More super superhero photos from the half marathon in Morris Township

As numbers go, it may never achieve the iconic status of, say, Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak,or Wayne Gretzky’s 892 career goals.

Yet 1,647 superheroes in one place still is pretty cool.

Unofficially, that turnout at Sunday’s Superhero Half Marathon in Morris Township breaks the old mark of 1,580, set in 2010 at a Hollywood promotion for the movie Megamind.

Some of the costumes defied description, so we have left that to our ace photo crew. Berit Ollestad provided these additional images from the 13.1-mile race:

Please click icon below for captions:

One for the record book? Superheroes abound in Marvel-ous day in Morris Township

Don’t trip over your cape.

It’s one of those superhero salutations you hear after a hard day of crime-fighting.

But it was a real occupational hazard on Sunday, when hundreds of caped crusaders descended on Ginty Field in Morris Township for the third annual Superhero Half Marathon determined to shatter a 2010 world record for the most superheroes in one place.

Unofficially, they succeeded, easily eclipsing the 1,580 superheroes assembled for a 2010 Hollywood promotion for the movie Megamind.

Chris Russo, Superhero race co-organizer, said 1,647 runners wore some manner of costume on Sunday. Next, certain proofs must be presented to the people of the book, the Guinness Book of World Records.

Photos by Berit Ollestad. Please click icon below for captions.

The weather was super, that’s for sure.

And so was Ryan Grote, 38, of Morristown, who cruised to victory with an apparent course record of 1:11. Steven Monteleone, 22, of Berkeley Heights trailed him by about three minutes. Brian Walsh, 37, of Mendham came in third for the second straight year.

Misa Tamura, 46, of Ridgewood was the top female finisher, clocking in at just under 1:28. She won last year, too, in her first half-marathon.

Some proceeds from the race will benefit the American Cancer Society and the local Meals on Wheels chapter.

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. So, rather than struggle to describe the panoply of costumes,  we offer some colorful photos for your entertainment.

Photos by Cathy Veit. Please click icon below for captions.

Bell Labs, cradle of 20th century innovation, focus of June 14 talk at Morristown library

Before Silicon Valley, there was Murray Hill.

New Jersey, not California, was the epicenter of American technological genius for much of the last century. Computers, cell phones, satellite communications, lasers, portable electronics, even Silicon Valley itself–all can trace their roots to Bell Labs.

This proud history will be celebrated on June 14 at the Morristown & Township Library, where Jon Gertner will share insights from his new book, The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation. Jon is a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine and a senior editor for Money and The American Lawyer.

Bell Labs blended academic and industrial brilliance in ways that are unlikely to be repeated. Discover why, next month at the library.

FROM THE MORRISTOWN & TOWNSHIP LIBRARY

Jon Gertner, contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine, will do a book signing and presentation concerning his latest book: The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation (The Penguin Press; $29.95) at the Morristown and Morris Township Library on Thursday, June 14 beginning at 7:00 p.m.  Refreshments will be served.

In the decades between 1920 and 1980, Bell Laboratories in New Jersey was the most innovative and productive institution in the United States.  Long before Silicon Valley, Bell Labs attracted the best and brightest, and fomented the genesis of most of today’s technology.  In The Idea Factory, writer Jon Gertner offers a compelling and eye-opening look at the unique magic of Bell Labs—and American innovation at its best.

A citadel of science and scholarship and a hotbed of creative thinking not since duplicated, Bell Labs employed nearly 15,000 people in its peak.  These ingenious, often eccentric scientists would become revolutionaries and even legends as they developed technologies like radars, lasers, transistors, satellite and mobile phones that can all be traced back to Bell Labs. The Idea Factory reveals the forces that set off this explosion of innovation.

As Gertner illustrates, Bell Labs combined the best aspect of both academic and corporate worlds: hiring the brightest and usually the youngest minds, creating a culture and architecture that forced employees in different fields to work together, with intellectual freedom and little pressure to create moneymaking innovations; at the same time, they aggressively pursued marketable technology.  Many of today’s researchers and business leaders seek to emulate this model, but haven’t yet been able to arrive at the same balance that made Bell Labs so successful.

Jon Gertner has been a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine since 2004, where he writes about business, technology, and society. He has also served as a senior editor for Money and The American Lawyer. A graduate of Cornell University, he lives in New Jersey with his wife and their two children.
Tom Williams at Mendham Books also aided in organizing this lecture at the Morristown and Morris Township Library.

