This Day in History: 1951-05-23
Mrs. Florence C. North, the principal of the Mahwah Schools, collapsed and died before medical aid could be obtained in her school. She had been over to the Betsy Ross school to attend a third grade play. She drove her car back to her own school and was entering her office at the Commodore Perry school when the heart attack hit her. Police Chief Smith happened to be at the school and he took her to Good Samaritan Hospital in the police car, but it was too late. She had been a teacher and principal in the Mahwah schools for 31 years. She was the first principal of Betsy Ross School when it opened in 1931 and had been named Supervising Principal of all Mahwah schools only five weeks before her death.