October 8, 2003, Succasunna, NJ…On October 8, 2003, the Roxbury Board of Education, administrators, faculty, staff, students, dignitaries and the Roxbury community took time to recognize the Roxbury School District’s One Hundred Years of Education as a consolidated school district.
The centennial celebration opened with Dr. Louis Ripatrazone reminiscing about his mother’s days of education in the Roxbury Public Schools. He stated that his mother had attended school in Roxbury in the early 1920’s. Dr. Ripatrazone also spoke about the importance of celebration 100 years of education in Roxbury.
Following this introduction, Mrs. Pat Miller, Board of Education President, welcomed and thanked the Roxbury community for participating in the event. Mr. Joseph Perfetti, Board of Education member and 1939 graduate of Roxbury, then reflected on his days in the Roxbury school system.
Marge Cushing, President of the Roxbury Historical Society, then presented the community with a brief overview of education in Roxbury. “While the Roxbury School District has been providing a quality education to children for one hundred years as a consolidated school district, education has been a part of Roxbury for almost two hundred years,” stated Mrs. Cushing. From 1806 to 1903, one-room schoolhouses were organized and operated independently of each other. She also related an overview about the building of the various schools, which compose the Roxbury School District. She stated that as the district grew, the trend was to build a new school and to make it the district’s high school.
A comparison of schools then and now continued with a power point presentation prepared by Miss Amy Homeyer and Miss Jennifer Sassamen, teachers at Lincoln Roosevelt School, and shared by their Fifth Grade students. This presentation focused on the Gray Building, erected in 1903, and its educational uses then and now.
While Governor James McGreevy was unable to attend the event, he forwarded a Proclamation, which was read by Dr. Ripatrazone. Within the Proclamation, he states, “Educating is a tremendous responsibility that should be embraced with warmth and enthusiasm; and whereas, over the years, the Roxbury School District has undoubtedly shaped an impacted countless lives.” The Proclamation was then presented to Board President, Pat Miller.
On behalf of the New Jersey State Legislature, Senator Anthony Bucco and Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll then shared with the community a Joint Legislative Resolution. Senator Bucco read, “This Legislature hereby honors and congratulates the Roxbury School District upon its One Hundredth Anniversary and extends best wishes for its continued vigor and success in the decades to come.”
Finally, Mayor of Roxbury Township, Fred Hall in his reading of the Town Council’s Proclamation stated, “The success of Roxbury Township, in great measure, depends upon the outstanding education offered in the Roxbury Public Schools.”
Dr. Ripatrazone intends to frame the Resolution and Proclamations and display them in the Board office when it has moved to the Gray Building.
The Roxbury High School Classic Sounds Honors Choir, directed by Ms. Loraine Lynch – choral director of RHS, then performed the Roxbury Alma Mater. While the Alma Mater had fallen by the wayside in past years, it is with great excitement that it is brought back to the forefront of our time with this event. Lauren Brajer, senior at RHS, closed the ceremony with reflections on her 13 successful years of education in Roxbury.
“When reflecting on the centennial celebration, it is amazing to see and hear about the changes that the Roxbury School District has undergone in one hundred years. Yet, while the district has grown with the changing times, it is with pride that the Roxbury Public Schools continue to provide the children of this community with a quality education” stated Danielle Lynch, Director of Community Relations.
Mrs. Lynch continued, “Those who attended the centennial celebration were elated to have the opportunity to reflect upon the past and recognize Roxbury’s continued excellence in education.
To those who attended the event…Thank you for sharing in the successful history of the Roxbury School District and for helping the Roxbury Public Schools make history on October 8, 2003.