A new plaque recognizing the USS Peary mast, which currently sits at the center of the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center in Rockville, will be dedicated on Saturday, June 28, 2025, by Robert E. Peary High School alumni. The occasion honors a revitalized relationship between the educational institution where the mast has been silently residing for years, the former high school, and the U.S. Navy ship.
According to the press release: To commemorate the unearthing and rededication of a historic plaque that was once connected to the USS Peary Mast, a special casual meeting of Robert E. Peary High School graduates will be held. After being relocated from its original location at Peary, the plaque will be given to the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center, where the mast has remained silently for many years. The larger alumni group has mostly been unaware of its now-permanent home. A quick talk and a chance to see the mast and a few Peary relics kept inside the main building will be part of the program.
When: Saturday, June 28, 2025, 10:00 a.m.
Where: Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center, located just off Muncaster Mill Road at 5110 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD 20855
Why It Is ImportantSeveral generations of Peary High School graduates are connected by this special piece of US Navy and Peary High School history. Decades after it was dedicated, the mast, which was formerly a component of the USS Peary, still stands tall at the Smith Center. Alumnus Judy Davis Zaal (Peary Class of 1973), who works part-time at Berman Hebrew Academy (formerly Peary High School until 1984), has learned of a long-forgotten plaque associated with the USS Peary that was given to Berman at the dedication of their school. For the benefit of future guests and students, the plaque will now be on display at the mast’s home thanks to assistance from Smith Center Supervisor Lee Derby (Peary Class of 82).
Additional Background: Every sixth-grade student in Montgomery County benefits from the education provided by the Smith Center, where the mast has been a presence for many years. Many Peary alums, however, were unaware of its existence. The historical ties between Peary High School, the USS Peary, and the Smith Center are strengthened by this unearthed relic. The Peary Class of 1975 reunion weekend honors that legacy with a quick reunion of graduates at the location. Judy and other alumni are still trying to piece together the tale of the second USS Peary bell, which is currently housed in the bell tower at Berman Hebrew Academy, while the location of the original bell is still unknown.
