We live at 2791 Stevens Street which was 1/2 block from Cramer School. My brothers played ball all day long on the school grounds. I also will never forget my Kinegraten teacher Mrs. Stanford.
Went to Cramer 58 to 61. Had to go to Davis for 9th grade. Lived 3 blocks from Cramer on 27th st. Loved that school. I remember on the side of the building it used to slope and when it would freeze from snow we would slide down it in the morning while we waited outside. That would be unheard of today, someone would surely sue! Had Mr Johnson for math loved that man he was so nice, and of course we can’t forget Mr Motzer (I think that is how you spell it).I still see many of my friends that I made at Cramer, and we use to read out of the bible in the morning e-gads where was the ACLU LOL
Remember the store on the corner …they called it Bug Foots,I think…LOL
A not too clean looking ,kind of gruff guy owned it,Charlie?
You could buy a sandwhich there for 10 cents,one slice of spiced ham ,one slice of cheese on a Kaiser roll w/ mustard.
We used to buy two,plus a bottle of coke for lunch,and smoke cigarettes just out of site of the school,around the corner. a little.
He was very generous with his icecream cones though,those things were huge.
Mr. Motzer…how could I forget,had red hair,but he had some kind og scalp problem,and put some greasy looking meds in it.
Made it look orangy with dark spots…lol PLus it became sort of Spiked,before anyone heard of the Spiked Look…lol
I sat in the front row,and the class clown ,Kenny Sagers sat right behnd me.
I am prone to giggle fits when I think something is funny,once I start,I just can’t stop.
Motzer said something to the class & Kenny made a comment under his breath…well I started giggling.
Motzer told me to stop and pay attention,and just when I got it under control,Kenny did it again.
The third time Motzer lost his cool..snatched me (all 5 ‘ 90 lbs. of me) out of my chair and threw me…bounced me off the wall and into the waste basket,then jerked my butt up,out of the waste basket and sent me into the cloak room.
The class was roaring with laughter by then.
It was too late,I started laughing again.
Motzer grabbed me by my shirt & marched/dragged me down to the office to talk with Mr. Nalph.
Oh boy…I had detention for a week.
ANYBODY…I need to find Ken Sagers…I think his Sister Ginger married one of my best friends,Dave Nicholson.
There were 6 of us who were practically inseperable from 58 threw 61.
3 have died,I found another,but can’t find Dave.
I am 66 & Dave is older than me…time is running out!
Yes, Charlie and you forgot about the red dots didn’t you. If you didn’t behave you got a red dot. I don’t know how many you had to get before it was curtains LOL. Wow if a teacher did that to you today he would be in jail. It was Charlie bugfoots. He was so dirty, but the lines in the summer went around the block. He would say what you want kid and you would tell him 7cents for single or I think 13cents for double. He would dip it on the cone and then take his dirty , long fingernail thumb and press your dip down LOL plus he had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and the ashes would go all over the ice cream DELISH! His wife looked like she was going to die any minute. My lunch there was a bottle of coke, bag of chips and ice cream. and it was Breyers ice cream. I know because I am still addicted to it. I think the princeipal was Mr Showalter then. Hope you find your friends
There was another store on the other corner at the other end of the school…anyone remember the name?
Also a luncheonette…if you walked down 28th from Bug Foots and turned left onto Federal,it was right there….was it the Spot Luncheonete? Lots of kids ate lunch there good subs (thats what we called hoagies in those days)
Speaking of hand dipped ice cream,there was a store at 40th & Westfield called Glads…remember Glads Cavallo ?
Charlie,
I will never forget Mr Motzer if I live to be 100. I had him for “Business” in 9th grade at Cramer school. I also had a problem with laughing, especially when in his class. When I got the better of him he would call me “Saluto Creature”, I got that alot. Three years later my sister Linda had him and as soon as he realized she was my sister, she got the same name. Mr Johnson was my homeroom teacher and I also had him for math. That was a great year in school for me. I went there in 1957-1958.
Josie,
I found your email address and sent you a copy of my post to you on the Acres page.
I wasn’t sure if you had seen it or not.
After all this time dates are fuzzy…I just turned 66 in Feb.,so I am a little older than you…that could explain why we never met.
I had Mr. Motzer for Busuness Administration too,but I belive that was 1958 at Cramer..
So you were in Davis while I was at Cramer.
At Davis Mr. Johnson was my HR Teacher,but he taught Social Studies I think,not math.
Years after I got out of the Army(1964) I bumped into him in an elevator at Camden City Hall.
I was reporting for Jury Duty.
He was not teaching then,but was a member of the Board of Education…their offices were in city hall.
He remembered me,and we talked for awhile.
Nice guy.
Look for my email,or if you see this first,go to the Westfield Acres page,and find my post to you.
Charlie,
I think you may be remembering Mr Talton from Davis School, he was my homeroom teacher in 8th grade. His class was on the third floor and down the hall was Ms Haley’s class. Do you remember them?
