South Amboy Business Men's Association outing 1926
This image is one of 100 photographs given to me by a member of the Bristol (Vermont) Historical Society. The box of photographs was left at a church rummage sale and remained unsold afterward. No one could bring themselves to throw them away, so they were given to the BHS, and so, to me. The photos are from Brooklyn, New York, northern New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. I believe they were once owned by the Oscar Reinhardt family of Brooklyn, NY, Perth Amboy, South Amboy, and New Brunswick, NJ.
The inventory:
57 Snapshots
21 Cabinet Cards
20 Portraits (9 large, 8 small, 3 group)
7 Other photos/documents
This particular image was one of the three professionally mounted group portraits mentioned above. It's annotated, First annual outing of the South Amboy Business Mens Assn. Inc., held at Seidlers Beach, NJ, Wed., July 21, 1926. The photographer was the Klase Studio of Rahway, NJ, and Seidlers Beach. A further annotation indicates this is photograph #2, suggesting there's at least one other like it floating around out there.
I counted 43 men clad in non-beachlike attire. There are two men in bathing suits as defined by the fashion of the day in the far upper left. A bathing beauty is sneaking into the frame on the left, while a boy at far right strikes a muscleman pose. Vintage cars are visible in the background on either side.
From The South Amboy Citizen, June 5, 1925, Page 1 (a little over a year before the photograph was taken)
Merchants to hold meeting
Tonight a number of the business men of the city are planning to meet in the offices of Reinhardt & Kurowsky, Broadway real estate and insurance operators, to discuss the formation of an association in the interest of the business men of the city. It is said that a number of interested merchants along Broadway, principally, have felt the need of some such organization for a long time and there has been for months more or less talk of taking steps toward actual formation.
Mr. H.R. West , sales promotor, now attached to the local offices of the Jersey Central Light and Power Co., has been working in this city and vicinity for the past several weeks. His work has met with a success that has far exceeded expectations with resultant satisfaction all around. In coming into contact with the business people and also the housewives and home folks, Mr. West has become more and more impressed he claims, with the business possibilities of this community in particular. At this time he is probably one of the most enthusiastic and ardent boosters of South Amboy that there is to be found.
Upon hearing of the long-talked of business men's association, Mr. West admitted that he had had considerable experience in the formation and also the operation of similar organizations in other cities wherein he has engaged in sales promotion. He has volunteered his services in helping to "put across" the organization here and is meeting with a very satisfactory degree of cooperation, he now states. For the past few days he has been devoting a considerable portion of his time to furthering the plans for the meeting tonight and as a result a big turnout is expected.
Mayor Hoffman will be one of the several speakers at the Reinhardt & Kurowsky offices tonight and other local merchants will be urged to express their views both as to the business prospects And the prospects for a successful organization of the kind under consideration. There are no specific invitations being issued for this meeting and a general invitation is extended to all interested merchants to be on hand at eight o'clock and at least give the benefit of their individual opinion or experience in connection with the suggestions that will be forthcoming.
Knowing that this organization was created within the year, it appears likely that Reinhardt was a charter member and instrumental in its creation.
From The South Amboy Citizen, December 23, 1925, Page 1
Business men to elect officers at meeting Monday night. Important matters coming up.
The Business Men's Assn. meeting to be held on Monday night is to be of unusual importance, according to the secretary, Mr. Fred. Kurowsky. In addition to a number of matters of importance there is to be the annual election of officers and several important questions are to be taken up for discussion.
The meeting is to be held in the Reinhardt & Kurowsky offices at eight o'clock and it is the hope of the officers that there will be a big attendance of members. It is pointed out that the Christmas holiday rush will be enjoying a breathing spell. The leisure time should enable them all to devote a short period to the affairs of their mutual welfare association, it is said.
Mr. W. M. Mills, formerly of this city, now secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of Barberton, Ohio, is spending a few days renewing acquaintances here, may be induced to give a short talk of interest on the problems of local business men, according to President Reinhardt.
Another member of the association is expected to outline a plan he has had in mind for several months for stimulating interest on the part of the public in the welfare of the local businessmen.
Note that Reinhardt, here is referred to as "President Reinhardt". He also signed a letter to the editor in this issue as President Reinhardt. I believe this shows he was selected as interim president for the nacent organization, while his business partner, Fred Kurowsky, was selected as secretary.
From The South Amboy Citizen, March 19, 1926, Page 1
...An unquestioned success was that of the first dinner of the South Amboy Business Men's Association last Monday evening at the Bide-a-Wee Inn...
...Due to the disability of President Oscar Reinhardt who was suffering from a bad cold although able to be present, Mr. James L. Housell was pressed into service to act as toastmaster…
This news item suggests that Oscar Reinhardt won the presidency of the association in the first annual election. As president, I expect that he is in the picture above along with other charter members. As I examine the photo closely, I see family resemblances between adjacent members that suggest father and son businessmen or perhaps, brothers. Any help identifying these folks is appreciated.
A higher resolution copy of this image can be downloaded from this link.
