The selection process for Norwood’s new Superintendent of Schools was a rigorous and meticulous one, involving the careful evaluation of twenty candidates who had submitted their resumes in hopes of securing the position. The Norwood School Committee, comprised of seven members, employed a point system to narrow down the field, rating each candidate on a 10-point basis in ten categories of experience, professional qualifications, and personal qualities.

The point system was designed to provide an objective and fair assessment of each candidate’s suitability for the role. Each member of the committee assigned a score to each candidate, with a maximum total score of 700 points possible. The six semifinalists who emerged from this process were William J. Birmingham of Arlington, Robert E. Terrill of East Hampton, Conn., Norma M. Walker of Cumberland, R.I., James R. Savage, principal of Junior High School North in Norwood, Vernon R. Wyland of Penfield, N.Y., and Armand A. Fusco of Enfield, Conn.

The semifinalists’ scores were as follows: William J. Birmingham with 636 points, Robert E. Terrill with 622 points, Norma M. Walker with 592 points, James R. Savage with 584 points, Vernon R. Wyland with 574 points, and Armand A. Fusco with 578 points. The committee tentatively scheduled interviews for the six semifinalists on August 3, 4, and 5, with two interviews planned each night at the Willett School administration building.

Chairman Joseph M. Pentowski stated that the top two candidates should be selected from among the six semifinalists by the second or third week in August, with a new superintendent chosen possibly by early September. The job’s salary range was $40,000 to $45,000, and Superintendent Louis J. Taris would continue to head the schools on a month-to-month basis until his successor was chosen.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger

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