Norwood Scholar Is Class Stranger-June 2, 1978

Although Bill has completed a full course load, Norwood’s number one scholar has not attended a regular class since his sophomore year. Bill suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare bone disease which affects his growth and left his bones extremely brittle. A simple fall—and he had several in his earlier school years that resulted in broken legs—or being bumped or jostled in a school corridor could mean serious injury.

For his own safety, the 17-year-old senior has studied at home with tutors during the last three years. He is the first Norwood High School graduate to complete the three-year program through home tutoring alone. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Murray of 771 Neponset St.

Despite being unable to attend regular classes, he has been the top student academically since his enrollment in high school and has been accepted as a pre-medical student at Dartmouth College. He accepts his problem gracefully and looks to the future with determination.

“My physical condition has always been a problem. In junior high I worried how I’d be able to get through high school. In elementary school I was worried if I’d be able to attend junior high. When I was young, my parents wondered if I’d be able to get an education. It’s worked out so far. I only hope I can do the same in college.” — Bill Murray

Barriers to Accessibility

Obtaining an education in the public school system was not easy for Bill. Norwood High School is not accessible to the handicapped. Neither the main building, built during the Depression, nor an addition built during the early 1960s is equipped with ramps or elevators.

Recent state and federal legislation, notably state Chapter 766, mandate that handicapped students are entitled to the same education as other students.

Speaking of his high school experience, Bill said, “My most prominent problem was with science courses. I could not take lab courses such as chemistry and physics.”

“It’s been a tough situation,” said Bill’s guidance counselor, Robert Grazado, “but we’ve done well with what we have.”

Norwood High School Principal John Piccirilli said Bill’s three years in high school was a learning experience for all those involved. Piccirilli said Bill broke new ground and carved his way so future students requiring similar services might be better off as a result.

Educational Ethics & Outlook

Bill, while a soft-spoken young man, spoke assertively when discussing courses or programs that were denied him.

• On Rights: “If it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, it is my right to have it. The act of denying a course is a violation of educational ethics.”
• On Reform: Bill is concerned with educational reform, for both the general and handicapped student. He said he may discuss the subject in his valedictorian address Sunday.
• On Resentment: Despite any difficulty he may have had in high school, he said he is not bitter. “My attitude is positive, not vengeful. Norwood High School provided me with a solid foundation for college. It has prepared me for the future very well.”

The Road to Graduation

Bill attended regular sessions from kindergarten through junior high school—except for the times, he said matter-of-factly, “when I had a broken leg.” Bill said he averaged one broken leg a year and referred to them as “traditional, you get used to them.”

He underwent several operations during junior high school to correct improperly healed broken bones and was confined to a wheelchair during most of the three-year period.

• The Tutors: Bill always wanted to attend the high school, but because of the crowded hall conditions there, his doctor recommended a home tutoring program. He called the majority of his tutors “qualified, conscientious teachers who would give of themselves in an academic relationship.”
• The Counselor’s Perspective: Guidance counselor Grazado said of Bill, “He’s an extremely bright and perceptive individual. The response from his tutors has been that he has the power to quickly grasp and analyze material—and to question it.”
• A Local First: According to Norwood’s director of pupil services Roderick Smith, usually 26 to 30 students a year are tutored, but they are kids with temporary illnesses or injuries. However, Bill is the first student locally to complete the high school program strictly through home tutoring.

Looking Ahead to Dartmouth

Bill said he feels he is ready for Dartmouth and will attend regular classes there. He said he’s been assured by college officials that “rooming accommodations will be sufficient” and the small student body will enable him to get around without too much danger of injury.

“A lot of the danger will mean more responsibility for me,” Bill said. “I don’t expect Dartmouth to extend themselves as much as the public schools.”

Bill is looking forward to graduation from Norwood High Sunday—and future graduation from Dartmouth.

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