Gardner High School Teachers 1956-1960

The names of the teachers listed below may not “ring a bell” with everyone in our class, but may bring back special memories to those who knew individual teachers through their college, commercial, or general courses and extra-curricular activities. Some teachers or their subjects influence your life in ways that you do not recognize or fully appreciate until much later. Which teachers do remember, and why?

 

Miss Virginia A. Aldrich – World History, U.S. History

Mr. Martin L. Anderson – World History, Arithmetic

Miss Mary G. Bailey – Art, English

Mr. James W.H. Baker – Physics

Mrs. Marcia L. Baker – English*

Miss K. Doris Berry – Stenography, Typewriting, Office Machines

Mr. George J. Black – English, Art, Latin*

Mr. Hervey F. Bowden – U.S. History, Modern European History

Mr. Kenneth E. Bowen – English, Psychology

Miss Helen Chafee – French, Spanish

Miss Sarah E. Clark – Business Law, Problems of Democracy

Mrs. Edla S.  Denney – English

Mr. L. Edward Dolhenty, Jr.**Basic Business, Problems of Democracy

Mr. Walter Dubzinski, Sr. – Civics, Health, General Math, Guidance

Mr. Robert T. Duncan – Basic Business, General Science

Miss Geraldine Foskett, English

Mr. John S. Gearan, Principal/English* (5/9/56)

Miss Mary A. Glasheen – English

Mrs. Vera L. Glendenning – Health, Homemaking

Mr. Edward W. Hilbourne – Chemistry, General Science

Mr. Edward V. Hill* – English, Geography

Mrs. Dorothy K. Hopkins – Bookeeping, Typewriting, Office Practice

Mrs. Mary L. Horrigan – Bookeeping, Typewriting

Mr. Dean E. Johnson – Industrial Arts

Mr. Joseph T. Kivlin – Printing

Mr. Martin O. Lahtinen – U.S. History, World History

Miss Louise Kraskouskas ** – English

Mr. Roland C. Lambert – Boys Physical Education

Mrs. Hope H. Lavalee** - Art

Miss Helen Lepkowski – Stenography, Typewriting, Bookkeeping, Office Machines

Mr. Robert Littlefield – Assistant Principal/Geometry

Mr. William M. Lloyd, Jr.* – Band Director, Music

Miss Kathleen M. McCarthy – Basic Business, Typewriting

Miss Dorothy R. O’Neill – English, Speech

Mr. Chester J. Poliks – General Science, Biology, World History

Ms. Priscilla Power –Girls Physical Education, Sports

Miss Elizabeth B. Saben – Director of Guidance

Mrs. Helen F. St. George - Latin, French

Mr. William P. Small*** – German, English

Miss Muriel M. Sutherland, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus.

Mr. Philip J. Tarpey – General Math, Economics

Miss. Carolyn A. Thatcher – Stenography, Typewriting,

Mr. John R. Tinker, Mechanical Drawing, Mathematics, Drivers Ed.

Mrs. Mildred E. Tinker*** – English

Miss Marion Viets – Algebra, Geometry

Miss Helen Whittier – Biology

Miss Dorothy K. Young – Bookeeping, Typewriting

 

Note: In February of 1955, Mrs. Dorothy J. Littlefield substituted for Miss K. Doris Berry who was placed on indefinite leave because of an illness in her family.

 

The Asterisk (*) denotes teachers or administrators who were appointed in 1956.

The Double Asterisk (**) denotes appointment in 1957

The Triple Asterisk (***) denotes appointment in 1959

Remembering Jean Williams Albert Mattson

Jean A. (Williams) Albert Mattson, 71, a longtime resident of Fitchburg and Westminster, died Friday, July 4, at her daughter's residence, after a brief illness. She leaves three daughters, Julie A. Orlando of Leominster, Renee J. Smith, and her husband John of Bolton, MA and Christine M. Leger, and her fiancée Glenn Ares of Gardner, MA; two brothers, David J. Williams and his life partner, Joyce Z. Cariglia of Worcester and Keith A. Williams, and his wife Annette of Carey, NC; 10 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and one niece and two nephews. She previously was the wife of 34 years of Rene J. Albert, who died in 2003. Jean was employed at the Tyco Company in Westminster in the Accounts Payable Dept. for many years. She was a 1960 graduate of Gardner High School and was a member of the former Good Shepherd Church in West Fitchburg.

