History of Oliver Ames High School Teachers from 1960 - 1964
In checking yearbooks of 1962 and 1964, I found twenty-nine teachers who had not been mentioned in the prior data. Thirteen of these I will mention in more detail. The others will be listed at the end with their dates of Easton Public School service.
Frances Andrus became the librarian in 1963, and also became one of my best friends. She loved to be on the "cutting edge," and was the first OAHS woman to wear a pant suit, in addition to being the first librarian in the area to encourage microfilm usage. She loved to entertain, and Sue Rivard, Willis Smith, Dave, and I had wonderful dinners at her home. Also, many late Sunday afternoons in the early 1970s, Duncan and Carol Oliver and daughters, and Dave and I and our sons, would enjoy their gracious hospitality. She and her husband took great pride in their colonial home at 35 Highland Street, and their gardens were extraordinary. She retired in 1972, and died in 2001.
Irwin Blumer was only at OA for one year, 1963-1964. However, he was one of the three most extraordinary social studies teachers I ever observed. He continued as an educator in the Newton School System and eventually became Superintendent of Schools. His wife Deborah became very interested in politics and served as a State Representative until her sudden death in 2006 as a result of a heart attack while driving. He is currently the chair of the Boston College Graduate School Educational Administration and Higher Education Department.
Patricia DeCoste began her career as a physical education teacher at OA in 1962, but soon moved to be an elementary specialist in the Easton system until1993. She died a number of years ago.
Gloria Ferrandino was hired in 1964, and taught until2001 except for one year. She was Sue Rivard's assistant and junior varsity coach for field hockey and basketball for a number of years. She enjoyed teaching both elementary and high school physical education.
William Hardin became head of the Science Department in 1962 after Harold Simpson left. He remained in the Easton School System until 1986. Upon retiring, he decided to continue his public service by being a .Selectman. He served several terms . Both his wife Rachel and he were active for decades in the Girl Scouts program in Easton.
Donald Harrison began teaching mathematics at Easton Junior High School in 1963. The following year, he joined the OAHS faculty. In 1990, he became the Mathematics Department Chair until his retirement in 1999. Subsequently, he taught at Boston College High School until he decided to become a permanent resident of Cape Cod. In 2008, he was honored by the OAHS Athletic Hall of Fame for establishing the foundation for the success of middle distance runners. He not only coached cross country and track teams, but also created a thousand mile club and a five hundred mile club. Successful participants had to run from late spring to the beginning of the school year to reach the specific goals. (Our son Jim was one of the successful individuals.) Don also developed computer programs to analyze athletes' performances.
Francis Ialenti began teaching at OA in 1963, and became Foreign Language Department Chair when Helen Doherty retired in 1984. He started the popular annual exchange program with France. He served in this role until2003, semi-retiring but continuing to teach two classes a day at OAHS until 2008. In 1998, he began teaching also at Stonehill College, and still is.
Barbara Mulcahy taught from 1963 until 1967, when she was expecting her first child. Since then, she has taught part time in the past decades at Northeastern University and Cedar Junction (Walpole) prison. Now she is a Senior Lecturer at Curry College (Milton), where she has been since 1994. Amazingly, I have also been teaching part time there since 1988, and became a Senior Lecturer in 2003. Therefore, I see Barbara frequently, and we reminisce about the time when she was at OAHS.
Norman Pulaski began his OA career in 1962. After the retirement of Clyde Craig as Vice-Principal in 1969, Norm was selected for that position. However, by 1972 he decided to assume a position in the Rockland School System. When Duncan Oliver, who had assumed my position as Social Studies Chair, became Assistant Principal, I returned from my three-year maternity leave. While supervising student teachers of history for Bridgewater State College from 1998 to 2005, I found Norm at one of the training sessions. He was supervising elementary student teachers for Bridgewater. (Duncan Oliver, who had been hired in 1965, was one of the major participants in the reactivation of the Easton Historical Society. He and his freshmen Civics class spent many hours of their own time cleaning the second floor of the original Ames Shovel Company, which had not seen a broom and brush for more than fifteen years. For more information about Duncan Oliver, check his tribute to "Kippy" Grant.)
