Board of Education Stories

South Huntington School District Unveils “Heritage Room” as it Prepares to Celebrate 100th Anniversary

Written by Ms. Lea Tyrrell | Jan 17, 2024 7:55:10 PM
100 years of school district history is now on display in timeline, news clippings and photos in the new Heritage Room at the James Kaden Administrative Offices of the South Huntington School District. Administrators, staff, and board members were joined by Assemblyman Steve Stern for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially unveil the room on October 3rd.
 
 
The South Huntington Union Free School District #13 was created in 1924 when taxpayers voted 73-67 to consolidate Common School Districts #12 and #13. As the district approaches its centennial, the Board of Education and administration wanted to create a room that highlighted the district's history, students and accomplishments. “We're using it as a living history room,” said Deputy Superintendent John Murphy. “It’s Long Island history. It’s community history, and that's something that we teach at the early grade levels. It’s a resource to be able to show what some of our history has been over the past hundred years and how South Huntington has been affected by our national history.”
 
 
Assemblyman Stern was able to secure funding from the state for the project. “When you look at this kind of display,” explained Assemblyman Stern, “and you realize that the town of Huntington, where we live, is so rich in history, even before the founding of our great nation. It’s had an important role to play since the very first days of our Founding Fathers. There's something for everybody to be able to learn, and to look at leaders of yesterday who we can and should hold up as role models for us to follow going forward into the future.”
 
 
One wall of the room features the portraits of three of West Hills’ most prominent sons who each have a school named after them in the district - Silas Wood, 19th century congressman and one of Long Island’s earliest historians; poet Walt Whitman; and Henry L. Stimson, who served as U.S. Secretary of War and Secretary of State in the early to mid 1900s.
 
 
The other walls follow a timeline with photos, newspaper clippings, and captions showing the earliest school buildings, district growth, and student life through the decades. There’s also an interactive touchscreen that lets users scroll through old yearbooks dating back to the 1940s. The interactive display allows for yearbooks and photos to be added as classes graduate, keeping the Heritage Room up-to-date.
 
 
The room was designed and researched under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent John Murphy, by members of the district’s public relations team: Thomas Ciravolo, Liz DeMonte, Christina Wright, and Lea Tyrrell; with the help of Stephanie Gotard and Karen Martin of the Huntington Historical Society.
 
 
The Heritage Room is being used as a meeting space for the Board of Education, community meetings, club meetings, and workshops for teachers and students.
 
 
 
 
 
Visitors of the Heritage Room have the opportunity to view a timeline with photos, newspaper clippings, and captions showing the earliest school buildings, district growth, and student life through the decades.
 
 
 
 
Assemblyman Stern (left) was able to secure funding from the state for this special project.
 
 
 
 
There’s an interactive touchscreen that lets users scroll through old yearbooks dating back to the 1940s. The interactive display allows for yearbooks and photos to be added as classes graduate, keeping the Heritage Room up-to-date.
 
 
 
 
BOE President, Nicholas Ciappetta, cutting the ribbon alongside Assemblyman Steve Stern, former Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci, members of the SHUFSD Cabinet, Public Relations department and Huntington Historical Society. The room was designed and researched under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent John Murphy, by members of the district’s public relations team: Thomas Ciravolo, Liz DeMonte, Christina Wright, and Lea Tyrrell; with the help of Stephanie Gotard and Karen Martin of the Huntington Historical Society.
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