Huntington School Briefs
The Huntington High School Habitat for Humanity club chapter is headed to Mobile, Alabama from February 19-25 to participate in continuing rebuilding efforts after tornadoes and violent storms ripped through seven southern states last spring causing billions of dollars worth of property damage and the loss of hundreds of lives.
Huntington School Board members approved the trip during a meeting of trustees on January 9. Faculty advisor and high school dean of students Robert Gilmor and science teacher Craig McKee will accompany a group of 25 students. Two female chaperones will also make the trip.
Students interested in participating in the trip must have been active members of the high school Habitat for Humanity club for one full year and be at least 16 years old. "The students will go on a tour of the devastation," according to a plan submitted by trip organizers. "There are plans to get them involved with groups that are helping out those that have been displaced."
The trip will be privately financed by the participants and ongoing fundraising initiatives.
Alum Passes Away
The Huntington school community mourned last week's death of 2007 Huntington High School graduate David Feeney. He was 22 years old.
The 249-member strong Class of 2007 graduated on a warm Friday evening before a crowd estimated at 2,500. The group was led by valedictorian Matthew Rienzo, salutatorian Hannah Payne and Student Government President Rachel O'Connor.
Next School Board Meeting
The Huntington School Board will hold its next public meeting on Monday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Jack Abrams School auditorium. The public is invited to attend. An agenda will be posted on the district's website at www.hufsd.edu in advance of the meeting.
Teacher Center Policy Board
The Huntington Teacher Center's Policy Board is led by Chairperson Patricia Dillon. Board members include Ellen Blanchard, Cathy Cain, Dr. Kenneth A. Card, Jr., Maryann Daly, Jeff Dicker, Laraine Schirripa, Cathy Fede, Dr. Carmela Leonardi, Karen Mallow-Rizzo, Marlon Small and Georganne White.
Angela Berner serves at the HTC director. Lucy DeChiaro is the center's secretary.
Black History Month Celebration
The Town of Huntington will sponsor a Black History Month celebration on Thursday, February 2 at 7 p.m. at Huntington Town Hall. Dr. Kevin D. Jordan, dean of academic support services at Dowling College will be the evening's keynote speaker. The celebration will also feature music and a light dinner.
Contact Denise Williams, director of minority affairs for the town at (631) 351-2842 or dwilliams@huntingtonny.gov for more information.
Class of 1942 Loses Member
Huntington High School's Class of 1942 lost another of its members when Anne Pauline Frey Knauer passed away last Wednesday of renal failure in Chicago, IL at age 88.
Mrs. Knauer was well-known in the Huntington area, working in the YMCA for nearly six decades. She only moved from Huntington Station two years ago.
During her years at Huntington High School, Mrs. Knauer participated in the girls' athletic program and in the student government organization. The high school at the time was located on Main Street across the street from the Old First Church in the building that today is used as Huntington Town Hall.
As a Huntington senior, Mrs. Knauer was awarded the Elkins' Girls' Athletic Prize, which was presented to her by Principal Robert L. Simpson at the school's 81st annual commencement in the auditorium on Tuesday, June 23, 1942 at 8:15 p.m.
At the commencement, Superintendent Raymond C. Burdick presented the Class of 1942 and Huntington School Board President Harold H. Street distributed the diplomas. Valedictorian Norma Bonaker ("Out of Darkness – Light) and salutatorian Marjorie Jane Hallock ("Dogs in War Time") gave well-received addresses.
Mrs. Knauer married fellow Huntington Class of 1942 member Harold "Babe" Knauer in 1947. The couple had three sons: Gary, Joe and Kevin. She retired from the YMCA in 1989 and planned to travel across the country in an RV, but Mr. Knauer died of a heart attack a few years later. Mrs. Knauer then returned to work at the YMCA.