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Vintage photos of everyday items from the '60s and '70s you might have forgotten

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We didn't even give them a second thought.

I recall a point made in the 1970s that was meant to illustrate how quickly technology advanced in the 20th century - how someone who was 10 years old when man first achieved powered flight watched man walk on the moon at age 76.

TI30_1.jpgThe Texas Instruments TI30 calculator, introduced in 1976. 

But, if you look at a 75-year stretch in any century since the 1700s, you'll see similar leaps for mankind. I'd argue that space flight, while amazing, doesn't necessarily supersede other advancements of humankind in industry, inventions or ideas.

For example, on that spacecraft that landed on the moon, there was a guidance computer that had, according to consumereports.org, exactly 64 kilobytes of memory and a microprocessor speed of 0.043 megahertz. The latest iPhone can be purchased with 512 GIGAbytes of memory, and if my math is right, that's 536,870,912 kilobytes. Its microprocessor operates at 2.49 GIGAhertz and let's just say that's the difference between walking and the speed of light.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

And that was in less than 50 years.

As time flies by, it's easy to forget things that were matter-of-fact parts of our lives in the 1960s and 1970s, when Apollo missions were going to the moon with those teensy computers. Here's another installment of things that may have slipped from our memory ... and I don't know about you, but my memory isn't measured in giga, mega or kilobytes - it just bites.

And here are links to other galleries you'll like.

Vintage photos of things you may have forgotten about

Vintage photos of things that have changed - for better or worse

Vintage photos of how things have changed in N.J.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.


N.J. pets in need: Feb. 18, 2019

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Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey await adoption.

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New Beginnings Animal rescue in East Brunswick has announced that it will be closing its location at 706R Cranbury Road.

Barbara Keegan, New Beginnings president and shelter director, noted that the nonprofit group had been at the Cranbury Road location since February 2014 and will relocate to a yet-to-be-named space in the near future.

"Without the overhead and expense of operating at this location we will be able to expand our areas of community outreach," said Keegan, "by stepping up our assistance with Trap/Neuter/Return programs, offering a community pet food bank for needy families and rescue groups and providing referral assistance for pet issues."

Keegan pointed out that the rescue will not be leaving the current facility until every animal in its care is placed in a home. New Beginnings will continue to rescue animals, utilizing foster homes until a new location is opened.

For more information and future updates, go to nbarnj.org.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Vintage photos of school days in N.J.

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"School is a building with four walls - with tomorrow inside." - Lon Watters

This gallery features a handful of vintage photos of school days in New Jersey. Although it includes snapshots of public and parochial school students, I thought it might be interesting to share a timeline of some important actions in public education in New Jersey. (Sources: New Jersey School Boards Association, New Jersey Department of Education)

*    In 1855, there were 29 townships with free (public) schools. The State Board of Education was established in 1866; rules for teacher certification were established the following year. Most classes during this time period had 45 to 50 pupils in the room, and some had as many as 72.

*    In 1871, the State Legislature passed an act making all of the public schools in New Jersey entirely free. New Jersey became the last state in the nation to abolish rate bills and tuition payments. In 1894, a law was passed requiring districts to pay for textbooks and instructional materials, making public schools truly free.

*    In 1900, kindergarten was made part of the public school system.

*    It became mandatory in 1907 for each district to provide school facilities for children between the ages of 5 and 20, as many had not yet established high schools.

*    New Jersey was the first state in the country, in 1909, to enact a tenure law to govern the hiring and firing of school employees.

*    In 1910 a law was adopted mandating special education for children who were judged to be three or more years below "normal."

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

*    Spurred on by the low standards of physical fitness observed among entrants to the U.S. Army during World War I, the state passed a law in 1917 establishing physical training for all school pupils except kindergarten students.

*    New Jersey's collective bargaining law was amended in 1968 to include employees in the public sector, including school employees.

*    In 1985, the State Legislature set the minimum teacher salary at $18,500; the law on the books for decades had set it at $2,500, although it had not been adhered to. Prior to the legislation, the average starting salary for a teacher was $14,900.

Here's a gallery of photos of school days in New Jersey. And also, some links to similar galleries you'll enjoy.

Vintage photos of another school year in N.J.

Vintage photos of returning to school in N.J.

