Scouts Hear of Pre-TV Days on Nursing Center Visit

Tiger Cub Scouts from Montville Township's Pack 68 recently visited residents at Lincoln Park Renaissance to learn about life 70 or 80 years ago as part of working toward their Bobcat badges.

Residents enjoyed visiting with the Scouts while making Valentine's Day hearts, assembling Star Wars puzzles and recalling stories from when they were young, a Renaissance news release said.

“With each unit, the boys have to fulfill what is called a ‘Go See It,’” den mother Christine Deary said.

The Scouts could have asked grandparents or neighbors about the past. Instead, they chose to reach out to others.

“We thought this would be a nice thing to do,” Deary said. “Everybody benefits from something like this.”

One of the most surprising revelations for the Tiger Cubs came when resident Philip Smith of Lincoln Park answered whether he had color or black-and-white TV growing up.

“I didn’t have a TV,” Smith said.

One resident remembered her first-grade teacher and others recalled being eager to jump rope and play ball. Lincoln Park Renaissance, a medical rehab and nursing center, is located on Pine Brook Road in Lincoln Park.