Suzanne Rivard was hired in 1962, and coached all three girls' sports. In field hockey, she won six Hockomock League Championships, with four of the years resulting in undefeated seasons. Her basketball teams won four consecutive League championships, also going undefeated each of those seasons. She is in the OAHS Athletic Hall of Fame. A special girls' basketball tournament, named after her, is held each year. Also each year, OAHS recognizes its most outstanding girl athlete with the Suzanne Rivard Trophy. She became the Dean of Students in 1979, and in 1984 became Assistant Principal, a position she held until her retirement in 1999.
Birute Duoba Silva was hired as an English teacher in Easton Junior High School in 1961. In 1964, she joined the OAHS staff as a Guidance Counselor, and in 1966 became Guidance Director. She retired in 2000.
Willis K. Smith, who was hired in 1963 as English Department Chair, was an extraordinarily popular teacher. His sudden death in 1972just before schools opened in September was shocking. Two weeks before his death, Rupert and Frances Andrus, Sue Rivard, and Dave and I had spent Friday evening at his home in Exeter, New Hampshire, and Saturday night at our summer cottage in Madison, New Hampshire. The following weekend he and Sue had attended Francis and Lisa Garcea's wedding. (Fran joined the OAHS staff in 1969, and eventually became English Department Chair. Fran and Lisa were gracious hosts for many faculty occasions at their home at 467 West Elm Street. Fran left OAHS in 1985 to join the faculty of Boston College High School, and now operates his own educational company, Jon L. Jenmarc, Inc.)
Robert "Buddy" Wooster began teaching in Easton in 1959, and continued until 1990. He also was the baseball coach until he had the opportunity to become the Director of the Frothingham Memorial Park, a position he has held for almost forty years. Graduations have been held there since 1979, with the exception of two due to inclement weather. The setting is always extraordinary.
For the following teachers, I know only their years of employment:
Malcom Allen 1963-1974
Robert Banta 1962-1964
Michael Bolton 1961-1962
Bradford Connoer 1960-1964
Nicholas Gulli 1963-1969
Neil Holzman 1963-1966
Donald Mayer 1960-1963
Toby Melnick 1963-1966
Elizabeth Newell 1961-1963
Marjorie Oberlander 1962-1965
Robert Raymo 1960-1962
Betsy Schuster 1962-1963
Delores Smith 1959-1962
Louise Smith 1962-1966
George Willis 1959-1962
Eugene Wilson 1960-1963
In checking yearbooks of 1962 and 1964, I found twenty-nine teachers who had not been mentioned in the prior data. Thirteen of these I will mention in more detail. The others will be listed at the end with their dates of Easton Public School service.
Frances Andrus became the librarian in 1963, and also became one of my best friends. She loved to be on the "cutting edge," and was the first OAHS woman to wear a pant suit, in addition to being the first librarian in the area to encourage microfilm usage. She loved to entertain, and Sue Rivard, Willis Smith, Dave, and I had wonderful dinners at her home. Also, many late Sunday afternoons in the early 1970s, Duncan and Carol Oliver and daughters, and Dave and I and our sons, would enjoy their gracious hospitality. She and her husband took great pride in their colonial home at 35 Highland Street, and their gardens were extraordinary. She retired in 1972, and died in 2001.
Irwin Blumer was only at OA for one year, 1963-1964. However, he was one of the three most extraordinary social studies teachers I ever observed. He continued as an educator in the Newton School System and eventually became Superintendent of Schools. His wife Deborah became very interested in politics and served as a State Representative until her sudden death in 2006 as a result of a heart attack while driving. He is currently the chair of the Boston College Graduate School Educational Administration and Higher Education Department.
Patricia DeCoste began her career as a physical education teacher at OA in 1962, but soon moved to be an elementary specialist in the Easton system until1993. She died a number of years ago.
Gloria Ferrandino was hired in 1964, and taught until2001 except for one year. She was Sue Rivard's assistant and junior varsity coach for field hockey and basketball for a number of years. She enjoyed teaching both elementary and high school physical education.
William Hardin became head of the Science Department in 1962 after Harold Simpson left. He remained in the Easton School System until 1986. Upon retiring, he decided to continue his public service by being a .Selectman. He served several terms . Both his wife Rachel and he were active for decades in the Girl Scouts program in Easton.
