Between November and March of a year in the late 50's, all the windows were repaired. If you will notice the window on the vicarage side near the front, you will see several panes of lighter colored glass. Being a perfectionist, I argued with Doug that this was a second-best job. Doug's decision, for practical reasons, prevailed, and I never cease to think of Doug's wonderful dedication to St. James and my need to avoid striving for perfection every time I look at that window and the lighter colored panes of glass. We were pleased with the way the church was becoming one of the better kept buildings in Hackettstown, and we wanted to keep it that way.
Time goes quickly, and now the tower needs rebuilding again.
Other significant renovations were made to the church and the church property in the late 1950's. A new oil burner was installed in the church, the church and vicarage each received a new roof, the Estey pump-type organ with improvision to eliminate mechanical pumping was replaced with an Allen electronic organ and the present retaining wall was constructed around the church. Because the wall on Washington Street is not parallel to the street, one can see that a continuation of the wall would soon have it in the street. It is of no consequence other than as a conversation piece. I did, however, have to resort to persuasion to achieve the self-supporting status goal.