Greater Morristown weekend preview: Free museums, Big 4-0 bash for schools, church talk, superheroes and jugglers, too

Send in the clowns…no maybe they’re here: The Salaam Shrine Circus juggles its way through Morris Township for four days at Mennen Arena.

And that’s just for starters. Greater Morristown is a beehive of entertainment options this weekend. Ten historic sites are opening their doors for free on Sunday in the annual “Be Our Guest” tourist promotion.

The Morris School District, meanwhile, celebrates its 40th anniversary with music and sports at Morristown High School.  And Morris Township’s Ginty Field will be crawling with caped crusaders as joggers try to leap into the record books during a “Superhero Half Marathon.”

If the thought of all this fun makes you feel guilty, start your weekend with a talk about the future of the Catholic Church by someone who’s been there. Boston Globe columnist and ex-priest James Carroll takes the podium at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on Thursday.

Need more options?  Check out our handy calendar.

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THURSDAY, May 17, 2012:

The 106-year-old Salaam Shrine Circus returns to Mennen Arena in Morris Township with shows at 11 am and 7 pm. Enjoy jugglers, big cats, high-wire heroes and more. The circus performs at the same times on Friday, and on Saturday at 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm, and on Sunday at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets: General admission: $15,  reserved $20. At 161 East Hanover Ave. Call 973-992-2860 for more.

At 6:45 pm, the  Silents are Golden film series continues at the Morristown & Township Library with Charlie Chaplin’s Easy Street and The Cure and Buster Keaton in Sherlock Jr. Admission: Free. Doors open at 6 pm; light refreshments will be served.

Award-winning journalist and former Catholic priest James Carroll brings a provocative topic to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown at 7:30 pm: Beyond nostalgia and survival – an alternative agenda for the Church. The Boston Globe columnist has written 10 novels and six nonfiction works,  including the acclaimed Jerusalem, Jerusalem: How the Ancient City Ignited Our Modern World.  Admission: $15. The church is at 70 Maple Ave. A reception and book signing in the Parish Hall will follow the lecture. Register here.

Best-selling cookbook author and TV chef Lidia Bastianich talks food at Morristown’s Mayo Performing Arts Center at 8 pm. Tickets: $42-$77. At 100 South St. Call 973-539-8008 for more.

 

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FRIDAY, May 18:

The Salaam Shrine Circus takes over Mennen Arena in Morris Township at 11 am and 7 pm. See Thursday entry for details.

At noon the Fridays-on-the-Green concert series serves some kiddie fun from Travels with Tricksters, “globebetrotting adventurers from the Bond Street Theatre,” at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown. The 35-minute concert is free, and a light lunch will be available for purchase afterward. At 57 Park Place. Call 973-538-1776.

The Relay for Life cancer fundraiser starts its overnight event at 6 pm at the Frelinghuysen Middle School, at 200 West Hanover Ave. in Morris Township. The festivities run through 6 am on Saturday.

Morristown High School’s radio station, WJSV 90.5 FM, is hosting a rock concert in the cafeteria from 7 pm to 10 pm. The lineup includes Captain Lung, Autumn of My Days, Destination Downfall, Angry Politicians and a band of MHS faculty members. Admission: $3 per person, $5 for two.

Folk Project favorites Frank and Hank–Frank Sole and Hen3ry Nerenberg–headline at the Minstrel in Morris Township at 8 pm. Their opener, Bill Griese of Morris Plains, has been a favorite at several MorristownGreen.com events. He’s also winning fans with timely novelty songs, like his tribute to Tim Tebow. (See video.) Admission: Adults $7; children 12 and under, free.  At the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship,
21 Normandy Heights Road. Jersey Arts cardholders: Show your card at the door for two-for-one admission. Call 973-335-9489 for more details.

Bowfire brings its top-notch fiddle and violin virtuosos  to the Mayo Performing Arts Center at 8 pm. Jazz, bluegrass, classical, Celtic, rock and world music meet choreography, dramatic lights and costumes in a show for all ages. Tickets: $37-$62.  Call 973-539-8008 for more.

