Rockville Centre then and now

“Rockville Centre: Past and Present” is the fall exhibit at the Museum of Rockville Centre at the Phillips House, 28 Hempstead Ave. A collaborative venture between the Historical Society and Watson Elementary School’s 2009 fourth grade class, this display honors the village’s rich history and documents how it has evolved. 

When members of the class wondered what the town looked like long ago, they set out as photojournalists to record some of the important sites of Rockville Centre today, and to compare and contrast those images to what residents saw 100 years ago. On a clear bright morning in November 2009, groups of fourth graders started work on the project with their teachers and Richard Law, a professional photographer whose daughter attended Watson. He guided the students in the best ways to capture striking photos. Each student took a series of images of one site and then chose their most successful photo for the exhibit. Visitors to the museum are sure to agree that the students did a

phenomenal job.

Members of the community are invited to stop by the Phillips House, open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 - 4 p.m. — or by appointment — to enjoy this special exhibit. It will evoke the same feelings of pride the students clearly felt in Rockville Centre’s heritage.

The trustees of Phillips House would like to send a special thanks to teachers Susan Kahan and Trish Montemarano for inspiring their students, and to Richard Law who not only supported the project with his time and professional advice, but also documented the presentation of the exhibit.

In the photo above are the students as they brought the display to the museum. With them, from left, are trustees Grace Skrzypczak, Toni Seipp, President Frank Seipp, Thomas Hodge, John Challace, and teachers Trish Montemarano and Susan Kahan.