Charlie,
Mr Johnson taught 9th grade at Cramer, I have a class picture with him in it. He was my homeroom teacher and math teacher. Ms Haley taught social studies at Davis, I had her in 8th grade. I also had Ms Young for sewing. Motzer was also in Cramer at the time I was in his class. I only spent 9th grade in Cramer, but it was very memorible.
okay, Cramer school 1960 teachersMrs Young sewing, Mrs Ryan library.Mr. Motzer, Mr Knouff, Mr Henderson, Mr Pinto Mr Shensa Mr Greenwald, Mr Johnson, Mr Burton, Miss Crudo,Mrs Madera, Mrs Cohen,Miss Maguire Mr Tweed Mrs Polivnick now you probably think I have a great memory, no, have my class in front of me, Next Davis,Showalter , principal and Cramer, 1962 Mr Darpino Mrs Cravitz Nurse Refici Mr Walters Mrs Shectman Art. and same as Cramer. Whew
Terry, some of the teachers you remember from Cramer had moved to Davis by the end of the 60’s – Mrs. Young, Mrs Ryan (she use to show slide shows of her many travels), Mr Tweed (retired from Davis in 72), Mrs Polivnivk (Guidance Counselor), and I recall Mr. Motzer there also in the mid-60’s.
Nurse Rifici was my nemesis, and I her’s. It all came to a breaking point one day when I threw up all over her desk. After that she always believed me when I went there complaining I was sick. She never again made me lay down on the cot, but would call my Mom to come get me without an argument.
Skeeter my memory of Mr. Motzer at Davis in the mid-60’s is of him eating a hot dog at the school fair. The hot dog fell out of the roll onto the ground, Motzer picked it right up, put it back in the roll and kept on eating!
I went to this school for 6th grade only, not sure why I guess Dudley did not have 6th grade that year (must be 1968-69). It is funny I was only there one year yet I remember so many things. If you look at the picture of the school I used to arrive when it was cold and stand right at the corner outside of theplay ground with a girl named Elizabeth who was very quiet black girl. I remember we both got sent to school too early on day light savings so we stood out there freezing for over an hour. I also recall playing some game where one person held the fence and others strung out on the playground to be “safe” but a boy really slammed me as he ran and I flew up and down in my dress and hit my head (I was more worried about the dress showing my underwear!) and got a concussion and had to go to the hospital that day. I also had eye surgery that year in Mr. Briggs class and he had to put the medicine in my eye. He was a nice guy, but would “box” the boys ears a lot! I remember getting weighed that year by school nurse and being 101 pounds (hey those were the days!). I remember the auditorium being packed solid for graduation from 6th grade. I never went to the other side of the school playground, not sure why. A girl named Cindy Mena lived right down the street from the school, she had long red hair. I don’t recall her going on to WWHS so not sure what happened to that family. I also remember a house fire down the street from the school in which all the kids perished. I remember that corner store, but never went in. I left this school and went to Davis for 7th grade.
Although I went to McGraw, I didn’t live that far from Cramer School. I remember Cindy Mena so I’m thinking she at least started at Davis. I recall that she was there one day, then gone…
Does anyone remember a luncheonette called “The Hub”? It was on South 27th St a few blocks from Cramer. Mmmm…thinking about it is making me hungry.
we lived at 69 south 28th street and i was the one who always had to go to chalie cooker’s to get veal loaf. that’s what we were told his name was. and yes, you always ate around that thumb print.
I too loved and will never forget my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Stanford.
I attended Cramer just one year, but her kind and gentle nature is still in my memories. It was so much bigger as a 5 year old!
The Ice Cream Store acrossed from Cramer was owned by my grandfather. He lived in the middle of the block on 28th Street and later bought the store from the original owner. My grandfather sold Bryers Ice Cream “by the cone for 10 cents” for years and would stay open until the last customer in line was served. Many came from Philadelphia for a dip of ice cream. Often he sold his entire inventory of ice cream on a Friday night and had nothing left to sell by Saturday morning. Old Charlie kept groceries only as a service to the neighborhood. He once told me he made nothing off of the stock. And he had a nice assortment of penny candy in a glass case, similar to what you would observe in an old movie.
The ice cream sugar and water from the “dipper” often ended up on his shoes, that earned him the nick name among others. My dad use to replace the floor tiles every year by the ice cream refrigeration area due to the long lines of people that wore the tile out. The store earned a hefty bonus every year from Bryers for the most ice cream sold at a corner store. Bryers actually placed freezers in the basement of the store at no charge in order to stock the store with added gallons of ice cream. In 1962, the Board of Ed moved the venue for those attending Jr. H.S. to Davis and I never had the opportunity to attend Cramer, or had the opportunity to walk across the street at Cramer to have lunch with my grandfather. Later, he sold the store and the new owner changed brands of ice cream to Sealtest and then immediately raised the cost of a cone to 15 cents. Imagine that! The new owners could not keep the store going. Must have been something to that slice of meat and cheese on a Kaiser. There was never a fence around Cramer when I visited the store and I would sit for hours on a piece of wood that led to the entrance of the store. Inspectors from the city required my grandfather to replace the concrete often due to the gum that customers left out in the area leading to the store. Interesting enough, ole’Charlie even remained open on Christmas to serve the neighbors. In order to do this, the grandparents visited us one at a time, for an hour or two and then returned to the store. Hey, back then, you might have seen my grandfather walking to the 3rd National Bank at 27th and Westfield. Different shoes that day!
