The Word From G

I left East Orange in 1959 at the age of 12 so the Stockton School blog makes no attempt to comment on what life was like there starting in the 1960's with changes like the bulldozing of historic neighborhoods to make way for I-280 or the rapid change in demographics starting in the late 1950's.

Fortunately, as my time in East Orange was ending, another person who is interested in some of the same subjects was just beginning his time in the city. Blogger Keith Gatling was born in 1956 at Orange Memorial Hospital (the same year and hospital as my brother) and graduated from East Orange High School in 1974. He was a second generation resident as his father also grew up there, both of them attending Ashland School.

Unlike the Stockton School blog, Keith's blog, The Word From G,  is not dedicated to East Orange, but he does occasionally write about growing up there and writes of changes in the city during his time there and since then.

For example, he has written about the EO school name changes, East Orange as a "small town," gentrification and blockbusting, and apartment buildings and their effect on NJ cities.

The Word From G needs to be added to the reading list of those interested in the ongoing history of East Orange, but, more importantly, of anyone interested in life observations from a non-stereotypical point of view.