South Amboy Business Men's Association outing 1926
This image is one of 100 photographs given to me by a member of the Bristol (Vermont) Historical Society. The box of photographs was left at a church rummage sale and remained unsold afterward. No one could bring themselves to throw them away, so they were given to the BHS, and so, to me. The photos are from Brooklyn, New York, northern New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. I believe they were once owned by the Oscar Reinhardt family of Brooklyn, NY, Perth Amboy, South Amboy, and New Brunswick, NJ.
The inventory:
57 Snapshots
21 Cabinet Cards
20 Portraits (9 large, 8 small, 3 group)
7 Other photos/documents
This particular image was one of the three professionally mounted group portraits mentioned above. It's annotated, First annual outing of the South Amboy Business Mens Assn. Inc., held at Seidlers Beach, NJ, Wed., July 21, 1926. The photographer was the Klase Studio of Rahway, NJ, and Seidlers Beach. A further annotation indicates this is photograph #2, suggesting there's at least one other like it floating around out there.
I counted 43 men clad in non-beachlike attire. There are two men in bathing suits as defined by the fashion of the day in the far upper left. A bathing beauty is sneaking into the frame on the left, while a boy at far right strikes a muscleman pose. Vintage cars are visible in the background on either side.
From The South Amboy Citizen, June 5, 1925, Page 1 (a little over a year before the photograph was taken)
Merchants to hold meeting
Tonight a number of the business men of the city are planning to meet in the offices of Reinhardt & Kurowsky, Broadway real estate and insurance operators, to discuss the formation of an association in the interest of the business men of the city. It is said that a number of interested merchants along Broadway, principally, have felt the need of some such organization for a long time and there has been for months more or less talk of taking steps toward actual formation.
Mr. H.R. West , sales promotor, now attached to the local offices of the Jersey Central Light and Power Co., has been working in this city and vicinity for the past several weeks. His work has met with a success that has far exceeded expectations with resultant satisfaction all around. In coming into contact with the business people and also the housewives and home folks, Mr. West has become more and more impressed he claims, with the business possibilities of this community in particular. At this time he is probably one of the most enthusiastic and ardent boosters of South Amboy that there is to be found.
Upon hearing of the long-talked of business men's association, Mr. West admitted that he had had considerable experience in the formation and also the operation of similar organizations in other cities wherein he has engaged in sales promotion. He has volunteered his services in helping to "put across" the organization here and is meeting with a very satisfactory degree of cooperation, he now states. For the past few days he has been devoting a considerable portion of his time to furthering the plans for the meeting tonight and as a result a big turnout is expected.
Mayor Hoffman will be one of the several speakers at the Reinhardt & Kurowsky offices tonight and other local merchants will be urged to express their views both as to the business prospects And the prospects for a successful organization of the kind under consideration. There are no specific invitations being issued for this meeting and a general invitation is extended to all interested merchants to be on hand at eight o'clock and at least give the benefit of their individual opinion or experience in connection with the suggestions that will be forthcoming.
Knowing that this organization was created within the year, it appears likely that Reinhardt was a charter member and instrumental in its creation.
From The South Amboy Citizen, December 23, 1925, Page 1
Business men to elect officers at meeting Monday night. Important matters coming up.
The Business Men's Assn. meeting to be held on Monday night is to be of unusual importance, according to the secretary, Mr. Fred. Kurowsky. In addition to a number of matters of importance there is to be the annual election of officers and several important questions are to be taken up for discussion.
The meeting is to be held in the Reinhardt & Kurowsky offices at eight o'clock and it is the hope of the officers that there will be a big attendance of members. It is pointed out that the Christmas holiday rush will be enjoying a breathing spell. The leisure time should enable them all to devote a short period to the affairs of their mutual welfare association, it is said.
Mr. W. M. Mills, formerly of this city, now secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of Barberton, Ohio, is spending a few days renewing acquaintances here, may be induced to give a short talk of interest on the problems of local business men, according to President Reinhardt.
Another member of the association is expected to outline a plan he has had in mind for several months for stimulating interest on the part of the public in the welfare of the local businessmen.
Note that Reinhardt, here is referred to as "President Reinhardt". He also signed a letter to the editor in this issue as President Reinhardt. I believe this shows he was selected as interim president for the nacent organization, while his business partner, Fred Kurowsky, was selected as secretary.
From The South Amboy Citizen, March 19, 1926, Page 1
...An unquestioned success was that of the first dinner of the South Amboy Business Men's Association last Monday evening at the Bide-a-Wee Inn...
...Due to the disability of President Oscar Reinhardt who was suffering from a bad cold although able to be present, Mr. James L. Housell was pressed into service to act as toastmaster…
This news item suggests that Oscar Reinhardt won the presidency of the association in the first annual election. As president, I expect that he is in the picture above along with other charter members. As I examine the photo closely, I see family resemblances between adjacent members that suggest father and son businessmen or perhaps, brothers. Any help identifying these folks is appreciated.
A higher resolution copy of this image can be downloaded from this link.