Tag Archives: Retro Pic of the Day

Local Life

Retro RFH Cheer for Champs

Image
Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot
Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot

Well, the cheering for the RFH Bulldogs’ fourth consecutive state football championship has yet to cease.

And that’s how it goes with those spirited RFH cheers. The people of R-FH land are proud and rightly so.

So, in the interest of equal time and continuing to honor the champs, the Retro Pic of the Day zooms in on a group of real RFH cheerleaders of the past — the late 1970s to be sort of exact.

These are the real deal girls with their genuine purple and white plaid kilt skirts (rather than sister or mother’s clothes), saddle shoes (rather than work boots), and knee socks (in place of long johns, or whatever those things were on the guys). Oh, and the pom-poms and megaphones are authentic. Though the guys we showed you did manage to lift a couple of tools of the cheer trade from the girls, like those sweaters and a pom or two.

So, give this group of cheerleaders a gander. They were considered the coolest of the cool kids. Yup. The outfits and method of cheering have evolved quite a bit since then, but the sentiment is the same.

Go Bulldogs!

Recognize any of these girls? Some are still in the area.

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life

Retro RFH Cheer for the State Football Champs

Image
The role reversed cheerleaders of RFH Powder Puff Football 1977. Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot
The role reversed cheerleaders of RFH Powder Puff Football 1977. Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot

When RFH won its fourth consecutive football state championship on Saturday, cheers could be heard for miles around — and days.

In fact, fans and alumnus from all over are still shouting the ol’ “Hey, purple, hey white, you look so good to me … Hey! Hey!” Well, it went something like that back in the 1970s.

And in the 70s there was also a very special group of cheerleaders with a unique twist on a cheer and, of course, those outfits. Never mind the pom-poms and mustaches.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day honors that special cheer that can be heard for miles around led by this special group of RFH Class of ’78 guys.

Recognize any of these special fellas? One or two of them may have actually been at Saturday’s game. Can you hear them now?

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life, Opinion

Retro RFH Show Time!

Image

It’s opening night for the RFH Tower Players’ fall show.

The fall show at RFH has been a longstanding tradition along with the spring musical.

But, back in the day, of, well, the 1970s, there was also the RFH Freshmen Follies which got the new kids in the halls on stage. It was a way for the youngest in the high school to, let’s say, come out of their shell. And they did.

So, the Retro Pic of the (George) Day literally honors the RFH Class of ’78 President Ward Tietz, who not only came out of his shell for the show, but wore a couple of shells like medals on his chest — coconut shells, in fact.

He agreed to join this editor (right) and her best buddy and don a hula skirt, flower headdress and coconut shell bikini top in the great ol’ stage tradition of doing anything for a laugh. Farce. He got those laughs, including many from his own co-stars, who even lost their own sailor hats and nearly fell over mid-song as he strutted and cried under his breath that the stinking shells were itchy and giving him a rash.

That’s our Honey Bun, in the tradition of belly laughs, RFH camaraderie and a tribute to friends and the power of a fun song from an old musical, South Pacific.

This number just never fails in any era — especially considering the star’s outfit.

Get a load of Honey Bun from an RFH stage in ’74!

RIP my best friend Stephanie DeSesa (left in photo). Thank you. I’m still laughing with you.  

Thank you, again, George Day, for preserving yet another priceless RFH memory!

Local Life

A Retro RFH Football Home Game Cheer

Image
The boy cheerleaders of RFH Powder Puff Football 1977 Photo/George Day
The boy cheerleaders of RFH Powder Puff Football 1977
Photo/George Day

Friday night is the night — homecoming football game at RFH and, well, carnival.

There is no Thanksgiving Day game anymore welcoming RFH alum back from college in a mini reunion of sorts. The game isn’t against Red Bank Catholic (RBC). There’s no dance the night before the game with invites to those alumni who came home from college for the first time. And, the latest controversy among many RFHers of the past and present is the nixing of the homecoming king and queen.

Continue reading A Retro RFH Football Home Game Cheer →

Local Life

Retro Supreme RFH Talent

Image
A Supreme act in the 1974 RFH Freshmen Follies Photo/George Day

Oh, the rain has stopped and the clouds have made way for crisp, sunny fall air. That’s definitely something to sing about — even dance about. No rain dances please, though.

That’s one thing. But another is that fall in RFH land has customarily been the season for shows — a Tower Players production and/or a variety show of sorts.

And, back in those 70s days, there was an annual Freshmen Follies. Yes, there was. Nothing quite like it anymore — not that there’s anything wrong with that.

But, this show was something special. It got the newbies in the high school up, out of their freshmen shy shells and spewing all sorts of talent.

Back in 1974, a few guys took playing to that talent show tune to heart and set themselves free on stage. They got some wigs (don’t ask from where), some of mom’s mod maxi dresses, a little glitter and even a floppy hat (Hey, they were in!) and they sang something supreme — literally.

These guys were Diana Ross and the Supremes. Kevin Reed, if we’re not mistaken, was Diana, albeit a shorter version with nowhere near the amount of hair. The floppy hat was a substitute. And the other three, well, they were the Supremes.

