[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 25, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1322-E1323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A TRIBUTE TO THE BERNARDSVILLE NEWS

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 25, 1997

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to The 
Bernardsville News, an institution that has brightened the lives and 
expanded the horizons of north central New Jerseyans for the past 
century. This Saturday, June 28, 1997, The Bernardsville News and those 
that print it will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Mr. Speaker, I am 
honored and proud to be included in this wonderful celebration.
  In the era of media moguls and mega mergers, where corporate 
behemoths like Disney and Ted Turner battle over billions, it seems 
nothing is consistent anymore. That is precisely what makes this 
hallmark so significant. For 100 years, the journalists and editors at 
The Bernardsville News have recorded the current events of New Jersey--
the people, the places, and the effects they've had on our lives and 
communities.
  The newspaper has been a mainstay of the community since its debut as 
The Bernardsville Beacon in February, 1897, followed by its second 
issue on March 6, 1897, when it appeared as The Bernardsville News.
  The News has been guided by a series of five publishing families, 
starting with a local Presbyterian minister and his son in 1897, who 
founded the newspaper before selling it in 1902 to the H.C. Rowell 
family who in turn sold it to Levi and Helena Trumbull in 1907.
  Levi Trumbull, 74 at the time of his purchase of the paper, ran the 
newspaper until poor health forced him into an ill-fated sale of the 
paper in 1915 to its competitors, The Bernardsville Recorder newspaper 
whose owners ran the paper for about 7 months, accumulated massive 
debts and disappeared.
  That merger created the Recorder Publishing Co., however, which is 
the corporate name of the newspaper's publishing company today.
  The Trumbull family reclaimed the newspaper in February 1916 and 
their son Carl Trumbull ran the newspaper until 1955 when his family 
sold to Charles McDermott.
  McDermott added a second newspaper, The Mendham-Chester Tribune, and 
sold both newspapers to The Bernardsville News' current owners, 
Cortlandt and Nancy Parker, in 1957.
  The Parker family is celebrating its 40th anniversary of ownership 
this year and has expanded the newspaper group from two community 
newspapers to 14 weekly newspapers, including two newspapers serving 
large condominium complexes in the area, with paid combined circulation 
of about 50,000 households in northern Somerset County, Morris County 
and northern Hunterdon County in central New Jersey.
  The Parkers' four children follow the Parker tradition by maintaining 
an active involvement in producing these newspapers. This tradition of 
service has brought us a vivid chronicle of history and a record of 
events both current and past, and it has helped preserve many public 
and private institutions in New Jersey. For this we can only say thank 
you.
  Readership is testament to initial quality of product. But longevity 
is testament to the commitment and dedication of professionals who

[[Page E1323]]

have succeeded in keeping The Bernardsville News on every coffee table 
and front porch in Far Hills, Peapack-Gladstone, Bedminster Township 
and Bernards Township for the past 100 years.
  Mr. Speaker, if the current quality of The Bernardsville News is any 
indication, I have every confidence that a similar group of grateful 
New Jerseyans will gather in 2097 for the 200th Anniversary Celebration 
of The Bernardsville News.

                          ____________________