History: Dr Carl Gesswein, Matawan Physician (1881 - 1956)

Charles Albert "Carl" Gesswein was a prominent medical doctor with an office at the corner of Church and Main Streets and a home at 205 Main Street in Matawan for many years. He born on 30 May 1881, in Canton, Ohio, married Bessie Morrow about 1906, and died on 19 Mar 1956 at Riverview Hospital in Red Bank after a long illness.

In the 1881 Canton City Directory, Carl's father Gustave L Gesswein was foreman at the Diebold Safe and Lock Co and lived at 148 South Cherry Street in Canton. In a separate section of the directory, G Gesswein was listed as the 4th Ward's member of the school board. His term of office was due to expire in 1890.

Gustave appeared in the 1888-1889, 1889-1890, and 1891-1892 Canton City Directories.

Carl was a student living with his parents, Gustave J and Mary Gesswein, at 506 Bucher, Canton, OH, in the 1896 Canton City Directory. Carl's sister Laura was in the same household; she was working as a bookkeeper at the co-op grocery. His sister Rose was also there, listed as a stenographer.

Carl was a student living with his parents, Gustave and Marie Gesswein, in Hamilton, OH in the 1900 Federal Census. His father, who was born in Sep 1850 in Germany and came to the US five years later, was superintendent of a safe manufacturer in Hamilton, OH. Home to three major safe companies, Hamilton was considered the Safe Capital of the World at the time. Carl's mother was born in Feb 1856 in the portion of Virginia that would become West Virginia; her father was born in Germany and mother in Switzerland. Gustav and Marie were married about 1877 and had four children, one of which had died by 1900.

The 1900 Hamilton City Directory showed Gustave as Superintendent of the Mosler Safe Company, Grand Boulevard, East Hamilton. Their residence was at 229 North 7th Street in Hamilton. Carl was a clerk at Mosler. Gustave's wife was Mary A Gesswein. Carl's sisters Laura and Rose were in the household but listed no occupations.

Carl was a student in the 1902 Hamilton City Directory. Laura was a stenographer, while the other details above remained the same.

Carl was a medical student in the 1904 Hamilton City Directory. The other details above remained the same.

Carl finished undergraduate work at the University of Cincinnati, then medical school at the University of Illinois, Urbana, according to his obituary. He opened a medical office in Plainfield, NJ in 1904.

Carl married Bessie Morrow about 1906. Bessie and her fraternal twin, Jesse Morrow, were born in Oct 1879, children of John and Ada Morrow, according to the 1900 Federal Census. The family lived in Hamilton, OH, where John was a salesman. The twins were born in Seven Mile, OH, according to Bessie's obituary, which showed her name as Bessie Hudson Morrow. Her burial record and Carl's obituary both showed her maiden name as Hudson, but the Hudson connection was not obvious. John and Ada had been married 29 years in the 1900 Census and the children showed Pennsylvania parental birth places, matching John and Ada.

Carl and Bessie were enumerated at 102 Central Avenue in Plainfield, NJ in the 1910 Federal Census. He was a doctor with his own office. He and Bessie had been married for four years at the time.

Carl appeared with a business listing in the 1912 Plainfield City Directory. He was a physician with hours 8 - 10 am, 1 - 3 pm, and 7 - 8 pm. His residence was at 102 Central Avenue in Plainfield, NJ. His phone was 730-J. His father Gustave was listed in the household; he was working as a superintendent in Philadelphia. The women were not listed.

Carl was listed with physicians in the 1914, 1915 and 1916 Plainfield City Directories. Each showed his 102 Central Avenue address.

Carl and Bessie moved to Matawan in 1916, according to his obituary. The 14 Dec 1916 edition of The Matawan Journal contained this report:

"Dr. George G. Reynolds has sold his house on Main Street to Dr. Carl A. Gesswein of Plainfield, who, with his wife, moves here to-day. Dr. Gesswein is a graduate of The Chicago College of Physicians and Surgeons, with twelve years' experience of practicing medicine and has had experience as operating surgeon in the Plainfield Hospital."

An advertisement for Dr C A Gesswein appeared in the 1 Nov 1917 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 6, col 5). His office was at the corner of Main and Church Sts, telephone 214, was open early in the morning (7:30 - 9 am), afternoon (1 - 3 pm), and evening (7 - 8:30 pm).

By the time Carl registered for the WWI draft in Sep 1918, he and Bessie were living at 205 Main Street in Matawan. He was of medium height and build with brown hair and grey eyes and was keeping a medical office at 30 Church Street, according to that record.

Carl's parents and two unmarried sisters were living in his 205 Main Street household in the 1920 Federal Census. His father was no longer working. (This record, in contrast to the 1900 record above, says that Gustave emigrated to the US in 1870 and was naturalized in 1875. And Marie's parents were both born in Switzerland in this record.) Carl's sister Laura was a secretary at the Episcopal church.

Carl and Bessie's household at 205 Main Street in the 1930 Federal Census included his parents, his sister Laura, and Bessie's sister's daughter Lillian Kenny. Lillian was a nurse in an office, presumably Carl's medical office.

Carl's parents went to Germany and spent several weeks there in the early fall of 1930, according to an Oct 1930 article reprised in the 1 Oct 1970 edition of The Matawan Journal. The article revealed that Gustav held the title of Justice of the Peace.

The doctor hit the news in 1930 when he recommended testing the water in Lake Matawan for toxins.

In Jun 1931, Carl took Bessie and their niece Lillian Kenny to Philadelphia, where he attended the convention of the American Medical Association, according to a history article in the 17 Jun 1971 edition of The Matawan Journal.

Bessie hosted the Matawan Women's Club at her home to hear the Mayor Edward Currie speak on municipal management, according to the 25 Nov 1932 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1, col 3). (Her  attendance in the early 1950s at a Former Presidents of the New Jersey Federation of Women's Clubs suggests that she served as president of the Matawan Women's Club at some point.)

Bessie hosted the Wednesday Afternoon Bridge Club at her home, according to the 25 Jul 1935 edition of The Red Bank Register.

