Historical Society
Bulletin: October, 2005   (Vol 30, no 4)

OUR NEXT MEETING-- Our next meeting will be Tuesday October 18th at 7:30pm downstairs in the Library. You don't have to be Albert Einstein or be able to explain his Theory of Relativity to enjoy the presentation at our next general membership meeting. Gail Stern, Executive Director of the Historical Society of Princeton, will be speaking about the 100th anniversary of "Einstein's Miracle Year," including Annus Mirabalis, the furniture in his home, and planned celebration activities. Princeton claimed Einstein as a resident in his later years, so this anniversary is significant to the town, the Historical Society of Princeton, and NJ. Bring a friend and join us!

ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND BOARD FOR 2006-- The October meeting o the Historical Society is traditionally our annual Business Meeting and election of officers. In the July Newsletter and at the July general meeting, we asked for volunteers and nominations of names to be placed for consideration and election before the membership. You will notice a few changes in the slate of officers listed below. Additionally, you will see a vacancy--still to be filled; I am asking for a member to step forward at (or before!) the October meeting, and volunteer to join the board as Recording Secretary.

The following individuals have agreed to donate their time and effort to serve on the Board of Officers for 2006, if no additional volunteers or nominations come forward:

PRESIDENT	Marshall Hatfield	VICE PRESIDENT	Peter Hill
REC SECRETARY	VACANT	TREASURER	Jodi Clark
TRUSTEES	Virginia Appleby, Ken Funkhouser, Jack Witzig

MEMBERSHIP REPORT-- It is now time to pay your Membership dues for 2006. Annual dues are still only $8.00 and include the quarterly newsletter as well as the opportunity to volunteer to help by serving on or assistant the Board. You can complete the membership application on page 3 and send it along with a check to our P.O. Box, or you can bring the form and money to the membership meeting on October 18th. Please share the newsletter with friends and family. Extra copies are usually available in the Library. We are a "Grass Roots" organization, so spread the word. Let others know about upcoming meetings topics and events. Why not bring a friend, son, daughter, niece, or spouse to our next meeting on October 18th?

HISTORY ON THE WEB-- Our Historical Society Web Site is full of information and pictures of our events over the past few years. You will also find updates to the town Resident and Business Directories which were published in the early years of our town history. Have you ever wondered who lived in your house in the 1920s, or what they did for a living? We continue to add items from the past. Please take a moment to log on and visit our website. Thanks to Jack Witzig rom his continuing efforts to make it the best.

2005 HEIRLOOM DISCOVERY DAY A SUCCESS!!- On October 2nd, Mr. Ronald Shafer (right) once again offered our members his estimates of value on historic and antique items. The library audience asked questions and made their own silent guesses of value as each item was brought forward to the table. This event always brings out the most unusual antiques and collectiles. Mr. Shaffer has been heard to comment that he enjoys the articles he sees in Haddon Heights more than any of the other surrounding towns, including Haddonfield! I guess we have prety good stuff . . .

CAT'S MEOW ITEMS-- We still have available the special commissioned collectible rendering of the long-gone Haddon Heights Inn. THIS JUST IN! The Haddon Heights Train Station piece is being re-issued! Look at the meeting or stop by the Library to purchase them.

HOUSE PORTRAITS-- If you have thought of buying a house portrait as a gift, you may still have enough time to order one to be completed for the Holidays. Create your own piece of history and a future family heirloom painting of your home, with these double-matted, framed watercolor house portraits at the very reasonable price of $130. A portion of the price for these 16" x 20" custom paintings benefits the Historical Society. Help continue this great fund-raiser. "Picture" your historic home!

UPCOMING EVENTS-- Saturday, Oct. 22 - 9;30 am - 4:00 pm. Ride the Rail . . . Walk the Trail. Mae Silver leads our group walking tour "In the Footsteps of Thomas Paine" in historic Bordentown. NJ Transit Light Rail departs from 36th St. & River Rd., Pennsauken approx. 10:00 am. Plan to arrive at the Pennsauken rail station at 9:30am. Tour begins at 11:00 am at The Old Bookshop, 200 Farnsworth & Church Streets in Bordentown. Lunch at a local bistro. Rail return around 3:00 pm.

For more information about the River Line, you can go to the NJ Transit website at www.riverline.com. Regular fare is $1.25 each way. However, there are several discount programs available for senior citizens and the disabled--with appropriate identification. We will have folks available at the train station to help you with ticket transactions. For those not wanting to try the new River Line, you can drive yourself to Bordentown. Just make sure to be at the OLD BOOKSHOP before the special 11:00am walking tour begins.

Tuesday January 17, 2006-- We open our first meeting of the year with the presentation GENEALOGY--WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE!--Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, author of four unique genealogy books and lead researcher on the PBS Ancestors series, will share some of her unexpected and interesting stories of family history researchers and how DNA is currently being used to repatriate families of servicemen killed or MIA in Korea and Vietnam.

For more information-- regarding quarterly meetings, or the "Ride the Rail" tour, visit our website.

Coming soon . . . Historical Society tote bags, tea towels, and canvas wine carriers.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY A HIT AT FALL FESTIVAL-- On Saturday October 1st, the weather smiled on the annual Haddon Heights Fall Festival. The Haddon Heights Historical Society had a table set up to spread the news of our organization and our work "Remembering Yesterday for the People of Tomorrow". We sold a variety of books and some Bicentennial plates, but the HOT items were the Cat's Meow collectible pieces! An enthusiastic group of volunteers manned the table in three shifts, distributing flyers with information on house portraits, upcoming meetings, and the Historical Society's special events. Many thanks to each person who contributed time, ideas, or display items for the table.

THANKS TO PETER HILL-- On behalf of the Board and the Historical Society, I would like to extend our sincere THANKS to Peter Hill for his leadership and dedication these past several years as our Historical Society President! We have made great strides during his tenure, and with his continued presence on the Board, I am sure he will be instrumental in assistant our new President in achieving even greater success.

THANKS for listening . . . I hope you like the new format!            Ken Funkhouser, Editor