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James Oscar Betelle (1879-1954) was a Newark, NJ based civic architect. Public schools were his speciality—if you grew up in the New York Tri-State area, there's a good chance you went to one.
Betelle drifted in obscurity for sixty years, until the day I paused to wonder, "who designed my school?" More…
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Author Archives: Steve Weintraub
August Sieder, Jr.
I don’t actively research Betelle much anymore, but I do have automatic searches in place at a number of websites. eBay is the busiest, where occasional magazines and postcards pop up. I mostly ignore those, as it’s generally material I … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, Biographical
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Durand-Hedden Lecture
I have the honor of being asked to give a talk on the life and work of James Betelle at the Durand-Hedden House and Garden Association, on April 29th, from 1-4 pm. All are welcome—and I promise to reveal stories, some … Continue reading
Re-Education of the Adult a War Necessity
Beyond architecture, James Betelle occasionally wrote about grander social issues. This article was written in 1917, shortly after the U.S.’s entry into World War I. Transcribed from The American Architect, Vol. CXII, August 22, 1917, No. 2174. Re-Education of the Adult a … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Miscellaneous
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“A Simple But Impressive Ceremony”
James Betelle’s death is one of the more curious aspects of his story. He died in Italy, ending up in an unmarked pauper’s grave, while in Delaware, a stone with his name on it sits quietly in an old cemetery. … Continue reading
His Earthly Labors
The Newark Sunday Call of December 3, 1916, offered this brief obituary for Ernest F. Guilbert, who died two days earlier: Few men in the last generation have left a more enduring mark upon this community than one who came … Continue reading