Vintage photos of education in N.J.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

N.J. pets in need: Feb. 25, 2019

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Pause for these paws in need of adoption.

Profile: South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter

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The South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter in Vineland is operated by the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CCSPCA), a nonprofit organization founded in 1891 and incorporated in 1947.

According to director of operations Kathleen Leary, "The SPCA was the only law enforcement agency authorized solely for the protection of animals. Each year our cruelty agents investigated nearly 1,000 reports of animal abuse and neglect. Many times we were able stop abuse through education, however, other cases require prosecuting the guilty parties." The shelter came about as part of these activities.

In 2018, new legislation was enacted that dissolved the NJSPCA and its chapters and put the enforcement of state Anti-Animal Cruelty statues completely in the hands of the County Prosecutors' Office.

The money to finance the current shelter comes from fees charged to municipalities to house their stray animals, fees charged to adopt, reclaim or release an animal to us, dues, donations, grants, fund-raisers and bequests from caring individuals.

"Each year our humane education programs, offered free to schools and community groups, reach thousands, teaching basic pet care, safety and the understanding that all living creatures deserve our respect," said Leary. "Each year our clinic provides the general public and thousands of animals access to our low-cost spay and neuter services. In addition to sheltering and protecting animals, the shelter also acts as a clearinghouse for the thousands of phone calls requesting information on animal related issues and problems."

The shelter is located at 1244 N. Delsea Drive and is open Monday and Wednesday from 1 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, go to southjerseyregionalanimalshelter.org.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Vintage photos of food stores and bakeries in N.J.

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The places we went for eats and treats.

Before supermarkets, people patronized a variety of stores to shop for the staples of daily life. Sometimes, in fact, staples were delivered to one's doorstep.

Specialty food stores have made a modern comeback, true, but it's an option for today's shopper. In "the old days" making separate stops at the butcher, baker, fishmonger, etc., was the only way to shop.

My mother, who turned 94 in November, was kind enough to make a list of the places she and her mother went when she was a young girl. She also noted the businesses that made home deliveries.

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The milkman would deliver fresh milk and cream. A trip to Zucca's Bakery was necessary for bread and, occasionally, bakery treats. The ice man would make regular deliveries because not many people owned an electric refrigerator at the time. The Morello meat truck would visit with fresh cuts and ground beef. My mother grew up on a poultry farm; the egg man would come by to pick up the daily output. A truck from Frasco and Cavallo brought chicken feed.

The laundry man would come by to see if any dress clothes needed cleaning or mending. The insurance man would visit to collect payments. Mr. Lipman would stop by once a week with sewing needs - thread, needles and a selection of fabric. The fish man would also visit once a week, on Friday, of course. The newspaper would come daily and the coal company would come by regularly with deliveries.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

And each would bring news of what was going on around Vineland. Social media, 1930s style.

Trips to town might include a visit to Morvay's Market for fresh produce and Friedman's Bakery for fresh rye bread.

Some might say that these processes were far from the convenience of supermarkets. And I might answer that unscrewing the cap from a wine bottle is far more convenient than pulling a cork. Generations have come and gone that have never experienced a life like that. I'd say that's the cost of convenience.

Here's a gallery of photos of vintage food stores and bakeries in New Jersey. And also, some links to similar galleries you'll enjoy.

Vintage photos of small food stores in N.J.

Vintage photos of ice cream and candy stores in N.J.

Vintage photos of foods for every taste in N.J.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

N.J. pets in need: March 4, 2019

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Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey await adoption at shelters and rescues.

Here is this week's collection of some of the dogs and cats in need of adoption in New Jersey.

If you run or work for a nonprofit animal shelter or rescue group, consider listing your dogs and cats in this weekly gallery.

Participation in the gallery is free of charge for New Jersey shelters and rescues. You can submit one or two dogs and cats each week, with information similar to that shown in the captions.

The "N.J. pets in need" gallery reaches tens of thousands or people throughout New Jersey every week and posts in all 21 county pages on nj.com. For more information on how to start appearing in this weekly gallery, please contact Greg Hatala at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Vintage photos of crimes and mysteries in N.J.

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Mysteries from a long time ago can still be solved with the assistance of tips, DNA technology and other forensic advances.

