This page is a work in progress- apologies for any mistakes found along the way-3/24/2023
The History of the Crosswicks Community Association and Community House
1919: The Association is Formed
Crosswicks Community Association was proposed April 4, 1919. Twelve persons were chosen to be a Committee on Organization and these 12 were to meet and choose 13 others to be associated with them, the whole committee of 25 to meet and adopt a set of by-laws and effect an organization. The 12 chosen were: Josiah E. Brick, Edwin Newbold, Charles W. Brick, Mrs. Charles W. Brick, Alexis Clark, Guy Mayo, Mrs. William H. Rogers, Mrs. Frederick W. Lewis, Miller H. Anderson, Miss Clara Thorn, Miss Mary Braislin and Dr. Charles A. Behringer.
That committee met April 8, 1919, selecting Josiah Brick as Chairman and Dr. Chas. A. Behringer, Secretary. The 13 persons chosen by the committee were: The Rev. H.D. Stratton, Samuel A. Wilson, William Wood, Harry Middletown, William Wallace, Richard Satterthwaite, Mrs. Susan Chapman, Lewis F. Klein, Charles Bradley, Howard M. Rogers, Miss Edith Faggart, Stanley Ellis and Mrs. Hannah DeCou, who represented all religious denominations and organizations in the community.
On April 22, 1919, the bylaws were read and approved. There were 40 persons present. Selected as Trustees were Josiah E. Brick, Chairman: Guy Mayo, 1st Vice-chairman: Edwin A. Newbold, 2nd Vice-chairman: Dr. Charles A. Behringer, Secretary: Samuel A. Wilson, Treasurer: Alexis Clark, and Rev. H.D. Stratton.
The Association was incorporated Oct. 7, 1919. An amendment to the bylaws Nov. 14, 1919, increased the trustees from seven to nine. Added were Miller H. Anderson and Benjamin Stiles.
That committee met April 8, 1919, selecting Josiah Brick as Chairman and Dr. Chas. A. Behringer, Secretary. The 13 persons chosen by the committee were: The Rev. H.D. Stratton, Samuel A. Wilson, William Wood, Harry Middletown, William Wallace, Richard Satterthwaite, Mrs. Susan Chapman, Lewis F. Klein, Charles Bradley, Howard M. Rogers, Miss Edith Faggart, Stanley Ellis and Mrs. Hannah DeCou, who represented all religious denominations and organizations in the community.
On April 22, 1919, the bylaws were read and approved. There were 40 persons present. Selected as Trustees were Josiah E. Brick, Chairman: Guy Mayo, 1st Vice-chairman: Edwin A. Newbold, 2nd Vice-chairman: Dr. Charles A. Behringer, Secretary: Samuel A. Wilson, Treasurer: Alexis Clark, and Rev. H.D. Stratton.
The Association was incorporated Oct. 7, 1919. An amendment to the bylaws Nov. 14, 1919, increased the trustees from seven to nine. Added were Miller H. Anderson and Benjamin Stiles.
1919-1922: The Building Plan
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In early May 1919, action was taken relative to securing tentative plans for a community building and for financing the project. There were several ideas put forward as to where the community building could be, such as building an annex onto the Crosswicks Schoolhouse or purchasing the Crosswicks Inn for a community building. In September 1919 an agreement was entered into with the Crosswicks Friends Meeting for the lease of the large plot of ground adjoining the Meeting House for a term of thirty years to be used as a community recreational center, with the privilege of erecting a community building upon it.
The building committee, consisting of Josiah E. Brick, Samuel A. Wilson, Rev. Charles A. Behringer, and Charles W. Brick went to work fundraising for the project. In financing the project, the plan of popular free-will subscription was adopted resulting in pledges of over $8,000 were received. A community week of social events held in the late spring 1921 netted about $1600. |
1922-1923: The House is built
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Robert A. Schumann, architect, of Trenton, was engaged to make sketches and plans for a community building, and after many meetings, and changes, the plans of the present building were adopted. It was at first thought that a suitable community building could be erected for about $7,000, but when the bids came in, the figures ranged from $21,000 to $36,000. After reconfiguration, on October 9th, 1922, a revised bid for $14,800 was awarded to Charles D. Anderson of Crosswicks to erect a community House according to certain plans and specifications, for the sum of $12,485, exclusive of plumbing and heating.
When the contractor broke ground for the building on October 23, 1922, a number of men and boys voluntarily appeared on the scene with teams, scoops, and shovels, and the excavation was practically complete in 24 hours. The foundation was finished Nov 10, 1922. The cornerstone of the Community House was laid in a ceremony at the ending of the Nov 11th Armistice Day parade in Crosswicks, when the body of Harry J. Chapman, Crosswicks' only casualty of WWI, was returned from France. There are reports that there were so many people in the parade, that there was no one left to watch it. |
July 1923: Open House
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The opening of the Community House was a big affair that brought in hundreds to the week long opening ceremonies. The week opened with a special religious service on July eighth that included music by the choir of St. Michael's P. E. Church of Trenton and an address by W.F. Overman, president of the Burlington County Y.M.C.A and Rev. Alphonso Dare, Pastor of St. Paul's M.E. Church of Atlantic City. Following in the week was entertainment by the staff of the Trenton Conservatory of Music, a chicken salad community supper, a dance featuring Hickey's Orchestra and many other features.