Donald Harrison began teaching mathematics at Easton Junior High School in 1963. The following year, he joined the OAHS faculty. In 1990, he became the Mathematics Department Chair until his retirement in 1999. Subsequently, he taught at Boston College High School until he decided to become a permanent resident of Cape Cod. In 2008, he was honored by the OAHS Athletic Hall of Fame for establishing the foundation for the success of middle distance runners. He not only coached cross country and track teams, but also created a thousand mile club and a five hundred mile club. Successful participants had to run from late spring to the beginning of the school year to reach the specific goals. (Our son Jim was one of the successful individuals.) Don also developed computer programs to analyze athletes' performances.
Francis Ialenti began teaching at OA in 1963, and became Foreign Language Department Chair when Helen Doherty retired in 1984. He started the popular annual exchange program with France. He served in this role until2003, semi-retiring but continuing to teach two classes a day at OAHS until 2008. In 1998, he began teaching also at Stonehill College, and still is.
Barbara Mulcahy taught from 1963 until 1967, when she was expecting her first child. Since then, she has taught part time in the past decades at Northeastern University and Cedar Junction (Walpole) prison. Now she is a Senior Lecturer at Curry College (Milton), where she has been since 1994. Amazingly, I have also been teaching part time there since 1988, and became a Senior Lecturer in 2003. Therefore, I see Barbara frequently, and we reminisce about the time when she was at OAHS.
Norman Pulaski began his OA career in 1962. After the retirement of Clyde Craig as Vice-Principal in 1969, Norm was selected for that position. However, by 1972 he decided to assume a position in the Rockland School System. When Duncan Oliver, who had assumed my position as Social Studies Chair, became Assistant Principal, I returned from my three-year maternity leave. While supervising student teachers of history for Bridgewater State College from 1998 to 2005, I found Norm at one of the training sessions. He was supervising elementary student teachers for Bridgewater. (Duncan Oliver, who had been hired in 1965, was one of the major participants in the reactivation of the Easton Historical Society. He and his freshmen Civics class spent many hours of their own time cleaning the second floor of the original Ames Shovel Company, which had not seen a broom and brush for more than fifteen years. For more information about Duncan Oliver, check his tribute to "Kippy" Grant.)
Suzanne Rivard was hired in 1962, and coached all three girls' sports. In field hockey, she won six Hockomock League Championships, with four of the years resulting in undefeated seasons. Her basketball teams won four consecutive League championships, also going undefeated each of those seasons. She is in the OAHS Athletic Hall of Fame. A special girls' basketball tournament, named after her, is held each year. Also each year, OAHS recognizes its most outstanding girl athlete with the Suzanne Rivard Trophy. She became the Dean of Students in 1979, and in 1984 became Assistant Principal, a position she held until her retirement in 1999.
Birute Duoba Silva was hired as an English teacher in Easton Junior High School in 1961. In 1964, she joined the OAHS staff as a Guidance Counselor, and in 1966 became Guidance Director. She retired in 2000.
Willis K. Smith, who was hired in 1963 as English Department Chair, was an extraordinarily popular teacher. His sudden death in 1972just before schools opened in September was shocking. Two weeks before his death, Rupert and Frances Andrus, Sue Rivard, and Dave and I had spent Friday evening at his home in Exeter, New Hampshire, and Saturday night at our summer cottage in Madison, New Hampshire. The following weekend he and Sue had attended Francis and Lisa Garcea's wedding. (Fran joined the OAHS staff in 1969, and eventually became English Department Chair. Fran and Lisa were gracious hosts for many faculty occasions at their home at 467 West Elm Street. Fran left OAHS in 1985 to join the faculty of Boston College High School, and now operates his own educational company, Jon L. Jenmarc, Inc.)
Robert "Buddy" Wooster began teaching in Easton in 1959, and continued until 1990. He also was the baseball coach until he had the opportunity to become the Director of the Frothingham Memorial Park, a position he has held for almost forty years. Graduations have been held there since 1979, with the exception of two due to inclement weather. The setting is always extraordinary.
For the following teachers, I know only their years of employment:
Malcom Allen 1963-1974
Robert Banta 1962-1964
Michael Bolton 1961-1962
Bradford Connoer 1960-1964
Nicholas Gulli 1963-1969
Neil Holzman 1963-1966
Donald Mayer 1960-1963
Toby Melnick 1963-1966
Elizabeth Newell 1961-1963
Marjorie Oberlander 1962-1965
Robert Raymo 1960-1962
Betsy Schuster 1962-1963
Delores Smith 1959-1962
Louise Smith 1962-1966
George Willis 1959-1962
Eugene Wilson 1960-1963