Scene Around: Readying for Middle School in Rumson

Gallery August 27, 2025 Elaine Van Develde

It’s just about back-to-school time in Rumson. That means it’s time to orient the incoming students to what will be their new school experience.

So, today, incoming sixth graders gathered for an orientation at Forrestdale in the Rumson School District’s auditorium, classrooms and halls of the middle school.

“Welcome to Middle School Forrestdale 6th graders!” administration announced in a Facebook post. “Having a great time today helping you to navigate your new lockers and schedules!!!”

School starts in Rumson at Forrestdale on Sept. 4 with a 1 p.m. dismissal the first and second days. The first full day of school is the following Monday.

— Photos/Rumson School District via social media

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RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN RETROSPECT

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With the advent of the football season comes memories of old days when the RFH Band played on with more members, but many may not recall that the football team was small.

Band was big in the 1970s. But, going back more than half a century, like back to the 1930s, when RFH was Rumson High School, the football team appeared small. There was no regional. And the population was, well, small. There were sprawling estates, farms (with a lot of asparagus growing wild) and berries aplenty for picking.

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Fair Haven p.m. kindergarten of 1965 at Youth Center
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Our annual back-to-school reprise all about those first days of school along with some who, what, when and boogeyman parts … Take this little trip back in time with us to remember Fair Haven’s kindergarten days of yesteryear …

It was a real first and last class act of 1965 — the kindergarten class that was the last to get its first lessons learned in school at what was the Youth Center in Fair Haven. You know. It’s the building that was the police station until it was leveled to make way for a new borough headquarters. The ghosts remain, though. We Fair Haven kindergarteners of the 1960s are pretty sure of it.

Back in the day — OK, waaaaay back in the day — there was a third school in Fair Haven for kindergarten, you see. It was the Youth Center. That was also way before preschool. People now know it better as the Fair Haven Police Station and by its newly adopted name that hasn’t quite caught on yet, and may never for “older” folks still in town — Fair Haven Community Center. Phooey to that. Some things just need to keep a name for nostalgic purposes alone. Besides, the youth part soothes us old codgers.

That and it’s just a matter of what sounds like home to you. For instance, my very nice grandmother, a Matawan native, was pretty hostile about the “new” Aberdeen split and name. Paid it no mind. And if forced, said it with “blah, blah, blah” contempt. Back to the Community Center … There, I said it.

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