Mr. Mepham was born on October 12, 1876, in Ontario, New York. He taught and acted as a principal upstate. Upon graduation from Geneseo State Normal School in 1901, he relocated to Long Island and became principal of the district known as Smithville South (now North Bellmore). Soon after, he became principal of the Merrick Grammar School. On January 1, 1912, new law created various supervisory districts statewide, and Mr. Mepham became Superintendent of the Second District of Nassau County.
He was a proponent of creation of county-wide, central high school districts and was instrumental in the creation of District 1 (Valley Stream), District 2 (Sewanhaka) and our district, #3, in 1935. This district covered 14.5 square miles, and Mr. Mepham's foresight in developing the "High School District" concept (one building shared by several elementary districts) eliminated the necessity of at least 11 additional, separate buildings.
During his tenure as Nassau District Supervisor from 1912 through 1941, the number of teachers county-wide grew from 63 to 830. The Merrick resident retired, due to a heart condition, in August of 1941, and passed away on February 15, 1942. Mepham High School students and staff gathered on the front lawn on February 18th, to observe the passing of the funeral procession, and the Mepham Acapella Choir sang during the service at the Freeport Methodist Church.
From the program of the building's 50th anniversary, Nov. 7, 1987
