Morgan Memories – Jesse Selover School PTO
Here again, my sincere appreciation goes to my late sister Linda’s childhood friend Dorothy Grant Scuorzo for providing us with the original signed copy of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Jesse Selover Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) as well as some relevant related newspaper clippings.
You can also check out this page containing the consolidated list of teachers and staff at Jesse Selover School and please help us make it complete!
Dorothy’s mother, Hazel Grant, was a significant player in helping to get an elementary school built in Morgan then establishing the PTO. In fact, Mrs. Grant was the first PTO President!
The Perth Amboy Evening News of Wednesday, October 20, 1954 had an article about the PTO meeting from the previous evening which resulted in this signed document. The meeting, attended by some 200 parents, opened with a discussion of the by-laws/constitution lead by Mr. James Scheureman, chairman of the by-law committee. The following committee heads were announced by Mrs. Grant:
- Mrs. Vivian Nagle – Publicity
- Mrs. Myrtle Stock – Membership
- Mrs. Theresa Wist – Program
- Mrs. Helen McCracken – Hospitality
- Mrs. Gertrude Scheureman – Projects
- Mr. Walter Turner – Ways and Means
At the meeting was Mr. Vincent Abbatiello, the founding Principal of Jesse Selover School. Mr. Abbatiello discussed his appreciation to the parents of how they cooperated with the polio inoculations which were the result of the tragic loss of one of the Kindergarten students the previous week to Bulbar Polio. He also briefly outlined some of the plans for upcoming school events.
Entertainment at the meeting was by the Cub Scouts of Pack # 194, Den # 4. The Den Mother to this pack was Mrs. Modesta Betty who was a wonderful lady from Midland Avenue (right at the entrance/exit to the woods) I had to good fortune to know as a child! She was the next-door neighbor to my Cousin Stacey and was close neighbor to Dorothy who provided us with these documents!
The signed constitution contains the handwritten text, “The above Constitution and By-Laws were adopted unanimously by the organization on Tuesday October 19, 1954” and contains 90 signatures of Morgan parents, including Dorothy’s mother, Hazel, some of the mothers I knew as a child and Miss Sally Henry (some would know her as Mrs. Sally Olsvary) who shortly after would teach in the new school. Sadly, Mrs. Olsvary passed away a short time before the posting of this article.
Originally posted on December, 1, 2020.