Carl maintained a flower garden on the lot where Daniel B Strong had a store for many years, according to the 16 Aug 1935 edition of The Matawan Journal. (You can also see the text of the 1935 article at History of Singer Sewing Machines in Monmouth and Middlesex Counties in his blog.)

The 1940 Federal Census showed Carl and Bessie hosting his unwed sister Laura and an adult niece named Lillian Kenny at their 205 Main Street residence. Lillian was a technician, office assistant.

Carl served on the committee for the annual dance benefit for Riverview hospital, according to the 18 Jul 1940 edition of The Red Bank Register.

Carl's medical office was at 35 Church Street in 1942, according to his WWII draft registration papers.  He and Bessie were at 205 Main Street and their phone number was 214. He was 5'8" tall and 200 lbs with grey hair and had a tattoo on his arm.

During WWII, Carl was chief of emergency medical services of the Matawan Borough Defense Council.

Carl worked on the staff at Monmouth Medical, Riverview and South Amboy hospitals. He served as the school physician for the Matawan Township school district. He also worked in Holmdel Township. He was a former member of the Monmouth County Medical Society.

Carl served on the Board of Directors of Matawan Bank and attained the presidency of the bank, according to his obituary. The 12 Jul 1951 edition of The Matawan Journal had a public notice of the accounts of this bank, showing Carl as president.

Carl was a member of Matawan Lodge #192 F & AM {Free and Accepted Masons}, according to his obituary.

Bessie was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church, according to her obituary. She served as President of the Glenwood Mission Band until 1950, according to the 19 Jan 1950 edition of The Matawan Journal. She was also a circle member, among other activities of the church. She was also active in the Matawan branch of the American Red Cross. She is mentioned in this context in the 13 Apr 1950 edition of The Matawan Journal.

Bessie died of a heart attack on 11 Nov 1952 at their home in Matawan, according to the 13 Nov 1952 edition of The Matawan Journal. Her funeral was to be conducted by Rev Chester Galloway of the First Presbyterian Church on 14 Nov 1952, with burial to follow at Old Tennent Cemetery.

Carl resigned as Matawan Township schools physician in Feb 1955 due to illness, according to the 24 Feb 1955 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1, cols 4-5). He also resigned as schools physician in Holmdel, according to the 14 Jul 1955 edition of The Red Bank Register.

Carl's obituary appeared in the 22 Mar 1956 edition of The Matawan Journal, (pp 1, 4). His funeral was conducted by Chester Galloway of the First Presbyterian Church. Burial was on 22 Mar 1956 at Old Tennent Churchyard in Tennent, NJ, according to Find-a-Grave.

Carl left $45,000 and the balance of his estate, minus $30,000 in directed bequests, to Lillian Kenny, his niece, according to the 12 Apr 1956 edition of The Matawan Journal. The bequests went to cousins and nieces as well as his late wife's twin brother.

History: Keansburg Gateway, Palmer Avenue & State Route 35 (1926 - 1958)

With the opening of New Jersey State Highway 35 in the 1920s, tourists driving down from New York City to visit Bayshore beaches were soon taking the Palmer Avenue jughandle as the most direct route to Keansburg and its then-popular beach resort and amusements. Known as the "Keansburg Gateway," this intersection, which spawned numerous "Gateway" business names and even a small community, ironically was not even in Keansburg.

For a time, everything was at or near the Keansburg Gateway. Accidents happened, people lived and died in, businesses relocated to, and even school district maps began at the Keansburg Gateway. But when the Garden State Parkway opened in the 1950s, Exit 117 led beach goers onto State Highway 36 instead, leaving Palmer Avenue out of the picture. Also, Hurricane Donna wreaked havoc on the Bayshore in the mid-1950s. The last reference to the Keansburg Gateway that I could find was in 1958, when Middletown and Holmdel were arguing over whether to split 15% of the cost of a traffic light at the Palmer Avenue/Route 35 intersection. There were more important things for them to spend their money on, the politicians said, so the state paid 85% and the county picked up the remainder.

Palmer Avenue at Route 35 is that confusing intersection where the Target store is currently located. I remember the Middletown movie theater at that corner for many years. The property is up on a hill and has complicated entry and exit points. Cherry Farm Road only adds to the confusion at that intersection.

Below is a sampling of local news articles I found mentioning the Keansburg Gateway between 1926 and 1958. If you know of information specifically related to the origins of the gateway name and its demise, I'd be interested. Drop me a line or add a comment.

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The 10 Sep 1926 edition of The Matawan Journal reported the arrest of a Holmdel man at Cherry Tree Farm, near the Keansburg Gateway on the state highway. The man paid a $20 fine, $5 in court costs, and another $200 fine, plus he lost his license for two years, all for driving under the influence.

The 30 May 1928 edition of The Red Bank Register (pg 22 col 4) reported an automobile accident at the Keansburg Gateway.

The 16 Oct 1929 edition of The Red Bank Register included an advertisement for a tradesman's shop called Bergman's, which would henceforth be located at the State Highway and Palmer Avenue, the so-called Keansburg Gateway. Bergman's offered "new and second hand lumber and mill work," "plumbing and roofing," and "sheetrock and paints."

The 17 Jan 1935 edition of The Red Bank Register included reporting on the Middletown Village Civic Association, which said the Keansburg Gateway section of Middletown Township would now be included in the 5 cent bus fare zone.

The 28 May 1936 edition of The Red Bank Register reported a serious car accident that took place on Palmer Avenue near the Keansburg Gateway.

The 29 Jan 1942 edition of The Red Bank Register (pg 12 col 3) provided the precise bounds of Middletown Township School District's No 1, No 2 and No 3.  Keansburg Gateway was the starting and ending point for the description of District No 1.
 

Helen Miller ran a tropical fish store on Route 35 near the Keansburg Gateway, according to an ad in the 9 May 1946 edition of The Red Bank Register. She also had an ad on pg 29 of the 29 Jan 1942 edition (below) and ads on pp 8 and 15 of the 30 Nov 1944 edition.

An obituary in the 20 Feb 1947 edition of The Matawan Journal reported that Mrs Anthony Granata, of Keansburg Gateway Road in Middletown, had recently lost her mother.

The 29 Dec 1949 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 6 col 1) identified members of an upcoming petit jury, including Nadie G Stampler, of Keansburg Gateway.

