The cool kids of Fair Haven’s Knollwood School in 1974 Photo/courtesy of Debra Giffin Schluter
Get out! That’s what most school kids are likely wishing to do these dank spring days. And get out with the “in” crowd was always the cool thing to do before school back in the 1970s in Fair Haven.
Picture that. A picture is worth a thousand awkwardly cool moments in the memory of a middle school kid.
To a Fair Haven eighth grader of the 1970s, there was nothing cooler than being asked to hang out, before the bell rang, on the side of Knollwood School by the bushes with the clique of the coolest kids.
On the cusp of the start of the school year, Fair Haven lost one of its most popular former longtime teachers.
Fair Havenite and retired 25-year Knollwood and Viola L. Sickles schools teacher Patricia “Pat” Egan passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 4. She was 82.
Pat Egan Photo/family via John E. Day Funeral Home
“Patricia devoted her life and love to family and to children of all ages. She had a boundless faith in God and was a parishioner of the Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven. Patricia’s enthusiasm, love, humor, and smile touched the lives of many, leaving a legacy of innovative education, dedication to family, and a loving devotion to all who were blessed to be by her side.”
Born in Teaneck on Christmas Eve 1939 to Elwyn and Marguerite Norton, Pat was one of eight children. She graduated from William Paterson University with a bachelor of arts degree in Education and taught first at the Longfellow School in Teaneck and then for 25 years in Fair Haven at both the Viola L. Sickles and Knollwood schools.
Pat was pre-deceased by: her beloved husband, James S. Egan in 1986; her parents, Elwyn and Marguerite Norton; and two brothers, Robert and Roy Norton.
She is survived by: her four cherished, loving children and their spouses, Kevin Egan and wife Anne, of Westborough, MA, Richard Egan and wife Carolyn, of West Long Branch, Christen McMahon-Vota and husband Tim, of Little Silver, and Michel Chojnacki and husband Jerzy, of Shrewsbury; her 12 cherished grandchildren, Kevin (Meghan), John and Adelene Egan, Jaimie, Jessica and Emily Egan, Jack and Cole McMahon, Violet and Rowan Vota, Christian and Reed Chojnacki; five siblings, Richard (Camille) Norton, Ronald (Virginia) Norton, Kevin (Barbara) Norton, Kathleen (Joseph) Mobilio, and Dennis (Patricia) Norton; and many nieces and nephews.
— Photos/Family, Eileen Kubaitis and Jeni Weber
Family and friends may visit on Friday, Sept. 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank. A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Church of the Nativity, Fair Haven, followed by burial at Fair View Cemetery, 456 State Route 35, Middletown.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Patricia’s memory to Grace Healthcare Services, 105 Fieldcrest Ave, Suite 402. Edison, NJ 08837. Email: info@gracehcs.com
Rest In Peace, Pat Egan. Thank you for all you have taught so many Fair Haven kids that will endure their lifetimes. You are remembered.
— Edited obituary prepared by family via John E. Day Funeral Home
Square dancing at Stokes in the 1970s Photo/courtesy of Lisa Ericson
A reprise from 2019 in honor of the annual tradition of that trip to Stokes State Forrest. In honor of wrapping up the Stokes experience with that last dance … Dance on and dose doe, sixth graders!
It’s time to say “Cheese!” for those cheesy class pictures.
The era, along with its hair and clothing styles, may be bygone, aas are some since dumped picture day prep traditions, but the freeze framed sentiment is the same — straighten up and smile right, even if your bangs and teeth are both crooked. Never mind the sudden blemish pop-up, scratch or missing tooth. It all amounts to classic picture day pomp and circumstance. Classic.
Knollwood Class of ’74 graduation fashionistas Stephanie DeSesa, Elaine Van Develde and Wanda Becker. Photo/Sally Van Develde
In honor of eighth grade graduations, a reprise of that look back to Knollwood School Class of 1974 and best buds …
It’s half past eighth grade graduation time in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.
Every year photos up all over social media. And these crews of grade school cronies seem to have a panache we eighth graders of the 1970s lacked. There they all are … posing, arms wrapped around one another, sporting stylish clothes, tans and toothy grins.
It’s a different kind of back-to-school week this pandemic-affected school year. That’s for sure. Students were back to school, part virtually and part in the classroom or outdoor class, in the Rumson-Fair Haven area this week. Those classic first day of school shots were plastered all over Facebook.
