In the early 1960s, when the Long Branch Daily Record was a popular newspaper in the Bayshore and Dottie Grosser was the editor, I had a page one column called Muriel’s Bayshore Banter. It was basically a gossip column highlighting anniversaries, birthdays, celebrations, trips and more of families in Highlands. Residents would call me and ask me to be sure I mentioned their events in Banter!
There was a far different style in writing in those days. One rarely mentioned a married woman by her first name, referring to her instead as Mrs. (Husband’s) first name and their last name. I never had a case where the wife did not assume her husband’s last name. It was also the custom to name families who were away on vacation, a practice that stopped once editors realized thieves read Society pages to find out which homes were empty and free for the breaking and entering.
Read this column from 1963 and see how many names you recognize and how many families are still very much a part of Highlands.
HIGHLANDS – Bud Steelman of Highland Ave. celebrated another year’s passing recently. Bud is a past chief of the local Fire Department and right now is still an active member of the department.
Also adding another year this week is the new corresponding secretary of the Highlands School Parent and Teacher Association. Kathy Carlstrom (Mrs. Albert Carlstrom) celebrated the event with her husband, Abe, and daughters Terry, Debbie, Kitty and Sandy. The family is now getting settled after moving into a new home right next door to where they have been living for several years.
Several members of the Highlands Fire Department and its Auxiliary helped Shrewsbury Fire Department celebrate the purchase of a new aerial truck at wet down ceremonies Sunday. Assistant Chief Francis Schmedes and his wife, Eileen (she’s president of the Ladies Auxiliary) Mr. and Mrs. Henry Anderson and children Michael and Cathy, John Franklin, Harold Foley, Sivert Walstrom, Al Lyon and his son Steve, Mr. and Mrs. Ted Chodnicki and their daughter, Jody, and Mrs. David Patterson can all vouch for the fact that the purchase of a new truck was duly celebrated.
Helen and Wade Davis and son, Dean, are off on a several week vacation during which they are seeing many different states and visiting relatives on both sides of the family. Right now, they’re in Fort Arthur, Texas visiting Wade’s brother, Oscar. From there, they’ll travel to Florida where they’ll stop to see Wade’s sister in Jacksonville and Helen’s mother in Orlando. They’ll return to Portland Rd. some time around the middle of June.