Know what song they were singing? Anyone? And who are those other beauties. Don’t be shy now …

Someone set them free … Talk about a good wig-out! Priceless.

— Elaine Van Develde

Again, we thank George Day for this supreme gem! 

Local Life

Retro RFH Cheer Dudes

Image
The boy cheerleaders of RFH Powder Puff Football 1977 Photo/George Day
The boy cheerleaders of RFH Powder Puff Football 1977
Photo/George Day

There have been some grey skies lately.

So, we figured we’d bring in the big boys to cheer up some sun and, well, laughs.

The Retro Pic of the (George) Day takes us back to the football season of 1977 and some special cheerleaders — very special. OK, so it was powder puff football. The girls were playing and the guys were all dressed and cheered up with definitely nowhere to go looking like that.

We’re thinking this brand of RFH cheer could even make the sun come out tomorrow — somewhere.

Now, just one thing: Why aren’t these fetching cheerleaders wearing  knee socks and proper saddle shoes? They seem to have some of the other uniform equipment questionably in place.

Give us an R! Give us an F! Give us an H! Now Run Fast and Hide from these guys! That’s the spirit!

Recognize anyone in this bevy of beauties? Let’s hear it for the guys!

— Elaine Van Develde

Many thanks, again, to the fabulous George Day for the snapshot of this classic moment back in RFH time!

Local Life

Retro RFH Witchy Women

Image
A witchy retro bike ride at RFH circa 1970s Photo/George Day
A witchy retro bike ride at RFH circa 1970s
Photo/George Day

Yes, it is the season of the witch … and pumpkin carving, and falling leaves, and goblins, and ghouls, and all sorts of tricks and treats. Something like that.

So, to capture a sort of catapult into the time of year, which people seem to already be riding into, we take a look back at a time in the 1970s when Halloween planning at RFH was almost a full-time job. Never mind homework. This was it.

The Retro Pic of the (George) Day is symbolic of the culmination of all that planning and, of course, the ride — a tandem witchy ride into the festivities with the bike and the broom … stick … back-up. Oh, they were well on their way and got where they were going.

You could say these two RFH ghouls’s mission took flight without a hitch.

Must have been the season of the witch. Know who they were?

— Elaine Van Develde

Oh, and thanks, again, to George Day for a great RFH glimpse back in time with this photo!

Local Life, Police and Fire

Retro Fair Haven Police Chief, Mentor

Image
Fair Haven Police Chief Carl Jakubecy Photo/FHPD
Fair Haven Police Chief Carl Jakubecy
Photo/FHPD

The news of former Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge’s appointment as the new director of the Monmouth County Police Academy prompted thoughts of the man he says in one moment, with one gesture became his mentor and motivated him to live his dream of being a police officer in his hometown — Chief Carl Jakubecy.

Continue reading Retro Fair Haven Police Chief, Mentor →

Local Life

Retro Salute to R-FH Area Moms

Image

In honor of the area’s moms of the past and present, here’s a little glimpse into Mother’s Day in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

Some of these moms are gone, some are still with us and celebrating several generations of motherhood.

In one way or another, many of the faces captured here from the past and present have made life in the area all the more special, if not for anything else but being a comfortingly familiar face in a place we call home.

Happy belated Mother’s Day!

Thanks to our Facebook friends for these priceless photos!

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life, Opinion

Families in Service to the Community: Grandpa & Grandson Van Develde

Image

April 25 marked what would have been this editor’s father’s 90th birthday — longtime Fair Havenite and lifetime member of the Fair Haven Fire Department and captain of its Fire Police. The following, in light of that milestone, is, in full disclosure, an opinion piece — a tribute to him and the grandson he never knew, an unbeknownst community service family team … 

Continue reading Families in Service to the Community: Grandpa & Grandson Van Develde →

Local Life

Retro RFH Clowning Around

Image
A little clowning around at RFH in the 1970s. Photo/George Day
A little clowning around at RFH in the 1970s.
Photo/George Day

There’s nothing like a little clowning around at RFH.

And, even though this photo from the 1970s was apparently taken around Halloween, by virtue of the telltale clown costume and soccer ball, it screams the stuff from which a little spring fever is made.

There’s a clown on the soccer field apparently trying to steal a goal and float away attached to his helium balloon. OK.

And the look on the soccer player’s face is priceless.

So, yes, the Retro Pic of the (George) Day is dedicated to springing into a little clowning around RFH style.

Know these clowns?

— Elaine Van Develde

Thanks to George Day for this candid, fabulous look back in time at RFH!

Local Life

Flashback: Retro R-FH Area Siblings

Image

Sunday was National Siblings Day.

So, though we may be a day late, we’re not short on photo gems of Rumson-Fair Haven area siblings.

These shots of still recognizable siblings go back as far as the 1930s and are as recent as a few months ago.

So, as a Retro Pic(s) of the Day, we honor siblings in the area with a slideshow. These photos, most likely taken with one of those Brownie cameras or the Instamatic with the cube flash, are classics.

Recognize anyone? Favorite shot?

— Elaine Van Develde

Thanks to Facebook friends for the photos in this slideshow!