The 12 May 1955 edition of The Matawan Journal mentioned the opening of the Bowl-o-Drome in Middletown near the Keansburg Gateway. (See History: Bowling in Keyport (1954-1955) in this blog for details.)
The 17 Jul 1958 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 3) reported that Holmdel and Middletown couldn't agree to a deal with the State of New Jersey on the installation of a traffic light at the corner of Palmer Avenue and Route 35, even when the two municipalities would be only paying 15% of the cost -- $375 each. The intersection, known as the Keansburg Gateway, would mostly benefit Keansburg, but the traffic light was not in its jurisdiction and Holmdel and Middletown had better things to do with their money. Monmouth County finally stepped in and funded the light.

Will Howard Marine Lab Closing Affect MAST? Matawan Regional? Fisheries?

Today's Asbury Park Press features an article about how the James J Howard Marine Laboratory at Sandy Hook is to be closed soon due to budget cuts. The lab is under NOAA, which needs the $3 million to run other programs.

The article says the Jersey Coast Anglers Association is upset at the closing, calling it a disaster. The association says the lab was opened in 1961 to demonstrate federal and state support for local fisheries. State budget cuts have already impacted programs that monitor fisheries sustainability in New Jersey waters, so Federal cuts will put the nail in the coffin. No one will know whether particular breeds are being overfished, for example.

The article doesn't talk about the educational side of the equation. How will the closing of the Howard Lab affect the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST), which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in March? How will the closing impact oceanography classes at Matawan Regional High School and other schools in Monmouth County? I doubt we'll be funding field trips to Connecticut, where NOAA is relocating its resources.

Take a look at this 2007 APP article about Liza Baskin, who teaches chemistry at MAST now but previously taught at Matawan. It shows how the programs at Sandy Hook, Rutgers and the county school system are intertwined, providing benefit to all. The closing of the lab could have a negative effect in so many ways.

UPDATE 4 March 2012:  There is now a Facebook page supporting the Howard Marine Laboratory and an online petition you can sign. If you'd like to see the lab stay at Sandy Hook, "like" and "share" the Facebook page and sign the petition.

History: Katherine Boggs, First Female on Keyport Council (1962)

Katherine E Boggs (25 Dec 1907 - 12 Dec 1988) was to become the first female member of the Keyport Borough Council when sworn in on 1 January 1962, according to the 28 Dec 1961 edition of The Matawan Journal. The Republican candidate, she had been elected in November 1961 to fill a one-year unexpired term on the board. She anticipated creating a master plan so Keyport could acquire Federal urban renewal funding and begin to move forward. (Dec 1961 Matawan Journal, Social Security Death Index)

SERVICE

Mrs Boggs was an incumbent Republican candidate in the 1962 election, according to page 3 col 5 of the 18 Apr 1962 edition of the Red Bank Register.  As a councilwoman in 1964, Mrs Boggs presented a parking issue before the Council (RBR 11 Feb 1964 p 2 col 2) and argued for local bars to close at 2 am instead of 3 am (RBR 9 Jun 1964 p 3 col 6). And as a councilwoman in 1965, she was at loggerheads with the Planning Board over the expansion of apartment developments in the borough. She and the school board felt that apartments did not bring in sufficient tax revenues to support all the children they tended to add to the school system. The mayor, a realtor, and the Planning Board were opposed to an apartment ban. Mrs Boggs collected signatures on petitions she presented to the Board and Council (RBR 13 Apr 1965 p 13 col 4).

In August 1969, Mrs Boggs was president of the Keyport Welfare Board. The 26 Aug 1969 edition of the Red Bank Register showed Mrs Boggs arguing with the Borough Council over the control of welfare matters.

BACKGROUND

Soon after moving to the borough from Milltown in 1946, Mrs Boggs began to attend Keyport Board of Education meetings. She founded and presided over the Keyport High School Mothers Club, an organization that served as a parent-teacher association, athletic booster club, and scholarship fund all in one. About 1948, she joined a group of community members in calling for more and better recreational facilities in Keyport, prompting Rutgers University to conduct a formal survey of available facilities. She ultimately served on the school board from 1950 to 1956, setting her up for her duties on the Council. In all things, she took an active interest and never hesitated to express her opinion.  (Matawan Journal, 1961)

Mrs Boggs graduated from Collingswood High School in southern New Jersey and studied for 2 years at Temple University's business school. She did clerical work at the Will E Cusick firm in Keyport from about 1949 to 1958, when the firm closed. Her family consisted of husband Harrison R Boggs (14 May 1907 - 21 Aug 1989) and children Harrison, Jr; Richard; and Katherine. Mrs Boggs and her husband were living in Jamesburg in the late 1980s when they died. (Matawan Journal, 1961, Social Security Death Index)

PETER SONDERGAARD AND PERTH AMBOY TERRA COTTA COMPANY 

The Boggses acquired the Peter Sondergaard house on Beers Street when they relocated from Milltown after the Second World War. (Matawan Journal, 1961)

DANE (Danish Archives North East) at Rootsweb says that Peter Sondergaard of Keyport joined several others in the establishment of a terra cotta factory in Perth Amboy in the spring of 1895. The factory became a major supplier of terra cotta for the construction of building facades across the country.

Peter A Sondergaard (62 Denmark, speaks Danish) lived on Beers Street in the 1930 Federal Census along with his wife Marie (53) and sister Sophia Peterson (70). He had $17,500 worth of property and no occupation.

Peter A Sondergaard (51 Germany, speaks Danish) lived on Beers Street in the 1920 Federal Census along with his wife Marie (43) and sister Sophia Peterson (59). He was retired. (Note: Comparing the 1930 and 1920 censuses, I thought the 1920 census enumerator made a mistake with Peter's birth place, but apparently the 1930 enumeration was the incorrect record. The 1910 Federal Census also said that Peter and his parents were born in Germany but spoke Danish.)

Peter Sondergaard (42 Germany) lived on Washington Street, Keyport, in the 1910 Federal Census along with his wife Marie (33) and a Danish servant named Andrew Johnson (23). Peter worked at a manafactory (sic) of terre cotta. Peter and Marie had been married 15 years and she had had no children.

