Lawrence schools celebrate 125 years

Homecoming takes on a new meaning this year as the Lawrence School District celebrates its 125th anniversary. Festivities this Saturday will include a ceremony at 11:45 a.m. at Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park, a parade at 1 p.m. that begins at the park and ends at Lawrence High School  and a football game against Lynbrook an hour later. 

This year’s Homecoming will celebrate the district that was established in 1891. Atlantic Beach resident Melissa “Missy” Miller, who is running for the State Assembly, will speak at the opening ceremony, along with Lawrence School’s Superintendent Gary Schall. The district’s choral group, jazz band and glee club will perform. 

“We are expecting a broad spectrum of Lawrencians to attend,” said Dr. Frank Zangari, social studies coordinator at Lawrence High School. Zangari, who graduated from Lawrence in 1998 and returned as a social studies teacher in 2002, added that the 125th anniversary planning committee has contacted alumni from the 1940s, 50s and 60s, and have confirmed their attendance at Homecoming.

A Lawrence graduate of the class of 1968, Isaac Mayo, a special education teacher at the high school who has worked in the district for 21 years said he is hoping to see more out-of-towners attend the event this year. Homecoming is “a good chance to meet and greet with people,” said Mayo. 

In addition to Homecoming, the quasquicentennial will also be commemorated with an alumni prom and a documentary screening on Jan. 7, 2017. The footage includes video remembrances made by Lawrencians. On the following day, the celebration will feature several speakers and performances, including an orchestra concert. 

The collected memorabilia, including photographs, articles from old Lawrence yearbooks and the school newspaper, the Mental Pabulum, will be part of permanent and temporary displays, including a history of the Lawrence museum, according to Zangari. Other items gathered include old jerseys, sweaters, shirts, diplomas, yearbooks and maps. The anniversary planning committee interviewed approximately 90 graduates between the class of 1943 and 2016 so far in an effort to compile as much information as possible for the documentary. 

“I was here for the 100th also, so this might seem pretty routine, but considering what has happened this is going to be a special year,” said Roseann Epp, Lawrence High School’s assistant principal. “2012 was probably the scariest we’ve had in this district, what with the devastation caused to the [high school] building by Hurricane Sandy, so I … look at the 125th as closure to that and a show of strength that we are still standing.”   

Epp graduated from Lawrence in 1977, and has worked there since 1983. She taught special education until becoming the assistant principal 11 years ago. She also served as the junior varsity/varsity cheerleading coach, ran the girls’ Sportsnite competition for several years and was an assistant dean, testing coordinator and summer school principal. Her graduating class is celebrating its 40th reunion this year as well. 

A science teacher at Lawrence for 45 years, Norman Deitch, was the senior class adviser from 1980 to 2014, and has seen many Lawrence graduate success stories, he noted in an email. One graduate developed a pacemaker and another “evolved a bacteria that eats up the oil from an oil spill,” he said. 

Information about the anniversary celebration is on the Lawrence school Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lawrence125th/. Emails can be sent to lawrence125anniversary@lawrence.k12.ny.us. Before sending any memorabilia, submit information about the item(s) and photograph(s) by email. Donations to support the events are also being accepted.