On May 21, 1989, the television show "America's Most Wanted" presented a treatment of a case that had been unsolved for 18 years, John List's 1971 murder of his family in Westfield. Featured on the program was a bust by forensic artist Frank Bender depicting how he believed List would look at the time.

It was a remarkable likeness; tips flooded in with one particular call from a former neighbor leading to List's arrest in Richmond, Virginia, only 10 days after the show aired.

America's Most Wanted had been on the air for just over one season; this was its first mega-high profile capture and led to a network run of 23 years for the program.

Not all crimes and mysteries result in such a conclusion. Among those included in this gallery are crimes that have never been solved.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

This is just a sampling of crimes and mysteries through the years in New Jersey. Included are a number of missing persons cases that are still unresolved; yet even after long periods, sometimes decades, the List case showed us that mysteries can be solved with the assistance of tips, DNA technology and other forensic advances.

The New Jersey State Police maintain a website with unresolved missing persons cases at www.njsp.org/unidentified/; the National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law has a page of links related to New Jersey cities and counties with unresolved cases at ncstl.org/education/newjersey.

And check out these other historical galleries:

This month in N.J. history: March

This month in N.J. history: April

This month in N.J. history: May

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

N.J. pets in need: March 11, 2019

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Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey await adoption from shelters and rescues.

Profile: Randolph Regional Animal Shelter

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The Randolph Regional Animal Shelter, located in Mendham's India Brook Park at 97 Ironia Road, is a 4,200-square-foot municipal facility. Formerly part of The Seeing Eye's kennel facilities, the shelter serves the towns of Mendham Township, Mendham Borough, Randolph, Rockaway Borough and Dover.

It is operated by township staff and a core group of volunteers who have made it their mission to provide humane care for stray, abandoned and injured animals. They include Erika Barkman, head animal control officer and animal cruelty investigator, shelter manager Sunny Nowell, shelter assistant Christina Campanello, animal control officer Al Alpaugh and Claudine Cheung, president of the Friends of Randolph Animal Pound.

While every animal taken in receives the best care possible, the ultimate goal of shelter personnel is to find a loving, stable home for each animal in its care.

The facility features 26 dog runs, eight separate cat kennels and dedicated isolation and quarantine rooms with a separate HVAC system to prevent the spread of disease.

Pets available for adoption may be seen at the shelter or previewed online at petfinder.com/member/us/nj/mendham/randolph-regional-animal-shelter-nj12/. The adoption fee is $50 for dogs and cats and $150 for kittens.

For more information about the shelter and for directions, go to randolphregionalanimalshelter.org.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.


Vintage photos of hanging out in N.J.

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The fine art of doing nothing and having fun.

It's a common theme in popular music - hanging out, looking for something to do.

"Hanging out on Second Avenue, eating chicken vindaloo
I just want to be with you, I just want to have something to do" - "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" (1978) the Ramones

"Hanging out, down the street, the same old thing we did last week.
Not a thing to do, but talk to you" - "In the Street" (1992) Big Star

"I don't mind you hanging out and talking in your sleep" - "Just What I Needed" (1978) the Cars

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

"Do you ever still think of me and the way that we used to be
When the world was just you and me, hanging out in our shelter" - "Shelter" (2012) The Beach Boys

"If you're in Charleston look out for a woman hanging out in a bright red Cadillac
She took my money, she left me crying and I don't know will I ever make it back?" - "Yolanda" (1974) Bobby "Blue" Bland

"We used to be best friends hanging out in the parking lot like the day would never end." - "Take Me Back" (2002) Lisa Loeb

Here's a look at folks from throughout New Jersey just hanging out. And, here are links to other galleries you might enjoy.

Vintage photos of 'hangin' out' in N.J.

Vintage photos of people 'hangin' out' in N.J.

Vintage N.J. candid photos

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

More vintage photos of everyday items from the '60s and '70s you might have forgotten

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Some were chic ... and some were weak.

In his book "Retromania," rock critic and music memorabilia collector Simon Reynolds asserts that "there's never been a society so obsessed with the cultural artifacts of its own immediate past" as ours.