A a smile on his face all the way!
I went to Cramer and ate at the Hub almost every day. The woman who owned it wore her hair in pincurls and never smiled, but thinking about her makes me smile!
I’m on the committee for the WWHS Class of 1964. If anyone is in that Class, please contact me at Organizr01@aol.com.
I’m one and the same…….I am so happy to hear from you. I’ll send you an email from my personal email address to bring you up to date. I’d love to hear how you and your family are doing.
WOW, this site is AWESOME. I went to Cramer and recall watching the World Series in the auditorium. I was also in a play but the only thing I can remember is because I was so small and light, I had to jump into someone’s arms because we were spooked while walking thru the woods. I can’t recall any of my teachers names however how can anyone forget ole “Pigeon Palace”.
I went to Cramer for a short time in the early 70’s. At that time Mr. Buchanon was the principle ( he was a really tall, heavy-set Bald Guy with glasses). At that time I was living on 28th street, next door to Jim Florio (remeber him?) I used to play with his sons Michael and Craig. On the other side of us were the Hardy’s. On the Corner was Charlies Corner Store. My sister had a friend, Karen DiCarlo. And my brother was dating Kathy Hargrove. Who remember’s Mr. Hargrove coming around with the “merry-go-round” on the back of his truck? We also used to live on 27th Street right off of Baird Boulevard next door to George Roman and family…I used to like Jannette Roman. She had a bother George and an
older sister Norma. And Also on Stevens Street. The Fun being a KID.
I went to Cramer for Kindergarten (Ms. Hunter) in the late 40’s and then from 1956 thru 1959 for grades 7 thru 9. Mr. Motzer was my 7th grade Homeroom teacher at the time when each homeroom presented a program for the entire school. He taught us a song which I believe is called “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” which I still remember today. A few months ago, I read in the Courier Post (internet) that a Ms. Stanford (my brother’s teacher in kindergarten) peacefully passed away at 101 years of age. After returning from two years in Ethiopia (1966-1968), I taught science at Hatch JHS with Mr. Johnson (Principal of Hatch), and my former math-science JHS teacher Mr. Jenkins. Camden was a wonderful place in which to live, and I’m proud to say that it was in Camden that I was educated from Kindergarten thru College (Rutgers, Camden). This web page has brought back many memories.
The picture of Cramer most be fairly new,because the school was completely surrounded by Elm trees.My buddy Jerry Porterfield fell out of one, across from Charlie Bugfoots Store. I used to hang around the school with Roy Moffa, Dave and Barry Miller, Ronnie Mann And George Jones. Miss Crudo Had a very unique Form Of punishment. If you screwed up in her class, You got to write the constitution one word in ink,one word in pencil. I ran into Joe Bedame Where I work,at LL Bean In Marlton.They are married.Anybody heard of wherabouts of Jack and Richie Joslin
Al Bucher,
Ms. Crudo was my homeroom teacher,9th grade in 1958.
Did George Jones have a sister named Georgia,if so I knew him. My friend Bruce Marks dated Georgia.
Also knew a guy named Moffa,but I don’t think his first name was Roy.
Others I knew Peggy,Mary & Jimmy Shipman,Gerri Mannino,Kenny Sagers,Pat McGowan, Bruce Marks, Al Ezzy (sp),Claude Bennett,Jimmy Mentz,Jimmy Rosell.the Fitzpatricks,the Aulettos,the DePaquales (sp).
Hey Chas Kocher, you must be proud of your grandad. I have great memories of that store. He had the best ice cream. I still eat breyers it brings back those memories. We were kind of mean when we were kids so please forgive us for our nicknames. Thanks for the information on how he started the store and yes I would see him walking down 27th street because I lived at the corner of 27th and federal. Was your dad a cop in camden?
Wow…they must be non smokers/non drinkers & live right…LOL
Gotta be around 90 or older. God bless them.
Trying to remember their kids names,Tony was one,possibly Louie,but they had more.
Jimmy Mentz ,I did not know too well,he was a little older & hung with people I knew slightly . Like Claude Bennett (deceased) & Al Ezzy,ot Izzy (sp).
Claude was once married to a girl named Barbara Carusoe (sp).
Question:
Someone on Face Book asked if I knew the name of the luncheonette on Federal,across from REM Auto…she thought it was FM,but I seem to remember it being The M&H Sweet Shop…but it was a long time ago,
Do you remember the name?
The DePasquales hung there ,also,the Fitzpatricks,and an Auletto.
I think Richie Haubois too.
