Fred Landolphi Papers

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: MG Nwk Landolphi-(Fileroom)

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of biographical data, a hand-written draft of a memoir covering the years 1931 to 1965, professional and personal correspondence (1936-2000), an issue of the South Side High School newsletter "Hilltop Recorder" (October 31, 1951), Mayor Carlin's proclamation of Fred Landolphi Day and other material on FL's selection as "Principal of the Year" (1960), a photograph of a high school basketball team (undated), two hand-illuminated tributes to FL from his fellow teachers and administrators (1960 and 1964), and related newspaper clippings.

Dates

1931 - 2000

Creator

Landolphi, Fred (Person)

Conditions Governing Use

Photocopying of materials is limited and no materials may be photocopied without permission from library staff. Researchers wishing to publish, reproduce, or reprint materials from this collection must obtain permission.

Biographical / Historical

Alfred "Fred" Landolphi was born on August 16, 1908 in Newark, of Italian immigrant parents. He attended Lafayette Elementary School and East Side High School. Elected to Phi Beta Kappa, he received a BA degree in history from West Virginia University in 1930 and a BS degree in education in 1931. In 1940 he completed a Masters Degree in Education at Rutgers University. He was a history teacher at Arts High School and Barringer High School (1931-1944) and soon became active in various professional organizations in the state. He went on to become Vice-Principal of Arts High School and later of Weequahic High School, and established Newark's first city-wide guidance program in 1947, becoming Chairman of Essex County Guidance Directors in 1948. He led the city's "Good Will and Understanding Program," a civil rights effort, for four years, from 1947. In 1951 he became Principal of South Side High School, where he initiated a sweeping program of innovation and improvement. From 1958 he served on the Newark school system's Board of Examiners.

Landolphi won national recognition as "Principal of the Year" in 1960, when Newark's City Council declared March 1, 1960 "Fred Landolphi Day." He retired for health reasons in 1964, at the early age of 57, while serving as Assistant Superintendent of Schools. Apart from his duties as an educator, he served on Newark's Civil Rights Commission, was Chairman of the Newark School System's Board of Examiners, was honored by the Newark NAACP in 1963, and taught as an adjunct professor at Kean College and Fairleigh Dickinson University.