Group adopts new mission statement.
By: Lea Kahn
Since its inception in 1975, the Lawrence Historical Society has focused on the 18th- and 19th-century history of Lawrence Township.
The group was instrumental in preserving and restoring the neglected 1830 Port Mercer Canal House, which belongs to the state and the township-owned Brearley House, which was built in 1761 by one of Lawrence’s earliest settlers.
But in an effort to broaden the Lawrence Historical Society’s appeal, members have approved a mission statement aimed at increasing its relevance to township residents in the 21st century.
The long-range plan approved Sunday at the society’s annual meeting at the Municipal Building grew out of a questionnaire sent to the Historical Society’s 156 members and that was also distributed throughout the township last year, said society President Janet Bickal.
The results showed that members and residents believe the society has done a good job in preserving and promoting the history of the two houses but now it’s time to expand, Ms. Bickal said.
In its mission statement, the society recognizes that the group’s purpose is to "preserve and promote the richly diverse history of Lawrence Township by building a bridge from the past to the future."
To that end, the society’s goals include establishing it as the township’s central clearinghouse for historical issues and programs pertaining to the township, from pre-history to today.
It also plans to offer a range of programs alone or in partnership with community groups and organizations that appeals to a broad cross-section of cultural and ethnic groups, and to persons of all ages.
For example, the Historical Society collaborated with the Eggerts Crossing Village townhouse development to film a short movie that outlines the history of the development, in conjunction with Eggerts Crossing Village’s 30th anniversary last year, Ms. Bickal said.
That film, produced by Historical Society member Jim Williams, was the featured presentation at the society’s annual meeting Sunday. The filmmaker interviewed Fred Vereen, who manages the affordable housing development and who was one of a handful of residents who led the charge to build it.
Longtime Eggerts Crossing and Eldridge Park residents Theodore Hendricks and Willie Mitchell also were interviewed in the film. They recounted the conditions in the neighborhoods ramshackle houses and unpaved streets that persisted into the 1960s.
Kelly Ganges, whose family was one of the first to move into Eggerts Crossing Village after it opened in 1974, praised the development for offering good housing. The residents pulled together to help one another, making it seem as though they were all one family, he said.
Jane Milner, who moved into Eggerts Crossing Village with her family after her husband lost his job on Wall Street in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, said she could not think of a better place to live. The children who live in Eggerts Crossing Village are very bright, she said, adding that she has volunteered in the development’s after-school program.
Peg Fox, a consultant who works with Eggerts Crossing Village, and Schools Superintendent Max Riley, also were interviewed for the film. They explained the steps that have been taken to help the children succeed in school.
Tom Wilfrid, Joan Semenuk and Tonia Moore, who are members of the Bridges Project steering committee, used the film as a jumping-off point to explain the fledgling Bridges program to the Historical Society.
There may be other neighborhoods where children and families could use a helping hand, Mr. Wilfrid said. The Bridges Project plans to use the Eggerts Crossing Village film as a means to illustrate the collaboration that can be achieved between the community and the schools, for example, he said.
In other business, Historical Society members elected the group’s board of directors for 2005. New officers for this year will be chosen at a later date, said Ms. Bickal, who is staying on as president until new officers are elected.
The board of directors includes Bill Agress, Ruth Barringer, Janet Bickal, Bruce Bitcover, Paul Gatterdam, Joann Graja, and Dick Graja.
Also, John Halvorsen, Eleanor Horne, Chris Lahoda, Dan Oberst, Laura Nawrocik, Karen Perkins, Jim Washburn and Jim Williams.