I loved Newark. I attended Bragaw Avenue
School and then Arts High, which is across the street from St. Benedicts.
My aunt lived on High Street many years ago in a Brownstone. So
did a friend of mine who would do her homework in the attic.
I cannot imagine why the large oak trees that lined Beverly Street
would be cut down. The Roosevelt Theater on Clinton Ave. was a beautiful
movie theater with carpeting and an Art Deco water fountain.
I don't think I realized how much I loved that city. There was
much to like.
The onion rye bread from Silver's Bakery on Hawthorne Ave. will
never be again -- also their whipped cream confections. A little
donut store front on Springfield Ave. near South 16th Street made
only cream and jelly donuts. When you bought donuts, he gave you
one to eat on the way home.
My Catholic friends dragged me to Blessed Sacrament Church, and
my Protestant friend to the Second Presbyterian Church downtown
Newark.
When I was eleven years old, our school (Bragaw Ave.) gave us
permission to see President Truman when he visited Newark. I was
so thrilled to see his face. it was almost unreal. He was smiling
and waving. Newark was jammed with onlookers. My girlfriend and
I didn't want to return to school as we were supposed to do. We
went instead -- by bus --to her married sister's house in Union.
Our mothers wrote us notes saying it was too crowded to get back
to school on time. Really fun.
I could go on and on. Good luck. Best wishes from Florida
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