James Betelle, Where Are You?

The Search for a Lost Architect

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Let us live with our children — Friedrich Froebel, Inscription over kindergarten entrance, State Normal School, Jersey City

Doings in the Hive of the Three Busy B’s

October 14th, 2009 · No Comments · Biographical, Miscellaneous

Office parties—when the staff lets their hair down, the boss awkwardly pretends to be “one of the gang”, and at least one person gets embarrassingly drunk—are a staple of the corporate world. These days, such events are limp, pathetic affairs, attended with the same enthusiasm as your average dental cleaning.
Last week, during one of my [...]

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Something Beautiful

September 16th, 2009 · No Comments · Architecture, Articles

The April, 1915 issue of The School-Arts Magazine (“For Those Interested in Drawing & Handicraft”) ran a flowery piece, “Something Beautiful”, extolling the “rhythmic and refined” qualities of the Ridge Street School and Newark Normal School. Preceding the glowing praise are quotes from Ralph Adams Cram, “architect of some of the finest Gothic churches [...]

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Before and McAfter

June 27th, 2009 · 2 Comments · Architecture, Diary

Guilbert & Betelle designed a number of banks for Newark in the early 1920s. They are frustratingly difficult to track down, because few reveal their addresses, or are probably drastically altered in appearance.
Well this one, the United States Savings Bank on Broad Street, still exists. I’ve unknowingly walked past it dozens of times, because it [...]

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Weequahic Walking Tour

November 18th, 2008 · No Comments · Miscellaneous

If you read my last post, you know that over a weekend in August I visited Guilbert & Betelle’s Weequahic High School and took a tour of Newark’s historic High Street/Lower Broad Street area. Both were illuminating and entertaining.
If you’re interested to learn more about the Weequahic neighborhood, now is your chance. Jeff Bennet of [...]

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Two Streets and a School

August 20th, 2008 · No Comments · Architecture, Diary

Newark wears its history in plain sight. An astoundingly diverse collection of buildings, evocative street names and a rich narrative dating back over 300 years lay the city bare to those who even casually glance. James Betelle spent his 20 most productive years there, so it naturally comprises a good chunk of my research.
I’ve spent [...]

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