It's Always A Personal Choice to Serve

Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District has announced that it is looking for someone to fill a vacancy on the Board of Education. This person would serve only until next April, when the winner of next spring's election to fill Pat Demarest's unexpired term through April 2013 would be installed.

Resumes of those wishing to fill the temporary position must be received by 4 pm on 7 September. The Board will review the applications and conduct interviews of the best qualified candidates at a Special Action Meeting on 20 September.

The Independent says that in an email Ms Demarest explained that she resigned because she no longer has children in our school system. This makes it sound like a principled act of some sort when it is simply a personal choice to end her service. It would be too bad if people got the idea from this that one must have a child in our schools to serve on the school board.

Patricia O'Keefe Retires; New Principal Sought for Lloyd Road Elementary

The online podcast of the 27 June 2011 MARSD Board of Education meeting includes the following interesting pieces of information:

O'Keefe

• Ms Patricia O'Keefe has announced her retirement as Principal at the Lloyd Road Elementary School. (The job is already posted online.)
• The district has hired two new Vice Principals -- Mr Michael Wells at MRHS and Mr Mark Van Horn at MAMS. Mr Wells begins his duties 1 July 2011; Mr Van Horn on 1 August 2011.
• The Board has participated in two mediated sessions of negotiations with the Matawan Regional Teachers Association (MRTA), on 27 April and 6 June 2011, and plans to attend a third session on 8 August.
• The Superintendent of Schools and the Mayor of Matawan (on behalf of both Aberdeen and Matawan) each recognized Kathleen Eovino for her years of dedicated service to the community through her work in the school system and on the board of the Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library. The student representative likewise praised her service and thanked her on behalf of his fellow students. Ms Eovino, in turn, recognized the service of teachers in our district. She also recognized the library board for their efforts. She received a well deserved standing ovation from those in attendance.

Matawan Shoots Its Hoops in the Foot, Comes Out Lame

Parents and students were out in force at the most recent BOE meeting, according to APP, to show their support for a sports coach dropped from the lineup at Matawan Regional High School. It seems he said a bad word, or at least that's the word. My word. The school's laydown story is that the job is open to all comers and each year there could be a new coach, and, gosh, this is the year that happened, so take it in stride. Well, that simply doesn't pass the sniff test. Don't tell me that a guy who's been coaching in the district for four years in a row is coincidentally sidelined this year, by chance. I don't have a horse in this race but I hope the school will reconsider the matter. Let the man formally apologize and get it over with. Play ball!

Longtime MARSD School Board Employee Dies

Beverly Korthaus, age 66, died on 7 June at her home in Cliffwood Beach, according to her Legacy obituary. She had been employed for over twenty years with the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District as an administrative assistant with the Board of Education.

Beverly was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts about 1945 to Ralph M and Katherine Woolwine. California state marriage records (1960-1985) show that Ralph and Katherine were 63 years old when they got married in San Diego on 26 November 1983. She leaves a husband, Glenn L Korthaus, and several children.

Beverly's father Ralph M Born was born 8 September 1920 in Massachusetts and died in Tucson, Arizona 20 April 1995. He was a chemical engineer for General Electric, according to the 1946 and 1948 editions of Manning's Pittsfield City Directory. Those directories showed the family living at 46 E Housatonic Street in 1946 and 6 Acre Road in 1948. Below is a map showing the East Housatonic address.


View Larger Map

The best candidate for Ralph Born and family in the 1930 Federal Census is a Ralph Born, age 9, living in Prescott, Arizona. His father Charlie was born in New York to German parents. His mother Margaret was born in Illinois to a father in Ohio and mother in Wisconsin. Charlie was manager of the Elks Theatre. His two eldest children were employed at the theatre.

Final Results - 2011 Matawan-Aberdeen School Election

Below is a copy of the certified 2011 Matawan-Aberdeen School Election results from Monmouth County's Board of Elections as of 2 May 2011 and announced at the MARSD organizational meeting the following day.  (Congratulations to Charles Kenny and Liz Hayward for being re-elected as President and Vice President of the BOE.)

The final result included 9 additional votes against the budget and only 2 in favor, but don't get too excited: the budget still passed 53/47. As for the write-in results, I was pleased to see that the award-winning maker of Coconut Cupcakes and Cappuccino Cupcakes, Patricia Raymond of Cliffwood Beach, MRHS Class of '84, received over 6% of the vote. Of course the one thing they don't tell you - but you really wanna know - is who received the 53 remaining write-in votes? Maybe the county would make a few bucks by selling the list?

Monmouth County

2011 School Election – Official Results

April 27, 2011

Last Updated: May 2, 2011 5:10 PM
Registration & Turnout
408,421 Voters
Vote Count Percent
Election Day Turnout 56,264 13.78%
Mail-In Ballot Turnout 1,381 0.34%
Provisional Turnout 128 0.03%
Emergency Turnout 12 0.00%
Federal Overseas Turnout 0 0.00%
Total 57,785 14.15%

Matawan-Aberdeen Reg BOE (Aberdeen) (Full Term)
13/13 100.00%
Under Votes 992
Over Votes 0

Vote Count Percent
- Dennis Daniels 606 50.42%
- Todd Larchuk 550 45.76%
Write-In 46 3.83%
Total 1,202 100.00%

Matawan-Aberdeen Reg BOE (Aberdeen) (1Yr Unexp)
13/13 100.00%
Under Votes 998
Over Votes 0

Vote Count Percent
Write-In 53 63.86%
- Kenneth Aitken (Write-In) 20 24.10%
- Patricia Raymond (Write-In) 5 6.02%
- Vincent Vinci (Write-In) 5 6.02%
Total 83 100.00%

Matawan-Aberdeen Reg BOE (Matawan)

7/7 100.00%

Under Votes	197
Over Votes	0
	Vote Count	Percent
- Charles Kenny	402	94.59%
Write-In	23	5.41%
Total	425	100.00%

Ken Aitken Wins Aberdeen Write-In Seat on MARSD Board

Kenneth Aitken received 20 write-in votes to fill Aberdeen's one-year unexpired term on the board of education of the Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District, per APP. The 2009-2012 term was held by Joey Warren (2009-2010), then by Paul Evangelista (2010-2011), but no one applied to fill the unexpired term for 2011-2012, making the spot vulnerable to a write-in candidacy. Presumably the board would have empaneled a search committee to fill the unexpired term this summer. Who knows whether Mr Aitkin would have been their first choice?