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SATURDAY, May 19:

Feel like rummaging around?  The place to be is St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown, scene of the  St. Peter’s Youth Group Rummage Sale from 9 am to 3 pm. Discover furniture, housewares, toys, sports equipment, electronics, home decor and more, at heavenly prices– to support the 2012 St. Peter’s Youth Group Mission Trip to Topsail, N.C., where the kids will do home repairs and carpentry for elderly members of the community.

The Great Swamp Scavenger Hunt runs from 9 am to noon, starting and ending at the Kitchell Pond Pavilion in the Loantaka Brook Reservation, at 75 Kitchell Road in Morris Township. Pick up clues to send you on your hunt, and return at 4 pm for prizes and refreshments. Cost: Free. Call  973-538-3500 for more details. Hosted by the Great Swamp Watershed Association and several environmental agencies.

The lawn of historic Acorn Hall will be the site of the fifth annual Vintage Bazaar from 9:30 am to 2 pm.  Browse through vintage and antique merchandise of all descriptions. Admission: Free. Sale proceeds will benefit the Morris County Historical Society.  At 68 Morris Ave., Morristown. Call 973-267-3465 for info.

The Salaam Shrine Circus takes over Mennen Arena in Morris Township at 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm. See Thursday entry for details.

Getting hungry?  Devour all the spaghetti you can eat, from 5 pm to 8 pm at the Masonic Lodge at 39 Maple Ave. in Morristown. Over age 10, the cost is $10; under 10, it’s $4. Proceeds benefit Morristown Babe Ruth baseball. The league still needs players, too, ages 13-15.

Roller Derby action rolls from 7 pm to 9 pm at InLine Morristown, where the hometown Jerzey Derby Brigade will battle Strong Island Derby from the Isle of Long. The local ladies will try to win this one for Lady Oh No, who will be competing in a beauty pageant. Admission: $12. Doors open at 6:30 pm at 38 Dumont Place, Morristown. Tickets are available online or at the bout.

A block from the roller derby, the New Jersey Ballet will perform Giselle at 8 pm in the Mayo Performing Arts Center. Tickets: $32-$42. Call 973-539-8008.

Coro Lirico will perform Cavaleria Rusticana and excerpts from Pagliacci at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Morristown at 7:30 pm. Guest conductor Francesco Santeli will lead the performance at 36 South St, with orchestra and soloists Emily Johnson, Marc Deaton, James Bobick, Rebecca Schuessler, and Sarah Miller. Tickets are $30 and $25, with a $5 discount for students and seniors. A reception will follow the concert. Call 973-887-6336 for more details.

Susan Werner (see video below) is one of the most entertaining singer-songwriters on planet earth. Pair her with David Wilcox and you have an inspired evening of music at the Sanctuary series in Chatham, starting at 8 pm. Tickets: $25. At 240 Southern Blvd. Call 973-376-4946 for details.

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SUNDAY, May 20:

Ever dream of being a superhero?  Now’s your chance! Strap on a cape and soar over to the third annual Superhero Half Marathon at Ginty Field Morris Twp., where you might make history. Organizers hope to assemble more than 1,580 caped runners, to eclipse the Guinness World Record for superheroes trotted out at a Hollywood promotion of the 2010 movie Megamind. Registration starts at 7 am and costs $70; another $10 buys you a cape and a shot at Guinness immortality. Some proceeds will benefit Meals on Wheels and the American Cancer Society.

Ten historic sites around Morris County are opening their doors for free between noon and 4 pm, courtesy of the Morris County Alliance for Tourism. The annual “Be Our Guest” promotion celebrates National Tourism Week. Call 973-631-5151 or download the map. Participating venues:

• Acorn Hall, 68 Morris Ave., Morristown. Special exhibit: Over Here and Over There: Morris County’s Role in World War II.
• Community Children’s Museum, 77 East Blackwell St., Dover. A hands-on children’s museum for children 10 and younger focusing on art, science, and world cultures.
• Dover History Museum House, 55 West Blackwell St., Dover.  The 1890s home of Dr. Arthur W. Condict is said to be haunted by his daughter, Dorothy, whose secret love letters were discovered during renovations.
• Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, 73 Kahdena Road, Morris Township. A restored dairy cattle farm depicts life in the early 20th century.
• Macculloch Hall Historical Museum and Gardens, 45 Macculloch Ave., Morristown. Ten period rooms and four exhibit galleries include the country’s largest collection of cartoonist Thomas Nast. Special exhibit: Gone for a Soldier: Jerseymen in the Civil War.
• The Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, is celebrating 100 years.  Featured exhibition: Harmony in Clay: The Elegance and Refinement of Song Dynasty Ceramics, praised as the top spring exhibit by Star-Ledger critic Dan Bischoff. Chinese music, dance and opera, 2 pm, free, see entry below.
• Morristown National Historical Park, 30 Washington Place, Morristown. Washington’s aides will discuss Revolutionary weather at 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm.
• Museum of Early Trades & Crafts, 9 Main St., Madison. More than 8,000 hand tools and their products tell the stories of life before the Industrial Revolution.
• The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, 2352 Route 10 West, Morris Plains. The former home of  famed  turn-of-the-century designer Gustav Stickley is now a national historic landmark.
• The Schuyler-Hamilton House, 5 Olyphant Place, Morristown. Betsy Schuyler dallied there and was courted by Alexander Hamilton, who married her.

Sing Happy Birthday to the Morris School District, which celebrates its 40th birthday from 1 pm to 4 pm at Morristown High School. MHS stars Joey Gatto, Captain Lung and Art of Play are among the scheduled performers, along with bands from Frelinghuysen Middle School and the Thomas Jefferson School. Demos and mini-clinics geared for young kids will be hosted by high school athletes. The festivities will mark the merger of the Morristown and Morris Township school systems–highly controversial four decades ago–and the 20th anniversary of the Morris Educational Foundation, the fundraising organization that runs Morristown’s Got Talent!

Pinocchio comes to Morristown’s Mayo Performing Arts Center at 1:30 pm–and that’s no lie!  Featuring the New Jersey Ballet and storyteller narration. For ages 4 and up. Tickets: $12-$15. Call 973-539-8008.

Chinese music, dance and opera fill the Morris Museum in Morris Township at 2 pm, with Chinese classical opera performers Shu Ho and Yung-hong Jia and the Celadon Youth Plum Ensemble Group, the Chinese Harp Ensemble and Asian Classical Dance performed by Celadon Youth. Tickets:  $10 for members; $12 for non-members. UPDATE: Admission is FREE as part of the “Be Our Guest” promotion. At 6 Normandy Heights Road. Call 973-971-3706.

The Salaam Shrine Circus concludes its run at Mennen Arena in Morris Township with shows at 2 pm and 7 pm. See Thursday entry for details.

Like they said in the Wild West: Draw!  Come to Morristown’s Zebu Forno café armed with pencil and pad and sketch live models from 6 pm to 9 pm. For $10 you also get pizza and the camaraderie of other quick-draw pencil-slingers. Call 770-853-9727 for more about the Open Drawing Session.

 

Calling all Superheroes! Strap on your capes and bound into the record books, May 20 in Morris Township

You think The Avengers is a blockbuster?

That film only has six superheroes.

You want real firepower, head to Morris Township’s Ginty Field on Sunday, May 20.  The third annual Superhero Half Marathon is gunning for a Guinness World Record: Race organizers hope to assemble more than 1,580 caped runners, to eclipse the number of superheroes trotted out for a Hollywood promotion of the 2010 movie Megamind.

Chris Russo said he and his race partner, Heather Gardiner of the Running Company in Morristown, came up with the superhero theme as a tribute to Christopher Reeve, the late star of the Superman movies who was paralyzed in an equestrian accident.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation was a charity beneficiary of the first half-marathon. This year’s charities are the local Meals on Wheels program and the American Cancer Society. Chris and Heather also contribute to a scholarship at Ridge High School, a source of volunteers for the event.

You can register to run right up until race time on Sunday morning. It’s $70 to enter, and if your mom threw out your   superhero costume along with your fourth-grade report card, you can buy a cape for another $10.

Participants in the 13-mile race–which winds through the Loantaka Brook Reservation, Chatham and Harding– receive a timing system, a t-shirt and goodie bag.

If the real Captain America shows up, he can race for free, Chris said.

“But I hope he has more important things to do–like saving the world!”

From UFOs, perhaps? In another life, Chris, a Morris Plains resident who works as a pharma rep, shook up Morris County with a spaceship hoax that forever changed our view of little green persons.

He also appeared in the late soap opera All My Children, and last summer he starred in the MorristownGreen.com Film Festival as — what else? — a litter-fighting superhero dubbed the Green Thumb.

