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Retro RFH Dudes of Caribbean Locals’ Summer

RFH Caribbean Club guys
Photo/RFH 1975 Yearbook

A reprise Retro Pic of the Day, originally posted on Sept. 14, 2016 in the spirit of a balmy locals’ summer day, knowing that the summer spirit never truly ends for the Rumson-Fair Haven area young and forever young at heart …

With locals’ summer and school’s start, students’ thoughts naturally turn to warmth and freedom. They start to daydream before they even hit the classroom — especially on a Friday. That’s how it goes in the R-FH area when those beaches become barren and more room is made for the locals to get down to the business of soaking up that locals’ summer partying spirit.

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Grow with Grace: Composting for Fall Garden and Earth’s Sake

For people like me who love fall gardening, the season is just beginning. Even if you’ve decided not to plant this fall, many summer vegetables have run their course. If your garden is anything like mine, you may find yourself removing an increasing number of plants every week.

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Retro 60s Back to School: Fair Haven Kindergarten Posers

Fair Haven kindergarten class of 1965
Photo/copy obtained from archival collection of Karen Allas for publication on R-FH Retro only by Elaine Van Develde

School’s back in session and it’stime for students and teachers to rise, shine and show off a little at Back to School Night.

And kindergarten is the first and best of what was formerly called Open House for kids and parents. First of all, the parents don’t need to tear up and down stairs and speed through hallways to make it to the next class when that bell rings. A little 5K training should be a prerequisite for middle- and high school Open House nights.

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Retro Back-to-School Walking the Rope

Photo/Sally Van Develde for R-FH Retro ONLY

Our annual back-to-school Fair Haven rope walk reprise …

“But I don’t wanna walk on the rope next to her!” I cried from under my fresh-cut kindergarten bangs. “I wanna walk on the rope next to Pam!”

Pam was my neighbor. She was my best buddy.

It was 1965. It was the ’60s. The memories are there, but fuzzy. I can sill see it — with my reading glasses, of course. One thing’s for sure: Our Fair Haven kindergarten class was the last to have its first year of school at what was called the Youth Center, now the Fair Haven Police Station and Community Center on Fisk Street.

We kindergarteners were also the last to be tugged down the street on a rope, yes a rope, headed by an official-looking police-type lady.

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Retro Fair Haven Back-to-School Line-Up

First day of kindergarten in Fair Haven 1965
Photo/Sally Van Develde

A back-to-school reprise … 

Knock-kneed, nervous and all dressed up with somewhere to go, this gaggle Fair Haven neighborhood girls of 1965 lined up so their moms could get that classic first-day-of-kindergarten shot. And there wasn’t a smile among them.

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