Mr Aitken lives at 65 Juniper Place, in the J Section of Strathmore off Van Brackle Road. According to published reports, he was a US Navy submariner for 6 years, earned a master's degree in telecommunications from Stevens Institute in Hoboken, and worked for AT&T in Holmdel. In 2005 he had two children in the school system here.

My internet research suggests that Mr Aitken served on the school board 2005-2008. He ran for the board and lost at least one time before 2005 and again in 2008. The minutes of the 27 Aug 2007 board meeting indicate that he chaired the Finance, Transportation, and Technology Committees.

He echoes the "protect the taxpayer" refrain that always seems to come up when someone, Republican or Democrat, is wrestling for power in the form of control over budget monies. He voted against major football field, lighting, and track improvements back in 2006 but supported steep administrator pay raises in the above minutes from August 2007. His editorial in the 18 June 2003 edition of The Independent complained about inadequate communication from the "Democrat-controlled Aberdeen Township Council" on its plans for the Railroad Plaza project.

Mr Aitkin filed an accusation of ethics violations against a fellow board member after a contentious April 2008 election. His complaint developed into a valued member's suspension from the board for what turned out to be the remainder of her tenure. And it set a tone that makes public service seem more like a minefield than a contribution to community.

2011 Matawan-Aberdeen School Budget Passes in 53/47 Squeaker

Unofficial 2011 School Election results below were found tonight at a Monmouth County Government website:

Matawan-Aberdeen Regional Question

20/20 100.00%

Under Votes	16
Over Votes	0
	Vote Count	Percent
- Yes	898	52.76%
- No	804	47.24%
Total	1,702	100.00%

---

Matawan-Aberdeen Reg BOE (Aberdeen) (Full Term)

13/13 100.00%

Under Votes	992
Over Votes	0
	Vote Count	Percent
- Dennis Daniels	602	50.42%
- Todd Larchuk	547	45.81%
Write-In	45	3.77%
Total	1,194	100.00%

---

Matawan-Aberdeen Reg BOE (Aberdeen) (1Yr Unexp)

13/13 100.00%

Under Votes	998
Over Votes	0
	Vote Count	Percent
Write-In	83	100.00%
Total	83	100.00%

---

Matawan-Aberdeen Reg BOE (Matawan)

7/7 100.00%

Under Votes	197
Over Votes	0
	Vote Count	Percent
- Charles Kenny	400	94.56%
Write-In	23	5.44%
Total	423	100.00%

Matawan and Aberdeen Vote - 2011 School Election

Don't forget to vote today! Polls are open 1 pm to 9 pm. One position on the school board remains vacant, a one-year unexpired term, so a write-in campaign could be effective today. The budget question is really the only matter before the voters.

History: Cliffwood Elementary Construction Approved, December 1956

The 13 December 1956 edition of The Matawan Journal displayed state-approved plans for the new Cliffwood Elementary School. The county superintendent was concerned that such a large facility was being suggested for the site, but ultimately those objections went unheeded in Trenton. A bond issue of $705,000 was destined to include $660,000 for the elementary school and $45,000 for a few additional rooms at the old Matawan High School.

Christie Mails Aberdeen-Matawan Voters His Obnoxious Two Cents on School Budget

The Independent wrote about the Aberdeen-Matawan School Board candidates today. To be clear, Mr Evangelista was filling Joey Warren's 2009-2012 position, but for personal reasons is leaving the board and no one has stepped up to fill the unexpired term. That is the vacancy The Independent is referring to. The three 2008-2011 positions -- those of Mr Kenny, Mr Ruprecht, and Ms Rubino -- have 2 new candidates (Mr Daniels and Mr Larchuk) and an incumbent (Mr Kenny), all running unopposed. I wrote about the candidates in this space back on March 11th and expressed my opinion about the 2011-12 MARSD school budget a few days ago.

By the way, I received my sample ballot yesterday. I was surprised to see the budget amount ($44.8 million) split to show the respective amounts owed by the Township ($30.3 million) vs the Borough ($14.5 million). Is that a new thing? I don't recall it being that way in the past, but my memory isn't what it used to be. At least not that I can recall. I imagine that some portion of Township residents will vote against the budget simply because they are paying over 2/3rds of the schools bill. I understand that the bill is apportioned based on relative property assessments.  Keep in mind that Aberdeen represented 2/3rds of the district's population in the previous census, so the breakout is reasonable.

I was quite annoyed to see the State of NJ adding its two cents to our local ballot, suggesting in bureaucratic language that our district is spending too much money on our kids and savvy residents should ask questions. It's like a warning label on a pack of cigarettes: "Your school district has proposed programs and services in addition to the core curriculum content standards adopted by the State Board of Education." Coming from the Christie Administration, this is no innocent statement. It is a repugnant intrusion in local politics.

You can find some of our local sample ballots below. For a full list, check the Monmouth County Clerk's website (see Duties of the County Clerk, then select Sample Ballots):

• Aberdeen
• Hazlet
• Holmdel
• Keyport
• Matawan

Be sure to vote next week Tuesday.

This Week in the Media: Gov Christie and Teachers

I occasionally go to Google News and search Christie to see what the world thinks of our governor. I was looking today to see what was being written about Christie's teacher-tenure reforms. Here are a few excerpts from articles, most about education reform. It seems no articles about teachers or unions can be written without at least a nod to Christie. The articles below give you a flavor of what's being said this week:

NJ.com - Governor Christie Continues Assault on Teachers Unions at Town Hall Meeting in Cape May County

Virginia Gowen, a nurse at Lower Township Elementary School, was one of those applauding. She walked out halfway through the town hall meeting, she said, because she was upset at how Christie portrayed teachers.

In her district, where 54 percent of the elementary school students receive free lunches, Gowen said Christie is oversimplifying the jobs of teachers, who often have to deal with troubled, ill children.