Of course, superheroes love to recount their exploits. So the Famished Frog will offer Happy Hour specials after the race. Tito’s Burritos will have race discounts, too. Superheroes require plenty of fuel, after all.

And if you’ve been leaping tall buildings in preparation for race day, here is the most important number of all:

1:15.

Chris said that’s the course record, set by Karl O’Reilly in 2010.  So strap on your cape and give the Avengers something to talk about at Happy Hour!

 

Video: Art of Play at the Apollo, round two

 

Art of Play, the eighth-grade rockers from Greater Morristown, put on a good show last week at Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater.

Although they did not advance in the Amateur Night competition, the boys can hold their heads high–as you can see in this video from the band. 

Domenico Randazzo sings lead and plays guitar, accompanied by Ricky Webber on keyboard, TJ Coon on bass and Tyler Volk on drums.

Special kudos to Domenico’s Cousin Fred, who was called onstage to show off his dance moves.

Hanna Neil, the sixth-grader who sang so well at Morristown’s Got Talent!, also was invited to sing a couple of lines and acquitted herself well.

Morris County 4-H bringing ‘Science Adventures’ to Greater Morristown, starting May 24

Morris County 4-H is excited to present Science Adventures, an interactive series inviting area youth to engage in scientific exploration this spring! Indoor and outdoor activities are an integral part of this series, which will take place over three consecutive Thursday evenings starting on May 24. The Science Adventures series will include investigations in carbon footprint calculation, the water cycle, and weather trends.

Rachel Lyons, Morris Country 4-H Agent, explains, “Science is dynamic, so it’s a great fit for kids’ natural curiosity. 4-H uses a hands-on approach to help kids graps complex scientific ideas, hopefully inspiring enthusiasm for science in the process.” Technology will be an important part of this hands-on experience, with help from digital cameras, iPads and other fun tools in the field.

Lyons says, “In addition to building science skills, Science Adventures will reflect 4-H’s emphasis on community outreach.” Junior scientists will learn valuable lessons about the environment and climate change, and at the end of the program, they’ll help plan and carry out a community service project designed to educate others and improve the environment in the community.

Workshops will convene on May 24, May 31 and June 7 from 6:00-8:30 pm at the 4-H Office Meeting Room, which is located at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County, Building 550, West Hanover Ave, Morristown. The program is open 4-H members and non-members in grades 4-8. Registration closes May 18th, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis with a maximum of 20 participants. A program fee of $30 is required. To register and learn more, visit http://morris.njaes.rutgers.edu/4h/.

Nationwide, nearly five million girls and boys participate in 4-H. In Morris County, 4-H serves over a thousand young people representing a wide variety of backgrounds and interests. Projects and activities range from community service and leadership to animals, outdoor education, science and foods. Additionally, in Morris Country, more than 500 adults serve as volunteers.

The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County, an educational outreach program of Rutgers University in partnership with federal and county governments and private sector support. Cooperative Extension programs are offered without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability or handicap.

For more information about 4-H Science Adventures, or the 4-H program in general, contact the county 4-H Office at 973-285-8300 X3. All kids, grades 1-13 (one year out of high school), are always welcome to join 4-H. In addition, the 4-H staff is ready to provide orientation and training for any adults interested in serving as 4-H volunteers.

Lawyer, leader, poet, gentleman: Steve Wiley honored at Morris Township gala

Many people tried to sum up Steve Wiley at a gala benefit in his honor on Thursday.

This is the guy who raised millions to save the Community Theatre, beautify the Morristown Green and expand the Morristown & Township Library. The guy who founded banks and cable TV companies, and helped launch First Night Morris and the Morris United Way. The guy who convinced the state Supreme Court, in a historic case, that the Morristown and Morris Township school systems should be merged to avert segregation at Morristown High School. The guy who retired from a successful law practice to write volumes of poetry.

Once again, as he has done in so many courtrooms, Steve delivered the best summation:

From dreaming to wishing
From wishing to planning
From planning to doing
From doing to done.

The words were read by Connie Hagelin, co-chair of the tribute at the Morris Museum in Morris Township. At 80, Steve Wiley was not up to making the trip from his retirement home in Vermont.

