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*SUOtilAL fTBMRT •» i >« %j , ' , n, \ q d^>- . .A '' a e . % ■ £ , ' y An Independent Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of the People of Hightstown and East Windsor 148th — No. 14 HIGHTSTOWN GAZETTE, MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1996 Price: Thirty-Five “Of Wild Roses and Honeysuckle Labyrinths: Growing Up in Hightstown” Part V Editor's Note: should ever use the front door to open both the top and bottom The following article was (at least underclassmen); this of each unit), again without air written by George Morrell who entrance was reserved for conditioning, bright, sunny was born in Hightstown in 1943 administrative personnel, par­ warmth during the winter MOW and lived here on North Main ents and visitors, to attend the months, and even without street until he was 15 . He staff offices that were located to screens, only the occasional attended Hightstown High the right and left of the main insect entered the classrooms. school for one year before mov­ doorway. Secondary, the stu­ More likely, at least in my case, ing to Bricktown. He is the son dents now all had lockers these simple panes of glass pro­ of Mr. and Mrs. Morrell. His (instead of coat room hooks) for vided not only an escape to the mother was Gertrude Weller coats, books, lunches, resulting outside world, but that the world Morrell, a long time resident of in an almost independent feeling was allowed in as part of the full Hightstown. She was the daugh­ of having to take responsibility educational process; even so I ter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles for one’s day, at least after home still craved the formal training, Weller, of North Main Street. room, reserved for saluting the the window view just added a George is the grandson of flag, taking attendance and the little longing. Just look what Charles Weller who with his other perfunctionary announce­ cubicles and window-less office brother Harry Weller ran ments that opened the day. But space does to employee produc­ Weller Brothers Tobacco Store now instead of one room for all tivity in the commercial envi­ on Main street Hightstown. He daily activities and lessons, now ronment. I wonder if anyone has comes back to Hightstown on schedules were different and investigated the same effect on frequent visits. He lives in Hum- each student would change from learning potential? And finally , melstown, PA. classroom to classroom for each those days only consisted of course change.And now, all of III. School Days: The High incandescent lamps with huge DO YOU KNOW WHO THIS JACKASS IS? The picture was us, were confronted with a sea School Year, Part A. white globes that filtered the taken at the 1978 Community Fair which was held in downtown It was finally September of new faces and names, from harsh electrical interloper, with Hightstown. We tried to find out if this kind of game would be 1957, the class assignments various districts and small towns the now ubiquitous florescent played this year in the 1996 Community Fair. have been printed in the paper, with no high schools, outside lamps only located in the wood and now I was a high school stu­ Hightstown proper. shop area and a few other non­ dent at the marvelous sandy-col­ What a fantastic experience, class room facilities. ored brick building on Stockton for I now could learn about all But classroom, extracurricu­ Area Community Fair Street called in those years the those mysterious areas (farms, lar activities and the social HighLstown High School (.now dusty roads, other towns! that aspects of learning were what Sunday, Rain or Shine known as the Grace Norton growing up in elementary made Hightstown High School At Hightstown High School Rodgers School). All these years school were merely names; now so special. Perhaps I am a little those names would come to life biased towards Hightstown, but looking across the street from The Fair Band made up of musician educators from the the Stockton Street Elementary with actual- students who could the fact is that I spent only a year East Windsor Regional School District has been assembled School, wondering, wishing to now directly relate all the in Hightstown High School, and be part of that magical building, delights and magic of these still three years in a totally different for a one shot appearance at the 23rd Hightstown / East had finally come to fruition. unknown areas to me! high school system environ­ Windsor Community Fair Sunday. While at the same time I under­ My first impression, was that ment, and so not only do I feel I The members have worked in the East Windsor School one specific item had remained benefited more from my Hight­ stood that boys and girls had at District for a number of years and are talented musicians. unchanged from the Elementary stown experiences, but