A New Mayor--a New Promise

It was a cold night to go out, but I wanted to see the new school and especially my former student from Adams Street School take her place on the Worcester School Committee. I thought about taking Mayor O'Brien's suggestion of taking the bus to the festivities, but that still left the long trek home later. When I saw the problem it was finding a parking spot at the school, I soon regretted not taking the bus! However, I eventually found a spot for my old jalopy (1989 Olds!) and a seat in the beautiful auditorium of this magnificent Worcester Technical High School. The choice of location could not have been better if one wanted to showcase what is tops in Worcester. It was perfect and the show was first class from beginning to end.
I spoke with Diane briefly after the ceremony. I had not seen her since grade six and it did my ego no good at all when she thought that I was MR. BOTTOM! Good Heavens! Dave Bottom and I were complete opposites! Dave was a strict disciplinarian with a soft heart. He also had a good sized tummy. When a kid got out of line, he would back him against the blackboard with his tummy and hold him there (with his tummy) and chew him out as good as any Marine Corps drill instructor.(It was always a "him".) I had the soft heart, but not the tummy to use Mr. Bottom's tactics. Nobody had to use those tactics with Diane though. She was a bright, but really SPUNKY LITTLE KID. She was definitely no wallflower and I would not expect her to be like that today either.
I listened with interest to what Mr. O'Brien had to say about the makings of a school system. I agree that a community's future is directly tied to the quality of its schools and I also agree that people have to work together for progress. The part I liked the best however is Mr. O'Brien's talking about people speaking up and leaders listening. I hope he meant what he said and was not just blowing smoke. That can be most uncomfortable sometimes.
Diane's ascendancy to the school committee upholds a long and honored tradition at Adams Street School. Vincent Pedone (another former student) became and still is a state representative in the Massachusetts State legislature. In 1983 I entered a group of five students from Adams Street School in the Massachusetts History Day contest. We competed aboard the USS Massachusetts battleship in Fall River and won. We went on to compete at the University of Maryland. In 1984, a group of ten children competed in two categories of the Massachusetts History Day contest from Adams Street School, won again, and competed again at the University of Maryland a second year. The children and teacher were supported financially both years by the neighborhood. Marisa Fusaro, another famous graduate found me on Google recently. When she was in my class we published a book entitled "Togetherness" which you can read about extensively elsewhere in this blog. Adams Street School had famous graduates before I ever taught there and after I left there I am sure. I wrote about the place and about the history of Shrewsbury Street. Someone told me that they saw it in the Worcester Historical Museum. One of these days I will have to take a trip over there to see just what they have of mine. I know I never put anything in there. Someone else must have. That is a mystery that remains to be solved. Well, enough is enough. If you know anymore about Adams Street School graduates, you can add it under this post as a "COMMENT". You have to be a member of the blog to write for the blog, but you DO NOT have to be a member in order to "COMMENT". Anyone can comment. Just "click" on the word comment and type what you want.