Article for The Breeze Newspaper By Bruce Doorly
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While I do not remember what my complaint about Raritan was that day, I never forgot Irene’s statement about Raritan. Now over thirty years later I venture down the street to hear (and write) about her fond memories of growing up in Raritan in the 1930s and the 1940s.
Irene Salek was born on October 17th 1931; in the house their family rented at 33 Canal Street in Raritan. The popular midwife in Raritan, Eleanor Armstrong, delivered the baby.
Irene would be the middle child with an older brother, John, and a younger brother, Raymond.
Her family’s roots in Raritan go back far. All four of her grandparents settled in Raritan after coming to this country from Czechoslovakia. In fact, when Irene was growing up both sets of her grandparents not only lived in Raritan, but they lived right next to each other on Glaser Avenue. Only a vacant lot separated the two homes.
Her mother, Margaret Strelko, was born in Raritan in 1907. Her father, John Salek, was born in Czechoslovakia..
Irene said "we always went to church on Sunday - and afterwards we went to our grandparents’ houses to visit with them." Their parish was St. Joseph’s in Raritan.
Irene’s mother worked as a seamstress who would be employed at the various small clothing factories in Raritan– the Treiber Company, the Gidding Company, and the Woolen Mills. Mom would also use her talents in the home – making all of the family’s clothes. Irene’s father worked at Calco.
Their childhood games were simple - tag and hide-a-seek - which the kids played on their own. Their toys were also simple - such as balls and jacks. She recalls having a Shirley Temple doll. At Christmas kids received just a present or two – nothing like today.
She remembers the neighborhood kids in detail. When asked about them she quickly rattled off that across the street were the Drotar sisters – Mary and Betty Ann. (One sister Mary still lives in that house.) Mary Salvatore lived up the street by the rescue squad property. The Esposito’s, a prominent family in Raritan, were across the street as well as another family - the Kovaks.
When asked about the local Mom-and-Pop grocery stores - Irene recalled that Hudak’s was just one street away on Elmer Street, Petras’ was also just one street away on Codington, Costa’s was on First Avenue, and Soriano’s, a larger supermarket type of store, was on Somerset Street. Bayus on Thompson Street for fresh meats came to mind as well.
Irene still raves about the orange pies that they used to get at Schaub’s Bakery.
The family initially did not have a refrigerator, only an ice box. An iceman delivered ice a few days a week. Coal was delivered to the house by local vendor John Valko. Vegetables were also delivered to the home. Milk was delivered by Raritan Valley Farms.
While they had a phone – they shared the phone line with four other homes.
Irene recalls attending the Raritan Movie Theatre which was just two blocks away on Anderson Street as often as once a week. It was open 1941-1952.
One enticement was that the theatre for a time gave away a dish with the admission ticket. Over time different cups, plates and saucers of the same pattern were given out. Thus, frequent movie attendance would result in one obtaining a full dinnerware set. Irene still has the set she got from the movie theatre over seventy years ago.
She attended the St. Rocco festival every year. It was a multi-day event attended by thousands with the highlight being a nighttime fireworks display.
Her family often sat around listening to the radio – favorite shows were The Shadow and The Lone Ranger.
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She vividly remembers the family being glued to the radio one Sunday afternoon. It was December 7th 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor thrusting the U.S. into World War II.
Four of her uncles would serve in the war. All returned safety.
She told of a dance that was held in John Basilone’s honor when he returned home in September of 1943. It was held upstairs in St. Joseph’s Hall. It was so crowded that she thought the floor might collapse.
As for the wartime shortages – she recalls that you could not get stockings as all the silk was being used by the military for parachutes.
All served in World War II
Irene attended the Raritan Primary School and the Intermediate School.
Then she went to St. Joseph’s for 7th and 8th grade.
She graduated from the original Somerville High School (now the Middle School) in 1949.
All schools were within walking distance.
After high school graduation she first worked at the Washington School for two years before working at Calco in Bridgewater.
She got to know her future husband William Sixt while hanging out at a luncheonette on Thompson Street in Raritan. They dated for a while and then in 1951 William was drafted into the army. The Korean War was in full swing, so overseas into the fight he went.
In 1961, when the outer sections of Raritan were building new homes, they jumped on the opportunity and moved in at 820 Bound Brook Avenue. Irene remains there to this day.
William Sixt would spend his career at Johns Manville. He died in 2007 of asbestosis caused by years of exposure to asbestos at his job.
Today, at 94, Irene Sixt misses the old days of Raritan. As everything was within walking distance - the stores, the schools, the movie theatre, and plenty of family and friends. She said "you knew practically everybody and always felt safe."