"He’s just totally demeaning what I do at work,’’ Gowen said.

Businessweek - NJ Gov Sends Education Proposal to Legislature

Christie announced seven new bills that include basing teacher evaluations equally on student performance and twice-yearly classroom observations, granting tenure after three years of effective reviews, and creating a system of merit pay that rewards teachers who work in failing districts, specialize in hard-to-staff subjects or whose students demonstrate measurable improvement. . . .

Other bills in the package would protect young, accomplished teachers from layoffs by eliminating seniority protections for veteran teachers; allow districts to strip tenure protection from teachers rated ineffective; and make it quicker and less expensive to fire ineffective teachers. . . .

New Jersey Teachers Union spokesman Steve Wollmer said research shows that it's not effective or fair to judge teachers based on student test scores, in part because there are many factors that contribute to student achievement that teachers can't control. He also objected to the idea of merit pay, saying that it would create competition among teachers rather than foster a collegial environment that makes a school community thrive.

The merit pay proposal, he said, "is a classic case of the governor and his staff not understanding how a school works."

Wollmer said the idea of eliminating seniority protection for veteran teachers during layoffs is a thinly veiled attempt to decrease a district's bottom line by replacing experienced teachers with less expensive novice educators.

"Why is experience a liability in education -- it's not," he said.

The only proposal on which the governor and the union agree is speeding up the administrative process for firing a teacher. The union favors a quicker approach in part because it pays the legal bills while the case is pending.

Courier-Post Online - School Boards Confront Great Uncertainty

In 2010, there were 2,055 candidates running for 1,619 available school board seats, the New Jersey School Boards Association reported -- 60 percent of them incumbents seeking re-election.

This year, 2,222 candidates hope to fill 1,612 seats -- the first increase in candidates since 2006. But only 49 percent are incumbents.

The Christian Science Monitor - Why NJ Teacher-Tenure Reform Plan Matters to the Rest of America

Moves to weaken traditional job protections for teachers are gaining momentum around the country. Tenure reform bills were recently signed into law in Florida and Tennessee, and are being considered in Illinois, New Hampshire, Minnesota, and several other states. Delaware and Colorado passed such laws last year. . . .

Tenured teachers have due-process protections when a school district wants to fire them; districts can more easily remove untenured teachers.

NJ.com - Meet the "Anti-Christie" - CT Gov Dannell Malloy

Connecticut Governor Dannell Malloy is seeking givebacks from the unions on the same scale as Christie, but he doesn’t blame public workers for those cushy contracts. He blames the politicians in both parties who signed them.

“Do I think the unions have made mistakes? Yes,” he says. “But every mistake they’ve made has been in concert with the governor and the Legislature. So let’s be honest. I don’t see the unions as the bad guys here. I’m not trying to scapegoat anybody, or blame anybody.”

Union leaders, who backed Malloy against Republican Tom Foley in November’s election, say Malloy’s respectful tone will make it easier for them to sell concessions to their members.

“With Tom Foley, we would have been the menu,” says Lori Pelletier, secretary general of the state’s AFL-CIO. “With Dan Malloy, we’re at the table.”

Compare that with the hissing and snarling that passes for conversation between Christie and, as he calls them, the “union thugs” he constantly denounces. . .

Will Malloy’s liberal approach to the crisis succeed? That depends a lot on the unions.

Malloy needs $1 billion in givebacks to make this work, a staggering sum that the union says works out to about $20,000 per worker.

If the unions don’t budge, Malloy vows massive layoffs and program cuts.
“I’d prefer to downsize over time,” he says. “But if I have to do it overnight, I will.”

The New York Times - Christie Takes Conservatism Beyond Fiscal Issues

Mr. Christie had little political experience to define him when he ran for governor in 2009; . .. During the campaign, the state’s deep financial trouble took center stage. Mr. Christie focused on the state’s high taxes, played down his opposition to abortion, and aligned himself with President Obama on subjects like education reform and promoting wind and solar energy. And the new governor was a blank slate on some issues, like global warming.

In office, he eliminated the state’s Office of Climate Change, cut funding for clean energy programs and eliminated New Jersey’s share of financing for a 10-state greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program that is anathema to many conservatives.

. . . In November, Mr. Christie went further: He revealed that he was skeptical that human activity was responsible for climate change. . . . On March 11, he pulled New Jersey out of a multistate lawsuit aimed at curbing greenhouse emissions from power plants, and on March 24, he said he might also withdraw entirely from the cap-and-trade program.

in January, the governor addressed a large anti-abortion rally in Trenton, saying, “This is an issue whose time has come.” . . . In September, he vetoed state support for family planning clinics, a move strongly backed by anti-abortion groups because some of the clinics performed abortions. Last month, after the Democratic-controlled Legislature approved a much smaller appropriation for family planning, backed mostly by federal dollars, he vetoed that, too. Mr. Christie also applied for federal money for abstinence-only education . . ..

MARSD Special Action Meeting

The BOE met this evening at 1 Crest Way. The board quickly retired to Executive Session to hear recommendations on tenure from school administrators. There was considerable hand-wringing in the mostly empty room as principals waited their turn to present their cases to the board.

The meeting finally reconvened for a presentation by Dr. Debra Sheard and Mrs. Michele Ruscavage on how the high school will help incoming 9th graders make a successful transition from MAMS. The Freshman Initiative will use core curriculum, team teaching, attentive counseling, closely situated classrooms and lockers, a positive attitude, and strong parental involvement in all aspects of the initiative to improve the students' academic and time management skills, attendance and behavior, thereby increasing the rate of student promotion to 10th grade. 

The budget and finance section of the meeting was too complex and too quick to be informative to the casual observer and the board had already spent considerable time on the tenure issue.As far as instructional assistants are concerned, they of course aren't tenured. Instead, they receive RIF notices each year and must await job renewal offers that come in May or June.

History: Racial Conflict at Matawan Regional HS - Late Sept 1970

The front page of The Matawan Journal's 1 October 1970 edition contains reporting of racial tensions at the high school that eventually flared into riots and marauding youths. Some interesting materials for the African-Americans in The Matawan Journal series.