Dozens of Steve’s friends and relatives attended the $150-per-person event, a fundraiser for a Stephen B. Wiley Scholarship that will help cash-strapped students from his alma mater, Morristown High School, and the Morris County School of Technology. Candidates must be community minded and demonstrate “a record of leadership, integrity and kindness.”

The gala was timed to mark the 40th anniversary of the merger known as the Morris School District, and the 20th anniversary of its fundraising arm, the Morris Educational Foundation. Steve was its founding chairman.

Please click icon below for caption.

Accolades flowed like the Whippany River during Tropical Storm Irene. Which is pretty remarkable, considering Steve Wiley also is the guy whose one term as a Democratic state senator from Republican Morris County produced the state income tax.

Even more remarkable was City Living, an 18-minute video tribute produced by MHS students born decades after the landmark merger battle.

Five months in the making, the documentary was finished just hours before people started filing into the Morris Museum on Thursday night.

“Deadlines really help focus you,” said MHS junior Sean Mowry, who wrote the script.

“I never despaired,” said Shannon Kikuchi, executive producer, who squeezed in the project while acting in the school musical and working on the school literary magazine.

Michael Butler, the teacher who oversaw the production as head of the MHS broadcasting department, said he started getting emotional during an advance screening for members of the Morris Educational Foundation. “I’m ecstatic. I’m really proud of them,” he said of his students.

The audience gave them a standing ovation.

“Their production was worthy of its subject,” said Art Raynes, a truck driver’s son who rose to partner in Steve’s firm thanks to mentoring by the boss.

Art described him as someone who led by example. Steve wrote beautiful legal briefs and once called his young protégé to task for a typo in a letter.

“Do you want 110 lawyers at McCarter & English to think Art Raynes is a sloppy lawyer?” Steve asked. The lesson stuck.

On the morning after knee surgery, Steve was back to work, Art recalled. He expected the same energy from his staff. One job applicant, asked by Steve to rate his energy level from 1 to 10, answered “nine.”

“Let’s eliminate the lazy guy,” Steve told the partners.

The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, rocked by scandals in recent years, was fiscally sound and on the rise academically when Steve served as chairman, according to Art. He also credited Steve with establishing the first legislative committees in the state Senate.

Steve made every lawyer around him “better in 20 ways,” Art said. Instead of taking victory laps after big verdicts, he wrote thank you memos to the whole firm. “He made everyone feel appreciated.”

Janitors and CEOs were accorded the same respect, added law partner Jim McCreedy. “He was always a gentleman.”

Three volumes of poetry came after Steve turned 70; he was inspired by a professor at the College of Saint Elizabeth.

“None of us knew he was doing it,” Jim said. “All of a sudden, he announced he’d written a book of poetry. It was amazing, like everything he did.”

Steve’s father, J. Burton Wiley, came to Morristown in 1912 and helped create the high school. It may be the reason why Steve maintained his ties to Greater Morristown after graduating from Princeton and Columbia universities, said one of Steve’s older brothers, orchestra conductor Jackson Wiley.

Their father also taught Steve proper use of a scythe–their grandfather died in a scything accident. Tools figure prominently in Steve’s poetry, Jackson noted, reciting from Crosscut Dancing. It concludes:

With two men
A forest is a field.

Pulling together, Steve Wiley and community members changed the landscape of Morristown.

“I can’t envision what Morristown would look like without Stephen Wiley,” said Felicia Jamison, a civil rights activist whose late husband, Charles “Moose” Jamison Jr.,  played alongside Steve on the high school’s unbeaten 1946 football team.

“You wouldn’t have had the rich experience of (blacks and whites) living and working together.  You wouldn’t have had an example of a pluralistic democracy,” Felicia said.

“You wouldn’t have the Green. You would have some trees.”

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On May 20, festivities at Morristown High School will celebrate two anniveraries: 40 years for the Morris School District and 20 years for the Morris Educational Foundation.

Greater Morristown weekend preview: Art workshops for the kids, a mansion for mom

Mother’s Day is upon us, and there is no shortage of fun things to do with Mom–and for Mom.

Maybe Dad can take the kiddies to a Children’s Day of Art–fun workshops in cartooning, drama, sculpting and more, at St. Peter’s in Morristown–so Mom can enjoy herself for a Mansion in May tour of Glynallyn Castle?

Moms and Dads might want to attend Thursday’s benefit honoring Steve Wiley, whose contributions to the Morris School District are immense.

