organize grass roots campaigns to accomplish their objectives. The Equal Rights Amendment must be added to Constitution, she said. Traditionally we have worked for good government, education and mass transit. Dont give up on them but pay particular attention to women and issues that affect women. A league member who was defeated last fall by Republican Charles Maithius for the U.S. Senate seat in Maryland, Ms. Mikulski served as chairwoman of the Commission on Delegate Selection and Party Structure of Democratic National Committee. In this role, she engineered a compromise on delegate selection between party tranditionalists and minority interests including youth, blacks and women. Man excused from jury duty MAYS LANDING When the petit jury roll was called in Atlantic County Court here, John DiMenna came through the door with his wife and three kids in tow. Im here with my three children, he announced Thursday, and I want to know whos going to feed them and whos going to pay my mortgage payment this month." The 27-year-old auto body mechanic won a round of applause from other jurors and a few minutes later, he got what he was looking for an excuse from jury duty. DiMenna had asked to be excused Tuesday when he was first called before Judge Manuel H. Greenberg. He explained he had been out of work for three months and had landed a job just last week in a Vineland garage. But because the Collings Lake man had to wait 30 days to join a union, he couldnt get time off for jury duty. And he couldnt get by on the $5 a day and two cents a mile paid jurors. But after his startling appearance with his wife, Eileen, and three young children, the court coordinator, Addie Lemisch, excused DiMenna from jury duty. Judge Greenberg said he sympathized with DeMenna and believed the amount paid jurors was obviously inadequate to compensate them for their expenses in serving, much less any loss of other income. Taxman does own return NEWARK Elmer Klinsman may be the only man in New Jersey who enjoys making out his tax returns. I like it because it helps give me some idea of what the average guy is going through and that helps me do a better job. say Klinsman. Kilnsmans job is district director of the IRS and hes responsible for collecting $8 billion in taxes from 3.2 million average guys in New New Jersey. I figure out my own taxes and deductions and do the research, look it up on the tax tables like everyone else. says Klinsman. It gives me an insight into what the problems are. But like even-body else. I sometimes look at the taxes I pav and think, thats a iot of money. Klinsman. of Summit, has been district director of the New Jersey office for three years, in charge of 2.000 employes including tax agents, auditors, clerical help and people who handle the thousands of questions taxpayers ask before the filing deadline. "I get questions from friends but sometimes they dont get too specific, as if they thought I might find out too mud about their taxes." he says. In a way. he ackowledges. its a bit like being a psychiatrist to whom people say "I want to ask you a question, but its not for me. it's for a friend." Retarded youth, boy missing PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP A land and air search has turned up no sign of two mentally retarded boys missing from the New Lisbon State School here since last Monday. Donald Spering. a school supervisor, said a State Police helicopter and 200 local police, firemen and volunteers searched again yesterday for Steven Anderson. 17. of West-ville and David Williams.l2. of Orange. He said the boys were last seen walking from an athletic field to their residence hall. He said a fence around the school is in poor repair and they could easily have wandered off and been unable to find their way back. Spering said young Williams is an epileptic who was tak-i ing medicine for his illness every day. Body of boy, 6, recovered I POMPTON LAKES Police have recovered the body of 'a six-year-old boy who drowned in a motorboat accident on the Pompton River here. police said Albert Musker Jr. was riding in a boat Friday with his father and two other men when it overturned while making a turn. The men were rescued by police Friday. Alberts body was found yesterday morning. money orders cashed NEWARK Fake military money orders have been turning up in the Newark area, according to Postmaster Joseph j. Bunucci. He said the counterfeits passed so far have all been for $250. with various payee names, all of which include military rank. cation will move backward, Dr. Hipp said. The county association members gave long and enthusiastic ovations to the two members of the House of Representatives who attended, Rep. James J. Howard, a former president of the MCEA, and Rep. Frank Thompson, The congressmen said they were particularly glad to have a Friday night meeting since this made their attendance possible. Erma Dorrer, chairperson of the Retired Teachers Committee of NJEA, presented Rep. Howard with a plaque from MCEA for his contribution to education. The plaque, dated 1968, had been held by the association until Mr. Howard was able to accept it in person. Rep. Thompson, who is sponsor of a bill to put public employes under the National Labor Relations Act, defended the right of teachers to strike and declared No one can tell me that a child is deprived educationally if that childs teacher is on strike for better wages or better hours or working conditions. she termed A Pitch for PAC (Political Action Committee.) Were going to fight to protect our pension fund and our non-tenure teachers, she declared. Ms. Stilwell urged teachers