1906-1997
Constance Hedden was a Board of Education member, teacher and active in civic groups.
Born in Newark on James Street, Constance Hedden graduated from Barringer High in 1924 and then Dennison University, and Montclair State Teachers College, where she received a Masters in Education in 1933. She took other teaching courses at Columbia, NYU and Claremont College. In Newark, she lived on Ridgewood Ave, and later St. Paul Ave.
Constance taught English at West Side High School. She also taught adult classes in Barringer Evening High, North Newark Adult School, YWCA Adult and West Side Adult School. In 1947, she stated she “quit” school teaching. She stated “I didn’t retire” and that she wanted to focus on other civic activities. She said, “There were so many other things I wanted to do.”
Constance was VP of the Vailsburg Community Council and the chairman for the Vailsburg-area Red Cross membership drive. In 1953, Mayor Carlin, aware of this work, appointed her to the Newark Board of Education. She said, “I have no idea why they chose me… but naturally I’ll do my best.”
Possibly during her work for the Board, Constance found romance because not even a year later she was married to Assistant Superintendent in charge of Business Administration Joseph H. Schotland. The Mayor officiated the wedding. Constance remained on the School Board until Jun 1956, when she resigned citing her marriage (her husband’s work had also been criticized in a recent report to the Board).
Also in Newark Constance served on the boards of the Essex County College Woman’s Club, the Vailsburg Community Council, the New Jersey League of Nursing and the Public Health Division of the National League of Nursing. She was President of the Newark Visiting Nurse Association Board.
After her husband retired, in 1959, Constance and Joseph moved to Chester, NJ, and Constance continued her civic work there with the Board of V.N.A. of Morristown, the Welkind Auxiliary of Chester, and the Long Valley Woman’s Club. In 1987, she was an honored guest at the West Side class of 1937 reunion.
When profiled by the Newark News in 1953, Constanced stated, “People are my real hobby.” She also enjoyed gardening, entertaining, theater, bridge, badminton, cooking and “a new word game scrabble”. She was descended from the Heddens, some of Newark’s earliest settlers.
Bibliography
“Schotland, Constance Hedden”, New York Times, Jun 8, 1997
“Back from Honeymoon to Be Honored” Star Ledger Jan 31, 1954
Bonomo, Josephine, Weiner, Max (2 seperate columns under heading) “Suited for New Jobs” Newark News Jun 21, 1953
“Will Leave School Post” Newark News Jun 6, 1956
“Schotland-Hedden Wedding Saturday”, Newark News , Jan 7, 1954
“Schotland to Retire” Newark News Feb 16, 1958
“Constance Schotland, taught in Newark” Star Ledger Jun 7, 1997
“East Side West Side Grads Toast the Good Old Days” Star Ledger Nov 5, 1987