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Remembering Fair Haven Police Patrolman Robert J. Henne

Today marks two years since the untimely death of 23-year-old Fair Haven Police Patrolman Robert J. Henne.

Henne, also a Fair Haven fireman, was loved dearly by his community, colleagues, friends and family.

Take a look back and remember. Thank you for your service, Robert. Rest in peace … You are remembered.

Retro Knollwood Show Time

“Times have changed,” as the lyrics to Cole Porter’s Anything Goes go …

Yes they have. And they haven’t.

The shows are still going on, but they’re quite different types of productions. The students at Fair Haven’s Knollwood School have staged Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr.  The show went on in the beginning of the month.

And, way back in 1974, the school’s second ever musical was staged with the middle schoolers. You guessed it. It was Anything Goes.

Yes, times have changed, and mostly because these days they actually have junior versions of otherwise adult-like shows that aren’t really all that adult.

In fact, in those days, nothing was thought of doing a pretty darn adult musical that starred a, ahem, “lady of the evening” turned evangelist, a gangster and his maul, a stowaway, an heiress and a kooky English gentleman all aboard a ship and involved in madcap farce and love triangles.

Who knew? Well, the 1974 cast  of Knollwood’s version of Anything Goes certainly didn’t.

Continue reading Retro Knollwood Show Time

Retro River Rats Bonding

A 1976 River Rats crew
Photo/courtesy Marc Edelman, Facebook

With the recent death and impending memorial of former longtime Fair Havenite and River Rats purser, Warner White, thoughts turn back to some good old days of being a kid rat, so to speak, and hanging out down by the river.

It’s a rite of passage in the Rumson-Fair Haven area that kid life be rife with river-oriented activities.

River Rats was the king of that sort of thing — especially in the summertime. The little riverfront nook at the foot of Battin Road in Fair Haven was that special place where kids and boating-bonded buddies learned how to sail and navigate riverfront life with the sand between their toes and perpetual smiles on their faces. It was a unique little sailors’ club. Still is.

River Rats has been a Fair Haven institution since 1955.

It all started like this: “In October 1955 shortly after he moved from New York, Captain Walter Isbrandtsen wrote to a friend: ‘I have purchased a house in a small community on the New Jersey coast where I am gradually becoming active … in an organization known as Dads Incorporated … whose activities include a newly established program designed to take full advantage of a neighboring river …'”

Captain Isbrandtsen organized the family-oriented sailing group and became the first Skipper of River Rats, as it is written in the River Rats’ biographical history.

So, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day takes us back to the U.S.A. bicentennial year of 1976 and a bunch of young River Rats.

This crew is comprised mostly of RFH classmates who gathered by the boat launch at the end of Battin Road in Fair Haven to offer a glimpse of their day as a reminder of what growing up by the river is all about.

Sail on! RIP, Warner White …

— Elaine Van Develde

Retro RFH Gym Class

RFH gym teachers of the 1970s Photo/RFH yearbook
RFH gym teachers of the 1970s
Photo/RFH yearbook

With the sting of the cold and longing for that breath of warm fresh air, thoughts turn to days spent in the young teen sweat-infused gym at RFH. Oh, the ritual of that mandatory indoor exercise.

Ahhh, memories. More like a little PTSD remembrance of the torture the class was for some — especially when stuck inside. When you’re not an athlete and, for that matter, can barely volley a ball (and I mean barely), gym class day was the day of trying to get some sort of note of excuse from your mom to get you out of the embarrassment. Forgery became a talent. Though some moms could feel the uncoordinated kids’ pain and easily relented with prompt penning.

Continue reading Retro RFH Gym Class

Retro Rumson St. Paddy’s Parade

Well, in time step with a relatively new Rumson tradition, the borough’s fifth St. Patrick’s Day Parade is on Sunday.

So, to celebrate the five-year milestone, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day offer a look back to parades of the past four years.

Take a glimpse at some snapshots capturing memorable moments of the March march down East River Road …

— Elaine Van Develde photos

Retro Sea Bright Beach Romp

A Sea Bright beach summer day after Superstorm Sandy
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

Oh, the recent cold snap after unseasonably warm days has unleashed an bitter chill in the air. It makes Rumson-Fair Haven area folks long for warm summer beach days in Sea Bright again.

And the revamp of Donovan’s Reef brings back memories of a Sea Bright ravaged by Superstorm Sandy.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day warms the heart and dank air with memories of fun in the sun at Sea Bright beach and the peninsula borough on the mend.

This snapshot in time takes us back to the summer Sandy and some kids making the most of a sunny day at the beach.

