10 Years Ago
Monroe school board members disagree if township students would be better served by a sixth-through-eighth- grade middle school or a seventh and eighth grade school. An ad hoc facility committee made up of school representatives and residents from all areas told the board that Applegarth Middle School and the high school will need to be expanded. The board also discussed the future of Mill Lake School, which the committee suggested be demolished.
Fifty-three eighth-graders last week filed into the gymnasium at the Grace M. Breckwedel School to say farewell to eight years of school in Jamesburg and look ahead to a future filled with excitement and challenges. Most of the graduates will be heading to Monroe Township High School. While some were looking ahead, others wanted to look back for just a little longer. "I think I’ll miss the teachers the most," said a nervous Lyn-anne Britske.
25 Years Ago
Helen Buckelew, a former Jamesburg elementary school teacher, was given a retirement dinner at Giovi’s in Yardville. She was forced to retire after about 18 ½ years in the Jamesburg system when an eye ailment developed into blindness. About 60 people, including faculty and Board of Education members and former Superintendent of Schools Michael Gaeta, attended the affair.
Airman Carl V. Sigle, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward F. Sigle of Rural Route 1, Jamesburg, has completed Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He is remaining at Lackland for specialized training in the security police field.
50 Years Ago
The Jamesburg Chamber of Commerce, at its last meeting before the summer recess, laid plans for several fall and winter activities. Among these are plans for a more intense Halowe’en celebration. Several ideas for a community celebration were discussed. Among them were community-wide street lighting, a contest with prizes for home decorations, and a proposed visit by Santa traveling in an autogiro or on a real train.
Sal Puccio of Jamesburg was elected commander of the 8th District, Department of New Jersey, Veterans of Foreign Wars, at the annual encampment at Perth Amboy. Puccio, a state investigator for the Department of the Treasury, heads VFW activities for all of Middlesex County in his new office.
75 Years Ago
The architects of the new Jamesburg High School have completed plans for all approved alterations in the building and the actual construction work has begun. The building is a model of its kind, meeting in an economical manner the requirements of a modern high school. The building will be constructed of front brick and terracotta in a modernistic style, with a restrained use of ornament and color. The gymnasium is 50 by 64 feet and the auditorium 64 by 52 feet. The building committee is composed of Frank W. Emens, chairman; Dr. L. M. Heckman and Jacob Weisert.
The three Middlesex 4-H poultry club members whose flocks had the highest production for the county last month were: Louis R. Clark of Dunhams Corners, Russell Kuhn of Rhode Hall and A. Roehringer Jr. of Dunhams Corners.
100 Years Ago
An exciting school election was held at Monroe last Friday. One party did not want a new school, others wanted it but were separated on the location. The election resulted in a majority of 150 votes in favor of Dey’s Corner.
On Sunday evening in Jamesburg as Mr. and Mrs. Albert Stults were returning home in their automobile they ran into a horse near Simonson’s blacksmith shop. The machine was put out of business and the horse was badly injured. The horse was one from Wm. Emmons’ livery and was driven by Patrick McLaughlin and John Kemory. Such accidents have become numerous and more care should be taken. McLaughlin had three broken ribs. The others were not injured beyond some bruises and scratches.
Compiled from back issues of The Cranbury Press by Peggy S. and Frank J. Brennan Jr.
