The School Committee conducted formal interviews last night with two prospective candidates for the vacant business manager position while becoming embroiled in a stormy debate regarding student transportation contracts and administrative authority.
The committee interviewed Ralph E. Brooks, business manager for Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, and John D. Sheehan, assistant business administrator in Weymouth, who are vying to succeed Lawrence S. Canter following his resignation.
Busing Controversy and Yellow Cab Dispute
In addition to administrative interviews, the session flared into heated debate over student busing. On a motion by member Richard Joseph, the committee agreed to meet with Yellow Cab President Richard Armour and Town Counsel Justin Barton, stipulating that Armour must appear strictly as a “private taxpayer” rather than a corporate representative, given that Yellow Cab has an active lawsuit pending against the committee over bidding procedures.
Tensions escalated as members Charles Siraca and Joseph Pentowski sharply rebuked Superintendent of Schools Louis J. Taris for reassigning special student bus routes previously held by Yellow Cab to Kiessling School Transportation of Dedham without convening a special school committee meeting. Superintendent Taris authorized the transfer after Yellow Cab indicated it could not fulfill contractual routes without a fee adjustment to offset soaring gasoline prices. Committee Chairman Ruth Berkowitz and member Richard Joseph defended Superintendent Taris’s administrative emergency actions, keeping division within the board on display.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More…
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School Committee To Reconsider Shattuck Move-June 24, 1964
Parents argue that moving the specialized educable youth program away from custom-designed facilities could harm its core educational objectives.

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Board Rejects Naming HS Wing For Kennedy-This Day in Norwood History-January 23, 1964
The Norwood School Committee at their meeting last Wednesday night, in rejecting the proposal of the Board of Selectmen to honor the late President John F. Kennedy by naming the new wing of the Senior High for him, was in complete accord that it was not “a fitting monument to his memory.” Francis Sheehan did…

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Norwood School Committee Seeks Town Counsel Ruling on Open Meeting Laws-September 12, 1963
The School Committee votes to ask Town Counsel whether the Open Meeting Law requires all Norwood municipal boards to hold open budget deliberations for 1964.

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15 Candidates To Face League Of Women Voters-This Day in Norwood History-January 5, 1961
The Voters Service Committee of the League of Women Voters has completed plans for ‘Candidates Night which will be held Monday evening, January 9, at eight o’clock in Memorial Hall. This is an important aspect of league work and because it is a nonpartisan organization it is in this area it is best able to…

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In Memoriam- James Joseph Gormley
JAMES JOSEPH GORMLEY entered the service of the Norwood Public Schools on September 7, 1932. Until death took him from us on April 15, 1960, he devoted his life and energy to the youth of Norwood and to the school work he loved so much. Jim Gormley worked long and well for our community. As…

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Prescott School Dedication Plans Set-January 11, 1959
Special Ceremonies Planned Week Apart Plans for the formal exercises marking the dedication of Norwood’s two new elementary schools – the Cleveland and the Prescott – were announced today by the committee. Arthur B. Rodgers, chairman of the Elementary Schools Building Committee, said that the dedication of the Prescot School located off Neponset and Dean…

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Record Hop Planned at Armory-March 8, 1958
Mr. Frank Borsa, Superintendent Ready, Recreation Department, and John F. Reynolds met with the Selectmen and discussed application of Mr. Borsa, on behalf of his son, for a permit to conduct a Record Hop at the Norwood Armory. Mr. Borsa said the surrounding towns have record hop, conducted by a disc jockey and they do…

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Ponder Question Of Land For School Purposes-This Day in Norwood History-May 30, 1950
This Day in Norwood History-May 30, 1950-Ponder Question Of Land For School Purposes

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Redecorating Of School Interiors Is Recommended-February 9, 1950
Purchase Of Land For New Stands At High School Also Urged By Supt. Lynch Recommendations for the improvement of the present school plant before the town faced with the problem of new construction were advanced by School Superintendent Lincoln D. Lynch, as principal speaker at the February meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Tuesday night…

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