John McCubbin

      My Dad will always be in my mind all about Baseball, Boy Scouts, BBQs, and the PTA. He coached my brothers and I in baseball, and when we were through he headed up the Ridgewood Baseball Association (RBA) for a year. One of his favorite mementos was the paper weight they gave him for his long years of service. He was an Eagle Scout himself and encouraged us all to do the same, though only my older brother, Peter, made it to the same lofty plane as he did. He loved to BBQ and the site of him flipping burgers on a summer evening was an annual ritual. His friendship with Dan Daly, the principal of Willard School, set the tone early on regarding the importance he placed on education. His participation at the PTA meetings after he had been at work all day in NYC further showed us that working hard at school was something he expected. We will be spreading his ashes next week at Arlington Cemetery. No service will be held as per his request.

RHS Alumni Art Show at Carroll Gallery

     This is taken from the Ridgewood High School web site. I wanted to put it up as a tribute to one of my favorite teachers and someone who remains a friend. He now lives in Asbury Park and is continuing his good works with the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce. Call for Entries: Fourth Annual RHS Alumni Art Show The Ridgewood High School Department of Art and Design is seeking RHS grads to participate in its annual Alumni Art Show, to be held in the RHS Carroll Art Gallery, Room 135, from December 19-January 9, 2009. Interested exhibitors should contact the Department of Art & Design at 201-670-2803, or e-mail the department supervisor, Chris McCullough, at cmcullough@ridgewood.k12.nj.us. A public reception will be held for the artists on Tuesday, January 6, 2009, from 3-5 p.m. The gallery will be open during school hours for the duration of the show. History "The Carroll Gallery was opened in 2002. It is in room 135, located across the hall from the art studios. It is open all during the school day and for many events after school hours. Numerous exhibitions and installations are on view throughout the school year. Students and staff are welcome to visit. The gallery is named after Dennis Carroll, whose work in Ridgewood as an art educator and supervisor from 1967 to 2002, leaves a tradition of high level artistic vision that elevates the learning experience for students, and provides a nurturing, intelligent, thoughtful process for making art. His passion for art and teaching has given countless students the courage to take creative risks and make personal discoveries beyond the classroom. The gallery is dedicated to the work of future students who will serve as daily reminders of the legacy of an exemplary educator, Dennis Carroll."

Charlie Brown Christmas

 

 

      It wouldn't be Christmas for me if I didn't comment on Charlie Brown. I always watch in real time on TV, though I could certainly buy or rent or steal it off the Internet. By watching it on network TV the old fashion way without Tivo, it seems to give me a sense of reassurance in what is certainly an anxious time for us all financially. I don't know if this is a better ritual than a more modern one but it does allow me to reflect upon something that has not changed, and that is the wonderful lessons which Charles Schultz taught us with his Peanuts gang. One of the most prescient lines is uttered by Lucy when she says that all she really wants is Real Estate for Christmas. I suppose that for the last 40 years this was a good thing, but I wonder if this is what Lucy would be asking for today. My favorite lines are uttered by Linus, one of the more underrated characters in my opinion, who is wise beyond belief for always carrying his security blanket with him. Who among us wouldn't want to carry one of those into a job interview or have it with them when they had to make a speech or presentation? His matter of fact declaration that he could tell Charlie Brown what the real meaning of Christmas is, always helps me keep things in prospective during this mega shopping season. 

 

 

RHS Council of Elders

     The idea I want to put forward is this: The Ridgewood Public Schools need a Council of Elders comprised of RHS alumni. As an example I propose something along the lines of a collegiate Alumni Council which offers advice to their presidents and trustee members. In this case the purpose would be to provide a forum for alumni to discuss with public school officials current policies and practices. These discussions would be grounded in the longer historical perspective which the Elders possess. The Council would serve as a sounding board which could assist current RHS administrators in making informed decisions. As an example of how it might work, the Council of Elders might weigh in on how the current debate regarding the Mathematics curriculum compares with previous debates on the same subject. There are plenty of other examples of how the current generation is attempting to re-invent the wheel so to speak, and could profit from a little prospective. 

     What I am offering is not some new idea. There are plenty of groups seeking to increase the level of grassroots citizen engagement in order to build more vital communities. This would be a prime function of the RHS Council of Elders. Who knows, it might even make Ridgewood a more enjoyable place to live in, and one that people no longer fell compelled to leave once their children have graduated. I think the technology exists to make this idea happen, though what is currently lacking is the experience to use if effectively and in a non-threatening manner. There are plenty of avenues available for criticizing, for instance, via the PTA, the newspaper, and various blogs, not to mention the good old fashion phone call or face to face meeting. What I would like see is advice offered as a guide to action and conduct; nothing which would sound too paternalistic or patronizing. Time will tell whether this is a practical suggestion but I did want to go on record as saying I think it might be useful one day.