Hackensack High School
1918
The Senior Critic



Russell S. Hastings


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Russell S.Hastings also left school early in spring 1918 to join the service. Along with J. Park Hart's name, he is mentioned in the yearbook paper The Senior Critic, on the Honor Roll, and listed with those who graduated. Russell Hastings was also the class Treasurer before leaving and had played on the football team in the fall 1917.

Under a article in the high school news paper the CRITIC labeled “CLASS ALPHABET' it says “H is for Hastings and also for Hart, both have enlisted to do there part”

STILL ANOTHER HACKENSACK BOY DIES IN CAMP, October 9, 1918.

The article title could not be more accurate. In a two week span, they had reported on Eugene Breen,
J. Park Hart, Arthur Nicklar, and now him, Russell Hastings, who was a classmate of J. Park Hart only 6 months earlier, all having died of the flu.

This memorial plaque was erected shortly after World War I. The tree was planted along with the plaque by the citizens of Hackensack to honor those men who died during their service in the Great War.  The small monuments are located on the southern side of Foschini Park with a small tree planted along with it.  When the tree planting and small memorials were put up, the area was probably part of the Oritani Field club.  I played baseball in Foschini Park my entire young life till I was 20 years old (I am 54 years old now - January 2010) and I never knew these memorials were there until last year (2009) when the city manager mentioned it to me. 

Let us never forget the servicemen's sacrifice.

Bob Meli January 2010


The Senior Critic

John Park
Hart

Ellsworth Dederick





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