Loyal historian understands debt owed ancestors

I attended a Monroe Township Council meeting on July 30. A member of the public attacked the credentials of our township historian, John Katerba, because of his assessment of the probable location of the Bethel Indian village.

I know John personally, and he has only acted in the best interest of the residents of Monroe past, present and future. John has a deep and thorough love for this township, as do I. He was born and raised here and is filled with a sense of pride for what is, what was and what is to come. He understands the flow of history and the debt that we owe to our ancestors. We, as children, honor our parents and grandparents and in the process teach our children to honor us.

I understand because I feel the same way. Those are the only credentials that Mr. Katerba needs to be our township historian. Who better to care for our memories? Who better to remember us? Who better to pass those memories on to our children? Who better than a man whose passion is the love of our home and our history? Who better than John Katerba?

The people who say that John is wrong state that the Bethel Indian village was located at the proposed location of the high school. Mr. Katerba states that it was not there but north of that location and cites several documents that give credence to his argument.

I have one question. What if the village was there? What is the counterproposal? Leave it as soccer fields? Let children run, sweat and trample on what opponents say is sacred ground? That has been going on for years there now because these are active soccer fields. There are horse shows, dog shows, games, golfing and all other types of activities that have never been stopped because Bethel may have been located there. What better honor to bestow upon past residents of Monroe than to build our much-needed high school on this spot, name it after Bethel Indian village and the Lenni-Lenape as an everlasting memorial to honor them? Isn't that better than allowing it to remain the unmarked, trampled ground that it is now?

I don't believe Bethel was at that location. I think the village was further north, closer to water. The lake was not there in the current form. Back during this period there was a stream running through where the northern portion of the park is today, far from the soccer fields. It was later dammed up to create the lake. Running water was not an option back then. People lived close to water so they would not have to walk it back to their village every day.

I agree with Mr. Katerba's assessment. He is a nonpartisan volunteer who maintains our sense of self out of loyalty to his town. Let's build our school and honor our history by honoring the Lenni-Lenape with a school named after them.

Ken Chiarella

Monroe