Mapleshade School

Note: to see other schools we attended prior to high school, click on the "Kindergarten Thru 8th Grade" link to the left and then on the school of interest.
 
Our entire class attended Mapleshade School on Mapleshade Avenue for third grade, and some of us attended fourth and fifth grades there. The school day was 9:15 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. The school opened on Sep. 7, 1955 and remains a vital part of the East Longmeadow School system today.
 
Please scroll down the page or click on a link below. 
 
 

The entrance to Mapleshade School during the 1955-56 school year, five years before we started third grade there.

Aerial of Mapleshade School during the 1955-56 school year. Classroom wings to the left and right; gymnasium in middle in back; administrative offices and cafeteria in foreground.

Back side of Mapleshade school during the 1955-56 school year. Classroom wings on the left and right; gymnasium in the middle.

Classrooms and sidewalk along Mapleshade Ave. in 1955. These were our third grade classrooms in the 1960-61 school year.

Gymnasium and classrooms in 1955. These were our fourth and fifth grade classrooms in the 1961-63 school years. Birchland Park Elementary and Junior High School on right.

The view from Birchland Park Elementary and Junior High School during the 1955-56 school year. Classroom wing on the left; administrative offices and second story of gymnasium in the middle; cafeteria on the right. 

Looking out a window in a classroom wing at the administrative offices in the foreground and the cafeteria in the background. Photo taken during the 1955-56 school year.

Inside a classroom during the 1955-56 school year. Date on the blackboard is January 3, 1956.

Another view inside a classroom during the 1955-56 school year.

Inside the gymnasium during the 1955-56 school year.

The cafeteria which served us hot lunches, as it looked during the 1955-56 school year.

Another view of the cafeteria during the 1955-56 school year.

The school stage inside the cafeteria during the 1955-56 school year. We had our plays, took music lessons, and played in the band there.

 
The entrance to Mapleshade School in May 2016, largely unchanged from our time. Photo by Bruce Moore.
 
 
The original bicycle racks from our time are still there, as seen in this May 2016 photo by Bruce Moore.
 
 
Mapleshade School in 2017 as seen from the backyard of the home on Elm St. in which classmate Nancy Steitz grew up. Photo courtesy of Ken Cerino.
 
 
The familiar entrance to Mapleshade School as seen in 2019. 
 
Personnel Who Served Us 
Name, current location or *
 year passed away (click on name for life tribute)
Please contact us with updates.
 
Principal 
Mr. Melvin H. Coons*
 1969
 
School Physician and Nurses
 
Teachers 

Third Grade
 Mrs. Elizabeth B. Fitzgerald* 2016
Miss Mary Ann Gerould (Mrs. Mary Ann Jones after marriage), Bertram TX
Mrs. Marjorie M. Hall*
 2013
Mrs. Lillian L. Meacham*
 2000
Miss Jean M. Milbier (Mrs. Jean M. Kelley after marriage), East Longmeadow MA
Mrs. Adella P. Olin*
 1992
Miss Effeea "Faye" Pappas (later Mrs. Effea P. Roupas)*
 1997
Mrs. Rita M. Ravosa, East Lyme CT
Miss Arlene Judith Shapiro (now Mrs. Arlene Judith Sagers), American Fork, UT
 
Fourth Grade
 Mr. Michael F. Egan, Jr.*
 2006
Mrs. Esther N. Kindig*
 1999
Mrs. Carol W. Ogilvie
1999
Miss Barbara J. Ruel*
 2000
Mrs. Blanche I. Stanley*
 1985
 
Fifth Grade 
Mr. Edward R. Heffernan, Jr., Southwick MA
Mr. Bruce I. Jackson, Hampden MA
Mrs. Dorothy R. Searles* 2024
Mrs. Joan S. Winton* 2013
 
Art
 Mrs. Eleanor MacMullen*
 1964
 
 
Music
 Mrs. Liane S. Fontaine (later Mrs. Liane S. Tousignan)* 1999
Mr. Bohdan Hluszewskyj, location/status unknown
 
 
 
Mrs. Fontaine in 1929 and Mr. Hluszewskyj in 1962 (college graduation photos).
 

 

School principal Mr. Melvin Coons. Photo courtesy of Arlene Breau. 

 
Article in Nov. 4, 1969 issue of the Springfield Union. Classmate Marsha Coons is on the left. Photo quality less than optimum due to it being a scan from microfilm.
 
Third Grade Class Rosters
 
Mrs. Fitzgerald
 
 
Mrs. Fitzgerald in 1955 (college graduation photo).
 
Jayne Anderson, Deborah Andwood, Adele Archidiacono, Janet Betterley, Kendra Bowker, Nancy Burritt, Robert Clark, Wendelyn Crosby, Frederick Doersam, Lois Dusenberry, Christine Flore, Stephen Geoffrion, Eddie Goguen, Ann Marie Hearn, Patricia Hendrick, Pamela Johnson, Paul LaBroad, Derek Larsen, Paul Lieberwirth, David McCallum, Lois Melbourne, John Miner, Ralph Nooney, Donald Page, Nancy Pleu, Linda Redin, Patricia Ryan, Kenneth Sheret, Clark Swanson, David Turnberg, Edward Warren.
 
 
Article in Springfield Union, Mar. 7, 1961.
 
Miss Gerould (Mrs. Jones after marriage)
 
 
 
Miss Gerould in 1960 and in recent times.
 
Monica Barry, Nancy Birtwell, Laura Bradley, Deborah Butler, Susan Circosta, Danny Danio, Ralph Donohue, Donald Eddy, Dean Florian, Frank Gibney, Richard Grimaldi, Heidi Hiller, John Keane, Diane LaFave, Victor Linden, Marilyn Man, Thomas Martone, Janet McCarthy, Franklin Miorandi, Brenda Misitano, Stephen Newell, Kim O'Brien, Donald R. Page, Jr., Debra Peterson, Dennis Plante, Susan Regnier, Deborah Saabye, Maria Siano, Donald Turnberg, Susan Waterman, Janice Worthington.
 
