Middle Township Schhool Board President Calvin Back

COURT HOUSE — Calvin Back was unanimously reelected president of Middle Township Board of Education April 24 at the reorganization meeting.

By now, that's hardly news, except that vote made Back, a Court House resident, and long-time town fire chief, the state's longest-serving school board president, according to Walter Landgraf, board secretary/administrator.

Back has been a board member for 46 years, and has held the president's title since 1972, a decade after he first won a seat on the board in February 1962. That was a month before the infamous March 1962 storm that ravaged the county’s coastal towns.

Back, a modest fellow, remained away from the dais against the wall as reorganization took place a half hour prior to the regular monthly meeting.

Board member Daniel Money nominated Back. That was quickly seconded by Andrew Melchiorre, and nominations were closed. Back, the last to vote, cast a vote for himself.

After that a round of applause erupted.

"Thank you, school board members," said Back.

"This is probably one of the times I've been elected president that it disturbs me because of the vote (defeat) on the ($20.8-million) budget," he said.

"I would like anybody in the public to give us support and give us advice. Believe me, it's not going to be easy," he added.

He added his hope that "Township Committee (tasked with reviewing the defeated budget and making recommendations where to cut) will let us have a good school year with less money," he added.

"We will try for grants. There are a couple of teaching coaches I hope we can still leave in," Back said.
"Thank you for your support. It's a great board to work with. They know the problems ahead of us," he concluded.

After the meeting, Back looked at a membership plaque on the wall with all present and former members listed. He scanned the rows of metal markers for his name, and shook his head in disbelief at the sea of names with whom be had served.

In that nearly half century of service, Middle Township School District has vastly changed.

When Back first took office, the "new" high school was housing its first few classes across the Garden State Parkway, accessible from Bennett Road.

Eighth grade classes were being held in the former high school on South Main Street where a professional office complex is located.

The town’s original wooden elementary schoolhouse, a gray structure, behind that former high school, housed seventh grades and special education classes.

The lone remnant of that building is its cupola, recently repainted, that rests just north of the district Administration Building on South Main Street.

A throwback to earlier times, sixth grades were, until the mid-1960s, taught in a two-room red school in Dias Creek that was heated by coal stoves in each classroom. The late Margaret Compton was teaching principal in that school.

Putting Back's longevity in presidential perspective:

• President Franklin D. Roosevelt served just over 12 years.

• Cuban President Fidel Castro served for 50 years until stepping down Feb. 19.

• Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Salih held top office since July 1978, when Back already had 16 years under his belt.

• Togo's President Gnassingbe Eyadema has 41 years in office.

The longest-serving school board president in the United States has held office for over 50 years.

Also at reorganization, Dennis Roberts was reelected vice president by unanimous vote.

"Thank you to my fellow board members. I echo Calvin's sentiments. We will work hard to overcome our problems," he said.

During the reorganization, the board agreed to retain meetings on the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m.

Meeting will be May 15, June 19, July 17, Aug. 21, Sept. 18, Oct. 16, Nov. 20, Dec. 18, Jan. 15, Feb. 19, March 19 and April 30 at 7 p.m. to reorganize, due to April 21 board elections.

Andrew Melchiorre said he would like the board to consider, at some future date, shifting meetings to Wednesday evenings, but no action was taken, and Melchiorre did not push the matter.

Earlier in the meeting, incumbent board members who won an uncontested election, Andre Hodges, Anthony Anzelone and Roberts, were administered oaths by Solicitor William Donio.

Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com