When I think of my childhood years in Somers Point, the first word that comes to my mind is freedom. I had the advantage of living in three different areas so I felt comfortable and at home everywhere. I lived on Gibbs Avenue, Dawes Avenue and 629 Shore Road. We then moved to Florida for one and a half years, returning to Pennsylvania Avenue in 1955.

After I married, my parents built a house in the Fairways where my mother, now aged 89, still resides. My husband Joe and I have been married 42 years. I have lived away from Somers Point since I married at age twenty.

We have two married children, Joe Jr. and Laura, plus four grandchildren. We all live in New Jersey, approximately a ninety-minute drive from Somers Point. The entire family loves the town and visits as often as possible. It is still my "home."

During those growing up years the words "lock key children" didn’t exist. In fact, locks and keys were not used in our home until my parents finally thought locks might be a good idea sometime around 1952. It is hard to believe today, as we lived on Shore Road where my father conducted his real estate business.

Today, I live in a fortress with my security system, our dead bolt locks, our drapes drawn at night, our car security system and cell phone. Even though my grandchildren live in nice neighborhoods, they have to be watched constantly. When hearing of my childhood, they are amazed.

The good news is that I remain free in my heart. Nothing can take that away from me. Somers Point gave me that marvelous gift of freedom and there it shall remain for all of my days.

The eight o’clock whistle blows and we arise to a hot summer day. I am twelve years old. My first painful sunburn of the year has now turned into a dark tan. I have my piece of toast, climb on my bike and head for the beach. Biking to the beach is fun as I coast down the hills, either on Gibbs Avenue or Higbee. Arriving at the beach I park my bike and put my hot dog money on a little towel for entire world to see. No one ever steals my hot dog money. Some days I bring my lunch, and no one steals that either.

Today it is high tide so I decide to go in the low end for a while. I love to swim underwater, stand on my hands and swim through my friend’s legs. As more friends arrive, we race out on the boards to the deep end, passing the boys who are jumping off the sides, even though they know they will get into trouble.

We take a jump off the diving board, enjoying the fact that our feet are not sinking into the mud as they do at low tide. Dodging the jelly fish that those rotten big boys are throwing at us, we jump off the dock, hang on and start talking to one another underwater. Sometimes we even sing tunes underwater.

Lunch is at the Soda Pop, where, we are greeted by Marion and Ray Hyde who serve the best hot dogs in the world. After lunch, on my mother’s orders, I must spend one interminable half-hour on the beach before I can enter the water again. Then it’s back in the bay for the rest of the afternoon. I never tire of it and live only for my days on the beach.

Somewhere around 4:30 p.m. I head for home. The bike trip back is not much fun. By now I am tired and my eyes are bloodshot. (In fact, my eyes remain bloodshot for the entire summer.) Higbee Avenue looms like a mountain I must climb and many days I just get off my bike and push it. The tar is hot on my callused feet since I seldom wear shoes in the summer.

That night, my fan is humming as I fall asleep in my hot bedroom. When I have kids they will have TWO oscillating fans.

Other Days

The eight o’clock whistle blows and we arise. Saying good-bye to my parents, who have some vague idea of where I am going, I head out on my bike. It is such a big town and I have so many choices of where to go. Each day is an adventure taking me to different places.

I have fifteen cents in my pocket and Bob’s candy store is calling me. I head for Bob’s. It takes a little time as I stop and talk to a few of the town’s people on the way. It feels really good to be liked.

Finally, at Bob’s I have the most difficult decisions of the day, as displayed there is all that tempting candy and I have to make my ten cents go as far as it can. I leave with my little bag in my basket and try to find some kids.

I’ll try the playground at New York Avenue school. There is no one there. Next it’s to Joe Kennedy’s yard, but darn, its just all boys playing basketball. Sometimes they let me join them, but I know they don’t like it. I sit and watch them for a while hoping for an invitation, but they just ignore me. Oh well, its time for lunch and my mother is very strict about my being home on time. She will punish me if I am late, perhaps making me help with the wringer washer or threatening to have me shovel coal in the burner. When I have kids I sure won’t punish them like that, just for being late.

After lunch off I go again, my parents having some vague idea of where I might be going. I decide to bike to Dawes Avenue School where there are usually girls jumping rope. I stop and talk to some of the town’s people on the way. Tiring of jump rope, I ride to Alice Koch’s house where I discover a group of girls playing basketball. We spend the rest of the afternoon throwing hoops and playing the various special games. We giggle and gossip and I share what is left of my candy.

As I leave, I wave to Mr. Koch standing outside his hardware store. Passing Gerety’s and Conover’s Markets, (I wish I had some money for potato chips.) Mrs. Dix looks busy inside her well-stocked shop. On past Hyatts, (I wish I had some money for a cherry coke, ice cream cone or a Little Lulu comic book.) When I have kids I am going to give them a BIG allowance, perhaps 35 cents a week!

I wave to Mayor Fred Chapman as I pass his house on the corner of Higbee and give a quick "hi" to Mr. Eliason in front of his hardware store. Mr. Jesse Richards, our minister at Bethany Methodist Church, waves and I try to look as innocent as possible. Charlie Gray passes me in his police car looking rather bored. Patients are seen entering and leaving Dr. Cameron’s office.

Arriving home at 5:00 p.m., my parents ask if I had a nice day and I reply with the usual "yeah." They have some vague idea of where I have been. Somehow though, when they need to, they always seem able to track me down. Maybe I will ride down and take in a movie tonight if I can get the money.

As I fall asleep, I think of tomorrow. After Sunday School there will be a football game at Ferhle Field. I wonder if I have enough money left from my allowance to get a hot dog there? Maybe I can find someone to go with me to the forbidden Sand Pit. I love to roll down those hills of sand. They say the old man (Mr. Brown) there has a gun and will shoot you for trespassing, but it is fun living dangerously. If my parents should find out, they will probably take away my radio privileges, or worse, my 45 record player.

Winter will be here soon. I hope we have lots of snow and they block off New York Avenue for sledding. I have to be careful though, those rotten big boys will try to run me into a snow bank! They also throw snow balls and put ice down my back. In warm weather they make "willow whips" and chase the girls down the trolley tracks on the way home from school. They are such a pain. Someday, when MY kids walk down those tracks, the boys had better leave them alone!

I guess everything isn’t perfect in this big neat town, but it does have many places to go. There are always nice people around…and I sure have lots of fun. Arriving home not a minute before 5:00 p.m., my parents as usual, will have some vague idea of where I have been.