The reporting suggests at one point that the violence could have been caused by outsiders, possibly students or adults from rival schools stirring the pot before some important football games. At other times there are mentions that the violence was actually planned ahead of time or an unfortunate result of overcrowding at the high school. However it started, once there was violence, fear took over and rumors started to fly, turning things in the community even uglier.  The Journal reported many of the rumors without comment, which might not have been the best approach. Police and school officials seemed to take a reasonable approach once they caught up with events, but the news coverage suggests that neither had their ears to the ground on this.

There is a stark difference between that school district and its current iteration. We should be thankful that our kids get along and strive to do so ourselves.

On a technical note, the online scanned images for this paper are abysmal, so I retrieved the original newspaper from the library archives, photocopied the articles, and transcribed them below for the record.

Five Days Student Turmoil

Racial conflicts flared anew at Matawan Regional High School during the past week following an outbreak at a dance on Friday night. Monday and Tuesday were tense days and nights for police, school, municipal authorities and parents, but rain last night cooled things somewhat and all are hopeful that tensions will ease when school resumes Monday after being closed today and tomorrow for the Jewish holiday.

Non-students as well as students suffered in the resulting violence. Harold F Dolan, a former president of the Matawan Regional Board of Education, who sought to disperse a group of youths who entered his property on Atlantic Avenue at the height of the disturbances Friday night received a cut on the arm before he drove the youths off.

This same group of 30 young Negroes were reported by another Atlantic Avenue householder to have smashed a $350 picture window of his home and a woman reported her car was stoned and a window broken as she sought to turn into the driveway of her home. The offenders were reported as fleeing into the woods to avoid detection, but it was the opinion of school authorities they were some of the out-of-towners who had invaded the pep rally and dance the night before the first football game.

The ostensible cause of the disturbance was a quarrel between a white and Negro girl over a pair of shoes. But there were those who spurned this simple explanation of the incitement to the trouble. Stanley Pianko, deputy mayor of Matawan Township, confirmed last night he had spoken with township police about rumors that there would be trouble Friday. Mayor Hans Froehlich, after the outburst, was critical of the judgment of the school authorities to permit the dance to go on in view of advance indications that all was not well among the student body.

Last night Mr Pianko took strong exception to a daily newspaper report quoting John J Bradley, president of the Board of Education, purporting to censure Mr Pianko for not warning school authorities if he knew there was going to be trouble. "I don't buy that," was Mr Pianko's comment.

Township Police Chief Ralph E Wallace indicated his department was taken by surprise by the fact the affair was not restricted to Matawan students in that only two police officers, Sgt Theodore Lefkowich and Patrolman Rocco Polizzato, were assigned to be on hand.

"Anybody who had a buck could get in," the chief commented with respect to the reported attendance of outsiders from Red Bank and Freehold.

Sgt Ralph Medolla, on patrol with Patrolman William Andrews that night, reported receiving a walkie-talkie radio report from Sgt Lefkowich at 10 pm that rumors of trouble brewing had reached the officers on the scene. A call to go to the school cafeteria at 10:15 pm resulted in Sgt Medolla and Patrolman Andrews finding the doors to it chained, and they had to squeeze in through a window.

Two Girls in A Fight

Sgt Medolla did find the white and Negro girl embroiled, the white girl charging her shoes had been stolen. When the Negro girl denied knowledge of to whom the shoes belonged, the shoes were yielded to the white girl. This seemed to be all the provocation the adherents of the girls battling over the shoes needed as right away hostilities broke out and swept to every area of the dance floor.  Sgt Medolla reported seeing Patrolman Andrews surrounded by about 100 youths, mostly Negroes, then 15 black students "jumping him" with the officer trying to subdue the one leading the attack. The officer floored another who interfered, letting the main offender get away. The second one to attack the officer was taken into custody for resisting arrest.

Sight of a white youth cornered on a table top by 50 blacks led to a call by Sgt Lefkowich to borough police for aid. It came quickly so that an announcement by Sgt Medolla at 10:40 pm that the dance was over could reach a quelled group of combatants.

Then came the problem of five police trying to disperse a crowd of nearly 500 out on the school lawn cursing and threatening. More borough police re-enforcements dissuaded at Atlantic Avenue and Little Street those who sought to turn towards the borough. Those who continued down Atlantic Avenue were the ones to become involved in the incidents there.

First aid ambulances joined police at the high school grounds. One white youth was taken to Riverview Hospital from a blow with a timber. A girl beaten at Third Street needed medical attention. Riverview Hospital reported treating a third Matawan student for hurts that night.

John Bolger, Spring Lake, a teacher at Lloyd Road School, visiting friends in Matawan Friday night, told police that as he came out to get in his car he was set upon by six Negro youths near the high school for no discernible reason other than that he must have been confused in the darkness for a white high school student.

One Negro youth told of being threatened by whites with a gun. The whites in a car got away, but the license was picked up by observers. But when the car was stopped in the borough, no weapons were found. However, the Negroes were insistent in their report of being threatened.

Police reported two Negro boys assisting a badly beaten white boy into the shelter of the school building to await first aid attention.

Three nights later, Monday, guns were reality.

But, in the interim, the Matawan-Middletown football game was played and blacks and whites on the Matawan squad gave no evidence on the playing field that there had ever been any disruption in the Matawan camp the night before. But there was a notable lack of black rooters in the Matawan stands.

Many Fear The Worst

Then came that Monday. On Sunday, the day before a moving van or two in Strathmore, then, at 10:30 pm, a call from a mother in tones of agonized fear that she would not be sending her daughter to high school the next day because she was believing a rumor that there would be new trouble.

Monday morning, more concerned reports came in. Councilwoman Patricia Wills cautioned of white boys armed heavily gathering at a popular hamburger spot. A store manager called in that there could be confrontations of whites and blacks in the parking lots of Acme, A&P, and Shop Rite that night.

A call came in the late morning about gunfire reported from the area of the high school. A call was received from a woman about a threat that the Cliffwood Beach area would be fire-bombed that night. Then there was a rumor Negro youth would throw Molotov cocktails into Strathmore homes that night in revenge for damage supposedly done to Negroes' homes in Cliffwood.

