Local Life

Retro Fair Haven Picture Day Class Action

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A reprise in honor of longtime iconic teacher and friend to many in the area, Gary Verwilt, who passed away recently …

We’re talking class action; and, it’s not about a lawsuit — more like suiting up for a class picture.

That’s what they did back in the early 1970s. Well, at least one in this shot suited up in the literal sense. Figuratively speaking, though, this Sickles School sixth grade shot of Gary Verwilt’s class encapsulates that picture day mindset of the past.

Everyone got suited up in their best outfit, or favorite, if Mom agreed. That was the easy part. The posing and getting the carefully coiffed hairdo to stay intact until the flash moment was a tad more difficult, especially for an 11-year-old. Oh, there was some careful placement going on for that final pose. And there was the “Cheese!” moment when everyone had their own rehearsed, or not, special version of the ol’ school kid smile … wandering eye, look of abject misery or lifting off into a stratosphere far away.

No matter. The moment always had to happen. And in a few minutes, a second of blinding big bulb light and a snap, a classic school moment was frozen in time.

And what a great deep freeze this one from Fair Haven school days of yesteryear was.

It made the rounds on social media several years ago and the teacher, Gary Verwilt, joined the conversation. The classy kids all chimed in, all at this point in life nearing 50, regaling Verwilt with compliments and memories.

Teacher then said that the job at Sickles was one of his first teaching assignments. And Verwilt went on to spend decades in the Fair Haven schools. In fact, he ended up teaching some of those first students’ kids later at Knollwood in Science.

Yes, Gary Verwilt is now gone, but certainly not forgotten by so many of his former students. He is fondly remembered as a caring teacher who loved to joke with the hammiest of students.

Speaking of hammiest … Can you tell who in this class pic was the biggest ham? Hmmmmm … Most timid? Best dressed? Teacher’s pet?

Smile, say “Cheese!” and remember the school daze moment!