to contribute to PAC, saying that Teacher power is rooted in political clout. The NJEAs political arm needs $130,000 by November she said, decrying the fact that contributions have averaged less than 50 cents per member over the past two years. Dr. Frederick L. Hipp, executive director of NJEA, carried the tune a bit longer, stating that the organization will fight on in the future for its legislative program, putting particular emphasis on the need for funding reform. Dr. Hipp was particularly critical of the New Jersey Senate for its failure to pass the income tax and he deplored the fact that the funds budgeted for education in 1975-76 fail, by $120 million, to provide for full funding under the existing formula. "As we look at '75-76, this will be the first year that edu EATONTOWN The Monmouth County Education Association (MCEA) sang its fight song here at Old Orchard Country Club when some 250 members, their spouses and guests sat down to the annual legislative dinner. The keynote of the evening was sounded by MCEA president, Eleanor Guerci, who charged some local school boards with dismissing teachers for no good reason and pledged her organization to Fight! Fight for schools, for teachers, for the MCEA. Ms. Guerci denounced unnecessary cutbacks in teaching staffs and scored boards of education which hire fully certified teachers as aides. In a ringing talk, she pledged the support of the MCEA for all teachers caught in the politics of finances and told members to go to the school boards in their home towns and demand the kind of education that children need so desperately. The fight song was continued by Kathryn E. Stilwell, president of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) who delivered what ig i stir staff photo TEACHERS MEET Mrs. Evelyn Yarosh, left, legislative chairman of the Monmouth County Education Association, introduces Assemblyman Walter J. Kozloski, D-Monmouth, to Mrs. Judy Kassowitz, Colts Neck, who is a learning disabilities teacher. The introduction took place at the association's annual legislative dinner Friday at the Old Orchard Inn, Eatontown. Mr. Kozloski is a teacher. LWV challenges seniors 9 housing plans in Matawan 1 I 4 drastic reduction of anticipated abatement revenue, she declared. The LWV has also charged that no professional survey of a need for senior citizens housing has been made. LWV members charge that Mayor Victor R. Armellino placed an advertisement in a newspaper in December, soliciting responses for senior citizen housing. This ad was unauthorized by the Brough Council, yet the borough clerk received responses to the ad," Mrs. Tell said. The LWV of Matawan feels that the borough officials should act independently on the publics behalf by fully investigating all aspects of the proposed senior citizen housing project, Mrs. Tell said. i dent, said, In 1972 Concept Builders of Keyport and the First Baptist Church of Matawan formed a non-profit partnership to build senior citizen housing in the borough. Contrary to news items the First Baptist Church has never been associated with this limited dividend sponsor. The church is taking legal action to dissolve the non-profit partnership with Concept Builders, she continued. She also said that financial figures accompanying the original project plans are no longer applicable. NJFHA figured that the income to the borough through abatement is now at $29,000 rather than the Concept Builders figure of $63,000. Neither the Borough Council nor Concept Builders informed the public about the MATAWAN The League of Women Voters has charged that the public has been misinformed about the senior citizen housing project proposed here. A meeting is slated for 8 oclock tonight in the Presbyterian Church, Rt. 34, to discuss the project. The LWV is sponsoring the meeting. The league maintains the project plans were rejected by the New Jersey Housing Finance Agency (NJFHA) last month, although other proposed in 1972 were approved the same year. Frozen Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds, however, prevented that project from coming to fruition. The league now says that the original plans have been revised. The league claims 138 units were originally proposed for senior citizens housing, a figure which has been raised to 150 units. The league also notes the first proposal was to be located on an 11-acre tract off Rt. 79, and that two tracts totaling 12.4 acres are now being considered. The parcels are the LaMura and Rasmussen tracts in the Freneau area. Mrs. Mona Tell, LWV presi Applications open for scholarships MIDDLETOWN Appli the amount of $500 and is to be used for graduate study in librarianship. Final year college students and college graduates are eligible. Application blanks may be obtained at the main library. Applications must be filed by May 31. cations for the Conover-Wih-tol Scholarship are still being accepted by the Board of Trustees of the Township Library, William LeKernec, library director, has announced. The scholarship award is in GONE WITH THE WIND Willem Verkooyen of Shrewsbury, center, new commodore of the Monmouth Boat Club, Red Bank, confers yesterday with two of his flag officers, Wallace Van Siclen of Fair vice commodore, and William Mergenthaler III of Middletown, rear commodore and race committee chairman, before cancelling the day's race program because of 25-knot winds. The club was to have launched its spring sailing series as it opened its portals for the 96th season. Jhni. jNii lEfiiwii i Tm, 1tti lir Ihi Hh tii Ih frii Tin ib ftm, fTMiniillHi) njlfrw TThn 1 i i -Vi Hhy irfrun hn i jhn Ifniiflmm -trni -fr-