Monday, June 3, 2013
The Historic Preservation Commission ran a contest in honor of the 100th anniversary of "Trees."
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, June 3
As part of the township’s celebration of this year’s 100th anniversary of the writing of the Joyce Kilmer poem, “Trees”, the Mahwah Historic Preservation Commission offered a “Joyce Kilmer Poetry Contest” to Mahwah middle and high school students, as two separate school contests. In either poetry or prose, the students’ entries were to express the sentiments of Joyce Kilmer or celebrate his life. The contest prizes, donated by Inserra Supermarkets, Inc., were Barnes and Noble Booksellers’ Gift Certificates with first prize $100, second prize $50 and third prize $25. The High School contest winners are: Sara Zaat, First Prize for her poem titled, “Expertise," Kyle Dubiel, Second Prize for his poem titled, “Joyce’s Choice,” and Amy …
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
The Joyce Kilmer Society of Mahwah hosted the 'Tribute to Joyce Kilmer' last week. The event celebrated the 100th anniversary of Kilmer writing famed poem 'Trees' in his Mahwah house.
Earlier this year, township resident and Joyce Kilmer enthusiast Alex Michelini formed the Joyce Kilmer Society of Mahwah, a group dedicated to preserving the memory and legacy of the poet. Last week, the group hosted a formal event commemorating Kilmer’s work. Michelini submitted to Patch the following highlights of the event: Submit your questions or news tips to jessica.mazzola@patch.com. And, remember to sign up for Patch's daily newsletter, and get updates on Facebook and Twitter.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
A local researcher says he's found proof that Joyce Kilmer's poem 'Trees' was written in the township.
A Mahwah researcher who earlier this year founded the Joyce Kilmer Society says a book that was tucked away in a university library in Washington DC contains the answer to a century-long question about where the author’s most famous poem was written. For the past 100 years, various locations across the country, including Mahwah, have claimed to be the birthplace, and inspiration behind “Trees.” Mahwah researcher and former reporter Alex Michelini announced in a release Friday that he found a notebook this week in the Special Collections Research Center of Lauinger Library at Georgetown University that proves that Kilmer wrote the poem in Mahwah, where he lived for five years during the early 1910’s. Michelini said he found a frayed …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Article examines why changes in education may be sending Joyce Kilmer’s famed poem Trees – which many argue was written in the township – into ‘oblivion’
A story about the fate of Mahwah poet Joyce Kilmer’s poem Trees in the changing education system made the front page of the USA Today Tuesday. In a piece that is also posted online, the national newspaper says the poem, which local scholars argue was written in Mahwah and inspired by township trees, is nowhere near as prominent in education as it was decades ago. The poem, which the article says was memorized by most students in the country now over the age of 50, may be “on the road to oblivion.” “Blame it on changes in education: Comprehension and invention are in, rote memorization is out,” the article says. “Blame it on changes in poetry: Rhyme is insipid, sentimental is stupid.” The USA Today article credits Mahwah with commemorating …
Monday, April 29, 2013
A newly formed group honoring the life and work of Joyce Kilmer is sponsoring the free party next month
The Joyce Kilmer Society of Mahwah, a group of locals who recently joined together to help preserve and celebrate the legacy of late Mahwah poet Joyce Kilmer, is working to get the whole community involved in its mission. In the latest volume of its Newsletter, the group announced an event it is planning for next month, ‘A Tribute to Joyce Kilmer.’ Set to happen at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Mahwah on May 21, the free event promises a line-up that will celebrate the life and works of Kilmer, specifically 'Trees,' his most famous poem and one that local historians argue was penned in the township. The event is set to include a video presentation of Metropolitan Opera Singer Robert Merrill singing ‘Trees,’ a playing of the 1949 radio…
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Alice Guy Blaché and Joyce Kilmer are two of 50 Garden State residents nominated this year. Others include President Grover Cleveland, Whitney Houston, Brooke Shields and Brian Williams.
