| Author | Message | ||
     jezor Citizen Username: Jezor Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2001 |
I am a native Maplewoodian (CHS '85). I was recently back visiting Maplewood, and drove along Tuscan Rd. I told my wife about the water slide that Joe Bayer built down to the brook, but now I'm doubting my own memory. Does anyone else remember that water slide (impossible in today's litigious society), or am I dreaming it? {Jonathan Ezor} | ||
| Bill232 Citizen Username: Bill232 Post Number: 181 Registered: 3-2003 |
Yes I remember the water slide. I graduated with your sister. There were actually two slides and they were used several times. One slide was made by lining the gulley drains with plastic, alongside the walkways were the new edition is located at the rear of the school. The other slide went down the steep hill from the area of the old playground. It emptied into a hole that was dug at the bottom near the edge of the brook. What a great memory of sliding down a plastic lined water slide into a pool of water that eventually mixed with dirt and wood chips that would be stuck all over you when you got out. I also remember baby oil being used to make you more slippery. | ||
| jezor Citizen Username: Jezor Post Number: 3 Registered: 3-2001 |
Bill: Thanks so much for confirming my memory! (P.S. Bill who?) {Jonathan} | ||
| Psychomom Citizen Username: Psychomom Post Number: 157 Registered: 5-2005 |
Joe Bayer also made a water slide on Flood's Hill in South Orange one summer. I worked for the recreation department many summers as a camp couselor in the day camp. Joe Bayer directed the camp one year. He used sheets of oilcloth or maybe vinyl I don't remember for sure, that were duct taped together and ran hoses with water that ran down the whole thing...we took a running leap and let gravity do the rest. It was a blast, kids and counselors all enjoyed it. | ||
| extuscan Citizen Username: Extuscan Post Number: 646 Registered: 6-2001 |
Bayer... was he the gym teacher? There was a gym teacher there but I swear it was Mr. Bear! That was about the most un-gym gym class ever. There wasn't much stress on traditional athletics. I remember he had a parachute we'd use for stuff, and these scooter boards with wheels on them that we'd ride around the gym. The boards all had names of fast animals on them like "Cheetah" and or whatever. We had a Chevy Impala station wagon (a '78, what a beast) and my dad told me an Impala was a fast horse. So when a scooter or whatever they were turned up without a name on it, I got to name it Impala. I think they were yellow and blue hard plastic. One day he opened up the wall and we got to play kickball into the auditorium. I vaguely (very vague) remember a rather sad ending to that particular gym teachers career at Tuscan. One that was half bogus nonsense. -John | ||
| cody Citizen Username: Cody Post Number: 1023 Registered: 5-2001 |
Joe Bayer was at Tuscan until the year my daughter went on to middle school, which was 1995. All the kids loved him. Is that the "Mr. Bear" you are thinking of? Joe had a number of kids of his own and lived here in town. I know he moved to somewhere in Ocean or Monmouth county. We moved here in 1980 and he was the Tuscan PE teacher then, so he was there from at least 1980-1995. I don't know how long he was at Tuscan before we moved to Maplewood. I do recall he was a really nice guy and all of the kids loved his classes. | ||
| extuscan Citizen Username: Extuscan Post Number: 647 Registered: 6-2001 |
Well lets just hope I was confused and he retired without event! Like I said, the incident was ALL BS anyway -John | ||
| Psychomom Citizen Username: Psychomom Post Number: 176 Registered: 5-2005 |
Yes, Mr Bayer or Bear...was also the gym teacher at Tuscan. While in College I did some teacher oberservation at Tuscan, when I brought the class down to him for gym, he had constructed a huge plastic bubble with a fan that inflated it. The rule was if you went inside of it you couldn't stand still, he had music playing and all. Well, the kids had me go inside the bubble and Mr. Bear backed them up that I had to keep moving...it was really funny and fun. I hope he retired without incident, I thought he was an excellent teacher. | ||
| jezor Citizen Username: Jezor Post Number: 5 Registered: 3-2001 |
Joe's son Rich Bayer was in my class (Tuscan '79). Mr. Bayer was a creative gym teacher who rebuilt the playground with all sorts of new equipment (remember the woodchips?). I am no athlete, but I remember gym class with fondness, which is a credit to Mr. Bayer. {Jonathan} | ||
| crossroads Citizen Username: Crossroads Post Number: 149 Registered: 12-2001  |
I would have forgotten all about it if not for this thread! Thanks! John of Tuscan '72. | ||
| Joseph Bayer Citizen Username: Mrbear Post Number: 1 Registered: 8-2006 |
This is Mr. Bayer. I was glad to hear the chatter about the Tuscan school playground. Those we great times especially the water slide, Tarzan swing, monorail, plastic bubble and the Bear Club. Fishing is great in Brielle. All the Bayers are married with children. Life is good. RSVP mrbear. | ||
| Psychomom Citizen Username: Psychomom Post Number: 534 Registered: 5-2005  |
good to hear from you Mr. Bayer. So how did we rig the water slide on Flood's Hill...I can't quite remember it in detail, just the fun of sliding down the slide. | ||
| cody Citizen Username: Cody Post Number: 1111 Registered: 5-2001 |
Hi, Joe! Great to hear from you. You had both of my children at Tuscan - my daughter cried for your entire last day. She still says you were "the best Gym teacher EVER"! Glad all is well with you and your family. |
