1949 - Present

·      1949 Friends and former students of John Pettibone established “a fitting memorial” to the former school superintendent.  Those involved included: Irma Ambler, Howard Peck, Anne Dube, Bessie Cornwall, Merrill Golden, Barbara Weaver, Ralph Dodd, and Ethel Prince.  Class representatives dating back to 1902 are listed in the minutes recorded by Anne Dube, who was secretary.

·      1950 $2,253 was raised by March.

·      1951 The Dramatic Club raised $43 at a benefit play, and a Glee Club concert raised $83.  The scholarship fund was officially incorporated and trustees were elected.  Trustees decided to consider an applicant’s family assets, family size, ability to borrow, character, personality, scholarship, and aptitude tests results and whether the applicant had his or her family’s backing to further the individual’s education.

In June, with $3,221 raised, the fund awarded the first $300 scholarship to Eleanor Smith and approved loans of $700.

·      1952 The fund totaled $6,000 LaVonne Crawford, one of six applicants, was awarded $300, and the runner-up in voting was to be shown “personal interest” from board members, according to the minutes.

·      1953 The fund made multiple awards.  Kenneth Law received $300 to attend Duke University, and Charles Golden and Lewis Zurlo were awarded $50 each.  The fund was earning 3.5% interest at New Milford Savings Bank.

·      1954 The trustees discussed awarding several smaller scholarships, eventually giving $250 to Sylvia Wolinski and $150 to Donna Corey.  Miss Corey was to have received the larger amount until the trustees learned she would also receive a Daughters of Isabella Scholarship.

·      1955 The trustees held an essay contest to publicize the fund and the ideals of John Pettibone.  Students were asked to write a 500-word essay on the “value of education” with prizes of $25, $15 and $10 awarded. 

A $300 scholarship was awarded to Barbara Ann Hope, and three others each received $100 awards.

·      1956 Three scholarships were awarded, in the amounts of $250, $150, and $100.  There were also three loans approved including a $500 loan to Archie Golden to attend medical school.  Mr. Golden was inducted into the NMHS Hall of Fame in 1998.

·      1957 Trustees awarded five scholarships – a $300 award, two $100 awards, and two $75 awards. 

·      1958 Trustees awarded three $200 awards and three dictionaries at the grade school.

·      1959 The fund reached $7,327 and $3,421 in loans were outstanding.  Six awards were made.  Four at $200 and two at $100.

·      1960 The Fund awarded three $300, two $250, two $200, and two $150 scholarships.

·      1961 Ten years after making its first $300 award, the fund trustees had $11,000 in the bank, $4,767 in loans outstanding and awarded $1,400 in scholarships – four at $250, two at $150 and one $100 award.

·      1971 The fund totaled $30,000 and $4,200 was awarded in 18 scholarships, the largest $400, the smallest $100.

·      1981 Trustees awarded 13 scholarships totaling $6,800 with the largest award a $900 scholarship.