Know them? Remember those days?

— Elaine Van Develde

Retro Post-Sandy Donovan’s

There’s a lot of buzz about the long-awaited rebuild of Donovan’s Reef in Sea Bright after it’s untimely, untamed demise due to Superstorm Sandy’s merciless wrath in October of 2012.

Well, Donovan’s will be getting back in step with its summer traditions in a literally grande way.

So, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day offer a glimpse back to a winter about four years ago when Donovan’s was in bits and people came to mourn what was or was not left of the iconic hangout on the beach.

Take a look back and remember …

— Elaine Van Develde

Donovan’s Reef after Sandy
Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Sightseers looking at what’s left and mourning the loss of Donovan’s Reef after Sandy
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

Retro RFH Polar Bear Dudes

RFH Polar Bear Club after a plunge. Photo/RFH Yearbook screenshot
RFH Polar Bear Club after a plunge.
Photo/RFH Yearbook screenshot

With the announcement of Rumson Police Chief Scott Paterson’s successful fundraising ($17,030 for Special Olympics New Jersey) culminating in the Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside Heights on Saturday, it seemed only right that we take you back to polar bear plunging guys of RFH back in the day — way back.

These guys actually had a high school club dedicated to the cause of, well, just plunging into icy cold water on a whim or for a thrill in the 1970s.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day is dedicated to the winter chill, the plunge and the guys who made it a club.

Do you remember the RFH Polar Bear Club? Know any of these cold weather beachgoers? Was the club solely dedicated to the dive into icy water?

— Elaine Van Develde

Retro RFH Basketball Court Cartwheel with Giff

RFH teacher George Giffin does a cartwheel to cheer on the cheerleaders in the 1970s. Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot
RFH teacher George Giffin does a cartwheel to cheer on the cheerleaders in the 1970s.
Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot

With this howling chill in the air lately, people are pretty primed for the arrival of spring. In fact, you could say that they may even be doing cartwheels over it.

Well, in light of that excitement to spring into the warmer season, the Retro Pic of the Day gives a glimpse back to a beloved teacher who danced and, yes, did cartwheels over any exciting event — or just for plain old fun.

That teacher was George Giffin, otherwise referred to as Giff. He was a science teacher and was particularly famous for his ballroom dance class. And, boy, could the man dance!

The RFH community lost Giff on May 15, 2014; and, to ask just about any RFH grad or member of the community, it was a tremendous loss.

Last time this editor caught up with Mr. Giffin, he was grabbing some lunch at Fairwinds Deli. In his 80s, he was still dancing and actually launched into a little routine right there with a little cha-cha-cha and “When you get that beat, you gotta mooooove your feet!”

Who will dance or do a cartwheel when spring arrives in memory of Mr. Giffin? Oh, and send us your pics if you do!

Retro RFH Snow & Ski

RFH Ski Club of the 1970s with club director Hal Lorme on the slopes.
Photo/RFH yearbook

Well, the forecast is calling for a snow day soon … at the very least in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

And, back in the 1970s, a snow day was prime time to hit the ski slopes.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day offers a glimpse back to the RFH Ski Club days.

This photo also brings RFHers back to a favorite coach who passed away not too long ago — Hal Lorme.

RIP, Mr. Lorme. Happy ski trails, all RFHers!

Retro RFH Girls on the Beach?

RFH girls on the beach at the 1975 Freshmen Follies
Photo/George Day

Well, about this time of the winter people are doing a sort of sun dance for summer days.

And, back in 1975, a few RFH gals got their gear on (or their mothers’) and did their own kind of chorus line for sunnier days on the beach on the RFH stage.

It was the Freshmen Follies that year and these seasonally appropriate girls did their own dance, clad quite festively, to that Beach Boys classic Girls on the Beach.

Bet you’ve never seen a gaggle of gals like this.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day is a testament to sunnier days ahead and, ahem, girls, or something like that, on the beach.

Cheers to the girls! Oh, and how about that stage right crew?

Recognize them?

Thanks to the incredible George Day for this retro RFH classic!

Retro RFH Girls’ Swim Divas

RFH Girls Swim Team 1982
Photo/RFH

Well, the RFH Swim Team’s season just ended, and quite successfully.

We offered a glimpse back to a newspaper clipping touting the success of the teams of the late 1970s a few days ago.

Now, the Retro Pic of the Day offers a look back at a snapshot of the girls’ team in 1982, or the diving divas, as they dubbed themselves back in the day.

Check out the polyester warm-up suits.

Recognize any of these RFH divas who were a swimming success?