Bill Lytle

My Early Years in Basking Ridge or “Ya’ gotta have a bike”

• My family moved to our house on Lyons Place that our dad built in 1951, just in time for my older brother John to start kindergarten in Liberty Corner with Mrs. Buest (sp?). I followed him the next year with Ron Sakele and Pat Cochran in my class and enjoyed my first tastes of white paste and clay. Yummy! Stayed in Liberty Corner for 1st grade (teacher?) and 2nd grade with Miss Meliski (my, my what a temper – especially toward poor Phillip Mylod). While there, I remember being in 2 plays: “Little Black Sambo” (ugh) where I played a tiger, and “The night before Christmas” where I played the guy who ran and threw up the sash. Linda Stoecker should remember the later play. I started to wear glasses in 2nd grade, “Wow, I can see everything now!” Mrs. Kenny was the Principal. I remember a large playground and I loved recess! Coat closet smelled like everyone’s lunch at the same time. We had milk delivered and put in insulated tin boxes by the back door and bread delivery.

• Then I moved on to Maple Avenue for 3rd grade with Mrs. Mills – a totally wonderful, kind teacher. Read the Bible everyday. This is when I started to really love going to school. Then 4th grade – hey, Joan Blackburn, who did I have for 4th grade? I can’t remember…maybe Mrs. Mills again? Great playground there! Swings, teeter totters, a great jungle gym and the merry-go-round. Early physics lesson on inertia on that thing! Again, the smell from the coat closet – lunches and wet clothes in winter. I loved that building! So that was it for two old school buildings. Off to brand new Cedar Hill School in the fall but first, another great summer vacation!

• Summers now required the use of a bicycle to get around everywhere. Bob and Tom Textor moved in across the street and we became very good friends, along with Ron Sakele. We built tree houses, fished for sunnies and perch at Sakele’s pond, sledding down the hill, ice skating, and built raft and raft that always sank in the pond. Put baseball cards on the spokes of the bike so we sounded like we had a motor. Totally loved cycling into town to go to the Village Fountain –I loved that place! Oh, what a quarter would buy! Pharmacy on the corner, Parks Meat market (thank you for the free Bologna!), Moffat Motors that became Werring, Christmas tree sales at the Methodist Church. My prized possessions besides my bike (coaster version) were my fishing pole, baseball glove, a bat, a baseball with no cover and a Cub Scout pocket knife. Drank water from a hose, ate veggies right out of our gardens, raised chickens, cut lawn after lawn so I could buy stuff at the Village Fountain, shoveled snow, threw snowballs at cars, started going to the Kiwanis Fair by myself (well with friends, of course). Little League with Lyons Legion coached by Ron Silvent’s dad. Ron had a fastball no one could hit. Summers in Basking Ridge were just fabulous!

• Cedar Hill was brand new. The wonderful Mr. English for 5th grade who rightfully sent me to Mr. Auerbach’s office regularly. Scared the crap out of me when he knocked on our door one night – but he was selling World Books. Whew! Then the great Mrs. Talbot for 6th. The lawn was straw with tar to hold it down. Went home everyday with tar on my shoes and pants. I also enjoyed all the things others have already shared from here so I won’t repeat.

• Then off to Oak Street – dang, another old building. It was OK. Mr. Beiber for gym (“Jesus, Mary and Joseph”) was fun. Plays, too. I played the undertaker in “You Can’t Take it With you.” That was fun! Mr. Grossman was soooo memorable but he loved music and had such enthusiasm. Loved his class. Took typing. Mastered the hunt-and-peck to 72 wpm with no errors! I still type that way but way faster! Paid off later when I typed peoples term papers in college for $. Mr. Taylor for math – and it became my all-time favorite subject ‘cause of him! Hung out before school with Paul Klawun under the big tree. He’s a funny guy! John Stoneman (I haven’t been able to find him since) was my best friend and we made Soap Box Derby cars. We raced in Bernardsville every summer – they had a big celebration there – raced down from Olcott Square down to the train station. John won one year and went to the National Race in Canton, OH and came in 3rd! Totally enjoyed Boy Scouts with Elliot Ryder, Scoutmaster! 50-mile canoe trips, Appalachian Trail hikes and camping trips, winter camping in an igloo we built and merit badges! That was a great time!

• Off to RHS and pretty much everyone has said everything about going to school there. It was a new school! Yeah! Walked to school every day – rain or shine, snow, sleet, whatever – even after football, wrestling and baseball practice. Sometimes took the late bus with the Pop Acken, though – who didn’t love him!? How ‘bout that Marathon World-record setting softball game? 25 ½ hrs. 144 innings. Pratt’s Bods vs Lytle’s Ladies. Made the nightly news (which we didn’t see ‘cause we fell asleep). Ed Eisenhart – what can I say? Teacher and coach – he must of loved what he did ‘cause we all loved him! Enjoyed playing football – teammates John Carlson, Inge, Terry Gaven, Big Mac, Jeff Wilker, Mike Maher, Fred Legband, Jan Faulkner, Pres Belt, Rusty Allen, Coaches Eisenhart, Greco, Wernes. I met Coach Greco at a Giant’s event several years ago and we talked briefly. He passed away shortly after that. Ask Randy Pratt about the Wrestling team with Coach Eisenhart. We sucked! Senior year was especially great because I had a chance to share it with the 5th Lytle Boy, Inge Storberg! Damn, we had a good time! We were perfect roommates – we were both Oscar Madisons! Barely missed that kick! We haven’t seen each other in about 20 years – this reunion will be especially sweet for me!

I liked every teacher and coach I had. I loved the town. I feel blessed to have had so many friends then and still do now. I have very fond memories of all of you and I’m looking forward to reuniting in July! Thank you, Alan, for what you’re doing – I’m sure everyone is enjoying it as much as I am!