The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1926-04-09
Will Long Be
Remembered
The Good, Old Active Days
of the Pleasantville A.
and Nj. Association
Unable to Renew Lease

The Greatest Civic Organ
ization That the Mainland
Ever Knew Passes -
Funds Distributed
After fifteen years existence un-
der the guidance of Rollin A.
Gale, the Pleasantville Athletic
and Musical Association has dis
banded. Mr.. Gale has been acting
president since the organization
of the club on Christmas Eve,
1911. Edward H. Ennis has also
acted as secretary of the organ1-
cation for a like period. A few
years previous to the origin OF
this association, r. A. Gale, at
that time superintendent OF the
Atlantic and Suburban Ry. Co.,
had organized Fife and Drum
Corps among employees, many OF
whom were also members OF Elk
celsior Council, Jr. o. U. A. M,
Rrass Band, which at that time
had no place for rehearsal.
The Pleasantville A. and M.
Assn was founded by members OF
the brass band and drum corps.
The first club house was the ola
toll gate building on the Pleasant
ville-Atlantic City Turnpike. Soon
the membership increased so that
new quarters were necessary TO
accommodate the more than 20o
members, musicians, athletes ana
others. The 14-room house owned
by George w. Leech, Turnpike
near Shore I'd, was leased and
renovated. A tennis court was
constructed and two billiard
rooms, a gymnasium, trap shoot
ing sheds, etc, were installed.
At this time, the association
was probably at the height OF its
activities. Shooting matches,
pool-tournaments tennis matches,
boxing matches, wrestling bouts,
etc. were regular events. Besides
these there was a brass band, ID
piece orchestra, and Is piece fife
and drum corps. The 25-piece
brass band was due to the efforts
of Bobby DeRue, of minstrel fame.
During these following years,
the P. A. and M. A. was the one
big unit for doing things in Allan
tic County. Their labor day pic
mic with a full Is hour snappy
program was enjoyed by all, both
young and old. In the afternoon
on P. A. and NJ A. picnic day, ev-
erything was closed up tight, eV-
erybody taking a vacation and 60
ss,ing to Lake Lenape. Many times
Scar electric trains ON the
VIZ ASnd $. were ops! opeerateq~aq f
IA ,-uI autos were used.
: sAgdnI t.z5tlsand tickets was the adj
Vance sale for this big event Al
80 at about this time stupendous
rew Years celebrations were fea-
251red in the city. 1t was estimat-
ed that fully 10000 participated in
> and observed the 1912-l913-19l4
masked carnival and street pa
rades, held on Main street, Pleas
antville, amid glowing red fire and
band music.
At this time the wild days of
the west were depicted by Irwin
Boice. Thompson Boice and Schuy-
Ter Adams, mounted on Western
Ponies and wearing real western
outfits. All seats in the Cantee's
Theatre. now the Rialto, were re-
moved from the floor to provide
indoor carnival space after the
outdoor activities.
The World War put a stop to
their activities, the spirit died
away, and was never revived.
Headquarters of the association
have been, for the past ten years,
in the first floor of the Red Mems
Hall. Extensive alterations, which
will soon be made to this build
ing, makes a renewal OF lease I'M
possible. Therefore a meeting OF
the members was called on the
nth of March and the charter
was ordered cancelled. The bal
ance of funds were voted to be
distributed equally among Amefi-
can Legion. Red Cross and Asso-
ciated Charities. Thus passes the
greatest civic organization that
the Mainland ever knew.