At 11 am there was a warning that a bomb was to be planted. A report was received that a bomb had been planted in the school. The school was emptied. In lunch hour, there was more trouble, whites and Negroes in separate knots, calling names and some fisticuffs.

White Caravan Of "War"

Later in the day, the area of the school at time to go home was swarming with police, patrol cars, ambulances. Three Negroes were taken in custody for loitering on the school grounds.

Then, the nightfall - the recollection of fears of the store managers that there would be mass fighting in the large parking areas of the chain stores. Tempers were heightened by word a 16-year white student, a junior at the high school was severely beaten about the face by Negroes. Verification of the rumors about the chain stores being sites of battle that night as police rounded up Negroes advancing at Cliffwood Avenue and Route 35 on the A&P lot with sticks and tire chains. Then a caravan of whites, 10 cars, 53 youths in all - a hammer thrown into the windshield of one car, a girl cut about the face.

Borough police with carbines and tin "war" hats intercepted the caravan, hustling them back to the council room at borough hall - the 53 held behind closed doors while the "riot" act was read them, some booked but not held.

Tuesday - dawned a chilly cooling-off day. Police were in the school, in the school area.

Tuesday night, a poorly kept secret, the rumble center to be at the Cat N' Fiddle. But Matawan Township and Madison Township police were there first, the roads of access blocked off in Cliffwood Beach, no rumble, the combatants could not make it. Three adults and a juvenile were taken into custody by Matawan Borough police for defiance of an officer's orders and having the makings of weapons.

Yesterday ... a new report in fear that homes in Cliffwood Beach were to be firebombed last night.. but last night it rained and nobody was out.

Mayor Irked At Cost of Unrest

Mayor Victor Armellino, Matawan Borough, expressed annoyance last night at the handling of the student disorders situation by the Regional Board of Education. He said he was aware all the added costs of it came out of the same taxpayers' pocket, be it school or municipal, but he felt that the extra expenses should come out of the school board's and not the municipal budgets.

Yesterday attempts were made to cool down the situation. A "rap" session between a panel of five from each the whites and Negroes was held. Dr John F McKenna, superintendent, said this morning he was somewhat disappointed in the resulst, that the session started off well enough but, as it ended, and in the student attitudes afterward, he felt "the progress we had hoped for" had not been made. Dialogue did continue, he observed.

The superintendent was inclined to blame much of the trouble on the over-crowded condition of the high school. He said that the pushing against one another in crowded hallways during passing to classes resulted, as he saw it, in irritations and provocative incidents, pupils accusing one another of offenses never deliberate or intended.

Upperclassmen Talks

The dialogue yesterday was between junion and senior students. Dr McKenna felt that with a lapse of four days of school being closed (today and tomorrow for the Jewish holy days) there would be a cooling off period that would provide a better atmosphere for approaches between ninth and tenth grade pupils on Monday. Dr McKenna blamed the spreading of rumors and the building up of minor things into inflammatory major reports as they were exaggerated from mouth to mouth for a lot of the trouble.

Last night the Rev Paul L Jackson, First Baptist Church, acting for the Matawan ministerium, addressed a large gathering of whites on the situation while Det Sgt Stanley Parrish, Matawan Township Police, was doing the same with a group of black students. A hopeful note came out of these gatherings.

Lt Det John McGinty said this morning there are only four juvenile complaints on file in the township and no charges against those 18 or over as a result of the week's disturbances.

While a junior varsity football game was called off Monday and a cross-country meet was moved out of town, school officials saw no occasion to do anything about the varsity football game to be held at Long Branch Saturday.

History: Matawan School Board Elections, 16 Mar 1911

The front page of the 16 March 1911 edition of The Matawan Journal had an article about the Matawan Township school board vote coming up on 21 March at 8 o'clock. The school budget was a whopping $3,975. Herbert Burlew, L H Stemler, and C W Hulsart were reportedly amenable to run for another term on the board.

Women were to be allowed to vote for the budget appropriation but not for the board members.

                                                     -------------------------------------

The 1910 Federal Census for New Jersey shows a farmer in Matawan Township named Louis Stemler, age 45, born in New Jersey to German parents. He and his wife Mary (46) had been married 20 years earlier and had no children. His brother Christian was living with them, as were 3 foreign workers (1 German, 2 Poles). They lived on Old Bridge Road.

Herbert Burlew, age 43, lived on Freehold Road in the Township. He lived with his wife Louise, age 34 and sons Conover (16), Fred (15), and Fountain (13). Herbert and Louise had been married 18 years and had lost a child. Herbert was a farmer.

Charles Hulsart, age 57, and his wife Mildred (50) lived on Holmdel Mill Road with 18 year old twin daughters Mildred and Marjory. The couple had been married 33 years. Only 3 of their 6 children were still alive at the time. Mildred was from New York. Charles was a farmer.

Matawan-Aberdeen School Board Approves 2011-2012 District Calendar

The 2011-2012 MARSD calendar has been approved and is now available online.

Here's a few of the major items:

• Students start school next year on the Tuesday after Labor Day (6 September). 
• Winter break begins with a half day on 23 December 2011 and runs through New Year's Day. 
• Spring break begins with a halfday on 5 April and runs through 15 April 2012. 
• The last day of school is a half day scheduled for 20 June 2012.

If you want to receive notices from MARSD, simply click REGISTER in the top right corner of the District's website and follow their instructions. (Be sure the box is checked to receive mail from the district.)

Piegari Sees Local Tax Relief Resulting from Governor's Token Increase in School Aid

Trenton is promising to restore 20% of the state aid we lost last year, leaving our school district only $2 million short of the annual state aid level we were receiving two years ago and earlier. Acting MARSD School Superintendent Patrick Piegari foresees the preservation of programs as well as considerable tax relief to local residents as a result of this -$4.5 million benevolence we'll have enjoyed over the past two years from Governor Christie.

What utter nonsense.

I'm not sure what to think of The Independent's coverage of this. Their article's highly ambiguous perspective protects their equities in a county where many residents subscribe to libertarianism. "School Districts React" isn't exactly a bold statement. I was pleased to see Holmdel's dubious response to the unexpected aid, but then Piegari's comments come along to suggest that happy days are here again. Maybe I'm missing the subtleties?