Davis students went to Cramer for Home Economics. The boys some sort of shop and the girls had sewing and cooking.We went during the 1952-1953 school year. I remember the girls had to make a slip and a dress in the sewing class.
In cooking we worked in groups. I worked with Inez Reams Janis and Christine Triano. As I look back, Christine was such a sweet little person and Inez an I had pretty outgoing personalities and anything that went wrong in the cooking process we blamed on Christine. Christine was such a gracious soul, she just smiled and let us fuss.
We didn’t like going to Cramer. Somehow, we considered it beneath us!
Like we were royalty or something! Ha!
Hey Peggy Marks DeBoard,
We also went to Cramer for 8th grade. Remember… we had Mr Leonetti for homeroom snd English. Remember when he took the class to Riverview Beach on the Wilson Line? We had a blast! I am going to send Ken a photo of a group of us on the boat…. sailing down the Delaware, when I get back to Georgia.
In the phota with us were Christine Triono, Phylis ????, and a few other kids. If you have the same photo, try to remember all the names and let me know.
Skeeter, The M&H was across from Kotlikoffs I think. There was a bar next door on the corner of the M&H? The DePasquales were Cathy, Carmen, Tony, Louie Barbara( younger then us) and Raymond the youngest . So sad they lost Raymond to a horrible accident. There was a Gene Auletto that use to hang at M& H.
In 1954 my friend Peg H. and I would make it a point to head to the store on the corner by Cramer school for ice cream cones. We loved the “chunky pineapple” which the proprietor would pile so high you could barley carry the cone. It looks like we are not the only ones to get “such a deal”!
Ah…all those names from our past …wouldn’t it be great if we could reconnect with them just one more time.
The Aulettos.Fitzpatricks, DePasquales.ans Shipmams …and many more.
East Camden,it seems to have left a lasting impression on those who were there in the 50’s.60’s,70’s and probably earlier days that have lasted a life time.
I am only now ,because of age ,starting to forget details.
I can honestly say that everyone I located from those days remembered me…either as Charlie from school or as Skeeter from the neighborhood.
And they always say…do you remember the time…LOL
Its a great feeling to know that so many people love that time & place the way I do.
Charlie Kocher! Who knew you were the grandson of the famous Charlie of Breyers ice cream fame! I went to Cramer for elementary school and we’d show up before school for penny candy that would take us each forever to select. My favorite time of year was when the wax lips, teeth, fingernails, and mustaches would arrive. My dad’s favorite ice cream flavor was strawberry, and we’d all drive over on summer evenings and eat our cones while he would marvel at the foot traffic and the bargain of those enormous 10 cent cones.
Cramer School – I remember pigeons. At least once a year in my hair. Ugh. Civil Defense drills : We would line up facing the wall in the halls and the big kids (junior high, then) would stand over us. This did not instill a feeling of calm and security. Once, after the sirens were installed on top of the school building, the whole city synchronized watches, and we were released from school to have our parents accurately time us WALKING home (in terror) because we were told if we didn’t make it home within a certain time – WALKING – we’d have to stay in the school building in case of an attack. I had the shortest legs in elementary school. Do you think I was traumatized, or what?!?
Does anyone remember Mr. Kaplan, the crossing guard right at the school corner?
March 9, 2008 at 8:04 am
Cramer seems to alternate from an elementary school to a Jr.High,depending on what Camden needs at the time.
I went there in 58 & 59 when it was a Jr. HS.
My Homeroom teachers were Ms.Crudo (English) and Ms. Guthrie (Home Ec.).
My print shop teacher was Mr. Henderson…it is said that he was the brother of the famous Philly,then NYC DJ,”Jocko” Henderson.
I am currently trying to locate the following friends and former classmates.
Kenny Sagers
Ginger Sagers (maiden name)
Geraldine Mannino (maiden name)
Pat McGowan (maiden name) Dad owned McGowan Ford on Federal st.,I believe it was near WWHS.
I am looking for Kenny & Ginger Sagers in hopes of locating a very good friend I haven’t seen since 65.
Dave Nicholson, Ginger was his girl friend,they may have married ,he has a Brother named Ira,they called “Pudgy”.
March 9, 2008 at 8:45 am
We live at 2791 Stevens Street which was 1/2 block from Cramer School. My brothers played ball all day long on the school grounds. I also will never forget my Kinegraten teacher Mrs. Stanford.
March 10, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Went to Cramer 58 to 61. Had to go to Davis for 9th grade. Lived 3 blocks from Cramer on 27th st. Loved that school. I remember on the side of the building it used to slope and when it would freeze from snow we would slide down it in the morning while we waited outside. That would be unheard of today, someone would surely sue! Had Mr Johnson for math loved that man he was so nice, and of course we can’t forget Mr Motzer (I think that is how you spell it).I still see many of my friends that I made at Cramer, and we use to read out of the bible in the morning e-gads where was the ACLU LOL
March 11, 2008 at 3:12 am
Terry,
you’ve awakenened a couple of memerories for me.
