As a co-founder of The Midland School, Dr. Edward G. Scagliotta built a legacy that continues more than 50 years after he made the Midland dream a reality.
Dr. Scagliotta sadly passed away on March 21, 2018 at the age of 90. The Midland story begins with Dr. Scagliotta—an educator, innovator, and advocate for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who made it his life’s work to leave the world a better place than he found it.
In the late 1950s, Dr. Edward Scagliotta was hired to tutor a teenage boy named David Hardenstine who manifested characteristics of neurological impairment with psycho-motor seizures. He had a short attention span, was hyperactive, dis-inhibited, and compulsive, making enrollment in regular and special education classes in public school difficult. It was for David that Dr. Scagliotta founded The Midland School.
On July 11, 1960 the school officially opened in an old school house on Burnt Mills Road in Pluckemin, NJ. In September of that year the program continued with 1 full time and 2 part time students that were referred from Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center’s program for brain injured children. In 1963, the Jones’ Farm in North Branch was purchased. The construction of the Midland School began using a combination of generous gifts, grants and specific fundraising activities. Classes began in the new school building in late 1964.
For the next 34 years, Dr. Scagliotta served as Midland’s Executive Director. Under his leadership, the school enrollment grew from three students to 245. During the course of his career, Dr. Scagliotta served as an adjunct professor at Rutgers University where he previously earned both a bachelor and master’s degree in education. He received his doctorate degree in supervision and administration of special education from Southeastern University. Upon retirement, Dr. Scagliotta continued to serve the Midland School as director emeritus on the Midland Board of Trustees.
“Dr. Scagliotta was an ardent advocate of children and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” says Midland’s President and CEO, Shawn M. McInerney. “His advocacy was the driving force and catalyst for establishing The Midland School. For this and so much more, we thank him.”
An avid writer, Dr. Scagliotta authored 10 books and contributed over 50 special education articles to various professional publications. He was a noted lecturer nationally and abroad. In 1987, he received the New Jersey Monthly Magazine Pride Award for outstanding contributions to the state of New Jersey in education. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of New Jersey, presented him with an outstanding service award for contributions to the children of veterans. For his work with the New Jersey Association of Private Schools and Agencies for the Handicapped, he received the presidential award for dedicated and outstanding services to handicapped children.
“Dr. Scagliotta had many other passions in life, including the written word (author of 10 books), and fishing,” says Shawn McInerney. “During his memorial service, the following quote, attributed to John Buchan, was referenced in Dr. Scagliotta’s book “I Fish”: “The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.” I am not able to think of a more fitting metaphor for our work at Midland and a tribute to Dr. Scagliotta’s lasting legacy.”
An open to the community memorial service for Dr. Scagliotta is scheduled for May 29 from 4-6 PM at The Midland School – 94 Readington Road – North Branch, N.J. Please join us to share your memories.