BY JOHN DUNPHY
Staff Writer
SAYREVILLE — From tomatoes to Catholicism, Christopher Columbus brought much to and from the New World, according to one local official.
Borough Councilman John Melillo addressed the Board of Education Tuesday regarding its consideration of eliminating Columbus Day as a school holiday in next year’s calendar.
“I think they do realize this is a terrible idea,” Melillo told the Suburban. “What is being considered here is truly a travesty of Western civilization.”
The board has been looking at ways to end the school year earlier, citing student and staff complaints about heat and that schools are not equipped with air conditioning.
This school year will end June 24, when Sayreville War Memorial High School seniors graduate.
Melillo, an Italian-American, cited a number of Columbus’ accomplishments, including bringing the first European horses, being considered the first Catholic to set foot in the New World, and establishing trade routes from Europe to North America that are still in use today.
He also noted that Columbus, in coming to this continent, was able to bring a number of things back to Europe, including the tomato.
“What would Italian cooking be without it?” Melillo asked. “That itself, to me, is one of the greatest moments in history.”
Other options the board has considered, in addition to the one that eliminates Columbus Day as a day off, have teachers returning to school on Sept. 1 and 2, prior to Labor Day, which is Sept. 5. Students would begin classes Sept. 6.
Board President Al Cox said the board is just looking at ways to get students and staff out as temperatures climb.
“Students and staff want to get out earlier because of the heat,” Cox said. “If that means we have to tweak the schedule, so be it.”
Board members have previously cited the possibility of educating students more about Christopher Columbus, should Columbus Day become a school day.
Melillo, however, said that is also a bad idea, as he believes schoolchildren should already be learning about Columbus.
“If they eliminate the day, it’s really going to fall by the wayside,” he said. “They’re not going to devote the whole day to learning about Christopher Columbus. [Society today] wants us to forget more about the Western civilization that our ancestors came from. We need days off to reflect on those times.”
“What would be the next move, to eliminate Christmas Day? Where are we going with this?” Melillo added.
In recent years, Columbus’ accomplishments have come under fire by some for reasons including his actions toward Native Americans and his alleged practices in slave trading.
While Melillo does not condone those actions, he said people need to understand the world was a far different place in Columbus’ time.
“It’s hard for people to understand, since the world was such a different place,” he said. “Columbus is regarded by some people as a slave trader, as cruel to the natives he referred to as Indians. But what we’re looking at is, we do not understand how things were in the 15th century.
“This was happening throughout Europe. It was not unusual to be a participant in that trade in the 15th century,” Melillo said.
Cox noted that nothing has been finalized regarding the 2005-06 schedule. He said the teachers’ union will look at a number of the proposals, and he hopes to act on a schedule at the board’s reorganization meeting April 26.
Melillo said there are other options to get the children and staff out earlier, including the day after Thanksgiving as well as some of the days during spring break.
“If you had to pick one day [to cut], of course it’s not going to be an easy choice,” he said. “There are other options that can be looked into.”
The councilman said he does not want what he considers to be the accomplishments of a great man to be forgotten to history.
“It truly is a holiday,” he said. “I just feel that Columbus, as well as many other great people throughout history, tend to be forgotten and taken for granted.”