The scene at the Knollwood School Class of 1974 class trip to the dude ranch Photos/Jeanne Murphy Wnorowski
A reprise Retro Pic(s) of the Day from the Knollwood School Class of ’74to the Class of 2020 …
There’s nothing quite like a final class trip — with class clowns, friends, foes and teachers. Yes, teachers. It was a tradition for Fair Haven schools back in the 1970s. And we’re not talking Stokes.
Of course, that wouldn’t be the last for Knollwood schoolers. We’re talking a final group trip. The last leisurely day trip disguised as a class trip. They had those back then.
This particular trip was taken in 1974 to a dude ranch somewhere with Fair Haven’s Knollwood School soon-to-be grads and teachers. Where? None of the old folks in the pictures can remember. Hey, some of us don’t even remember the trip. We know there were horses, perhaps some riding and some swimming. And, apparently, there was lots of lounging and sunning. Hmmmmm …
Knollwood Class of ’74 graduation fashionistas Stephanie DeSesa, Elaine Van Develde and Wanda Becker. Photo/Sally Van Develde
Eighth graders in the Rumson-Fair Haven area are going through graduation rites of passage of a different kind right now — the COVID-19 pandemic era kind.
And what’s different about it is that there are no photos of friends clustered together, arms wrapped around one another or stiff shoulder-to-shoulder stances, signaling the end of a grade school era and beginnings. It’s definitely a missed moment or several this year.
Those ends and beginnings always involve childhood friends, some who stay with us throughout each milestone in our lives. They’re always there, if not in physical presence, in our hearts and on our minds. Those friends were markers in the milestones that are rooted in all that’s home. Our history.
So, while those friendship poses won’t be struck in the isolated pandemic Class of 2020 photos, the kinships inherent in them remain a hallmark of homegrown, hometown life.
Even if you were one of those kids that just didn’t like school all that much, the awkward, trying and exhilarating moments marked with those childhood friends are the ones that stay forever etched in minds and hearts. It’s the stuff that makes you who you are. The stuff that keeps you grounded, or up in the air — always home.
Those questionable fashion pics and fumbling adolescent moments also comprise great friendship blackmail material. Who else would have such epic fashion failure photos to go along with a string of clumsy, trouble-making memories up for grabs?
Your oldest friends. That’s who. And when the time comes to say your final goodbye, a standard eulogy by the most stable adult in the bunch just can’t compete with the memories of childhood, adolescence, teen years and adulthood and all of its ugliness, awkwardness and beauty with best friends.
Crews of grade school cronies, regardless of fashion or common sense, have something special — dating back to the beginning of graduating times.
Knollwood School Class of 2002 Photo/Elaine Van Develde
The Fair Haven Knollwood School grads have always been a styling, close-knit crew — a crew of cohorts that’s always shared many Kodak moments, in pairs, trios, cliques and all together.
Just as photography has evolved from Brownie camera to Instamatic to Polaroid, to phone camera, to full-on professional photo shoots, graduation photo ops have devolved back to single inspired family front lawn shots. That’s where the photo blitz usually began. Now it’s where it ends, too. So, some things never really change — much.
Today would have been the day that the happy little campers came home from their post-Memorial Day week of adventure with classmates, teachers and parents.
So, we take a look back at some Stokes moments of bunking, hiking, pranking, do-se-doing your partner and all-around exploring back in the 70s, from youngsters to those high school counselors. Remember those?
There were RFH seniors chosen to be counselors, dubbed CATS. Each couple of CATs was assigned to teach/counsel sixth graders in their area of expertise. There were bug experts, hiking troopers, rowing aficionados, swimmers, and story tellers, dancers, singers and guitar players.
There was a square dancing night. And there was plenty of practice that ensued before it. What square dancing song stands out in your memory? And how about those campfire nights? Song always sung? How about the traditional story told? Who got lost in the woods with the compass/pathfinders class? Who was a CAT?
Former Fair Haven Knollwood School teacher Jack Graybill on his 85th birthday Photo/Kristie Kelty
Remember when you were a kid and you thought that your probably 40-year-old teacher was ancient? It’s a pretty common notion for young ones. Then they reach their 40s and wonder what the heck they were thinking.
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