In the picture above, Superintendent of Schools Kenneth Knops and Frank K. Hehnly School Second Grade Teacher Erika Barrett look through the archived documents from Frank K. Hehnly’s personnel folder. (Photo courtesy of Clark Public Schools)
CLARK — During a central office clean up this past spring, Clark school personnel found the file of former superintendent of schools Frank K. Hehnly. One of the township’s elementary schools is named in his honor, but few residents know much about the educator.
Among the items found inside the file were a vintage picture of Dr. Hehnly with the then Board of Education from 1956, a letter from Dr. Hehnly humbly thanking the Board of Education for naming the soon to be constructed elementary school on Raritan Road in his honor, Dr. Hehnly’s 1959-1960 contract for $5700, and a whole treasure trove of vintage documents.
Superintendent of Schools Kenneth Knops, a history buff, thought it would be a nice idea to create a display in the main hallway of the Frank K. Hehnly Elementary School to introduce a new generation of students, parents, and teachers to Dr. Hehnly, whose career ran from 1932 to 1960 in Clark.
Second grade teacher Erika Barrett has voluntarily taken on the task of researching Dr. Hehnly’s life and career, reaching out to contemporaries from Dr. Hehnly’s time in district, and creating a lasting display in the school hallway.
Barrett has requested that anyone with any knowledge, artifacts, pictures, or stories to share regarding Dr. Hehnly’s tenure in the Clark School District should contact her at ebarrett@clarkschools.org.
It is anticipated that the hallway display honoring Dr. Hehnly will be unveiled at Back to School Night in September.