Interestingly enough, not enough chairs had been sponsored and purchased and an ad to booster sales was necessary in the opening week program. This was certainly not the only thing missing on opening day. receipts show that a curtain was not installed on the auditorium stage until 1924. This was likely due to financial concerns. |
August 1923-1928: The Early Years
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Moving pictures, dances, as well as stage productions were very popular in the early years of the Community House. In the first year of operation, twenty four moving pictures were shown and ten dances were held for a combined total attendance of 4,366 persons
Thing were going well, in fact at the annual meeting in March of 1927 ,the CCA was finally debt free and burned the mortgage at the annual meeting, but things were about to take a dark turn. On September 06, 1927 the world changed drastically for not just the Association, but the entirety of Crosswicks. Josiah E. Brick, the original President of the Association, died suddenly of a stroke at the age of 61. Not only was he their fearless leader, he was also a big financial supporter of the CCH. In their own words the Association wrote:"Whereas, by the death of our president, Josiah E. Brick, the community has suffered an irreparable loss, and we his fellow Trustees, cannot adequately express our appreciation of the great qualities which made him wise as a counselor, eminent as a financier and beloved as a friend and Whereas, By his fidelity to the trusts that he was called upon to discharge, his comprehensive grasp of the many important problems he was required to solve, the wisdom and vision which he displayed in their solution and his loyalty to his friends, he became widely known as a powerful factor in the important business of the community.” Though the loss was immense, the board kept moving forward and continued holding many events now including school dances. At this point the main sources of income for the Association was membership and ticket sales. But hard times were ahead as the country and world was about to be thrust into the Great Depression. |
1929-1938: The Depression Years
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Not surprisingly, during the tough years of the depression, small town life went on. What most residents of the village may not have been aware of is how close they were to losing the community House. Times were tough and The Community Association was struggling to offer cheap entertainment and wholesome family activates without hurting peoples wallets. Doris Runner spoke in and oral interview in 2003: "...(T)hey had dances, and then they had movies on Saturday night. They were in black and white silent movies- they weren't in color naturally. And we would go and- I think it was ten cents or fifteen Cents for a movie ... That was the depression time... We were so happy to see a movie in town." In 1938 Gertrude Brick, Josiah's only Daughter, was asked to be the treasurer of the Association, but was not offered a place on the board. This did not bode well with her, as she was asked to prepare the reports for each meeting but was not allowed to attend. She made her frustrations apparent in the year end report- here is a snippet: |
"Have we failed, are we stagnant, or are looking to the future of Crosswicks and its citizens? We must be one of these three. There are five times as many young people here today and more vital need, in these times of reduced finance individually, for a community club center than was even thought fifteen years ago. PLEASE realize this as your duty tonight the Eighteenth Annual Meeting, to resolve individually and collectively to put these by-laws into action, or else abandon them entirely, there are other organizations that will do the job if you do not meet the challenge, Youth will not wait, the world carries on while we mark time -Respectfully submitted your treasurer’s report and my challenge as a member at large of the association"
- Gertrude N. Brick- Treasurer. Officially but not legally.
Gertrude had certainly made a strong case, the events had slowed down, the money had stopped rolling, the Association was in debt, and the building was barely in use. Change had to be made.
- Gertrude N. Brick- Treasurer. Officially but not legally.
Gertrude had certainly made a strong case, the events had slowed down, the money had stopped rolling, the Association was in debt, and the building was barely in use. Change had to be made.
1939-1946: The War Years
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In the midst of the fear of war, the Community House is what most towns-folks cling to for some sense of normalcy as the world is once again thrown into World War. Crosswicks, despite being founded as a Quaker (pacifists) town, has always had a long history of supporting the troops. That tradition continued with World War II as seen by the Community Associations contribution to the National War Fund in 1945 and the other war efforts. In addition there was a monument to those serving in the war on the corner of Church and Main.
Louise Temple spoke in an oral interview in 2003: "The Community House was the center, of course, of a lot of the activities, especially during the War. Every time somebody would come home from being in the war, we would have a dance in their honor." As they were for everyone, The war years were tough on the Community Association. Starting in 1942, the annual supper and fair was discontinued due to sugar and gas rationing. Additionally, in the winters of 1943 and 1944, the water was turned off and the pipes were drained, due to the inability to get oil to heat the building due to war shortages. Meetings, including the CCA annual meeting were held at the firehouse because the CCH had no heat. Following the war, there was a Veterans' Banquet held in 1946. |
