Historic Preservation commission seeks school partnerships for tours, student role

Anthony Angelini, chairman of the Historic Preservation Review Commission (HPRC) and president of the Montville Historical Society, presented the commission's work and invited the Montville Township School District to partner on curriculum enrichment and volunteer involvement.

Angelini asked the board to consider appointing a history teacher—or another teacher with an interest in history—to serve on the HPRC and to allow a student (16 or older) to serve as an alternate member. "We have three openings right now," Angelini said, noting state approval as a Certified Local Government allowed a student alternate.

The Historical Society described two local sites it operates: the Montville Township Museum (a one-room schoolhouse on 6 Taylor Town Road) and the Doremus House, an 18th-century structure on the state and national historic registers. The society said it already runs open-house sessions—monthly museum hours and periodic openings of the Doremus House—and wants to restart school tours and incorporate students into future archaeological surveys.

Board members offered to circulate membership and volunteer information to school staff and to district historians. A board member said the district could share the society's information with the supervisor and the history department.

Angelini said the historical groups collaborate with county and state preservation bodies and are pursuing inclusion on New Jersey heritage trails tied to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War.

Ending: The board invited the presenters to forward materials for outreach; board members said they would help circulate volunteer and tour opportunities to teachers and students.