This week’s portrait is not confined to one individual, but rather presents a canvas of Norwood’s younger generation, the next one to step into the business, professional and political shoes to today’s top citizens, and in particular these members of the younger generation who are responsible for the welfare of the still younger generations during the summer months.
The playground instructors are a representative group of Norwood youth and avowed proponents of supervised recreation. To questions as to whether they felt recreation and playground facilities were essential to any community, whether they felt the taxpayers’ money spent for these features was well spent, and whether they -favored a summer and winter recreation program for young adults, they answered an emphatic yes to a man. As to improvements in Norwood’s recreational program, their suggestions centered largely around more adequate swimming facilities such as an indoor swimming pool, swimming facilities in the center of the town or the North side, and more pools. Other suggestions included a hall with a suitable stage for the presentation of plays and for dancing, a ski jump, additional tennis courts, and a place for young people to spend their winter evenings.
Silent On Norwood.
As to pet likes and dislikes about the town of Norwood, the instructors are either very well-satisfied or are shy. Apparently, parking difficulties in the center of the town never worry them, or they have never come near collision at the corner of Nahatan and Central streets, nor do taxes, politics, or the climate bother them. Several expressed pride in Norwood’s beautiful parks and appreciation of Norwood’s people, and one young man recorded annoyance at Norwood mosquitoes.
As to the young people themselves, there are sixteen instructors plus two life guards at Willet Pond. Putting ladies first, we have vivacious Dorothy Rodgers who is in her second year as an instructress. Dot, who lives at 342 Prospect Street, was born in Portsmouth, N. H., graduated from Norwood High in 1935 where she was captain of the tennis team and starred on the basketball team. After a year at Colby Junior College, she is now in the class of ’39 at Sargent College, specializing in physical education and active in tennis, lacrosse, and the Glee Club. Her hobby is the piano, and off hours from the playground job are spent in dancing and tennis.
Mary Tareila of 13 Tremont Street, native of Lowell, shone in Norwood High as a member of the cast of the operetta and the senior play. A junior at Portia College of Liberal Arts she counts among her extra curricular activities tennis, handicraft and the orchestra. She likes tennis and reading, and tennis occupies her off summer hours in this her second year on the playgrounds.
Ruth Nutter, home address 64 Elm Street, is Norwood born and educated. A sophomore at Bridgewater State Teachers College she is specializing in training for elementary teaching and lists among her college sports tennis, archery, basketball, volley ball, and badminton, with conducting a kindergarten and running a cl t> additional activities She dances, reads and swims away from the playgrounds.
Blanche Holman, 37 Elliot Street, holds down the job at the Endean playground. Born in Norwood she graduated from Norwood High in 1934, shining in basketball, debating and dramatics there She graduated from the University of Maine this June and expects to embark on a teaching career in the fall. In college she continued her High School interests, majored in English, and belonged to Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. This is her third year as a playground instructor.
Bette Slavin, 155 Winslow Avenue, another Norwood born and educated, with debating and dramatics her High School specialities, is a junior at Mount Holyoke College, specializing in French. Speech and dramatic clubs and tennis fill the gaps in her college time, and she is adding up her second year of playground experience.
Coming to Charlotte Kelley, 243 Winter Street, we find another High School tennis star. Taking a secretarial course at Fisher Business School, sho again stars in tennis, and belongs to Alpha Iota Sorority. Also in her second year as instructor, she spends of! hours playing tennis.
The last of the girls but by.no means least, is Carol Everett’ of 96 Winter Street. Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, she graduated from Norwood High, and will enter her senior year at Colby Junior College, where she is specializing in history and library science, is the Argucnot editor, and in the. American Student Union. In her second year of playground experience, she is stationed at Elks Field, and swims, sails, reads, dances and sleeps between times.
As To The Men
The men who direct playground activities are 100% Norwood educated and with two exceptions 100% Norwood born. Harold Kiley claims Dorchester as his birthplace and John Murphy was born in Springfield. Director John Donavan, who has already been presented in this column, adds this note on his spare time from the playgrounds. He spends it thinking “how we can improve our program for the children.”
Clement McCormack, instructor at Pleasant Park, graduated from Catholic University this June, majoring in economics, and competing with the track team and acting as manager of the football team. Next year he plans to attend Ohio State University Graduate School. He has had two years playground experience at the High School.
Haziz Kelley, known as Zuzu, and residing at 14 St. George Avenue was a football and baseball player at Norwood High, and ranks sports among his hobbies now. He is studying art at an art school and particularly likes modeling in clay in his spare time.
A dance band occupies Harold Kiley’s spare playground hours. With music and tennis his High School specialities, he is majoring in Fine Arts at Boston College, still playing tennis, and is active in the Music Club. Harry lives at 14 George Street.
Francis Collins, 21 Summit Avenue, was a High School football and golf addict, and participates in intramural sports at Holy Cross College where he is specializing in economics. This is his fourth year on the playgrounds.
Jack O’Day, 278 Railroad Avenue, will be entering his second year at Tufts Medical in the fall. With a football, baseball, and basketball High School career as background, he played football at Boston College and was a member of Sodality. He has been a playground instructor for two years now and is stationed at White Mikes.
George Bader, 34 Sturtevent Avenue, made High School baseball, football and basketball steps for a physical education course at Boston University, graduating with, the class of .’38 In College he played both football and baseball. He is the instructor at Elks Field, and explores data on recreation in his spare time.
George Versakas of 564 Pleasant Street is in his third year at Tufts Medical and lists college sports as basketball, wrestling, and lacrosse. His playground job is as swimming instructor.
And John J. Murphy, 877 Washington Street, commonly known as Murph, records that he was on the undefeated Norwood High football team in ’33 when director Donavan was assistant coach at the High School. He also went in for forensic activities in High School continuing this interest at Boston College when he spoke on communism as a representative of B. C , throughout the state. He also was on the varsity football team, and graduated this June with his major, education. He has been instructor at the Endean for three years. Next year he will be doing sociological work in Boston. He is interested in politics and government, and claims that there is no spare time from the playground job.
There is just one more bit of information to relay about these Norwood young people, and that is how they like their summer jobs. The majority maintain that the instructor’s job on the playground has elements of both fun and work, two label it fun, and one calls it largely work, while a few are discreet and don’t commit themselves. But there is one question whose answer would entail no doubt, and that is that the youngsters they supervise would be sure to chorus FUN in capitals if they were asked about playgrounds.
(All articles originally appeared in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)