>Ridgewood was more about real community back then same size Village and actually far more kids in school than there are currently
That was always a busy intersection. Fact is quite a few years ago there was a big white dot in the middle of it.
And if you were to have looked back then, for several years you would have found ME standing in the middle of that “dot”, directing traffic and helping other kids cross. Also some other longtime Village folks did same.
That intersection was “covered” back then by the kid-staffed safety patrol.
A paid retired officer covered Van Dien further down, near what was then the main entrance to Travell, which back then you went to for K through 4. It was about 1/2 of the current BF site – the part closest to Valley.
Then for 5&6 you went around the corner to Travell Annex, no longer there, which was on the site of what’s now the field for current Travell (the Glen Ave side).
Most of the traffic there back then was not Valley traffic though. It was parents. The entire Valley plant back then was what’s now the doctor parking lot on Linwood. There was a big curved driveway in and out of Linwood.
The oldest Valley building still there now is Phillips. It was built during the time I went to Travell and BF and greatly increased the size of the hospital, but it was still very much a community facility in the real meaning (to me) of the word.
Kurth Cottage was the only part of Valley not right off Linwood. And it was… a cottage on Van Dien.
Us safety patrol folk had to show up early to help kids cross, but we did get out of school a little early too – to cover that and several other intersections.
You got a big flag, a whistle (really!) and short training by the police. And off you went to help other kids cross.
Though the Glen and Van Dien spot was about the busiest the little unit covered, this simple plan actually worked.
Ridgewood was more about real community back then, and for that matter, so was Valley.
Yet, same size Village, roughly same population.. and actually far more kids in school than there are currently.
Leaner and more focused overall, and much friendlier at same time. You got things done in a much simpler way and the offcials at Village Hall and the BOE were a lot more responsive in ways that got things resolved, not just run-arounds. They didn’t go off on turf, light, Village Hall and similar “adventures” either.
Gee, must sound like Mayberry, huh? Or perhaps, Ho Ho Kus? Yet, same size, more kids in school, and roughly 25,000 population.
Less layers of administration and loads less baloney though.
That’s a Friday afternoon’s trip in the wayback machine, hope y’all enjoyed it.
