Centenary Professor of History Dr. Raymond Frey to Conduct Book Reading and Signing

Hackettstown, N.J. – Centenary College Professor of History Dr. Raymond Frey will be conducting a book reading and signing on December 6, 2012.  The event is sponsored by the Friends of Taylor Memorial Library and will occur at 7:30 p.m. in Taylor Memorial Library.  Parking is available at the David and Carol Lackland Center at 715 Grand Avenue in Hackettstown.  Refreshments will be available for purchase that evening from the Greene’s Beans Café at Centenary College, which is also located at the Library.

Dr. Frey’s new book, Centenary College, New Jersey, presents the college’s history from its origins.  Tested by fire in 1899, it evolved from a coeducational Methodist preparatory school and collegiate institute to an all-girls’ school in 1910, later becoming a junior college for women in 1940.  In 1976, Centenary transformed into a four-year women’s college. Men returned to campus in 1988 as the college became northwestern New Jersey’s only four-year coeducational institution, and in the 1990s, graduate programs and off-campus accelerated degree programs were created to meet the needs of a new generation of students.

Centenary’s history is remarkably preserved in its extensive archives, which contain thousands of historic photographs and documents. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by on this New Jersey campus, and most of these pictures have never before been published.  This is the first printed history of the college since 1947.

“I am privileged to have been able to compose this work detailing the nostalgic history of Centenary College,” says Dr. Frey.  “I hope this book will bring back many fond memories for our alumni, and introduce the rich history and traditions of our school to new generations of students, faculty, and staff.”

Dr. Raymond Frey is a professor of history and college historian at Centenary College where he has taught since 1990.  He holds graduate degrees in philosophy and history from Fordham University and Drew University and has received numerous awards, including the Governor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement in History and Civics and the New Jersey Historical Commission Award of Recognition.  A New Jersey native, Dr. Frey lectures throughout the state, and in 2006, he was the Gates-Ferry Foundation Distinguished Lecturer at Centenary.

For more information about this event, please contact Stanley Kula at (908) 852-1400, ext. 2329.

About The Friends of the Library
The Friends of Taylor Memorial Library is a volunteer group established to sponsor cultural events for the Centenary College community and raise funds to donate to the Library in order to enhance the services, informational resources and equipment it provides.

About Centenary College
Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary College’s academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation. This mix is designed to provide an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the increasingly global and interdependent world.

Centenary College’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township (Morris County).  The Centenary College School of Professional Studies offers degree programs in three locations: Hackettstown, Parsippany and Edison, and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey.  The School of International Programs recruits international students for study at Centenary and Centenary students for study abroad.