John F. Monahan, principal of the Prescott School, was named school department business manager last night, filling a post that had remained vacant for a year and saddled Superintendent Louis J. Taris with extra administrative duties.
Alongside Monahan’s appointment, the School Committee voted to transfer Alan Wonson, who had served as principal of the Willett School since its opening in 1968, to the Prescott School to replace Monahan. The committee announced plans to seek a temporary “building administrator” or acting principal from within the school system for the Willett School until its anticipated closure in one or two years. Monahan, affectionately termed a “favorite son” by committee member Charles C. Saraca, stood to lose his principalship when the Willett closes due to having the least seniority among district principals. Addressing the board, Monahan thanked the committee for its confidence and assured members that he would not seek another principalship if one opened up, stating, “All my efforts will go to my job as business manager.” Before arriving in Norwood as a teacher in 1963, Monahan worked as an accountant for several firms.
The committee had interviewed five other candidates for the business manager position. Superintendent Taris noted that the yearlong vacancy had forced him to shoulder double duties since Lawrence S. Canter departed the role the previous August for a similar position in Bedford, while Thomas Lyndon of the Education Cooperative had temporarily assisted as a part-time business consultant.
In other business during the session, the committee:
- Asked Ruth Shea to delay her planned August 31 retirement until a permanent replacement can be found as director of the Peabody School.
- Voted to combine the boys and girls physical and health education department head positions at the high school for one year as a cost-saving measure, with potential for permanence.
- Raised the price of teacher lunches from 95 cents to $1.25 and introduced charges for desserts at the junior high and high schools (20 cents for small desserts, 25 cents for large), which were previously included in the meal price.
- Trimmed elementary school dessert service from five days a week to two days a week. Food Services Director Mary Nagle explained that the price adjustments and cutbacks were necessary to offset rising food costs and decreasing federal subsidies. (Reporting by local archives).
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More…
-
Funeral Services For George Harding Smith, of Berwick & Smith, Norwood Press-This Day In Norwood History-December 12, 1941
Obituary for George Harding Smith (Aged 83) Funeral services for George Harding Smith, prominent Norwood businessman and town official until his retirement, who died Wednesday at the Framingham Hospital, will be held Sunday afternoon at the Unitarian Church. Medfield. He was the father of Mrs. Dorothy E. Gruening, wife of Ernest Gruening, Governor of Alaska.…
-
Board Authorizes Borrowing For Peabody School-This Day in Norwood History-January 24, 1941
Joint Meeting Agrees To Go Forward With Project Construction of the Henry O. Peabody Trade School for Girls, to be in addition to the Norwood Senior High School, will soon be ready to go forward as it is reported that last Friday’s joint meeting of the selectmen, finance committee, school committee, and building committee for…
-
Dr. Ralph Fogg Recounts First Graduation Of Norwood High School In 1873-This Day In Norwood History-July 13, 1934
FRIDAY, JULY 13 1934- THE NORWOOD MESSENGER By DR. RALPH METCALF FOGG What a wonderful high school we have in these days. I feel proud of the fact, that I am the father of the high school of Norwood, being the only male graduate of the first graduation, March 21, 1873. Not only that, but…
-
Seeking More Funds For Norwood Memorial Building-This Day In Norwood History-June 14, 1927
NORWOOD, June 14-The largest turnout of the season Is expected at the special town meeting to be held tomorrow evening starting at 8 o’clock in Everett Hall to hear and act on the report of the Memorial Municipal Building committee and to appropriate sufficient additional amount of money so that the committee can go ahead…
-
Frank 0. Winslow, Dead at 81-This Day In Norwood History-January 22, 1926
Founder of Leather Firm Ill Some Time Had Served in Many Town Offices and in Legislature NORWOOD, Jan 22— Francis O. Winslow, 81, one of the founders of the leather firm of Winslow Brothers and the first president of the Norwood Cooperative Bank, died this morning at the Corey Hill Hospital in Brookline, where he…
-
Closing of the Everett School Causes Overcrowding Emergency-November 3, 1923
Closing of the Everett School Causes Overcrowding Emergency-This Day In Norwood History-November 3, 1923
-
First Election Under New Town Manager Government-This Day In Norwood History-January 18, 1915
NORWOOD CASTS ITS BIGGEST VOTE All ‘’Charter Committee” Candidates Elected. Appropriations Put Over to Adjourned Town Meeting Feb 25. NORWOOD, Jan 18 — The first town election under the new Town Government act took place today. There was a contest for the Board of Selectmen, and the largest vote of any annual town meeting was…
-
Norwood Schools To Open Sept 6 With Large Increase in Pupils and Many Changes-This Day in Norwood History- August 21, 1911
Many Changes Made in Norwood Teaching Force Supt of Schools Austin H. Frittz has announced that the schools of Norwood will open for the fall term Wednesday, Sept 6. It is expected that the attendance on the opening day will be the largest in the history of the town. To accommodate the anticipated increase in…
-
Frank B. Boyden Not Compelled to Send Son to Public School-This Day In Norwood History-January 17, 1910
DECIDES FOR FATHER. Action Brought by Norwood Committee Against Frank B. Boyden. Can the Norwood School committee compel Frank E. Boyden, the 12-year-old son of Frank B. Boyden of Pleasant st, to attend school, and if it can, should it oblige Mr. and Mrs. Boyden to send the boy to the public schools, was left…
-
Letter To The Editor About School Board Nominee Cornelius Callahan-This Day In Norwood History-February 25, 1904
To the Editor of the Norwood Advertiser. Mr. Editor: I desire to call the attention of the voters of Norwood, to a few facts concerning C. M. Callahan, Esq., nominee for the school board. Mr. Callahan is a native of the town, a product of our public schools, and an energetic, and ambitious young man.…
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.