Summer 2006

Vol. 7, Issue 2

What’s Inside

• Eagles in the News

• Hall of Champions & Hall of Fame induction

• Hall of Champions Association Letter

• 100th Anniversary commemorated

• Treasurer’s Report

• “Fowl” Shooting Contest information

• Eagle Store

• Alumni Notes

• Burnside Brick Sale

• Membership Application

• Memorial Bricks

• New members

“The Blue and White” Turns 100

Tho’ the earth be filled with flowers

Most beautiful and sweet;

And the roses and the lilies

Hide the pathway at our feet;

Oh, the blue and white shy violets

Will e’er be our delight,

For they wear the loyal colors

Of our emblem –Blue and White.

In all kind of school athletics

No honor do we lack,

For to Norristown we’re giving

Victories won on field and track;

With a spirit never conquered

For NAHS we fight

And we never growl at being

Black and blue for Blue and White

When our four year course is ended

And we leave our school so dear,

We will make the world take notice

Of our Challenge –“Look, who’s here.”

For we’ve learned that white means pureness

And blue means worth and right,

And our lives shall be the witness

Of our love for Blue and White.

For 100 years, Norristown High School students have sung those words as their Alma Mater.  The lyrics and music were written by H. Severn Regar, ‘07S, in 1906.

As a student, Regar was a member of the track team and ran the relay.  He also served as editor of Spice in 1907, when Spice was a monthly literary magazine.

After graduation, Regar became known for a natural history museum he kept behind his home on DeKalb Street.  He was a member of the Audubon Club of Norristown, serving as the club’s vice president for many years.  He also served a term as a member of Norristown Borough Council.

“The Blue and White” was not the only music that Regar wrote.  He wrote sacred music for the Episcopal Church he attended.  He also had published several works of his poetry.

After leaving Norristown, Regar lived in Alabama, North Carolina, Cleveland, before settling in Eufaula, Alabama where he was “an officer of Infant Socks at Eufaula,” according to his obituary in the Times Herald.

On June 4, 1924, Regar returned to his alma mater to present to the students the original manuscript of “The Blue and White” which he had framed for the occasion.  Unfortunately, the present whereabouts of the manuscript is unknown.

According to a Times Herald account of the assembly, the students started singing the song during after his presentation.

At one point, the Norristown High School students wrote to Regar to ask his permission to change the first line of the third verse to “three year” since the high school housed only 10th, 11th and 12th grades.  Regar agreed to the change.

This year, NAHS Principal Joe Howell explained to the senior class that this was the 100th anniversary of “The Blue and White” and gave the Class of 2006 the option of singing either one verse or three verses at graduation.  The seniors overwhelmingly voted to sing all three verses.

Winter 2006

Vol. 7, Issue 1

What’s Inside

• Eagles in the News

• Alumni in the Military

• Alumni Spotlight:  Joyce Collier

• Spinelli Award winner:  Frank McDevitt

• NASD forms Education Foundation

• NEF Golf Outing

• Reading Phillies trip information

• All Norristown Area Schools Reunion

• Eagle Store

• Alumni Notes

• Burnside Brick Sale

• Membership Application

• Alumni Garden Bricks

• New members

Realignment coming

ENMS Expansion Completed

 by Jennifer Ackerman, ‘98

When the Norristown Area School District instituted all-day kindergarten four years ago, it was apparent that it would require more rooms in the six elementary schools.

As a temporary solution, a number of kindergarten classes were moved to Eisenhower Middle School, a less than ideal situation.

To solve this problem, the School Board decided to build an addition to East Norriton Middle School, then redistrict so that fifth grade will move from elementary school to middle school.

An expanded and revitalized East Norriton Middle School will be ready for students in September 2006.  The school was chosen for expansion as it was the smallest of the district’s middle schools, housing  just under 400 students, and because of the large area of land on which it resides.

Ground was broken for the new wing in October 2004.  The new 70,000 square foot addition includes an additional 32 classrooms, cafeteria, kitchen and library  adjacent to the existing building.  The new classrooms include seven special education classrooms.

As of January 2006, the addition was complete and all classes moved into the new wing while the original part of the school are being renovated.

Renovations include realignment of existing rooms to provide space for a music suite and an additional computer lab, installation of central air-conditioning and construction of a bridge between the new and existing structures.

In addition, Roland Drive has been reconfigured, new parking areas have been added, and extensive landscaping has been done.  The main entrance to the school is now in the new wing.

When the 2005-2006 school year begins, East Norriton Middle School’s student capacity will double to nearly 900 with the expansion.

A new redistricting plan is being prepared and space for all kindergarten classes to return to the elementary schools will be a reality.