Mural goes up for good

SUSSEX BOROUGH — Almost six years ago, Sussex artist Arthur Frisbie built a veterans’ mural to be hung at High Point Regional High School to commemorate military school alumni.

Shortly after its initial unveiling during a Veterans Day assembly, the art piece was repossessed two weeks later by Frisbie over a payment dispute.

Last week, the mural officially found its home in the school auditorium during an unveiling ceremony. High Point Board of Education President Paul Derin of Wantage began campaigning last winter to purchase the 8-foot-by-24-foot 3-D mural, worth approximately $14,500.

“I’m very glad that the young men and women who have joined the armed forces, whether they are deciding to join, preparing to leave for service or on their way home, have something to remind them that we, as a community, are always thinking of them,” Derin said. “That’s what the mural stands for to me — a place veterans can always come back home to.”

Frisbie, an 8-year navy veteran, says it took him two years of concept planning and more than 140 hours of hand-painted work to finish the mural, which displays the famous St. Augustine quote "The purpose of all wars is peace" at bottom.

“I’m just elated to have it up,” Frisbie said. “It’s a wonderful thing to see it finally installed and in the perfect place — it was meant for this auditorium. In years to come, people will be able to view it here, and I’m very grateful to Mr. Derin and the High Point administration for making this happen.”

Derin and Frisbie agreed to a price of $9,300 in January. Frisbie donated $10,000 of his time toward building the mural.

"The money to pay for the mural, raised via community donations and fundraising, eventually came to $5,100," Derin said.

According to Derin, the project progressed at no cost to the school district. Instead, board members accepted the mural as a gift.

“It’s about time the mural gets hung up," said Herman Terpstra, an American Legion department vice past commander, said. "I was here from the beginning working on this. Derin gave me a call and let me know he was going to do something about getting it finally put in its rightful place.”

“It was very nice to have the opportunity to unveil the mural and demonstrate our commitment to our community veterans,” Superintendent Scott Ripley said.

“The ceremony served a number of purposes: it recognized the artist for all of his contributions towards remembering our veterans, the students for being the project initiators and most importantly our veterans for their service to our country," U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett said. Garrett is an alumnus of High Point. “The mural is hung in such a place that not only this generation of students can appreciate it, but future generations, as well.”