All interviews were taped and documented.They are available through the Reference
Department of the Teaneck Public Library. The Library is not responsible for the accuracy
of the statements nor does it necessarily endorse the opinions expressed.

Chris Sheffe

(Interview taped 7/18/1979 by Lucille McBride & Mildred Taylor)

I came to Teaneck from New York in 1910. We lived first at 392 Ogden Ave. and then at 550 Warwick Ave. I was in the fire insurance business.

Teaneck was countrified when we came here, but it was beginning to grow. On the top of the hill at Ogden Avenue we could see Rekow's farm, Zabriskies and Roemer's. Roemer Avenue is named for the Roemers.  Our neighbors were the Whipples, the Bretts, the Races, Obriens, Pecks, Ferrys and Rittzmers -- Freddie used to have four bloody noses a dat--they couldn't cure it.

There were the Carrol Hudgens, Nolans, Thurlbys, the E. A. Smiths and the Lloyd Schroeders -- they lived where Les Neulen lived later -- he bought the Schroeders' house. We go back a long way.

I was president of the school board for 13 years and on the board for 17 years. I stayed out of town politics. On the school board I remember Cuff, Al Maurer, Bill Keicher and Augue Fleck, I remember Bodine and Gloecker as mayors.

My son graduated from Teaneck High in 1938.  I presented him with his diploma. There were six board members with kids graduating.

When I came here there were two elementary schools--Oakdene and Washington Irving. Emerson was built later then the first part of Whittier School -- four rooms. They added the auditorium later, then built to the east and north.

I was a friend of Paul Volcker, the township manager.

I'm 92 years old. I was born in New York City and remember swimming across the Hudson. I had a good fishing friend in Ralph Hacker, the architect for Teaneck High School, Hawthorne School and the addition to School 2.

Teaneck High school cost about $200,000. They later made an addition and after that built the gymnasium. Building Route 4 made a difference in the high school location. I remember Jim Brett, who became mayor, used to work for the good of the town.

Miss Alice Miraglia, later Mrs. Hoek,  was a young woman when our children went to Whittier. She was a good principal.

Sheffe Jr. remembers Miss Moore, a 5 by 4 lady, used to go in the ante room and bawl her head oft.

We lived in West Englewood Park. Ogden Avenue was the entrance to West Englewood Park. We had two sons, Hal and Tom--Tom died. 

Hal:  I was born on Ogden Ave. 57 years ago. My father was here when they built the Little Christ Episcopal Church.  They put on a minstrel show at a bazaar--every one in black face.

Sam Cutler, the druggist, was on the corner of West Englewood Ave. Joe Weiss had the taxi service. There was the Comfort Coal Co. and Sheffield Farms.

There were 4 tennis courts at Warwick, Essex and Maitland, where the present Christ Church is now. 

We had picnics in the woods where the B'Hai temple is now. There was a bandshell at the foot of West Englewood Ave. where they had concerts--this was long before we had Votee Park.

Hal: I palled with Charlie Steele's son. I remember five of us would each put in a dime and get 50 cents worth of gas and drive my brother's car around. I walked 2.9 miles to Teaneck High and thought nothing of it.

I watched them run the cable for the George Washington Bridge. My brother was on the high seas. He was on an oil tanker and came home when he had leave.

Mr. Sheffe:  I was with the Manhattan Fire & the London Assurance companies.

The real estate company put in the streets before there were houses in our neighborhood. Dick Majors may have had something to do with the development of our section, not Mr. Ayers. He was east of the railroad tracks.

 

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