Days of Yore

J.J. Schlecht Bakery

as recounted by Bill Day

1. The school bell on the high metal-framed tower that stood on the school grounds on Lincoln avenue.  What ever became of that bell?
2. The curb market on Tanner street where the hucksters with their horses and wagons filled with produce parked every week and conducted their business.
3. The throngs of boys and girls from the sending districts, trooping from the railroad station don Main street to the High School in those days.
4. Hand's factory opposite the railroad station on Washington avenue where nautical instruments were manufactured.
5. The shed in the woods on Friends avenue that housed the push cart that Mr. Lake hauled all over town, which was filled with equipment of the Public Service Electric and Gas Company.  He serviced the town's complaints for gas and electric service.
6. Every summer the Fire Company ran a round trip excursion from the railroad to the shore.  It was a one-day trip that was always well attended.
7. The umbrella man going all over town shouting "umbrellas" and he'd fix any that were brought out to him.
8. The electric autos in town owned by Mrs. J. Fithian Tatem and Dr. Clement that looked exactly the same in front and in back, and they were steered by a bar that was pulled down across the lap.
9. A full dress Ku Klux Klan procession to the Baptist Cemetery to conduct a funeral.
10. On winter evenings horse pulled sleighs lined up on the Main street to race the mile down to Mann's hill.  The whole town would be out watching.
11. The spring down the hill from Roberts avenue in Evans Woods where the kids playing in the woods would drink the clear, cold water.  It is still there.
12. The two Schlecht's bakeries in town that were operated by two branches of the family.  Both bakers were on the Main street, one was at the railroad, and the other was where Haddon avenue was cut through to Ellis street.
13. Mike Stevens' bowling alley on Tanner street when 15 cents would let you bowl one game.
14. When there were two daily mail deliveries in town and two cents bought a stamp.  Times have surely changed.
15. When quite and attraction in town were the several deer in a wired-in section of a yard on East Park avenue between Chestnut street and Centre street.  The owner's name is forgotten but they were his pets.