Yes, it’s locals’ summertime. Yet, the locals’ summer spots have always been a place of respite from the out-of-towner beach crowd in the Rumson-Fair Haven area. They call them beach clubs.
The following piece was originally published on Aug. 31, 2015. It is being re-run, with changes only in the amount of years that have passed, in memory of my father, Bill Van Develde, former longtime Fair Haven Fire Company member, president and captain of the Fire Police and chairman of the Stock Room at the fair, on the anniversary of his death on Aug. 30, 1983. RIP, Dad. You are missed. Thank you for all the embarrassing moments that I didn’t appreciate enough. Thank you for making Fair Haven my home. Thank you for being a real dad. See you on the fair grounds …
Retro Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair stock room days in the 1970s Photo/FHFD booklet
By Elaine Van Develde
It’s been 40 years, but I can still see his face and that kooky Brylcreemed hairdo. I can still hear his crazy belly laugh and that signature “Take ‘er easy, buddy!” I can still see him slapping kids on the back, forever clutching his trusty clipboard, pencil perched behind his ear, sweat on the brow and finger wagging.
The Rumson Dock gang of the late 1950s Photo/courtesy of Alice Mansfield
A reprise … because on hot summer days everyone needs to take a trip back to the coolest of Rumson Dock days of the late 1950s in honor of summertime in the Rumson-Fair Haven area …
RFH boys of summer making an ocean splash Photo/courtesy of Marc Edelman
They made a splash! That’s for sure! There’s nothing cooler than chillin’ RFH dudes taking a summer-mandatory dive, or 1,000, into the ocean and making a little mischief in Sea Bright.
School’s out and graduation’s near — very near. And the heat is always on to seek out a good time among class friends. So, there’s nothing quite like a final class trip to — with class clowns, friends, foes and teachers. Yes, teachers — sun bathing and all.
This particular trip was taken in 1974 to a dude ranch somewhere with Fair Haven’s Knollwood School soon-to-be grads and teachers. Where? None of the old folks in the pictures can remember. Hey, some of us don’t even remember the trip.
A field day for Knollwood kids in the late 1990s Photo/Elaine Van Develde
It’s field day time in Fair Haven schools! A reprise in honor of a traditional prequel to summertime for Fair Haven kids …
Once upon a time, in those school days right before summer, when Knollwood School kids gathered on Sportsman’s Field for, well, some Field Day fun, let’s just say it was a bit hard to keep them focused.
Let the sun shine! The clouds have cleared this week for a good shining. And back in the 1970s at RFH, busting out of the hallowed halls was the thing to do when the fiery orb reared its rays in the sky.
RFH Class of ’78 Girls on the Beach in the Freshmen Follies Photo/George Day
A classic reprise in honor of sunnier spring days and beach days ahead …
Helloooooo warmth. Spring’s April showers remnants are finally starting to dry up — a little, anyway. And the weather forecast this week holds some promise of springing into sunnier days ahead, staged or not.
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