Crave more entertainment options? Check out our handy calendar.

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THURSDAY, May 10:

Wouldn’t it be nice, just for a day, to see how the other 1 percent lives? You can do that at Glynallyn, the 66-room Tudor dreamhouse featured in the Mansion In May 2012 Designer Showhouse and Gardens. Tour the Morris Township castle daily in May; check the website for hours. Parking at 44 Whippany Road, Morristown. Tickets are $25 in advance and for seniors; $30 at the door. Proceeds benefit a hospice project at Morristown Medical Center.

The Links Inc. present the Neighborhood House String Students at 4:30 pm, in the Nabe’s gym at 12 Flagler St. in Morristown.

They don’t call him Mr. Morristown for nothing. Walk through town in any direction and you are bound to bump into something that Steve Wiley improved. The retired lawyer will be honored at 6:30 pm at the Morris Museum in Morris Township as part of this month’s 40th anniversary celebration of the Morristown/Morris Township schools merger. Steve was central to that merger, and to the creation of the Morris Educational Foundation 20 years ago. Tickets are $150 and proceeds will endow a Stephen B. Wiley Scholarship.

The silent film series continues at the Morristown & Township Library with a 6:45 pm screening of The Cat and the Canary, a haunted house mystery released in 1927.  As a bonus, there will be a silent cartoon starring Koko the Clown. Admission: Free. Doors open at 6 pm at 1 Miller Road in Morristown; light refreshments. Call 973-538-6161 for more details.

Re-enactor and historian Damien Craigeau will address the  North Jersey American Revolution Roundtable at 7 pm, at Washington’s Headquarters Museum in Morristown. Admission is free.

Enjoy “20 gorgeous champion dancers in a true theatrical experience full of grace and athleticism,” promises the Mayo Performing Arts Center.  The show is called Burn the Floor.  Tickets are $42 to $67;  call  973-539-0345 for more information.

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FRIDAY, May 11:

Violinist  Shannon Merlino performs at noon at Fridays on the Green, a series at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown. The 35-minute concert is free, and a light lunch will be available for purchase afterward. At 57 Park Place. Call 973-538-1776.

At 2 pm, it’s Friday Afternoon Wiggle Time at Historic Speedwell in Morristown. Children aged 3 to 6 are invited to “get the wiggles out in this afternoon program that incorporates creative movement, crafts, and history immersion experiences.” Cost:  $4 adults, $3 seniors, $2 children. Call 973-285-6550 for more.

Who needs money? Not 68-year-old Heidemarie Schwermer, a German who purposely stopped using money 14 years ago. She gave away most of her belongings, living out of a suitcase and adopting a barter lifestyle. Living Without Money will be screened for free at 7 pm in the Center for Spiritual Living at 331 Mount Kemble Ave., two miles south of the Morristown Green.

The Open Stage returns to the Minstrel in Morris Township at 8 pm. Swing by a half hour early for a chance to perform at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Road. Admission is $7. Children 12 and under are free. Call 973-335-9489 for more details.

Poetry, new music and original dance come together when the Nai Ni Chen Dance Co. and The Ahn Trio come to Morristown’s Mayo Performing Arts Center at 8 pm. Tickets are $27 to $57. Call  973-539-8008 for details.

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SATURDAY, May 12:

From 8:30 am to 4 pm, the Children’s Day of Art offers kid-sized workshops in cartooning, drama, eco-sculpture, music, poetry and pottery at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 70 Maple Ave. in Morristown. Chef Melody of the Main Event also will share tips about “food art” during lunch. For ages 6-13. The day will end with a reception for parents, children and instructors. Cost: $20; some scholarships available. Advance registration is required!

Historic Speedwell in Morristown debuts its Artisans’ Fair from 10 am to 5 pm. Historic fabrics presentations, tours of the Vail House, crafts demonstrations and more. Cost: $4 adults, $3 seniors, $2 children. Call 973-285-6550 for more.

National Train Day chugs through the Morris Museum in Morris Township from noon to 4 pm. The museum has teamed with the Morris County Public Library and the Whippany Train Museum to celebrate America’s romance with the rails. Visit the museum’s model railroad gallery.  Cost: $7 for children, $10 for adults; members free. The museum is at  6 Normandy Heights Road. Call 973-971-3700 for more.