Blood Mountain Conspiracy

Joni's Third Novel

Joanne (Bogdanski) Taylor Moore is currently working on her third book, Blood Mountain Conspiracy, and plans to have it on book shelves by the fall.  It will the third in a series of mysteries centered around an abandoned hotel in the Arizona desert that has been vacant for years.  When a Los Angeles man inherits the property and decides to reopen the hotel, characters are systematically terrorized by someone who clearly wants them out.

 

Commenting in a Gardner News article published on February 3, 2014, Joni said her childhood in Gardner helped her pursue her career as an author. She says playing by herself much of the time helped her expand her imagination.  Blood Mountain and Blood Mountain Prophecy are the titles of her first two novels.

 

It Ain't Easy!

The GHS Class of 1960 has (another) new author.  We congratulate Jan Ricord (Jeanette Morin to many former classmates) on her accomplishment.  Jeanette is listed as author, with Sarah L.Sheridan as cover designer.  You can also search for electronic versions of her book at amazon.com.

"It Ain't Easy" is a collection of light humorous stories poking fun at our human nature. The anecdotes are true but exaggerated incidents from her life, family and friends. She says, "Please don't accuse me of looking in your windows for material to write. These funny stories are things that have happened to all of us. Enjoy reading, smiling, and even laughing out loud."

Way to go, Jeanette!

 

 We recently sent emails to classmates to confirm contact information for our class database, including street address, telephone, and e-mail, and invited classmates to share some things (life events, moves, hobbies, interests).  Here are a few responses.

 

"Aloha, Doug - it is possible we will be moving back to the mainland (California) in 2014.  Will be in touch.  Judy Goodwin Cross, Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii

 

"Paul and I are moving to Indiana to be closer to our daughter and grandchildren.  We  bought a house and are renovating it. " Nancy Ball Griffin, Columbus, OH

 

"Linda and I built a new house in Port Townsend, Washington and are living in a sailing community.  We enjoy sailing, kayaking, and fishing." Robert Frenette, Port Townsend, WA

 

"I have sold my home in Stoneham, MA and purchased another in Center Conway, NH."

Linda Giles Merikanto

 

"Thanks for keeping in touch.
 Marilyn Michaelson, Wasilla, AK

 

"We have moved from Virginia to North Carolina to await the arrival of a new grandson, who now happily lights up our lives."

Phyllis and Russell Hoag

Cornelius, NC

 

"My husband and recently I returned from a trip to France.  We saw the D-Day beaches up north, then headed south to visit with friends.  The best part was having my daughter join us in Provence, where she studied in her junior year in college."

Pamela LeBlanc Soberg, Menlo Park, CA

 

 

In order to reach classmates without e-mail, we will have to pick up the phone and call - but that too can lead to some interesting conversations and news we can report in future posts.

 

Our age cohort seems ready to give up the bigger house, mowing the lawn, and shoveling snow in exchange for more time to spend on new hobbies and interests.

 

Douglas S. Fleming, Sr.
P.O. Box 597, Lunenburg, MA 01462
(978) 582 6705

Blood Mountain Sequel

Amazon.com is promoting Joni Bogdanski's (Joanne Taylor Moore) new book.  The paperback version runs 302 pages and is published by Black Opal Books.  For those of you who might enjoy a mystery novel set in the modern American southwest, join Joni for "mystery and mayhem in the desert."

Can You Identify Students in this Photo?



Norman Beauregard posted this photo to Facebook recently.  This was taken in 1954 or 1955 during our Junior High School years. Some students are from GHS Class of 1960 and some are from the GHS Class of 1959.  Can you help identify some of the students in this photo?  Can you identify the exact date or specific event at which this took place?

Please add a comment or send your ideas to dfleming373@verizon.net .