It has gotten a little strange. While smartphone cameras offer technical capabilities that professional photographers could only dream of not long ago, apps like Instagram allow users to turn a new photo into something that looks like a faded relic of the '60s and '70s ... an appearance we were often dissatisfied with in the '60s and '70s.

Hollywood appears to be on a quest to remake every film made more than 25 years ago; musicians apply high-tech filters to their music to make it sound more like the low-tech tunes of the past. Collectors pay top dollar for toys and household items that could be had for a quarter at yard sales a generation ago.

Studies have been done to attempt to explain this, and the results are often open-ended. I tend to agree with something Dr. Art Markman, a psychology and marketing professor at the University of Texas at Austin wrote on huffpost.com way back in 2011.

"Lots of the specific things that are happening right now involve the petty annoyances that you have to deal with to navigate daily life," wrote Markman. "There are bills to be paid, stacks of laundry to be done, tests to be taken and errands to run. When you think about the past, those petty annoyances don't come up. So, all you think about are the great times you had."

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

There's probably something to that, for most people. Recently, I posted an old home movie of the long-gone Vineland traffic circle on one of that city's Facebook pages. Scores of folks weighed in with nostalgic memories; one, however, was able to view it without filters. "That circle" she wrote, "was my nemesis as a new driver!"

Here are more items from the 1960s and 1970s that we bring back memories - good or bad - from days gone by. And here are links to other galleries you might enjoy.

Vintage photos of everyday items from the '60s and '70s you might have forgotten

Vintage photos of things that have changed - for better or worse

Vintage photos of N.J. Americana

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

N.J. pets in need: March 25, 2019

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Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey await adoption.

Profile: Animal Welfare Association

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The Animal Welfare Association in Voorhees was founded in October 1948 by local residents who were appalled by the conditions they saw at local for-profit pounds at the time. The group held their first meeting in a living room and called themselves "Baby Animal Welfare."

In 1960, AWA became the third organization in the United States to be accepted into the Humane Society of the United States' affiliate program for adhering to humane standards. Two years later, Charles Clausing, AWA's president, appeared in front of the House of Representatives concerning a bill on stealing pets from homes and the pound for research. It was part of his testimony that later became the Animal Welfare Act.

The group's shelter in Voorhees was built in 1966 and the AWA opened the region's first low-cost spay/neuter clinic in 1974. In the 1980s the group began a structured program where volunteers would bring animals to local nursing homes on a regular basis.

Today, the Animal Welfare Association has 942 active volunteers. Its clinic performed 8,081 spay/neuter surgeries and gave vaccinations to 6,958 pets in the community at a low cost in 2017 and more than 2,500 pets found homes through the AWA Adoption Center.

For more information about the nonprofit group, go to awanj.org.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Vintage family photos from N.J.

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Get togethers with loved ones deserved to be preserved.

Over the years, I've posted nearly 12,000 vintage photos in these galleries. It's a safe bet that I've gone through 20 times that many to arrive at the ones that have made the final cut. So, I enjoy combing through old pictures; I believe vintage photos are treasures.

But, nowadays, I think there are way too many photos. Particularly when it comes to family photographs.

Digital photography and smart phones make picture-taking easier than it ever was; the camera is always there, it always has plenty of "film" and it's almost impossible to foul up a picture as in days gone by. But, what I find missing all too often is the relaxed reality of old photos.

People know they might have their picture taken at any given moment, and often adopt a pose or expression they've seen on social media; an expression that becomes the same as thousands of others. Dozens of shots can be taken to achieve the "right" one.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

In my opinion, though, it was the "mistakes" in old photos, snapshots with minimal planning and little chance for a "re-do" that truly captured the essence of the moment and the personality of the individuals captured for posterity.

As a pundit I know said so eloquently, old family photos are "an invitation into a moment in time unfettered by vanity." The imperfections are what made them perfect. The next time you sort through the pictures you've taken, take a tip from someone who's looked at more than a million in his lifetime: save the "mistakes." Years from now, you'll be glad you did.

Here are some family photos taken in New Jersey through the years. And, here are links to other similar galleries you might enjoy.

Vintage photos of families in N.J.

More vintage family photos from N.J.

Vintage photos of Valentine's Day couples in NJ

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

N.J. pets in need: April 1, 2019

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Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey await adoption.

