What started out as a great idea for a display at the Shrewsbury Historical Society blossomed into a unique exhibition that drew hundreds, perhaps thousands of visitors, included a display of some of the collection at Eastern Branch County Library, and charmed generations of women and girls with stories of the materials and people featured in the exhibition.

Weddings, Brides, and Bridal gowns are very definitely an important and historic part of the culture of people all over the world and have been for centuries.

Historical Society President Don Burden, who spearheaded the idea when he recognized the talent of Society volunteers and the generosity of local residents, explained the exhibit, Historic Wedding Dresses,  has  been special for many reasons. Currently it  includes 25 gowns at the Society’s building at historic Four Corners and another ten gowns in the Library until the end of this month, with many more in temporary storage.

Because of the interest, the Society, which published a booklet on the dresses last year, printed a second booklet this year with some of the same gowns described in the book and an additional five that were not part of the collection last year.

“The total collection has nearly four dozen different dresses,” Burden said, ranging from the Victorian era through the early 20^th century with some accent on the Edwardian and mid-19^th century time periods. Some of the gowns are on loan and will be returned to their owners when the exhibitions close down, he said, while others will be placed in storage for another exhibit sometime in the future.”

Burden said at the present time there are still another eight gowns that have never been on display because they are still in the process of being restored.

Burden, who gave up more than one Sunday dinner or Saturday afternoon at home to open the museum upon a last minute request, said he had an entire exhibit committee and support crew that deserves all the praise for the outstanding exhibit. These include his wife, Mary Lea Burden, Mark Degenhart, Mike Forrest, Stuart Buncher, Marty Kowalski and Mike Jones. In addition, the professional consultants who made certain the exhibit was accurate and filled with historic anecdotes and tales were Elizabeth McDermott, Ellen Jackson and Bernadette Rogoff.  “Nor can we forget the many local women’s and families who are represented in the exhibit, and the people who made gifts or loans dresses and accessories.”

Judi Buncher, who holds a fine arts degree from Georgian Court College and is founder of the Fiber Arts Guild at Allaire Village,   is the stylist and garment restore for the entire collection and Robin Blair, vice president of the historical society has taken a lead with Burden in both talks and organization throughout the exhibit, serving as docent and exhibit coordinator.

Before the Eastern Branch Library exhibit comes to a close the end of the month, there is still another Dress Talk session on Tuesday, June 28 at 2 p.m. led by the curators. These are informal sessions when the Society curators delve deeper into the history of the dresses the process of restoring them to excellence while retaining their historic beauty and significance, and the stories about the brides who wore them. Registration is necessary for the June 28 session, and is available either by calling the library at 732-683-8980 or on line at MonmouthCountyLib.org. The library is located at 1001 Route 35 in Shrewsbury.

While it is impossible to have an accurate total of how many visitors the exhibits have had, since  it is not known how many people came to Eastern Branch Library for a book or research and stayed to view the exhibit, Burden said comments from so many visitors indicate people loved the displays for a variety of reasons.

“Nostalgia is probably the main reason people loved the display,” the president said, “People love to see the fashions of other eras and loved hearing the stories about the brides, their families, and of course, the husbands at all these weddings.”  There were many moms who came with daughters to show them how bridal gowns used to be, to give them ideas for their own weddings, or just to share some mother-daughter time in a laid-back and leisurely manner.

“The exhibit afforded the opportunity to tell the history of the role of wedding dresses in society.  It also was an opportunity tell some interesting stories about the bride and their family, “ Burden explained. He noted the importance of providing an opportunity to tell about  traditions and customs. “The exhibit was more than just viewing the dresses; it was  hearing the background surrounding the gowns as well,” he said, “people just want to hear and perhaps imagine being part of these stories.”

For more information on the Society’s Museum or Library exhibits, or to learn more about the Shrewsbury Historical Society or to become a member, visit ShrewsburyHistoricalSocietyNJ.org.

Reporting that collaboration of  administrators and elected officials is working well towards ensuring the question of a K-12 regional school district with Sea Bright, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, the governing body unanimously passed two resolutions at last night’s meeting of the Mayor and Council, both advancing  measures necessary or desired to ensure the question is on the ballot in November in all three municipalities.

Council unanimously approved authorizing special counsel Porzio, Bromberg  Newman, P.C.  to prepare and submit a petition to the Commissioner of Education seeking authorization to hold a referendum for a new all Purpose PK-12 regional district. The resolution is similar to what Sea Bright had introduced months ago but incorporates  the authority for Porzio to submit the petition to the Commissioner of  Education.

At the same time, the governing body, again unanimously,  approved another resolution reiterating what it has said and approved several times in the past: in the unlikely event either Oceanport or Shore Regional High School files suit against Sea Bright, Highlands or Atlantic Highlands in connection with the regionalization proposal, Sea Bright has agreed to underwrite all costs any of the three towns would incur because of the litigation.

The resolution’s approval refers to the “unlikely event” of litigation, in light of the new law passed and signed by Governor Murphy in January which paves the way for forming regional school districts separate from what is in existence now should they prove both financially equitable for the municipalities involved and educationally sound for students attending the new regional school district.

Both Oceanport and the Shore Regional School Boards  of Education have remained silent throughout all the discussions on regionalization.  Sea  Bright has been having  public meetings with the two closer communities over several years. However, the Oceanport superintendent of schools this week sent  a newsletter to parents of school children  announcing the Board of Education is  seeking volunteers, “in particular Sea Bright parents,” to join an ad hoc committee to assist in educating the board with  facts on the regionalization possibility. That action is being taken, the superintendent said, since approval of the question on the ballot and subsequent approval by the three towns could have a devastating impact on the residents of Oceanport and students in Oceanport schools.

There are no Sea Bright residents serving on the Oceanport Board of Education though the community is considered a part of that Board rather than a sending district to Oceanport under a law enacted in the 1970s.

Although board members have never approached Sea Bright’s Mayor and Council for information, nor have board members attended any of the workshops in any of the three towns all of whom have held workshops in the past few months, the superintendent’s letter also said the loss of funding to Oceanport and Shore Regional would be devastating to the school community of Oceanport and Shore Regional. The letter did not address the high costs Sea Bright pays to both districts for the education of its fewer than  75 students.

Because of these reason, the superintendent said in the newsletter  that the Oceanport Board of Education “has had legal representation at these meetings,” though none has ever been identified nor addressed the official bodies.

The board has never taken a public position on the regionalization question, the letter said, so as  “to see the will of these communities before publicly vocalizing its own position.” The letter also said the proposal  will have a negative impact on West Long Branch, Monmouth Beach and Shore Regional High School though no concerns have ever been expressed at any public meeting of any of these boards or at Sea Bright Highlands and Atlantic Highlands meetings.

The newsletter made it clear the board of education plans to “consider every legal avenue available to oppose the regionalization, prompting the Sea Bright Mayor and Council to unanimously adopt the resolution assuring the two other towns in the proposed regional district it would pay all costs should the unlikely litigation happen.