Blogfinger U. faculty, 1920 when it was founded as an Ocean Grove off-shore school for girls and women and feminists. Kevin Chambers sued, and we had to let males in after that. Read this re-post and get college credit at Blogfinger U. We accept any sex without discrimination. (Uh, we mean any gender.)
By Paul Goldfinger, History Dept. of Blogfinger U. off-shore university. SAT’s optional.
In the past we have made reference to a scholarly published work regarding the history of Ocean Grove with special interest in sociology, ideology, cultural factors, diversity, religion and activism. The paper *was written by a Monmouth University professor, Karen Schmelzkopf, who still is teaching at MU.
Several of us from town went to a lecture of hers about OG in July, 2016. The article below provides some important insights about our town:
We will do a series of pieces based on her work and other sources. The quote from her article below offers some perspective for today:
“Homogeneity was essential to the quest for authenticity. Only devout Methodists could visit during their first few years, and only during the summer months. However, by 1875, three hundred cottages had been constructed and some people were beginning to stay year-round. The CMA passed an ordinance permitting residence only to those who could demonstrate via letter from their minister that they were practicing Methodists and who could successfully negotiate a series of interviews with the trustees. This ordinance was relaxed somewhat in the early 1900’s to include members of other Protestants faiths, and by the the 1920’s even a few Catholics were permitted to move into Ocean Grove as long as they had documentation of weekly church attendance froim their priests.
“The CMA could carry out these exclusive practices because they owned the land. People could own their structures, but they could only rent the land with approval from the CMA. Once approved, however, they did receive an automatically self-renewing 99 year lease as an affirmation that they could never be removed from the property. Nonetheless, the interview process and the rules and regulations gave the CMA an unusual power with respect to the population of Ocean Grove.
“Geographic isolation, complete control of the government, perpetual ownership of the land, blue laws, and stringent regulations were all means of discouraging unwanted tourists. And just in case these mechanisms failed, the Ocean Grove police constantly patrolled the boundaries to make sure that “improper persons’ did not venture in; residents themselves were encouraged to seek out and report any misconduct within the community.
“Although the CMA initially set up a controlled, limited-access environment in order to maintain a resort for the people of the Methodist Church they soon perceived another reason for guarding the borders of Ocean Grove, a danger developing right next door——Asbury Park.”
This excerpt clearly demonstrates why the unusual governmental setup in OG was doomed, in retrospect, from the start. It was a controlled society, a theocracy, infringing on Constitutional protections such as freedom to live where you please, to do what you want within normal legal constraints, and to practice any religion you wish.
In New Amsterdam in the 16th century, the Dutch West Indies Corp. permitted Peter Stuyvesant to only allow certain Christian denominations to build their own churches. But that didn’t last, just as the OG approach in 19th century New Jersey would not last either. Amazingly, however it did last for 110 years in Ocean Grove, long after the U.S. Constitution was written.
But now, in OG, we still do not have a working democracy here. We do not have a representative government in this town since the lords of the manor from the fiefdom called Neptune Township collect tributes (taxes) while paying little attention to the wishes of the peasants (residents) in Ocean Grove, and there is no recourse because we cannot currently vote those single party aristocrats out of office.
Then there is that weird ground rent situation which, although somehow passing legal muster, is so bizarre when compared to most of America, that maybe the Supreme Court should take a look at it, but who will pay for that lawsuit and how many want to fight over $10.50 per year. A lawyer friend once told me that his colleagues love when “plaintiffs” want to sue over principles.
—* Journal of Historical Geography, 28,4 (2002) 589 -608
Blogfinger U. school song performed on Blogfinger web site by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera: (but our marching band can’t play it).
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