Howard Seshens Honored for 39 Years of Teaching Music in Haddonfield

Howard Seshens looked a bit uncomfortable standing among three Haddonfield commissioners Tuesday at the front of the auditorium at the Municipal Hall.

A crowd of about 100 residents, mostly children and their parents, watched as Seshens was lauded for nearly four decades of teaching music in all three borough elementary schools. He retired at the end of the school year.

"Mr. Seshens has introduced every kindergarten student to the joy of music with his weekly classroom lessons, nurtured students' love of music by teaching elementary students in first through sixth grades, presented musical performances in open houses, Breakfast with Santa and Flag Day celebrations," Mayor Tish Colombi told the crowd. "(He) greeted students and teachers in the hallway, always wearing a smile ans stored a humorous joke in his pocket to share and often wore a clever pin on his lapel to make them all smile."

The crowd laughed and smiled with each reference. Heads nodded with each story of a man who has helped teach generations of local children.

Seshens reluctantly took the microphone to issue a heartfelt thanks after the accolades.

"This has been a great 39 years," he said. "It's great teaching all the kids for 39 years and seeing them come back as parents. It's a wonderful feeling. Feels like I accomplished a lot."

Seshens didn't say what he planned to do next. Instead, he basked in the harmony Tuesday of generations of locals who learned to love music because of him.