By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD – A change in leadership signals a renewed commitment to community programming at the Court Street School Education Community Center.
During a special event held March 18, Lillie Hendry, 88, who has guided the education center since 1982, stepped down from her active role as president and became the president emeritus of the organization.
Andrea McPherson was named the new president of the education center. McPherson has been involved with the center for more than 18 years.
In remarks to Freehold Borough officials, her fellow members of the Board of Trustees and guests who assembled in the historic Court Street School, McPherson challenged everyone “to feel the spirit of this place” to accomplish the mission of the education center.
That mission includes working with other groups, organizations, institutions and individuals to provide supportive services to all in the community; working with families and schools to enhance educational development opportunities for the personal growth of all people; and providing educational, multicultural and historic activities to all in the community.
Joining McPherson on the Board of Trustees are Trena Parks, vice president, Kyle Warren, secretary, Joe Aird, treasurer, Walter David Greason, historian, and Hendry.
Mayor Nolan Higgins, Councilwoman Sharon Shutzer and Councilman Ron Griffiths represented the borough’s government and were joined by Police Chief Glenn Roberts, Police Sgt. Eduardo Santana and Kevin Coyne, the borough’s historian.
Higgins congratulated and thanked Hendry “for all she has done for the Freehold community.”
Shutzer said, “Miss Lillie has given her heart and soul to this town and this school. There were a lot of hurdles (to renovate the former school), but none of us doubted that Miss Lillie and many others would get that job done.”
Coyne said the education center would not exist without Hendry’s effort. When he said the office of president emeritus does not carry any specific duties, Hendry chimed in to say “thank goodness,” which elicited laughter from the guests, before Coyne concluded by saying that Hendry “will keep the school bell ringing.”
According to a history of the Court Street School that Hendry previously provided, the school opened in 1921 and educated all of Freehold Borough’s African-American children in kindergarten through eighth grade.
The building served as a focal point for social activities until the Freehold Borough School District became integrated in 1949.
Over the years the Court Street School fell into disrepair. In the early 1980s an effort began to restore the building to a place of prominence in the community.
Restoration work began in 1982 and was led by a committee of people who had attended the school in the era of segregation.
The restored and revitalized building was christened the Court Street School Education Community Center and since its rebirth it has hosted many community programs over the ensuing 30-plus years.
The former school at Court Street and Avenue A was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August 1995.