Pupils Get Three-Day Extension Due To High School Addition-This Day In Norwood History-September 7, 1961

Some 1236 Norwood Senior High School students enjoyed an unscheduled three-day extension to their summer vacation this week but all classes will be in session next Monday, September 11.

The postponement of the opening of the Senior High school was due to the fact that a sufficient number of teaching areas could not be readied in time. The school is being enlarged and renovated and extensive construction activity is still going on.

In order to open on schedule Wednesday morning, seven temporary teaching stations were required; that is, areas where classes could be put pending completion of the regular facilities.

These temporary stations included three in the old cafeteria being renovated but not completed; one in the new teachers’ dining room, also unfinished; two in the old woodworking shop being completely renovated and also not yet finished, and one class in the new remedial reading room on the second floor o£ the new addition adjacent to the old building, also not yet finished.

The difficulty arose when the areas, although they were contractor-clean, were far from clean from the standpoint of the School Department which was faced with a thorough cleaning and washing job. Special squads were pressed into service but the -work could not be completed in time and the opening had to be delayed.

Dr. Philip O Coakley, superintendent of schools, said that classes will open next Monday on the two-session schedule as planned—sophomores, juniors and seniors in the morning and the freshmen in the afternoon. Dr. Coakley said he was optimistic that the school could go on a single -session by December 1st.

The ninth graders have been moved up from the Junior High this year, with the expectation that the high school addition would be ready in time, which it is not. The afternoon program for the freshmen has been set up so that the transition to the single session can be carried out smoothly with no change in teachers

Meanwhile, all other classes opened on schedule Wednesday morning.

Total first day enrollment stood at 43-15, an all-time high, compared to 4050 last year Added to this will be some 600 kindergarten pupils who will report for the first time next Monday, putting the total 1961 public school enrollment close to the 5,000 mark.

Dr. Coakley visited all the schools and reported that the principals had done an excellent job on organization The transportation of pupils; also went off well.

Full sessions were the order for opening day.

A slight delay has been encountered in the contractual work at the Junior High School where the girls’ locker and shower rooms are being completely renovated, but this project is expected to be completed in a week.

Opening day enrollments at the various schools follow.