Montclair's Mount Hebron School Renamed For Astronaut Buzz Aldrin

The second astronaut to walk on the moon became the first to get a school named after them in Montclair on Monday.

During its Oct. 19 meeting, the Montclair Board of Education officially renamed Mount Hebron Middle School to “Buzz Aldrin Middle School” in honor of the legendary astronaut and native Montclairite.

Aldrin – who attended the local public school system his entire life – graduated from Montclair High School in 1947.

According to the Montclair Man on the Moon Committee, which advocated for the name change:

“When Col. Aldrin walked on the moon’s surface in 1969 as part of the first successful mission from earth, he became one of the greatest explorers in human history. He also happens to have grown up in Montclair and attended its public schools. Of Mt. Hebron Middle School in particular, he has said publicly, ‘That was the turning point where I focused my dedication to education. That middle school would be most revered in my retrospect of my youth.’”

• See related article: Buzz Aldrin Lands In Montclair
• See related article: Buzz Aldrin to Receive First-Ever Key to Montclair
• See related article: NJ Hall of Fame Inducts Montclair’s Buzz Aldrin

While board members voted to approve the new name by a tally of 6-0 (with one abstention), David Cummings expressed caution about potentially setting policy for renaming other schools in the future.

“We’re opening ourselves up to where many people can be recommended for having names and things changed for them,” Cummings said.

Although many spoke in favor of the school’s new name, multiple attendees at Monday’s meeting questioned the renaming of the school and expressed a desire to honor the previous name, Baristanet reported.

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