[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1472]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MENTOR, FRED LANDOLPHI

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DONALD M. PAYNE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 2, 1996

  Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on August 18, during our August 
district work period, one of my mentors will celebrate his 88th 
birthday. This special person is Mr. Fred Landolphi. When I was a young 
teacher, Mr. Landolphi was the principal of my school, South Side High 
School in Newark, NJ. I learned a great deal from him. Today, several 
of my philosophies can be directly attributed to him.
  I would like to share with my colleagues one of Mr. Landolphi's 
bright moments to illustrate why he has been such an influence on so 
many lives.
  In 1960, Mr. Landolphi was selected Principal of the Year in the 
annual nationwide search for outstanding elementary and secondary 
school heads by Croft Publishers. The judges based their choice of Mr. 
Landolphi on the nominating statement submitted by his faculty. This 
statement read in part:

       In justice, a manual on ideal school administration is 
     necessary to convey the qualities of Fred Landolphi, for he 
     is the creative center of the activities of South Side High 
     School, both within the school's physical plant and in the 
     community in general.
       When he assumed the principalship of the school, morale, 
     good manners, scholarship, loyalty and devotion had reached 
     an unpleasant ebb. A fine by disunited faculty was valiantly, 
     but aimlessly and dejectedly, trying to adjust to a complete 
     turnover in the nature of the student body. An unhappy and 
     rebellious student body was vociferously and, in some cases, 
     violently reacting to the school situation because they were 
     without clearly stated principles of behavior, without 
     clearly stated scholastic aims, without leadership in the 
     cohesive and inspiring aspects of school spirit.
       This dismal situation has slowly, patiently, and decisively 
     changed since Mr. Landolphi became our principal. He has 
     accomplished the material rejuvenation of the structure and 
     the revitalization of student-teacher-community morale.

  At the time, Mr. Landolphi spoke of a principal that had guided him 
through this 29-year teaching career. He felt that you had to give the 
students a feeling of confidence. You had to let them know that you're 
interested in them and that you only bawl them out because you care for 
them.
  Mr. Landolphi established the South Side Scholarship Fund because he 
noted that while the most gifted of his students were able to win 
scholarships, other youngsters with great potential were denied a 
college education because of poverty.
  As a teacher and youth advocate, I have treated the thousands of 
young people with whom I have had contact just as Mr. Landolphi did. I 
treat them with respect and challenge them to plan and reach for the 
stars. For more than 20 years at high school seniors awards programs, I 
have presented the Donald M. Payne Award to seniors who are not the 
stars of the graduating classes but have done the best they can, 
sometimes under difficult circumstances, to become a productive member 
of our society. I want them to know that doing one's best is extremely 
important. That was something I learned from Mr. Landolphi.
  I want to personally thank him for the confidence he showed me during 
my first teaching assignment. We had many discussions about my 
experience as a new teacher. He always put a positive spin on any 
dilemma. In 1970 I became president of the YMCA of the USA probably as 
a result of Mr. Landolphi's encouragement and support. He supported my 
concepts of after-school programs and encouraged me to continue to work 
with our young people through the ``Y'' experience.
  Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues will want to join me and many of 
Mr. Landolphi's former students as we wish him a happy birthday and 
wish him and his wife the best.

                          ____________________