TOMS RIVER – Students from Veterans Memorial Middle School in Brick Township took a step back in time during a recent educational visit to the Ocean County Courthouse, where lessons in civics blended with local history.
During the tour, students explored the building’s oldest courtroom, known as Courtroom 1, learning how the courthouse once served as more than a center of justice. Guides explained that the site functioned as a public gathering place during the Civil War era, hosting rallies aimed at recruiting volunteers for the Union Army.
The visit also offered a hands-on look at the judicial process. Inside the historic courtroom, students took part in a mock trial, assuming the roles of attorneys, witnesses and jurors to better understand how court proceedings work.
School officials said the experience helped connect classroom learning with real-world history, giving students a deeper appreciation for both the legal system and the role the courthouse has played in Ocean County’s past.