A pioneering female filmmaker who lived out her final days in Mahwah is one of the 50 nominees who might be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame this year. Alice Guy Blaché, who lived from 1873 to 1968, was a French immigrant to the Garden State in the early 1900’s. She is known for her $100,000 film studio, Solax, in Fort Lee, and the hundreds of groundbreaking films that she wrote, directed and produced. Blaché, who is buried in Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah, has some tough competition this year if she is going to actually be inducted into the Hall of Fame. President Grover Cleveland, late singer Whitney Houston, comedian Eddie Murphy, and former NY Giants Coach Bill Parcells are just some of the 50 2013 nominees. Another possible …
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Event raised money for the school's HSO
- SCHOOLS
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Tuesday, March 19
The HSO at Joyce Kilmer is now well funded for its upcoming events, thanks to about 250 people who came to its recent Bingo Night fundraiser. On March 6, the HSO and parent volunteers Lisa Pingue and Liz Skrod, organized the event, which included JK Principal Mike DeTuro callin out the BINGO numbers at the free 'Family Fun Night.' Students and their families were given two bingo cards to play on, and the HSO sold $1 raffle tickets to win family-themed baskets with prizes like ice skating at the Ice House, bowling at Holiday Bowl or movies at Ramsey Cinema. All basket items were donated. Pingue said she was thought the event was a big success. "We packed the house with over 250 people attending and made a great donation to our HSO budget …
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The group will send out newsletters, and plan lectures and events about the poet, and his time in Mahwah
- NEWS
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Tuesday, February 26
Mahwah history buff and Joyce Kilmer enthusiast Alex Michelini recently announced the formation of the 'Joyce Kilmer Society.' Michelini is a researcher and former journalist whose documented report established that Joyce Kilmer's enduring poem Trees was written in his Mahwah home and dated February 2, 1913. "We are proud to tell the world that Joyce Kilmer wrote this internationally-famous poem 100 years ago right here in our town in his house that still stands at the southwest corner of Airmount and Armour Roads," Michelini said. "He also penned other poems about Mahwah, among them The House With Nobody In It, and Mount Houvenkopf, during the years he lived in our town and interacted with Mahwah farmers and commuters and merchants. He…
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Ceremony Friday likely kicked off year-long Joyce Kilmer celebration
- NEWS
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Saturday, February 2
Mahwah has officially declared 'Trees,' the most famous poem by poet Joyce Kilmer, was written on township soil, a NorthJersey.com report said. Despite claims from about a half dozen cities and towns around the country that say the poem was written there, Mahwah made its claim official with a declaration Friday calling the township the poem's birthplace, the report said. Officials told the publication they have dismissed the other claims. "We’re staking our claim," Councilman John Spiech, said in the report. "We don’t care what anybody says." The ceremony Friday recognizing the 100th anniversary of "Trees" will likely be the kick-off to a year-long Kilmer celebration. Read the full NorthJersey.com report here.
Friday, February 1, 2013
After years of arguing that Kilmer's most famous poem, "Trees," was written in Mahwah, one man's crusade to have the hometown poet honored is beginning to pay off
The day before the 100th birthday of Joyce Kilmer’s famous poem “Trees,” Mahwah is kicking off what officials say may become a year-long celebration of the poet, his life and his work. But, according to one township resident, the road to getting the township to honor one of its own has been a long one. Alex Michelini, a longtime resident and former member of the Mahwah Historical Commission, said he completed an investigation into the history of Kilmer’s famed poem in the summer of 2011. According to Michelini, no one disputes that Kilmer lived in Mahwah between 1912 and 1917. And, it’s widely accepted that he wrote “Trees” on Feb. 2, 1913. However, there is some dispute over where it was written. Places like Rutgers University and the …
Concerned Parent/Taxpayer
5:06 am on Sunday, May 12, 2013
That's terrific! Can Mahwah make a claim on the notebook as a historic item that should be in the Mahwah Museum? more ›