The Elementary School Building Committee voted 3 to 2 to recommend constructing an eight-room addition to the Cleveland School rather than pursuing a brand-new school building, with two members abstaining from the vote.
Meeting at the town hall, committee members debated the town’s elementary school capacity needs. Member Joseph Wall, supported by Jean R. Brown and John A. Abdallah, argued that current enrollment statistics justified an eight-room addition, with Wall noting that the larger Balch School already operated efficiently at 20 rooms. Abdallah concurred, remarking that any principal capable of managing the institution should easily handle eight additional classrooms. Conversely, Chairman Arthur B. Rodgers and member Joseph R. Olshan voted in opposition, insisting that professional educators favored constructing a new elementary school on Wilson Street to avoid disrupting the curriculum. Committee members Grafton J. Corbett and Paul M. Murphy abstained, with Murphy emphasizing that the committee should consult Supt. of Schools Philip O. Coakley and the School Committee before reaching a final verdict.
To bridge the gap, the committee unanimously voted to schedule a joint meeting with Superintendent Coakley and the School Committee at the Town Hall on Thursday evening, September 19, allowing officials to review room-by-room enrollment statistics from the Oldham School. Additionally, the building committee voted to recommend adding a cafetorium to the Balch School, while school officials simultaneously established a new school district encompassing the Rustic Acres development and a section of Westover.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More…
-
High School Addition Plan Okayed-June 20, 1974
Principal Monbouquette details structural upgrades and media center conversions to combat overcrowding.
-
Permanent School Building Construction Committee Votes to Proceed with Permanent Roof Plans for Burned-Out Junior High South and Aaron Guild School-September 15, 1972
School building construction committee votes to proceed with permanent roof plans for Junior High South and Aaron Guild School, while Endean Park junior high plans secure SBAB approval.
-
Committee Votes to Reroof Aaron Guild School Ahead of Winter Months-September 8, 1972
Norwood’s building committee votes to undertake immediate reroofing of the Aaron Guild School, eliminates skylights, and reviews Endean Park school construction and athletic field costs.
-
Building Committee Votes to Relocate Endean Park Softball Fields for New Junior High South Project-August 11, 1972
The permanent building committee unanimously voted to relocate and lengthen two softball fields at Endean Park to accommodate the new Junior High South project.⠀
-
Norwood School Committee Votes to Duplicate Junior High North-July 30, 1971
The Norwood School Committee voted 4-2 to abandon rebuilding fire-damaged Junior High School South, opting instead to duplicate Junior High North on a new site.
-
Norwood Junior High School Building Committee Reviews Five Replacement Plans-July 27, 1971
The Norwood building committee reviewed five alternate architectural plans for a new junior high school while exploring federal disaster aid.
-
Gridlock Over $6-Million Junior High Rebuilding Plan and Norwood Arena Noise-This Day in Norwood History-June 27, 1971
A dual crisis hits Norwood in 1971 as a $6-million junior high deficit triggers political warfare and state experts condemn racetrack noise.
-
Officials Weighing School Repair Cost-March 6, 1971
Selectmen last night favored start on work to secure walls of the fire-gutted third story of Norwood Junior High School South which are still standing after a section of the rear wall collapsed Thursday. Architect’s Proposal The local architectural firm of Korslund, LeNormand and Quann, Inc., which directed the construction of the temporary roof damaged…
-
Independent School Survey Recommends $21.8 Million Building Program, Terming Norwood Schools ‘Critically Overcrowded’-September 17, 1970
An independent master plan by Arthur D. Little recommends a $21.8 million building program to combat critical overcrowding across all Norwood school levels.
-
Work Under Way At Junior High North-May 29, 1970
In 1970, Norwood Junior High North saw new fencing, repaving, and drainage improvements while a major school facilities survey moved toward completion, shaping long‑term planning.
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.