William Paterson University - Pioneer Yearbook (Wayne, NJ)

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WILLIAM PATERSON COLLEGE A BRIEF HISTORY William Paterson College has had a long and varied history of service to the people of New Jersey. Founded in 1855 in down- town Paterson as a city normal school, the college maintained that connection for nearly 70 years. As the school came under the control of the State in 1923, its programs grew in variety and were gradually expanded to a four-year sequence. In 1937 the college became New Jersey State Teachers College at Paterson, while the institution continued in its mission, the preparation of elementary school teachers. In 1951 the college moved to occupy its present location, a wooded hilltop in the Northeastern corner of Wayne with portions of the grounds in the municipalities of Haledon and North Haledon. From this central location, just outside the city of Paterson and only 20 miles west of New York City, the college is easily acces- sible to members of urban, suburban, and rural communities. The institution became Paterson State College in 1958, and by 1963 it offered 12 major programs at both elementary and secondary levels. In 1966 the college began offering a baccalaureate pro- gram in nursing and a variety of major and minor programs in the liberal arts. The college was renamed the William Paterson College of New Jersey in 1971, honoring the distinguished New Jersey associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in the eight- eenth century. The name change coincided with the college ' s transformation into a multi-purpose, regional state institution, offering graduate and undergraduate programs. New Jersey ' s First Bicentennial Campus 107

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Graduation Day: Warm and Sunny On the warm sunny afternoon of May 22, 1976. William Paterson Col- lege held its one hundred and forty- second commencement. Rev. Herbert McGuinn from St. Augustine ' s Church in Paterson gave the invocation. Next. Joanne Sebe- kos, class president, spoke to her class about the good times of the past four years and the challenge of finding employment facing the graduating class. Claude Burill conferred citations on Mrs. Bertha Clark, Charles Elmen- dorf and Milton Silva. Rabbi Martin Freeman presented a Doctor of Human Letters to Stephen Wright. Degrees were awarded to the graduates after Stephen Wright, vice-president of the College Entrance Examination Board, said a few words. The Art graduates threw confetti in the air as their depart- ment was asked to stand for the con- ferring of their degrees. Most of the graduates cheered and stood on chairs when their departments were announced. After the ceremony all graduates and guests were asked to attend a farewell celebration held in Caldwell Plaza. 106

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES THE WILLIAM PATERSON COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY Claude W Biirrill, Chairman Judith Fernald, Vice Chairman Leonard Coard, Secretary James W. Bryant Rabbi Martin Freedman Fred S. Later Miriam Winkler CHANCELLOR OF HIGHER EDUCATION, STATE OF NEW JERSEY Ralph A. Dungan PRESIDENT OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Helen H. Wienke CHAIRMAN OF THE ALL COLLEGE SENATE Vito W. Caporale COLLEGE MARSHAL Mark Karp SENIOR CLASS OFFICERS President Joanne Sebekos Vice President Kathleen MacKenzie Secretary Pamela Weite Treasurer Anthony Cavotto 108