Remember the store on the corner …they called it Bug Foots,I think…LOL
A not too clean looking ,kind of gruff guy owned it,Charlie?
You could buy a sandwhich there for 10 cents,one slice of spiced ham ,one slice of cheese on a Kaiser roll w/ mustard.
We used to buy two,plus a bottle of coke for lunch,and smoke cigarettes just out of site of the school,around the corner. a little.
He was very generous with his icecream cones though,those things were huge.
Mr. Motzer…how could I forget,had red hair,but he had some kind og scalp problem,and put some greasy looking meds in it.
Made it look orangy with dark spots…lol PLus it became sort of Spiked,before anyone heard of the Spiked Look…lol
I sat in the front row,and the class clown ,Kenny Sagers sat right behnd me.
I am prone to giggle fits when I think something is funny,once I start,I just can’t stop.
Motzer said something to the class & Kenny made a comment under his breath…well I started giggling.
Motzer told me to stop and pay attention,and just when I got it under control,Kenny did it again.
The third time Motzer lost his cool..snatched me (all 5 ‘ 90 lbs. of me) out of my chair and threw me…bounced me off the wall and into the waste basket,then jerked my butt up,out of the waste basket and sent me into the cloak room.
The class was roaring with laughter by then.
It was too late,I started laughing again.
Motzer grabbed me by my shirt & marched/dragged me down to the office to talk with Mr. Nalph.
Oh boy…I had detention for a week.
ANYBODY…I need to find Ken Sagers…I think his Sister Ginger married one of my best friends,Dave Nicholson.
There were 6 of us who were practically inseperable from 58 threw 61.
3 have died,I found another,but can’t find Dave.
I am 66 & Dave is older than me…time is running out!
March 11, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Yes, Charlie and you forgot about the red dots didn’t you. If you didn’t behave you got a red dot. I don’t know how many you had to get before it was curtains LOL. Wow if a teacher did that to you today he would be in jail. It was Charlie bugfoots. He was so dirty, but the lines in the summer went around the block. He would say what you want kid and you would tell him 7cents for single or I think 13cents for double. He would dip it on the cone and then take his dirty , long fingernail thumb and press your dip down LOL plus he had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and the ashes would go all over the ice cream DELISH! His wife looked like she was going to die any minute. My lunch there was a bottle of coke, bag of chips and ice cream. and it was Breyers ice cream. I know because I am still addicted to it. I think the princeipal was Mr Showalter then. Hope you find your friends
March 12, 2008 at 8:01 pm
There was another store on the other corner at the other end of the school…anyone remember the name?
Also a luncheonette…if you walked down 28th from Bug Foots and turned left onto Federal,it was right there….was it the Spot Luncheonete? Lots of kids ate lunch there good subs (thats what we called hoagies in those days)
Speaking of hand dipped ice cream,there was a store at 40th & Westfield called Glads…remember Glads Cavallo ?
March 20, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Charlie,
I will never forget Mr Motzer if I live to be 100. I had him for “Business” in 9th grade at Cramer school. I also had a problem with laughing, especially when in his class. When I got the better of him he would call me “Saluto Creature”, I got that alot. Three years later my sister Linda had him and as soon as he realized she was my sister, she got the same name. Mr Johnson was my homeroom teacher and I also had him for math. That was a great year in school for me. I went there in 1957-1958.
March 21, 2008 at 7:52 am
Josie,
I found your email address and sent you a copy of my post to you on the Acres page.
I wasn’t sure if you had seen it or not.
After all this time dates are fuzzy…I just turned 66 in Feb.,so I am a little older than you…that could explain why we never met.
I had Mr. Motzer for Busuness Administration too,but I belive that was 1958 at Cramer..
So you were in Davis while I was at Cramer.
At Davis Mr. Johnson was my HR Teacher,but he taught Social Studies I think,not math.
Years after I got out of the Army(1964) I bumped into him in an elevator at Camden City Hall.
I was reporting for Jury Duty.
He was not teaching then,but was a member of the Board of Education…their offices were in city hall.
He remembered me,and we talked for awhile.
Nice guy.
Look for my email,or if you see this first,go to the Westfield Acres page,and find my post to you.
There is a lot in it
March 21, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Charlie,
I think you may be remembering Mr Talton from Davis School, he was my homeroom teacher in 8th grade. His class was on the third floor and down the hall was Ms Haley’s class. Do you remember them?
March 23, 2008 at 6:10 am
Josie,
Yes,Mr. Talton…I remember that name, I had him too ,but can’t put a face to it. Too long ago. Wasn’t he a very tall black man?
What did he teach?
Ms. Haley doesn’t ring a bell.
Names that stand out are…and forgive me if I happen to mix in any from Cramer are.
TJ Johnson, Mr. Talton,Mr. Buton,Mr. Greenwald, Ms. Madera, Mrs. Young
Then those I think were from Cramer. Mr. Motzer,Mr. Henderson, Ms. Crudo,Ms. Guthrie.
I here tha Motzer taught at Davis later on too.
I am sure there are more,but can’t recall them just now.
