In Flanders Fields (1915) by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing,
fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead.
Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset flow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Canadian poet John McCrae was a medical officer in World War I. A year into the war he published, on Dec. 9, 1915, the sole work by which he would be remembered. This poem commemorates the deaths of thousands of young men who died in Flanders during the grueling battles there. It created a great sensation. Legend has it that he was inspired by seeing the blood-red poppies blooming in the fields where many friends had died. In 1918, McCrae died at the age of 46. We reprint this in honor of Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11. Please feel free to submit a commentary if you desire.

The Central Record reporters are hard at work on election stories for this Thursday's (Nov. 8) edition of the paper - so please make sure you check us out. In the meantime, here are some preliminary results: In Medford, the two GOP newcomers - Mary Ann O'Brien and Robert Martin - handily won seats on the township council, defeating Democratic newcomers Stephanie-Kassel-Doherty and Richard Vogt. In Shamong, Dems Laura King and Steven Bond were defeated by GOP incumbents Jonathan Shevelew and Christopher Norman for township committee seats. In Southampton, John Hicks and Robert Moore, both Republican incumbents, were uncontested in their pursuit of two seats on the township committee. Likewise, in Tabernacle, Noble McNaughton and Joseph Yates, both Republican incumbents, were unchallenged for their two seats on the township committee.

Check us out later in the day for updates - and be sure to read the Nov. 8 edition of The Central Record.

Enjoy this beautiful day-after-election day!

Susan Miller
Managing Editor

Readers ...
The lawn chairs are already lined up along Main Street in Medford - it can only mean that the annual Medford-Vincentown Rotary Halloween Parade will be happening this Saturday night (10/27 at 7 p.m.) It's the 61st year for the parade, which features lots of floats and costumed kiddies.

There are actually all kinds of Halloween-related activities this year - more than ever if memory serves me. Mount Laurel is having a free Halloween Celebration and Parade at Laurel Acres Park on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 10 to Noon. It's sponsored by the Mount Laurel Municipal Alliance Against Substance Abuse, and apparently it's the first such event in the township.

The Springhouse development in Medford is having a costume party for dogs on Friday afternoon and the Gibson House is featuring a Haunted Halloween on Friday and Saturday night (at 7 p.m.)

And on Saturday, from 2 to 4 p.m., Shawnee High School will give out candy to trick or treaters - courtesy of the Medford police.

Let's hope the weather cooperates for the outdoor activities!


Susan Miller
Managing Editor

Gypsy moths galore!

*Take a ride through the woods in Southampton and you'll see what all the fuss is about this week. Poor Cliff Smith even had a few of the dreaded gypsy moths clinging to his clothes when he visited our office recently to show us the devastation on his property. Southampton officials did not return phone calls from our reporter this week or last week, as we attempted to get official word as to why the township opted not to treat for gypsy moths as other local towns have done. We continue to get calls from very agitated residents - I hope officials are at least responding to the taxpayers of the town, even if they don't call us back.

* By the look of our 'Letters to the Editor' page this week, people are extremely concerned about the Special Review Committee established in Evesham to discuss the appropriateness of the "That's a Family" program - the includes a depiction of gay parents - for third grade students. I've heard - often - from people on both sides of the controversial issue. Let's hope everyone stays open minded and courteous during this debate.

* If you have time on Saturday morning (June 9), grab a canoe (or use one of the borrowed ones from Camp Dark Waters) and join Bernie Mayer and his group of volunteers who will be clearing out debris from the waterway on the Rancocas Creek starting at Camp Dark Waters near Kirby's Mill.

* Let us know how you feel about things in your neighborhood or town. Write a letter to the editor to express an opinion or contact me at (609) 654-5000 Ext. 18 or at news@medfordcentralrecord.com.


Susan Miller
Managing Editor
The Central Record

Changes in Evesham

It's hard to believe that Mayor Gus Tamburro will no longer be at the helm in Evesham Township. For almost as long as I've been a reporter/editor covering Evesham Township, Gus has been the top guy in town. He attributes his loss (and the loss of the other two people on his team) to Randy Brown (and his two running mates) to changing political perspectives as well as a younger population. For their part, Brown's team - which includes Chris Brown (no relation) and John McKenna - say they are excited to get started on the transition into the inner-workings of Evesham Township politics. There are many wonderful things about Evesham Township - the schools, the neighborhoods, the library, the playgrounds, the sports complex, the shopping centers, to name a few. It's considered one of the most desirable townships in the state - especially if you disregard the traffic nightmare that is the Marlton Circle. We wish the new mayor and council members well.

Susan Miller
Managing Editor

After the flood

What a week! After the deluge we experienced this week, I'm sure I speak for most people when I say "Yippee! - here comes the sun." But while the world outside my window here at The Central Record looks lovely and temperate today (Friday), with no real traces of the flood waters that ravaged this area earlier this week, the damage left behind will be costly, especially, it seems in Medford. According to a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) estimate this week, Burlington County suffered about $7.7 million in damages with most damage reported in Medford - approximately $1.76 million worth.

For the full story, please see The Central Record's post-flood coverage in the April 26 issue.

This lovely day, alas, won't do much to lift the spirits of a nation that is truly in mourning - once again - for the senseless slaughter of so many promising young people and several of their brilliant professors at the hands of a very disturbed individual. Today - ironically on the anniversary of the Columbine disaster nine years ago - many people are donning the colors of Virginia Tech in memory of the 32 people who were killed at that bucolic campus in the mountains on Monday. As a parent of two college students, I vacillate between tears and total disbelief: I can't begin to imagine - or I can't let myself imagine - the horror that these families are experiencing. As a fellow citizen, I also mourn the incredible potential that was lost this week: dreams that won't be realized, remarkable careers that won't be embarked upon, amazing goals that won't be accomplished. As members of the human race, we've all lost something dear this week. All of us who are parents, children, siblings, friends, loved ones, teachers, mentors - our collective hearts are broken.

Please read Reporter Adrianne Bruce's thoughts on the Virginia Tech tragedy in the April 26 edition of The Central Record.

Also, in the weeks ahead, we will be following the news of school districts in our coverage area with failed budgets as officials attempt to negotiate a spending plan with municipalities, as the state requires.


Susan Miller
Managing Editor

Looking forward...

School elections are coming up on April 17. We've been running stories on the various school district budgets and school board races and will publish more in the next edition of The Central Record on April 12. Please pay attention to the issues in your community and remember to vote.

Also, turn to the pages of The Central Record (Diversions section) on April 12 and read about a middle-age local resident who decided to quit the corporate world in favor of running his own business.

We'll also have details of an upcoming fund-raising event to benefit the education of a 5-year-old son of a 29-year-old Medford woman, who recently died of cancer.

Find out when the Tabernacle School District will screen the film "An Inconvenient Truth" in honor of Earth Day.

The Spring Sports season is off to a start - check out our award-winning sports pages in the weeks to come to find out how your favorite teams are doing.

Looking forward to the return of the warm weather so our photographer, David, can get out and about capturing scenes of Spring. Have a wonderful weekend!

Susan Miller
Managing Editor

Coming Soon!

Stay tuned to www.medfordcentralrecord.com for this new blog by the staff of The Central Record.