IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Georgeanna Lewis

Math teacher, historian loves the region; Homegrown: Georgeanna Lewis has deep roots in the community, By Laurie Gordon Georgeanna Lewis can trace her ancestors to the Macopin area of West Milford back in the mid-1700s. Raised in Lake Stockholm near the Jefferson Township border, she was named after the bungalow in which her parents were living when she was born. She attended a two-room schoolhouse in Stockholm until she was in sixth grade when local children were sent to the Franklin School. She went on to graduate from Montclair State College and later returned to Franklin High School to teach math. She married a marina operator from Lake Hopatcong, and as Mrs. Fernandez, taught algebra and geometry for 19 years at Franklin High then continued at Wallkill Valley Regional High School for another 16 years. She was also an adjunct math instructor at Sussex County Community College for many years. A love of water While she may be well-known as a teacher, many area residents not know she has a passion for water aerobics and swimming in the cool, deep pool at Minerals, in Vernon, whose open season is “far too short” in her opinion. Besides teaching, she has been, over the years, a lifeguard, waitress, summer school teacher and she did office work at the marina owned by her husband. And along with all this, she raised two children. Her daughter followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a teacher. Her son helps her now ex-husband run the marina. In addition to spending time in the pool, Lewis also enjoys reading local history from the Wallkill Valley and Jefferson/Lake Hopatcong areas. “I still find that this is a beautiful area and there is joy in all seasons.” An interest in history When Lewis retired from Wallkill Valley, she joined the Hardyston Heritage Society as the director and secretary of their one-room Monroe Stone School. “My mentors for the school job were Hardyston Historian Helen Wurst and former Lafayette one-room school teacher Catherine Guirreri,” she says. “I soon began writing the HHS quarterly newsletter also.” At that time she took on another job. She became the secretary and newsletter editor of the Sussex County Retired Educators Association, where she has served for about 10 years with the exception of the two years she was its president. The beauty of the area remains a constant in her life. Lewis says that as her grandchildren grow older, she has introduced them to the rich mineral resources of this area. “My grandson asks to look for dinosaurs fossils and treasures at the Franklin Mineral Dump when he visits.”

Georgeanna’s Baked Hash Brown Potato Casserole
serves 12
1-3/4 sticks of margarine
1 to 1-1/2 lb. bag or 2 lb. bag of hash brown potatoes (frozen)
1 can Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup
1 pint (2 cups) sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups crushed corn flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt 1 stick margarine in 9x13 baking dish. (Pan with margarine can be put in oven to melt while stove is reaching temperature)
Pour frozen potatoes into margarine pan when melted.
In a bowl combine soup (undiluted), sour cream, onions, and cheese. Mix well.
Spoon evenly over potatoes,Combine corn flakes with 3/4 stick melted margarine. Sprinkle over potatoes.
Bake for 1 hour.

Visit the schoolhouse
The Hardyston Heritage Society began restoring the Old Monroe School building in 1976 and it now serves as a museum of early education. It will be open Sept. 5 and Oct. 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. Arrangements can be made for group visitations by contacting the Hardyston Heritage Society, PO Box 729, Stockholm, NJ 07460 or calling 973-663-0075. Parking is available in the field indicated by cones placed on Route 94.