Verona-Cedar Grove Times from Verona, New Jersey • E29

In June 1965, the Pompton Avenue School was renamed Leonard R. Parks School in his honor. That year, Parks retired and Kenneth Bechtold became superintendent. Leonard R. Parks School was later expanded on property purchased from the County of Essex.

In 1963, the board of education helped to establish a school for resident patients at the Essex County Hospital Center. George F. Wildman was the first principal of Memorial High School. He later left the district to work in higher education. William D.

O'Toole was the next principal, serving from the 1964-65 school year until June 1983. The Class of 1964 was the first as Memorial Middle School was purchased from the City of Newark. On June 5, 1959, the Pompton Avenue School burned down. Many residents and students remained unaware of the fire until they arrived for school the next morning. Classes were held temporarily throughout the town at sites such as the Old First Church, St.

Catherine of Siena School, Temple Sholom, the Community Church and even the Municipal Building. The board of education met at Memorial School and near the Municipal Building after the fire, later moving to a building at North End School. In April 1961, the new Pompton Avenue School opened. The Memorial School gradually became the high school when the elementary grades were transferred to the neighborhood schools. First, the ninth and 10th graders moved into the school in 1961.

Grade 11 was included in 1962, and grade 12 was included in 1963. Two additions were made to the building to accommodate the high school students, which enlarged the original building by four times. The original main office of the Memorial School is now the present-day high school nurse's office. Taylor's dairy farm previously occupied the land where Memorial High School was built. Memorial High School was dedicated at 3 p.m.

on Nov. 11, 1962. Richard E. Harris, president of the board of education, presided. Superintendent Leonard R.

Paries also spoke. SCHOOLS FROM PAGE 28 Later, Cedar Grove sent high school students to schools in other towns: Verona, Bloomfield, and Passaic Valley High School in Little Falls. In 1908, there were a total of 244 elementary and high school students. That year, the school budget was $8,426. In February 1910, upon the advice of the New Jersey Department of Education, the school was reduced to a two-year high school.

The following year, the 11th and 12th grades were sent to Bloom-field. The two-year high school was finally closed in June 1917. For years, Cedar Grove sent its high school students by bus to towns in the surrounding area. First, they went to Verona, then to Bloomfield, and then Passaic Valley high schools. In September 1918, Bloomfield became the official receiving district.

When Cedar Grove's high school class went to Bloomfield in 1920, there was only one student from Cedar Grove: Elmer Taylor. Theodore A. Sutton served as principal of Pompton Avenue School from 1921 to 1932. Robert R. Blunt was the principal from 1932 to 1937.

In 1937, Leonard R. Parks, an industrial arts teacher, became principal. From Elvis to Reagan As Cedar Grove grew in popu lation, the need for new schools became apparent. Between 1907 and 1975, student enrollment leaped exponentially from 153 to 2,309. The Memorial School, which served grades 5 through 8, was opened in January 1951.

The original building is the current south half of the e-wing. The northern half of the e-wing was added in 1952. Students chose the name "Memorial" in memory of all the citizens of Cedar Grove who have given their lives in military service. In 1951, Leonard R. Parks became supervising principal of Pompton Ave.

School. Then, in 1952, Paries became Cedar Grove's first schools superintendent. In 1956, both North and South End schools opened. North End was originally part of the Smith farm. South End was built on undeveloped township land.

In 1957, the Pompton Avenue Parent Teacher Association decided to spilt into four separate PTA organizations for each of the four schools at the time. One of these groups, the South End PTA, was instrumental in turning Harper Terrace into a one-way street with no parking during school hours. By 1958, there were 2,205 elementary and high school students. During this time, students were expected to abide by the Cedar Grove Teenage Behavior Code. The Ridge Road School opened in 1959, creating a system of neighborhood schools.

The land for the Ridge Road School now known SEE SCHOOLS, PAGE 30 ALL YOU'RE LsUPERjg On wishing you all the best on your 100th anniversary TONY'S TRAIN TOWN Lionel Authorized Dealer Marklin Repairs on ALL makes and models Custom layouts We sell the best and service the rest 575 Pompton Ave Cedar Grove (973) 857-2337.