Nothing stops the US Mail. 46 years after the fact, Montville Township High School gets its mail

A thick and unexpected letter arrived at the Montville Township Public Schools on March 21, 2016. It was addressed to: MONTVILLE H.S., CHANGE BRIDGE ROAD, MONTVILLE, NJ 07045. The blue ink was applied to the page in the shaky script that one might associate with an arthritic hand. Someone at the post office had handwritten 71¢ on the envelope’s upper right corner, and rubber-stamped it with a bright red ink that said: “Postage Due 65¢.” The 65¢ was also handwritten. before the Post Office would surrender the letter the the Montville Township Public Schools, the 65¢ was paid.

Engraved in the upper left corner in a precisely carved print was also: MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL, 123 Change Bridge Road, MONTVILLE, NEW JERSEY 07045. Engraved in the upper right corner of the slightly yellowed envelope was a crisply embossed 6¢ U.S. Postage stamp.

There was no postmark, but since, according to about.usps.com, first class U.S. Postage was only 6¢ from January 7, 1968 until May 16, 1971, one can assume the letter was mailed over 46 years ago. Additionally, 123 Change Bridge Road was only known as Montville Township High School from fall 1968 until fall 1970.

“Fall of 1968, Montville kept its freshmen from going to Boonton High School,” said Michael Shera, Vice Principal of the current Montville Township High School at 100 Horseneck Road.

Shera has extensively researched MTHS history by interviewing many retired teachers who worked at MTHS during those years.

“A sign was put in front of Central School [now Robert R. Lazar Middle School] which said ‘Montville High School’ and thus MTHS began. The 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students from Montville continued out the rest of high school at Boonton, and Montville added one grade per year going forward.”

Shera’s research has documented that “For the 1968-1969 school year, the ‘HS’ [now Lazar] had grades 7, 8, and 9. For the 1969-1970 school year, the current MTHS was under construction, so the ‘HS’ was still at the former Central School (now Lazar), and it contained grades 8, 9, and 10.

According to Shera, the original MTHS, which is now Lazar, and was the former Central School, was too crowded during the ’69-’70 school year, so the 7th grade was kept at the elementary schools for one year.

By fall 1970, the new MTHS at 100 Horseneck Road was opened and Montville Township’s grades 8, 9, 10 and 11 went to the new facility. The following year Montville’s grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 attended MTHS, and June of 1972 was the first graduation held at MTHS.

While the envelope itself gave no clues to the contents, it did reveal that whoever sent it used an official district envelope as well as official district postage.

Inside was the November 25, 1969 edition of the MONTVILLE TWP. MONITOR. Unfolded, the back page sports news took prominence, revealing a photo of the MTHS football team with the caption: “Larry Casha No. 40 gains yardage during Parsippany-Hills game.”

Articles by Class of ’72 writers, Brian Laird, Lloyd Kitchim and Jim Cosentino completed the layout.

Another back page photo of note is captioned: “Spectators at the home game,” and features three people watching the action from the roof of what is now Lazar.

The Front page headlines announce that “M.H.S. Likely To House Grades 7 to 11 Next Year,” “Trip to Germany Planned” and “Council Votes To Change Dress Code, Board Must Act, Wearing of Slacks Approved.”

Class of ’72 writers Mark Becan, Kathy Hogan and Debbie Eckert were joined on the front page by Class of ’73 writers Debbie Lang and Harry Herrmann.

There is no indication inside or out as to where the envelope has been for the past 46 years. The envelope was securely sealed, and no note was enclosed with the MONITOR, leaving the district, or at least those who open the mail, to wonder why it was imperative, some 46 years ago, for a MTHS publication to be mailed to MTHS in an MTHS envelope.

It is likely that, unless someone can recall putting the November 25, 1969 edition of the MONTVILLE TWP. MONITOR in the mail sometime around 1970, the mystery may never be solved.