Post #2 - Pop DeHart

I think I'll stick to my theme of introductions, and present first our grandfather, Charles Thompson DeHart (born March 1, 1903), husband of Mid (Miriam Bartram Clark DeHart), father to Chuck, Doug, Libby and Ann.  I won't be so formal with the naming of those likely to be reading this, (and I promise I will not post any embarrassing pictures of current generations without permission (unless they are childhood photos too cute to resist!).  Like this one of Charles in his bath, probably 1904, from Ann's photo album:

I assume he was about 1 1/2 years old in that photo since this post card below is dated August, 1904 - Charles and baby brother Russell; I also assume this is the handwriting of their mother, Mary Clark Thompson DeHart, probably escaping the South Jersey August heat and spending some time down at the seaside, penning a note back home to their Papa, Henry/Harry Albert DeHart, back in Thorofare.

Below is a stand-alone pose of Charles, probably 1906 or 1907:

And I think this is actually the same photo, but with both brothers, Russell wearing that fabulous frock and Charles in his tunic and little boy breeches:

I am absolutely not making fun of the white "frock" as it was known at the turn of the last century (remember the old lullaby "rockity, rockity rock; baby-boy in a white frock; all over the floor; like ships from the shore; rockity, rockity rock").  I read up a bit on children's fashion in the early 1900's and it seems that babies were considered fairly genderless when it came to clothing.  Swaddling wraps for infants, knee-length rompers for crawling babies, frocks for toddlers, and tunics and knee shorts or knickers with long socks for young boys.  All I know is that I would love to see a vintage garment like that up close.  Looks like it has rows of pin tucks, and those starched sleeve caps!

Below is Charles, a little older now, in 1911.  He was 9 years, 7 months old.

Onto the teenage years.  Our Grandpop was quite the high school athlete!  Who knew?  I sure didn't.  I don't ever remember our grandfather running, jogging, or moving any faster than a slow rambling walk.  True, a walk with him, especially in the fields or woods, was pure magic, a science, botany, biology, zoology, and history lesson all rolled into one - he was so smart about all those things.  AND Captain of his football team at Woodbury High School.  Here is the 1921-22 Championship team, Charles in the middle front holding the football.

He also played baseball, though I don't think the team did all that well in 1922.  Charles is at the end of the front row right.

And he was Captain of the basketball team in his senior year (again center holding the ball). 

 I'm getting these photos from his high school yearbook, The White and Gold, 1922 .  I plan to scan the entire book into one PDF file and place it over on the sidebar under Documents, Links & Stuff because it's full of that sort of quaint/formal 1920's writing -- like this poem written about our grandfather:

 

Charles went off to college at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and I found this photo below of him with his freshman football team, second from left in front row, I believe.  This was from the Class of 1924's yearbook that I found online.

 

So I'll conclude this session of Sports Center for now.  There is SO much to write about - I must do some organizing.  Be back soon.  --cds