Petfinder.com, where you can find nearly a 250,000 adoptable pets listed by more than 12,000 adoption groups, offers these tips to pet owners now that spring is here:

* There will be plenty of sticks and branches on the ground after winter, and they can cause choking and severe mouth injuries to dogs. If your pet likes to chew and chase, make sure to use a tennis ball, Frisbee or other toy instead of branches.

* You might be doing some spring cleaning; if a pet ingests a household cleaner, don't call a human poison control center - they won't be able to help with animals. Call your vet or the ASPCA poison control hotline, 888-426-4435.

*  Dogs can get seasonal allergies just like people ... but they manifest themselves in dogs more as skin conditions than sneezing. Check with your vet for treatment options.

* Flea and tick prevention for dogs and cats should be continued year-round, but even if you take a break during winter months, make sure to apply the preventatives before the weather warms up.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Vintage photos of baseball and softball in N.J.

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At least lefties are in great demand in the major leagues.

Those of you who are left handed might feel somewhat slighted in everyday life. Lefties, who make up 10 percent of the population, notice the right-handedness of the world in subtle ways. Some of the "majority rules" concepts are reasonable, like doorknobs; but others, like scissors designed specifically for right-hand use, are not.

Growing up, some folks may not be aware of another hurdle lefties faced -- right field dead.

If you played stick ball in your childhood or didn't play sandlot ball, you have no idea what that means. Since the majority of people are right handed, so were the players in neighborhood baseball/softball games (in my neighborhood, for example, there were 30 kids who would play at any given time, only one of whom was a lefty). Most kids weren't good enough to "hit to all fields" and were pull hitters.

On days when there weren't quite enough kids to field a full squad, even after resorting to "own pitcher" and "batting team supplied the catcher," the ruling would be made that was the bane of all lefties: "Right field dead!"

Meaning no one had to play right field ... and meaning that any ball hit to right field didn't count. Meaning left-handers had to learn to hit the ball "the other way" or get called out when everyone got tired of running down their hits to the "dead" field.

In my neighborhood, it was exacerbated; there was a lumberyard with a barbed-wire fence bordering right field. The left-handed kid also had to climb the fence to retrieve the balls he hit in there. So Rusty, on behalf of all of us, this is my apology to you, and to your mom, who had to stitch up all those ripped jeans from climbing over that fence.

Here's a gallery of baseball and softball in New Jersey in which right field was NOT dead. And here are links to other galleries you might enjoy.

Men from N.J. who had a 'cup of coffee' in the big leagues

Vintage photos of pastimes and games in N.J.

Vintage photos of people at play in N.J.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

N.J. pets in need: April 8, 2019

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Pets all over New Jersey are waiting to be adopted.

If you're interested in helping homeless animals but aren't able to adopt one, there are a number of other ways you can be of assistance.

Realistically, not everyone can adopt. People who live in apartments or developments that have no-pets policies fall into that category, as do people with allergies or disabilities that will not allow them to care for pets of their own. Here are suggestions for ways people who want to help can participate in caring for homeless animals.

* Help out at a local shelter. It's not glamorous work by any means, but it's vital and will be very much appreciated. You can do anything from help walk dogs to bottle feed kittens, help clean kennels or cat's cages or even help with bathing and grooming. Contact your local shelter to find out their policies regarding volunteers.

* If you're handy, you can lend a hand in many ways. Shelters usually need repairs of many kinds, so fixer-uppers can help out like that. If you sew, quilt or crochet, you can make blankets for your local shelter.

* Help out at an adoption event. Many shelters and rescue groups participate in local events by hosting a table with pets available for adoption. They also hold these program at malls, pet supply stores and banks, and can always use a helping hand.

* For galleries like this one and for online adoption sites, often a shelter or rescue group doesn't have the time or equipment to shoot good photos of their adoptable pets. Something as simple as making yourself available to shoot and provide digital files of pet photos can be a big help.

* Donate. It doesn't have to be money; shelters need cleaning supplies, pet food, toys for the animals and often even things we don't think twice about getting rid of like old towels and newspapers. Every little bit helps.

If you don't know where your local animal shelter or rescue group is, a quick online search will reveal a number of results. It doesn't take a lot of time or effort to get involved but it provides immeasurable assistance.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.






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