May 22, 2020
Dear Ramsey and Saddle River Communities:
Growing up, Memorial Day vacations for the Murphy family were not a rite of passage. We didn’t go overseas, we didn’t go to the Shore, we didn’t go anywhere. If we were lucky that year to have joined the local swim club, we would have to ride our bicycles or beg our parents to drive us. But in my 20s, Memorial Day meant the Jersey Shore. Like many young adults, I often had a “share” of a beach house. Some years it was straightforward. Others it was a partial share: only on weekends and often with strange parameters such as when Chrissy would be going or when the Mets weren’t playing at home. We needed an engineer to figure out the schedule (Modern apps take all that fun out of it.)
More recently, Memorial Day has meant the start of the camping season. Little-known fact: A few years ago I purchased a motorhome and began to embrace the life of an RVer. And yes, there are MANY truths in the Robin Williams movie “RV.” For years, my daughters would write about our RV adventures and mishaps for school assignments. The teachers would ask, “Did that really happen?” And yes, it did.
Summer memories aside, Memorial Day is — and should be — about more than the start of summer. This Monday, May 25, we need to pause to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. I am named after my father’s cousin and godfather, Matt Byne (pictured with my father), who died while training to be a dive bomber in World War II. Matt’s brother Tom later became a Jesuit priest, and I was blessed to have spent my younger years knowing him. Years later, Matt’s service inspired my dad to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps.
We’ll mark Memorial Day differently this year, of course. No shoulder-to-shoulder gatherings around a flagpole for solemn wreath-laying, no curbside seats to watch a parade roll by. But there are numerous ways to pause, reflect and honor, including an on-your-own 22-mile bike ride; a televised concert featuring video footage and readings about military service; and virtual tours of U.S. veterans and war memorials.
To all those who lost loved ones, I salute you, and I thank you for your sacrifice for our great country.
As a side note, I am involved with a group of volunteers, mostly veterans, who are converting the last 7-acre parcel of the world’s largest WWII Port of Embarkation into homes and a supportive community for veterans. Known as Camp Shanks, a.k.a. “Last Stop USA,” the historic property encompases more than 2,000 acres involving Blauvelt, Orangeburg and Tappan. The Rockland Homes for Heroes campaign is focused on eliminating veteran homelessness in the Mid-Hudson Valley. If you have also found a way to #carrytheload, I’d love to hear about it.
While this weekend signals the unofficial start of summer, it is important that we realize that physical distancing orders are still in place and our teachers are working very hard to keep our students engaged. It’s not exactly an easy recipe. As a parent myself, I know these are very challenging times and things aren’t going to get easier very soon. However, we must continue to work and support each other during these last few weeks.
I hope this weekend you can enjoy some form of your family’s traditions and, along the way, find a few minutes to reflect on and thank all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country. I would love to see how you celebrated Memorial Day. Please email me a photo and/or paragraph.
Sincerely,
Matthew J. Murphy, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools
Ramsey Public Schools
Twitter: @drmatthewmurphy
Facebook: @RamseyNJschools
Instagram: @RamseySchools
#GoRamsNJ #RamseyStigmaFree #RamseyStrong
