 Pam Jones |
- My first recollection of Basking Ridge is when we moved there from St. Louis, MO and I entered Mrs. Mills' 4th grade class in February of 1957. I must admit I was a bit nervous my first day, but everyone was so nice and Mrs. Mills welcomed me with open arms in a grandmotherly sort of way! Maple Avenue School looked so different to me from what I was used to-old and quaint-but I loved the cloakroom, creaky old stairs-and air raid drills - we never had those in the Midwest! We stayed at The Old Mill Inn the first week - it only had 7 rooms then! When we finally moved into our new house I met Debbie, who lived across the street. We immediately became best of friends and still are to this day.
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- Then it was on to Cedar Hill and Oak Street. I remember Brownies, Girl Scouts and marching in the Bicentennial Parade carrying a flag I could hardly hold up! I loved the Christmas caroling on the Green, the old Presbyterian churchyard with the big oak tree, and the history - everything was so fascinating to me at that age.
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- Ridge High School - How exciting to be the first class to go through the entire 4 years.
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- Mrs.Hull's English class - learning W. Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" - and Paul Klauwen - we called him Paul Clown - yelling "yikes-stripes" when Mrs. Hull walked into class wearing a very bright stripped dress. Does anyone remember that?
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- Barn Studio dancing class - when Clinton De Witt shoved Steve Forbes and he landed in the snow! He was not pleased!
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- Getting sent to the principal's office with my new kilt I received for Christmas because it was 1 inch above my knees. Mr. Keeler called my mother and she told him it was the new style and I was going to wear it. He gave in and that was that.
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- Joan and I went to see "Exodus" and immediately decided we were going to Israel that summer to work on a Kibbutz - our parents had other ideas.
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- One of the most exciting things was getting my drivers license - I think I was one of the first. I couldn't wait to go everywhere in my mother's little red wagon - and either could my friends.
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I won't repeat everything said previously about all of the other hot topics - but will always have fond memories of growing up in Basking Ridge.
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