Family Fun Day comes to Madison’s Museum of Early Trades & Crafts from 1 pm to 3 pm. Family fun and a crafts activities. Advance registration recommended; call 973-377-2982 x12. Regular admission.

The Morristown Unitarian Fellowship presents Music in Bloom at 7 pm. Enjoy the Morris Consort, MUF Combined Choirs, Chamber Ensemble and soloists performing music of Schumann, Stephen Foster and Persichetti, along with popular favorites and a premiere by Morristown composer George Aronson– against a backdrop of  floral images by photographer Elaine Boucher. At 21 Normandy Heights Road in Morris Township. Tickets are $20, and $5 for youths 18 and under. For more information, contact: music@muuf.org or 845-858-9895.

The Dicey Riley Band will be joined by children’s choirs from Bethel AME Church and Assumption Church for a 7:30 pm concert at Assumption to benefit for Africa Surgery Inc. All proceeds will support Tom Johnson’s efforts to provide surgical and medical care for poor farmers and villagers in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The evening program will include traditional Irish and Celtic music and selected choral works. Parishioners will bring refreshments. Suggested donation is $15 per adult; children are free.  For information call, 973-539-2141

Steve Tyrell and Debby Boone perform at the Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South Street, at 8 pm. Debby will perform favorites by her late mother-in-law, Rosemary Clooney. Tickets are $42-$77. Call 973-539-8008.

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is a giant of folk music, a National Medal of the Arts winner hailed as “an American treasure” by Bill Clinton. He comes to the Sanctuary series in Chatham at 8 pm, with opener Lizanne Knott. Tickets: $25. At 240 Southern Blvd. Call 973-376-4946.

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SUNDAY, May 13:

It’s your last chance to catch our MG Kids Art Show, winding down after two colorful weeks. More than 300 artworks by area students from preschool through high school are on display in the Great Hall at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 70 Maple Ave. in Morristown, from 9 am to 5 pm. Our thanks to all the artists and to everyone at St. Peter’s for making this show such a visual treat.

For Mother’s Day weekend, learn the role of moms in the American Revolution, from one of Washington’s aides on a Ford Mansion tour. At 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm at the mansion, in the Morristown National Historical Park. Cost: $4 per adult.

Hang out with some sketchy characters–and love every minute of it. The weekly Open Drawing Session runs from 6 pm to 9 pm at Zebu Forno, 9 South St., Morristown. Ten bucks buys three hours of live models, friendly instruction and pizza. Bring your own art supplies; Chris and Danielle Merzatta provide the rest. Call 770-853-9727 for more information.

 

 

Video: Two years after explosion, Morristown & Township Library rebounds with fanfare and question marks

A barbershop quartet concluded Saturday’s celebration at the Morristown & Township Library by singing A House With Love In It.

It was a fitting finale for a morning of powerful emotions: Joy, relief, gratitude, wonder, frustration.

Almost two years ago to the day, on May 3, 2010, an explosion ripped through the basement of the historic Willis Wing. The first floor heaved upward as if an earthquake had struck, recounted library President Nancy Bangiola.

A tragedy of national proportions was averted because alert library employees sensed trouble–the library had blown up before, in 1994–and staff cleared the building moments before the blast.

Now, after many months of makeshift arrangements, temporary locations and nearly $5 million in repairs and renovations, the library is whole again and the reopened 1917 wing looks better than brand new.

Its warm hues and cheery spaces are friendlier and more inviting than ever. Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty referred to the restored wing as a destination, with a sense of place that is tangible.

The Mayor indicates in our video clip that he will keep pressing for answers to what caused the 2010 explosion. So far, the library’s insurer has not disclosed any findings from its investigation.

Nancy Bangiola described the library as “the community’s statement about what it believes about higher learning, about access to information, and access to all for that information. That’s why it’s the free public library.”

To think that the community might be denied access –for the second time– to information about what caused its library to explode is infuriating.

How can anyone accept assurances about the building’s safety if nobody has pinpointed precisely what happened on May 3, 2010?

Suppose someone you loved worked there?

Wait a minute. Someone you love does work there. We were reminded of that on a scary morning two years ago, and again over the ensuing months when the library as we knew it was out of commission.

The Four Old Parts nailed it on Saturday.

A House With Love In It, that is our library.

MORE ABOUT THE MORRISTOWN & TOWNSHIP LIBRARY

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