I think I went to Davis for 5th ,6th & 7th,but not sure.
March 24, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Charlie,
Mr Johnson taught 9th grade at Cramer, I have a class picture with him in it. He was my homeroom teacher and math teacher. Ms Haley taught social studies at Davis, I had her in 8th grade. I also had Ms Young for sewing. Motzer was also in Cramer at the time I was in his class. I only spent 9th grade in Cramer, but it was very memorible.
March 25, 2008 at 9:38 pm
okay, Cramer school 1960 teachersMrs Young sewing, Mrs Ryan library.Mr. Motzer, Mr Knouff, Mr Henderson, Mr Pinto Mr Shensa Mr Greenwald, Mr Johnson, Mr Burton, Miss Crudo,Mrs Madera, Mrs Cohen,Miss Maguire Mr Tweed Mrs Polivnick now you probably think I have a great memory, no, have my class in front of me, Next Davis,Showalter , principal and Cramer, 1962 Mr Darpino Mrs Cravitz Nurse Refici Mr Walters Mrs Shectman Art. and same as Cramer. Whew
March 25, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Terry, some of the teachers you remember from Cramer had moved to Davis by the end of the 60’s – Mrs. Young, Mrs Ryan (she use to show slide shows of her many travels), Mr Tweed (retired from Davis in 72), Mrs Polivnivk (Guidance Counselor), and I recall Mr. Motzer there also in the mid-60’s.
Nurse Rifici was my nemesis, and I her’s. It all came to a breaking point one day when I threw up all over her desk. After that she always believed me when I went there complaining I was sick. She never again made me lay down on the cot, but would call my Mom to come get me without an argument.
March 25, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Skeeter my memory of Mr. Motzer at Davis in the mid-60’s is of him eating a hot dog at the school fair. The hot dog fell out of the roll onto the ground, Motzer picked it right up, put it back in the roll and kept on eating!
March 28, 2008 at 10:27 pm
I went to this school for 6th grade only, not sure why I guess Dudley did not have 6th grade that year (must be 1968-69). It is funny I was only there one year yet I remember so many things. If you look at the picture of the school I used to arrive when it was cold and stand right at the corner outside of theplay ground with a girl named Elizabeth who was very quiet black girl. I remember we both got sent to school too early on day light savings so we stood out there freezing for over an hour. I also recall playing some game where one person held the fence and others strung out on the playground to be “safe” but a boy really slammed me as he ran and I flew up and down in my dress and hit my head (I was more worried about the dress showing my underwear!) and got a concussion and had to go to the hospital that day. I also had eye surgery that year in Mr. Briggs class and he had to put the medicine in my eye. He was a nice guy, but would “box” the boys ears a lot! I remember getting weighed that year by school nurse and being 101 pounds (hey those were the days!). I remember the auditorium being packed solid for graduation from 6th grade. I never went to the other side of the school playground, not sure why. A girl named Cindy Mena lived right down the street from the school, she had long red hair. I don’t recall her going on to WWHS so not sure what happened to that family. I also remember a house fire down the street from the school in which all the kids perished. I remember that corner store, but never went in. I left this school and went to Davis for 7th grade.
April 26, 2008 at 7:41 am
Although I went to McGraw, I didn’t live that far from Cramer School. I remember Cindy Mena so I’m thinking she at least started at Davis. I recall that she was there one day, then gone…
Does anyone remember a luncheonette called “The Hub”? It was on South 27th St a few blocks from Cramer. Mmmm…thinking about it is making me hungry.
April 26, 2008 at 9:01 am
Cindy Mena did go to Davis, she was in my 8th Grade class (8-4), and she may have gone to Wilson for a year or two but had moved by senior year.
August 28, 2008 at 1:58 pm
we lived at 69 south 28th street and i was the one who always had to go to chalie cooker’s to get veal loaf. that’s what we were told his name was. and yes, you always ate around that thumb print.
October 22, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I too loved and will never forget my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Stanford.
I attended Cramer just one year, but her kind and gentle nature is still in my memories. It was so much bigger as a 5 year old!
December 28, 2008 at 4:40 pm
The Ice Cream Store acrossed from Cramer was owned by my grandfather. He lived in the middle of the block on 28th Street and later bought the store from the original owner. My grandfather sold Bryers Ice Cream “by the cone for 10 cents” for years and would stay open until the last customer in line was served. Many came from Philadelphia for a dip of ice cream. Often he sold his entire inventory of ice cream on a Friday night and had nothing left to sell by Saturday morning. Old Charlie kept groceries only as a service to the neighborhood. He once told me he made nothing off of the stock. And he had a nice assortment of penny candy in a glass case, similar to what you would observe in an old movie.
