George Washington Junior High School circa 1960s

     This is how I remember GW. It was before a group of citizens, including my father and many of his friends and neighbors bought the land across the street and created Citizen's Park. There was a stone placed around 1970 in the driveway with a plaque which contains the names of all the donors.

     As of late there has been quite a bit of building at GW, and at all the schools in the Ridgewood Public School system. With all this building they had to eliminate Home Economics, Wood Shop, Electrical Shop, and Body Shop. Who knew these pedestrian skills would come back into vogue during the pandemic of the 21st century? I wasn't much for Wood or Body shop but I did develop an interest in cooking that has come in very handy through the years.

     Given my way I would close all the computer labs and bring back some of the trades that used to be taught. I am not a Luddite by any means. I just believe we have enough computers and the Ridgewood school system doesn't need to be providing them. Students can use their own and the ones that are in the library. The computer labs are overkill, unless they are tied to trades which can be used to rebuild America's infrastructure. I don't believe we need to teach to the test anymore, or teach so that students can go to college. College is an expensive frill for an eighteen year old, that more often than not buries students under a pile of debt. I am all for gap years where high school graduates travel, work in the Peace Corps, or learn a trade. There will be nothing special about attending a residential college for quite a few years. In the meantime, learn something about a topic you will use the rest of your life or at least during your first career. My first career as a restaurateur didn't earn me much cash but it did teach me a lot about people and how to operate, organize and lead a kitchen.