Lawton Corbin Johnson, Jr.
| Lawton Corbin Johnson, Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Lawton Johnson Summit MS jeh.jpg Summit's Middle School was named in honor of Lawton C. Johnson | |
| Born | August 6, 1937 United States |
| September 14, 2009 (aged 72)September 14, 2009 (aged 72) | |
| 🏳️ Nationality | American |
| 🎓 Alma mater | Summit High School |
| 💼 Occupation | Education administration |
Lawton Corbin Johnson, Jr. (August 6, 1937 – September 14, 2009) was a New Jersey-based educator and administrator[1] at the Summit Public Schools.[2] In 2004,[3] the middle school was named "Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School" in his honor.[2][4]
Career[edit]
Johnson was born in Summit, New Jersey and studied piano under instructor Capitola Dickerson.[5] Right after graduation from Summit High School, he began working at what was then called Summit Junior high school, rising to office manager, and continued working until retiring in August 2007.[4] While a student, he was part-time office assistant from 1954 through 1956; after graduation, he became school secretary in 1956.[6] In 1962 he became Office Manager. During his 52+ year career he worked for six school superintendents and six Summit Middle School principals.[6] He did extensive volunteer work for numerous school-related committees, events planning groups, YMCA boards, communications groups, civic groups, newspaper editing, and other charitable activities.[6] He was elected Young Man of the Year in 1961 by Summit Area Junior Chamber of Commerce and he was named in the 1965 edition of Outstanding Young Men in America.[6]
Johnson was known for his "positive attitude" and "friendly demeanor" and "willingness to go the extra mile to help someone in need of assistance" according to Summit Middle School principal Matt Block in 2009.[4] "For 47 of his 52 years, Johnson did not miss one day of work."[1][4] Johnson received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Keeper of the Dream Award and the Tri-City Branch NAACP Community Service Award.[7] In October 2007, Summit Mayor Jordan Glatt proclaimed Oct. 2, 2007, as Lawton C. Johnson Appreciation Day in recognition of his years of outstanding service to the city, the middle school and to the church.[7]
In 2004, the Summit Board of Education decided to rename the middle school in Johnson's honor.[5] Most of Summit's schools are named after founding fathers. The middle school's renaming was a first for the city—an honor never before given an employee.[2]
Johnson was described as a "gifted, remarkable, compassionate and uniquely talented person," according to Reverend Denison D. Harrield, Jr., who first approached the Summit Board of Education with the idea of renaming the middle school after Johnson.[2] "He touched the lives of so many people."[2] He died on September 14, 2009, after a long struggle with cancer.[8]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1
Erin O'Neill (September 17, 2009). "A pillar of education is recalled in Summit". NEWARK STAR-LEDGER. Archived from the original on February 21, 2013. Retrieved 2009-09-27. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Thomas Meagher (September 16, 2009). "Summit mourns death of Lawton C. Johnson, namesake of town's middle school". Newark Star-Ledger & Local New Jersey News. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
- ↑ "NJ Schools Welcome South African Educators". GSE Rutgers Graduate School of Education. October 15, 2005. Archived from the original on August 21, 2008. Retrieved 2009-09-27. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Michael P. Kelly (September 15, 2009). "Summit schools, community mourn the passing of Lawton C. Johnson". Independent Press. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Summit Middle School Renamed in Honor of Lawton C. Johnson". Interloc -- Union County Education Association. April 2004. Archived from the original on January 3, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-27. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Lawton Story". Summit Public Schools. 2009-09-27. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2009-09-27. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Lawton C. Johnson, Jr". New Jersey Obituaries. September 26, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-27.[dead link]
- ↑ Summit Public Schools (2009-09-16). "Summit Schools, Community Mourn the Passing of Lawton C. Johnson". The AlternativePress.com. Retrieved 2009-09-27.[permanent dead link]
External links[edit]
This article "Lawton C. Johnson" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Lawton C. Johnson. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