The ice cream sugar and water from the “dipper” often ended up on his shoes, that earned him the nick name among others. My dad use to replace the floor tiles every year by the ice cream refrigeration area due to the long lines of people that wore the tile out. The store earned a hefty bonus every year from Bryers for the most ice cream sold at a corner store. Bryers actually placed freezers in the basement of the store at no charge in order to stock the store with added gallons of ice cream. In 1962, the Board of Ed moved the venue for those attending Jr. H.S. to Davis and I never had the opportunity to attend Cramer, or had the opportunity to walk across the street at Cramer to have lunch with my grandfather. Later, he sold the store and the new owner changed brands of ice cream to Sealtest and then immediately raised the cost of a cone to 15 cents. Imagine that! The new owners could not keep the store going. Must have been something to that slice of meat and cheese on a Kaiser. There was never a fence around Cramer when I visited the store and I would sit for hours on a piece of wood that led to the entrance of the store. Inspectors from the city required my grandfather to replace the concrete often due to the gum that customers left out in the area leading to the store. Interesting enough, ole’Charlie even remained open on Christmas to serve the neighbors. In order to do this, the grandparents visited us one at a time, for an hour or two and then returned to the store. Hey, back then, you might have seen my grandfather walking to the 3rd National Bank at 27th and Westfield. Different shoes that day!
A a smile on his face all the way!
January 21, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Always had great memories of Charlies!!! NObody couldn’t say what a great neighborhood to grow up in!!
January 22, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Best place in town for an ice cream cone after our little league baseball games.
January 29, 2009 at 5:26 am
Hope–
Are you Sylvia and Al Benson’s daughter?
I went to Cramer and ate at the Hub almost every day. The woman who owned it wore her hair in pincurls and never smiled, but thinking about her makes me smile!
I’m on the committee for the WWHS Class of 1964. If anyone is in that Class, please contact me at Organizr01@aol.com.
January 29, 2009 at 9:29 am
Hi Merle!
I’m one and the same…….I am so happy to hear from you. I’ll send you an email from my personal email address to bring you up to date. I’d love to hear how you and your family are doing.
March 9, 2009 at 9:53 pm
WOW, this site is AWESOME. I went to Cramer and recall watching the World Series in the auditorium. I was also in a play but the only thing I can remember is because I was so small and light, I had to jump into someone’s arms because we were spooked while walking thru the woods. I can’t recall any of my teachers names however how can anyone forget ole “Pigeon Palace”.
April 6, 2009 at 12:13 am
I went to Cramer for a short time in the early 70’s. At that time Mr. Buchanon was the principle ( he was a really tall, heavy-set Bald Guy with glasses). At that time I was living on 28th street, next door to Jim Florio (remeber him?) I used to play with his sons Michael and Craig. On the other side of us were the Hardy’s. On the Corner was Charlies Corner Store. My sister had a friend, Karen DiCarlo. And my brother was dating Kathy Hargrove. Who remember’s Mr. Hargrove coming around with the “merry-go-round” on the back of his truck? We also used to live on 27th Street right off of Baird Boulevard next door to George Roman and family…I used to like Jannette Roman. She had a bother George and an
older sister Norma. And Also on Stevens Street. The Fun being a KID.
April 7, 2009 at 1:21 am
I went to Cramer for Kindergarten (Ms. Hunter) in the late 40’s and then from 1956 thru 1959 for grades 7 thru 9. Mr. Motzer was my 7th grade Homeroom teacher at the time when each homeroom presented a program for the entire school. He taught us a song which I believe is called “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” which I still remember today. A few months ago, I read in the Courier Post (internet) that a Ms. Stanford (my brother’s teacher in kindergarten) peacefully passed away at 101 years of age. After returning from two years in Ethiopia (1966-1968), I taught science at Hatch JHS with Mr. Johnson (Principal of Hatch), and my former math-science JHS teacher Mr. Jenkins. Camden was a wonderful place in which to live, and I’m proud to say that it was in Camden that I was educated from Kindergarten thru College (Rutgers, Camden). This web page has brought back many memories.
April 9, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I was a para-professional teacher at Cramer in 1969-1970…. (I think I’ve got the year right). I worked with grades 2 and 3. It was a great experience.
April 13, 2009 at 9:26 pm
The picture of Cramer most be fairly new,because the school was completely surrounded by Elm trees.My buddy Jerry Porterfield fell out of one, across from Charlie Bugfoots Store. I used to hang around the school with Roy Moffa, Dave and Barry Miller, Ronnie Mann And George Jones. Miss Crudo Had a very unique Form Of punishment. If you screwed up in her class, You got to write the constitution one word in ink,one word in pencil. I ran into Joe Bedame Where I work,at LL Bean In Marlton.They are married.Anybody heard of wherabouts of Jack and Richie Joslin
April 14, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Al Bucher,
Ms. Crudo was my homeroom teacher,9th grade in 1958.
Did George Jones have a sister named Georgia,if so I knew him. My friend Bruce Marks dated Georgia.
Also knew a guy named Moffa,but I don’t think his first name was Roy.
Others I knew Peggy,Mary & Jimmy Shipman,Gerri Mannino,Kenny Sagers,Pat McGowan, Bruce Marks, Al Ezzy (sp),Claude Bennett,Jimmy Mentz,Jimmy Rosell.the Fitzpatricks,the Aulettos,the DePaquales (sp).
