Step outside the School of Education building at TCNJ and you might hear a chime as a student pauses mid-walk to strike a bar, or drum rhythms as a group of students gathers around a bench between classes.
TCNJ’s new Music Garden, installed in April 2026, sits just outside the building as an interactive area for sound, play, and learning. It was made possible by an endowment established by the late Marilyn Grinwis Gray ’48, whose gift continues to support early childhood education and the arts.
Gray graduated from what was then New Jersey State Teachers College, later earning a master’s degree in music education from New York University. She spent her career as an elementary school teacher and music educator in New York and New Jersey and was a passionate pianist and community leader in arts education.
For Louise Ammentorp, professor of elementary and early childhood education, the garden felt like a fitting tribute to Gray’s life as both a teacher and a musician.
“We were aware that music was her passion,” Ammentorp said. “We thought outdoor musical instruments would be a really nice way to honor her, but also something the campus and our students could use.”
The idea grew through a committee that included Dean Tabitha Dell’Angelo, who was a key force behind the project. Part of the inspiration came from a similar installation Dell’Angelo had encountered outside a public library near her home. Campus architect Maggie Greco, senior director of planning, design, and construction, helped identify instruments suited to TCNJ’s campus aesthetic, and grounds staff brought the garden to life.
“At the School of Education, we believe in the power of play at every age,” Dell’Angelo said. “Seeing our TCNJ students already engaging with the new instruments and relaxing on the central bench is a joy. The Music Garden is a vibrant tribute to a generous alumna that brings a sense of wonder to our entire campus.”
That sense of play is already making its way into coursework. Ammentorp has incorporated the garden into two classes, asking students to explore patterns, sound, and how instruments can become part of lessons for young children.
“We definitely want to use it as a space for modeling high-quality arts-based education for our students,” she said.
Matthew Yuro ’25, MAT ’26, a graduate assistant in the dean’s office, called the garden a natural place to decompress.
“I am excited for future education majors and students across campus to explore the Music Garden, both within their courses and as an outdoor space,” he said.
Ammentorp sometimes glances from her classroom window and sees students at the instruments on their own. To her, that is part of the point. “Learning is joyful,” she said.
For a place created to honor a music-loving teacher, every note played on campus helps carry Gray’s legacy forward.
— Michelle Rivera