DAVE BENJAMIN Joseph Callaert Sr., assistant principal at Southern Freehold Regional High School (now Howell High School), who retired June 1983, stands with Ruth Elaine MacIntyre, choir director, who retired October 1999. The pair represent the longest retired staff member and the most recently retired staff member at a luncheon held in honor of Howell retirees.
HOWELL — A group of 42 retired educators returned to Howell High School on a recent afternoon to meet with their former colleagues and to see firsthand some of the changes that have been made at the school since they retired.
"The retirees meet on a regular basis," said Principal Barbara McMorrow. "As Mr. [Peter] Fedorocko [former Howell principal] says, ‘To meet and eat.’ "
McMorrow said she had a meeting with Fedorocko last spring, and together they came up with the idea of hosting a luncheon at the school for retirees.
"When I met with Mr. Fedorocko, he invited me to their luncheon and said it would be great if they could come back and see the school and the changes that have been made since they were there," she said. "So we opened up our school and our hearts and welcomed them in. They had a chance to tour the school so they could see it as it enters the 21 century."
DAVE BENJAMIN James Wasser (l), superintendent of the Freehold Regional High School District, and Barbara McMorrow (second from left), Howell High School principal, welcome former Howell staff members Ruth Elaine MacIntyre and Peter Fedorocko to a luncheon at the school.
The "homecoming" agenda included lots of time to mix, mingle and reminisce, as teachers, administrators, specialists and superintendents gathered in the media center. The day produced plenty of stories and remembrances.
"I think I was transferred here from the borough (Freehold High School) in 1968," said Fedorocko, "and I was here until about 1980. Then I was transferred to Freehold Township High School."
Fedorocko said he liked working at Howell High School the most.
"The kids were so nice. They had no phoniness about them," he said. "The kids had a quality. They painted the bathrooms. They replaced 160 tiles in the halls by themselves with the supervision of the industrial arts department. They were very accommodating and very nice."
Fedorocko recalled his "Principal’s Select Committee" of students who "were my eyes and ears in the school."
Looking back, Fedorocko said at first he didn’t want to leave Freehold Borough where he was an assistant principal and the students knew what was expected of them.
"Before I left Freehold, they told me I was going to the cultural desert of Monmouth County," he said. "Sure enough, when I got to Howell, there were only 19 kids in the band."
Fedorocko said the person who was in charge of the band left almost immediately and was replaced by Angelo Merrola, who had 60 students in the band by the end of October. When Merrola left, Ruth Elaine MacIntyre came to Howell from Asbury Park.
"She became the choir director and her buddy, Roger Kastan, came from the University of Michigan and in a short time they had 400 kids in the band and choir," he said.
Fedorocko said when a college music chairman asked him how he got 400 out of 1,600 students involved in the music program, he replied, "I told him it was something I learned in business. Stay out of their way."
MacIntyre, who also attended the reunion, said there were about 250 students in the choir at the time.
"They used to call it the Howell Conservatory," said MacIntyre. "Then, after being the choir director from 1971 to 1976, I taught in Freehold Township for 15 years."
Another familiar face on hand at the Howell reunion was Dr. William [Bill] Satz, the superintendent of the Freehold Regional High School District from 1967-73.
"I’m very happy to be here," Satz said, "to see people I haven’t seen in more years than I would have liked. It’s coming home again in a lot of ways. We opened Marlboro High School and then we built the Freehold Township and Manalapan high schools. I remember one Saturday when I went out with the board members to pick a site out in Manalapan. It was like Columbus planting a flag in the ground."
During the luncheon, McMorrow addressed the retirees and welcomed them, saying, "We truly appreciate you being here and always love the fact that you’ve come home."
The principal noted the additions that have been built at Howell over the years and spoke about students’ achievements as well.
"Our Technology Students Association is nationally recognized," she said. "You’ll see some murals in the cafeteria that the students did and the [changes in the] science department."
Jim Ennis, president of the Howell freshman class, said of the event, "I think it’s really nice. There’s a lot of school spirit with these people coming back from a few years ago. I think it’s a very nice turnout and I’ll enjoy giving them a tour."
Malay Das, vice president of the freshman class, added, "I’ll be taking our guests on the first floor. The technology wing will be new to them. It used to be a wood shop and an auto shop. This was added on after they left."
A collection was made by the retirees, and the funds collected will be used for a new scholarship fund for students at Howell High School.
Commenting on the event, James Wasser, superintendent of the district, said, "I think it’s wonderful that people take the initiative to take some time out of their personal lives to come back and appreciate the environment they worked in for a number of years. They’ve given so much to the students and the community of Howell, as well as the district."