Man of the Hour
When Jack Abrams stood at the blackboard on his first day as a Huntington teacher in September 1955 could he ever have imagined that one day the district would name a school in his honor? But, there he was on Tuesday afternoon, surrounded by family, friends and a crowd of 300. He was beaming and bursting with pride as the former Huntington Intermediate School was rededicated in a festive ceremony.
Speaker-after-speaker extolled Mr. Abrams for his 53 years of effort on behalf of Huntington’s schools. “My standing here today has everything to do with my parents,” he said, explaining that his mother and father taught him the value of hard work and instilled a “can do” attitude in him from an early age.
Beginning as an elementary classroom teacher at Woodbury Avenue Grammar School and later serving as principal of numerous Huntington buildings, Mr. Abrams’ career is the stuff of legends. Colleagues of Mr. Abrams turned out en masse for the dedication, with many returning from out-of-state residences to celebrate with their friend. Alumni spanning seven decades were also in attendance, along with current students from the school.
“Today we honor a man whose love for the Huntington School District is on display every day,” Superintendent John J. Finello said. “Most of all it’s a love for our students. Each day when current students and all who will follow in future years, walk through the doors of this school they will be able to look up and see the name Jack Abrams.”
The large crowd included School Board members, PTA officials, district administrators, parents, students and even alumni, including Suffolk County Court Judge W. Gerard Asher (Class of 1959), who chatted warmly with Mr. Abrams during a reception in the school courtyard.
When Mr. Abrams and a group of students removed a tarp revealing large metal letters mounted into the building’s stately red brick, spelling out Jack Abrams Intermediate School, the crowd roared with approval.
“To know Mr. Abrams is definitely to love him and everything he stands for,” teacher Allison Von Vange said at the dedication. “His motto in life is, ‘Everything you do, do with enthusiasm.’ This personifies the life of Mr. Abrams. Whether it’s stopping to chat with a high school student looking at a poster near the Heritage Museum or explaining to a new teacher the history that is in the Huntington schools, Mr. Abrams does this all with passion. He is a wealth of knowledge and he considers it a privilege to spend his time sharing knowledge with someone. You’ll never see him down and disappointed, just thinking of a different way to get things done.”
Mrs. Von Vange is a member of the Gang of Four, as they are affectionately known, who spearheaded the effort to rename a district school in honor of Mr. Abrams. Her colleagues in the effort included teacher Keith Meyers, former trustee and district resident Linda Guida and Huntington Director of Humanities Joseph Leavy.
Mary Stokkers said she was both “honored and excited” to be principal of Jack Abrams School. PTA President Rebecca Sanin said that the school will embody Mr. Abrams’ sense of community service, with a special year-long activity planned.
Mr. Abrams, who was joined at the ceremony by his wife Eileen and several friends and relatives, told the crowd of his childhood and recited numerous stories about his parents, including helping his father encase his Greenlawn home in granite. “It will probably last 5,000 years,” he said. He expressed pride in his work in Huntington and exuded the enthusiasm that has made him famous in the district.
“This is a historic day,” Mr. Finello said. “Jack’s a living legend and all of us are happy for him.”
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