SOMA Living August 2021

York City boroughs,” Ben said. Joan added, “When we were growing up, Maplewood was very conservative and mostly Republican, while South Orange was only slightly less so. There was little ethnic diversity, but that has changed dramatically over the years. But physically, both towns look very much the same today, and many places are still here. Town Hall Deli was a favorite for their sloppy

schools, all of which were neighborhood schools, and 2 junior high schools (7th, 8th and 9th grades) instead of the 2 middle schools. Columbia High School actually didn’t have female sports teams, only the Girls Athletic Association was offered to the girls.” Joan expanded on their high school activities, “There was a jukebox at the Baird Community Center in South Orange, and every Friday night there were dances

joes, barrels of pickles and free buttered rye bread, along with Joe’s Pizzeria at the junction of Springfield and Millburn Avenues. We have frequented the Reservoir Restaurant in South Orange since we were young adults.” Tom shared, “Gruning’s Ice Cream was another favorite spot (until it unfortunately closed in the late 1980’s) and we went to both Grunings locations – the flagship shop in South Orange Village and “The Top” next to the South Mountain Reservation where The Top Condominiums are now located. “We lived on Parker Avenue just a few blocks from Columbia High School, so we were equidistant from both Maplewood and South Orange villages. In the summertime we rode our bikes and walked everywhere from morning until dark, only taking a break for dinner,” Tom said. Carrie jumped in, “We also walked home for lunch every day during the school year. We went to Fielding elementary school, where the current Board of Education offices are located. The school structure was quite different because there were more elementary

followed by ice cream at Gruning’s. Spending time in the South Mountain Reservation was popular at all ages. In the wintertime there was ice skating on the duck pond in South Orange and in Maplewood a portion of Memorial Park was flooded to create a place for ice skating. Many current traditions like the Fourth of July races in the morning, the circus in the afternoon and the fireworks displays at night in Memorial Park in Maplewood and in Cameron Field in South Orange, date back to our childhood and before.” Donna segued, “While I didn’t grow up here, I’ve seen so many amazing changes since I moved here almost forty years ago. The towns have become more diverse, more accepting, more interesting and even more wonderful for our children and grandchildren who live here.” The Cohen family agreed they are extremely fortunate to have grown up in SOMA and to have enjoyed so many years of marriage and so many laughs and good times with their families and friends in the tight-knit SOMA community which they love.

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