I must once had separate side entrances The performers include Rich Anzuini, Instrumental Music (an example of those sex-defin­ Schookthose marvelous large, confess that more thoughts and Teacher/Band Director, Hightstown High School wailing ing days can still be seen at the nearly wall-length windows more basic learning was old Allentown High School per­ were still there! In my discus­ received from Hightstown than on saxophone; Marty Barlow, Principal, Hightstown manently emblazoned in brick sions with Kathryn Dennis of the many other years in different School tinkling the piano ivories; Pat Brown, Assistant over the side doors), most stu­ the Hightstown Gazette, she locations of education.But that Superintendent /Affirmative Action Officer strumming the noted that over the years there is a story for another time ; let dents now entered on the east guitar; Bob Ridge, Instrumental Music Teacher, Ethel had been a prominent Princeton me try to explain at least some side , where was positioned the McKnight and Walter C. Black schools pounding the bicycle rack, and the location of architect, that when passing of the special memories and drums; and Edgar Thomas, East Windsor Regional School where the few buses that in through the town, consistently learning that have stayed with those days delivered students, mentioned the grace and charm me my entire life. District Superintendent, Retired, blowing the trumpet. dropped them off for their daily of these windows, which added I would be remiss in not indi­ The Fair Band may be seen and heard one time only at activities at this entrance from a complete academic aura for cating that Hightstown High the Hightstown/Community Fair, Sunday, October 6th at the high school. Unfortunately, School in the late 1950’s had homes unknown. Although the 3:30 pm. The Fair runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and takes today’s building has been significant advantages, not results of my clouded memory place on the grounds of the Hightstown High School. In that bias my reflection on view­ restored to energy efficiency unlike those I previous dis­ ing this first day when entering constraints, by greatly reducing cussed in Part IV of this article. case of rain, the Fair will be held inside the High School. this building, once inside, it was the size of the windows with Most of the teachers had taught again not a dark and dank build­ bricking and concrete. After our parents, so they and we both COMMUNITY FAIR SCHEDULE ing, but bright and shiny; every­ only a few years this cement were well known to all the com­ thing seemed to smell new, just reduction is crumbling and munity, the teachers were highly 11:30 AM CAL ISZARD, MC FOR THE DAY, WILL awaiting the new year of stu­ falling, with repairs sorely need­ educated and proficient in their INTRODUCE LOCAL NOTABLES DURING THE OPENING CERMONIES dents. In fact, the building was ed. craft, and most importantly decades old! Funny what the mind so understood what and why we as N00N-12.-30 PM FERRIS THE GREAT WILL ENTERTAIN.. One thing was learned very vividly remembers after many students had to learn and what COMEDY MAGIC SHOW, BALLOON quickly after the first general years why these specific win­ we should understand, and how ANIMALS dows? Certainly, just as in the such lessons and theory molded meeting with greetings from the 12:30 PM - 1 PM SCHOLA CANTORUM... SPECIAL HIGH Stockton Street Grammar each student into the fabric of administrative staff, held in the SCHOOL CHORUS gentle sloping, centralized audi­ School, they provided cooling in Hightstown’s life, history and 1:30 PM-2 PM torium was that no student warmer months (by being able Continued on page 2 HIGHTSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ ENSEMBLE 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM CHILDRENS’ CHORUS, DREW SCHOOL MUNICIPAL BUILDING DISPLAYS 3:00 PM- 3:30 PM “FAIR BAND”, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF Reservations are now being accepted for individuals or groups interested in displaying art work or other exhibits at the East Windsor Municipal Building. Display space can be reserved on a monthly basis 3:30 PM... FAIR FINALE... DRAWING FOR GIFTS by completing an Exhibit Reservation form available from the Recreation Department, 443-4000. FROM PARTICIPATING .ENDORS Page 2 THE HIGHTSTOWN GAZETTE Thursday, October 3,1996 — THE GAZETTE DESK — “Growing Up In Highstown” THE LIBRARY will be no jackass booth, as has become a bedroom commu­ From Front Page We hope residents of the area there has been in some past nity. lore. And to repeat myself once ond high school system after who use the Hightstown Memo­ fairs. Sadly, older Hightstownians again “it appeared that the moving out of Hightstown and rial Library, a branch of the STORES recognize that fact.

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