Plainfield High School - Milestone Yearbook (Plainfield, NJ)

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HE SORAC TE 13 A Plea (As written by Howard Fischer, winner of First Courier-News Prize) it is a firmly authenticated fact that Plainfield is one of the few cld towns of New Jersey. During “Revolutionary Times” it was on a great highway which connected the two booming cities, New York and Philadelphia. Mention has been made again and again of Plainfield in the journals of colonial men. Another, and perhaps the chief reminder of her age, is the number of her colonial homes and buildings which still exist. Indeed, her Quaker Meeting House must have been built for no insignificant community. Yet. nearly a century before the Friends erected their great building, the old Martine House was standing. Colonial homes are surely among our most interesting buildings. In the first place they are beautiful. “They have a certain unity and balance that many of our modern dwellings lack.. Together with completeness they have an air of quality. Nothing in them seems to have been half way made and nothing spared. Yet, as a rule, they do not have the appearance of being too fancy. From the historical standpoint also, these homes are interesting. Most colonial houses were the sites of scores of important incidents. In many cases they are the birthplaces of distinguished men. ‘There is actually a house in Plainfield which was the headquarters of the illustrious Washington. For still another reason, colonial homes are of interest. “They stir our imagination. By their dignity and beauty we are moved to wonder what powerful men must have lived in them. What quaint costumes the first owners must have worn! What a collection of incidents must these houses have witnessed. “Truly, because of beauty, historical value and power to create reflection, ancient buildings are interesting. Of course, once the only buildings in town were colonial, because Plainfield was a colonial town. Recently, however, they have been rapidly disappearing because of several serious reasons. ‘here is a decided lack of care shown by many people toward their old family homes. “They seem to value them at little and to begrudge spending money to keep them in repair. “The eld Boice Mansion was neglected for so many years that the firemen could not extinguish a blaze which was purposely set to it. Another reason for the disappearance of these homes is that the properties often fall into disinterested hands. I know of an old mansion, of e xcellent proportions, with the well known two-story portico. It is now kept as a cheap eating house. Each year some part of it decays and is not replaced. People whose ancestors never had anything to do

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Lz THE ORACLE ings. There his mother sat, her head in her hands. Her eyes were moist but she was not weeping. She looked up as Basile.came running to her. “Mother,” he cried, ‘“won’t they let you in?” Because you worked so hard for me you never had time to learn to write. “Oh, mother,” he sobbed, “you dear, unselfish mother, must all our hopes, our dreams end like this?” “Hush, my boy,” she replied in the sonorous language of the women of Sparta. ‘Moses might see, but not enter the promised land. Am I more worthy than he? Tho’ I may not enter, you must stay. This is the opportunity of your life time. A great career lies before you; you must stay here and succeed.” Basile felt his brain afire. Through the window he could see the mighty city which lay across the river,—it called to him. Near at hand stood the Statue of Liberty,—it beckoned to him. Why not stay? Surely God would not have brought him to America if he was not to stay. This opportunity will never come again. Then he saw his mother return in poverty to Pipol. Alone she would struggle with failing strength to earn her bread. Some day word would come that she’d died of over-work and a broken heart. “Then swelled within him the Spartan Spirit of his ancestor who fell at Thermopylae. Turning from the window he clasped his mother’s hand and whispered, 134F not stay, mother. I'll go back with you to Pipol. ‘Together we’ll work in the evening when the villagers gather about the old stone well I'll teach you to write and when we've earned another passige, together well enter America. The great liner, piloted by the fretful tugs, swung out of its dock and across the harbor. At the rail stood Basile and his mother. “The mists of the sea rolled in again to swallow up the city. The last Basile saw was the Statue of Liberty,—its arm raised as if bidding farewell. Good-bye,” called the lad, waving his arm, “keep guarding till we come Ss ”? again,

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14 THE ORACLE with an old place seldom have any sentimental feelings for it. If any business proposition looms up they are quick to alter and willing to tear down. Within the past year, nearly a whole block of Watchung Avenue’s old buildings has been torn down. All of these circumstances have greatly decreased our num- ber of colonial houses. In view of the fact that many of the old mansions have disappeared, it is necessary to preserve, as much as we possibly can, those that remain. They add to the attractiveness of our town. ‘They give Plainfield an air of conser- vatism which strangers like. We must preserve them. | How can this be done? There are several ways. Plainfield might main- tain several of these buildings since they contribute so much to her beauty and historical air. If even one-tenth of one per cent. of the taxes were used for this purpose several historic houses could easily be preserved and kept in repair. Historical societies could manage the places and tend to all necessary business. | Another “life-preserver” might be a cheap but attractive “History of Plainfield.”’ If such a book were sold here, great enthusiasm for historic places would be kindled. People would be influenced to use their personal influence to preserve colonial relics from decay and would prevent the inroads of business. They would feel ashamed to destroy buildings of public interest and value. Does it seem improbable that appeals to the owners of decaying old houses would have any effect en them? I believe that) much good could be done along this line. If a recognized committee should send out appeals, surely there would be some good results, however few. Many people do not realize how their properties are running down. — The thing we need in beautifying Plainfield is a little more love for the historic and less for the almighty dollar; a desire to be open minded conserva- tives rather than headlong progressives who value nothing but the new. What- ever other communities may do, I feel that it is our duty to endeavor to preserve a few dignified yet beautiful remnants of Plainfield’s colonial buildings.