April 17, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Hey Chas Kocher, you must be proud of your grandad. I have great memories of that store. He had the best ice cream. I still eat breyers it brings back those memories. We were kind of mean when we were kids so please forgive us for our nicknames. Thanks for the information on how he started the store and yes I would see him walking down 27th street because I lived at the corner of 27th and federal. Was your dad a cop in camden?
April 17, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Hi skeeter, would you believe Mr and Mrs DePasquale live on Chapel Ave in Cherry Hill? Jimmy Mentz did he have a brother that was a cop in camden?
April 18, 2009 at 6:40 am
Terry Downs,
Wow…they must be non smokers/non drinkers & live right…LOL
Gotta be around 90 or older. God bless them.
Trying to remember their kids names,Tony was one,possibly Louie,but they had more.
Jimmy Mentz ,I did not know too well,he was a little older & hung with people I knew slightly . Like Claude Bennett (deceased) & Al Ezzy,ot Izzy (sp).
Claude was once married to a girl named Barbara Carusoe (sp).
Question:
Someone on Face Book asked if I knew the name of the luncheonette on Federal,across from REM Auto…she thought it was FM,but I seem to remember it being The M&H Sweet Shop…but it was a long time ago,
Do you remember the name?
The DePasquales hung there ,also,the Fitzpatricks,and an Auletto.
I think Richie Haubois too.
April 19, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Davis students went to Cramer for Home Economics. The boys some sort of shop and the girls had sewing and cooking.We went during the 1952-1953 school year. I remember the girls had to make a slip and a dress in the sewing class.
In cooking we worked in groups. I worked with Inez Reams Janis and Christine Triano. As I look back, Christine was such a sweet little person and Inez an I had pretty outgoing personalities and anything that went wrong in the cooking process we blamed on Christine. Christine was such a gracious soul, she just smiled and let us fuss.
We didn’t like going to Cramer. Somehow, we considered it beneath us!
Like we were royalty or something! Ha!
April 22, 2009 at 12:35 am
Hey Peggy Marks DeBoard,
We also went to Cramer for 8th grade. Remember… we had Mr Leonetti for homeroom snd English. Remember when he took the class to Riverview Beach on the Wilson Line? We had a blast! I am going to send Ken a photo of a group of us on the boat…. sailing down the Delaware, when I get back to Georgia.
In the phota with us were Christine Triono, Phylis ????, and a few other kids. If you have the same photo, try to remember all the names and let me know.
April 22, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Skeeter, The M&H was across from Kotlikoffs I think. There was a bar next door on the corner of the M&H? The DePasquales were Cathy, Carmen, Tony, Louie Barbara( younger then us) and Raymond the youngest . So sad they lost Raymond to a horrible accident. There was a Gene Auletto that use to hang at M& H.
May 16, 2009 at 11:40 pm
In 1954 my friend Peg H. and I would make it a point to head to the store on the corner by Cramer school for ice cream cones. We loved the “chunky pineapple” which the proprietor would pile so high you could barley carry the cone. It looks like we are not the only ones to get “such a deal”!
May 18, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Terry,
Ah…all those names from our past …wouldn’t it be great if we could reconnect with them just one more time.
The Aulettos.Fitzpatricks, DePasquales.ans Shipmams …and many more.
East Camden,it seems to have left a lasting impression on those who were there in the 50’s.60’s,70’s and probably earlier days that have lasted a life time.
I am only now ,because of age ,starting to forget details.
I can honestly say that everyone I located from those days remembered me…either as Charlie from school or as Skeeter from the neighborhood.
And they always say…do you remember the time…LOL
Its a great feeling to know that so many people love that time & place the way I do.
May 21, 2009 at 5:13 pm
I lived on Cramer Street one block off of Westfield Ave. Garfield school burnt down or I would have gone there instead of Cramer School.
July 5, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Charlie Kocher! Who knew you were the grandson of the famous Charlie of Breyers ice cream fame! I went to Cramer for elementary school and we’d show up before school for penny candy that would take us each forever to select. My favorite time of year was when the wax lips, teeth, fingernails, and mustaches would arrive. My dad’s favorite ice cream flavor was strawberry, and we’d all drive over on summer evenings and eat our cones while he would marvel at the foot traffic and the bargain of those enormous 10 cent cones.
July 11, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Cramer School – I remember pigeons. At least once a year in my hair. Ugh. Civil Defense drills : We would line up facing the wall in the halls and the big kids (junior high, then) would stand over us. This did not instill a feeling of calm and security. Once, after the sirens were installed on top of the school building, the whole city synchronized watches, and we were released from school to have our parents accurately time us WALKING home (in terror) because we were told if we didn’t make it home within a certain time – WALKING – we’d have to stay in the school building in case of an attack. I had the shortest legs in elementary school. Do you think I was traumatized, or what?!?
Does anyone remember Mr. Kaplan, the crossing guard right at the school corner?