Mrs. Hall
 
   
 
Mrs. Hall in 1949 (college graduation photo), 1990, and later in life.
 
Linda Bates, Leslie Bergeron, Nancy Blaisdell, Marlene Cabana, Bruce Cohen, Valerie Davis, Jeanne Donovan, Deborah Foster, Nancy Galvin, Mark Hadeler, Theodore Harper, Nancy Holland, Clifford Keeney, Mary Ann LaLima, Bruce Lindwall, Stephen Mascaro, Bruce McClure, Richard Mondoux, Nola Olmsted, Stephen O'Neil, Robert Parker, Thomas Pratte, Robert A. Price, Marion Renzi, Pamela Sakakeeny, Mark Simone, Charles Taylor, Gail Vagts, Robert Wenning, Nancy Wrinkle.
 
 
Combined program for third grade plays of Miss Shapiro's Room A and Mrs. Hall's Room G.
 
 
Mrs. Meacham
 
 
Mrs. Meacham in 1927 (college graduation photo).

Paul Battige, Peter Blyth, Robert Bradley, Debra Campanella, Bradford Cook, Henry Dickinson, Patricia Donovan, Dorothy Edwards, Steven Gagner, David Gallerani, Dale Goddard, John Haetinger, Janice Holuk, Douglas Keith, Allison Lipp, Earl McKenzie, Jean Montana, Gregory Naylor, Leonard Parent, Jane Passburg, Michele Roy, David Sand, Debra Simons, JoAnna Sturtevant, Gail Taylor, Donna Tranghese, Nancy Vallett, Phyllis Vogel, Jarl Weyant, Nancy Yacovone, Anthony Zampiceni.

Miss Milbier (Mrs. Kelley after marriage)
 
 
 
Miss Milbier in 1958 (senior year in college) and in 1963 (engagement photo).
 
William Anderson, Andrea Bitzer, Deborah Bouchard, Lawrence Bradley, Andrea Burger, Stephanie Chmielewski, Deborah Connors, David Crane, Kathleen Docherty, Paul Duquette, David Farioli, Donna Gaudenzi, James Gilmartin, Janet Gorrod, Susan Hatch, Dennis Kronenberg, Katherine LaBerge, Edward Lemanski, Cynthia MacDonald, Candice Marino, Susan McGill, Thomas Mineo, Bruce Ostrander, David Owen, Susan Petronino, Kathleen Price, Stephen Punderson, Eleanor Ramey, Jo-Ann Resta, Richard Shaw, William Soares, Regina Truitt, Alan Warner.
 
 
Newspaper clipping from 1960 or 1961.
 
Mrs. Olin
 
Donna Anderson, Lynn Belliveau, Koby Borodkin, Daniel Brenton, Lawrence Cooper, Todd Cormier, Michael DiMonaco, Barbara Ducharme, Brian Falk, Julia Gorman, Vivian Haskell, Eileen Jordan, Robert Keane, Lynne Kinney, Elizabeth Lasek, Mary Lynch, Richard Malmstrom, August Maserati, Patricia May, Linda Mottle, Thomas Ouellete, Richard Pesto, John Quinn, Margaret Rohr, Paula Seligman, John Stolecki, Paul Stilphen, Ann Tesoro, Jonathan Tooher, John Vigliano, Susan White.
 
 
Birchland Park sixth grade teacher Mrs. Cora Connelly, left, and Mrs. Olin in 1983. Photo courtesy of The Reminder.  

Miss Pappas

Mark Anderson, Patricia Berard, Jean Bonin, Christine Bortle, Nancy Bryson, Jeffrey Burton, Cathy Chapman, Harry Coles, Alison Cox, John Dlugos, Bruce Duncan, Christopher Edwards, Linda Farrell, Constance Garvey, Andrea Hastings, Brian Higgins, Nancy Jenne, Valerie Jimenez, Nancy Lavertue, Timothy Lynch, Karen Martin, Douglas Milroy, Thomas Murray, Ross Overlock, David Radebaugh, Joseph Roy, Stephen St. Marie, Jean Symmes, Felix Tranghese, Teresa Villamaino, Kurt Whitney.

 
Miss Pappas with student Lou-Ellen Hoffman in 1969, when she was teaching sixth grade at Williams Middle School in Longmeadow.
 
Mrs. Ravosa
 
Judith Bliss, Arlene Breau, David Carpenter, Alicia Coles, Marsha Coons, Denise Descheneaux, Julia Devine, Suzanne Dreyer, Marilyn Gour, Kenneth Hall, John Illig, Douglas Kenyon, William Lowe, Deborah Markham, Catherine Maurer, Bruce Moore, John Ouellete, Kathryn Pederson, Carl Porcelli, Cynthia Richards, William Scheumann, Gary Serwatka, William Stark, Nancy Steitz, Stephen Tesini, Arthur Valonen, Melinda Wheeler, Susan Wicks, Susan Wolcott, Ellen Zimmerman.
 

Girls in Mrs. Ravosa's class. In front, sitting: Cathy Maurer, Arlene Breau. Row 2, kneeling: Nancy Steitz, Marilyn Gour, Debbie Markham, Suzanne Dreyer, Kathy Pederson. Standing: Julie Devine, Marsha Coons (hidden), Alicia Coles, Susan Wolcott, Sue Wicks, Melinda Wheeler, Cynthia Richards?, Denise Descheneaux, Ellen Zimmerman?, Judi Bliss. Photo courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe who adds, "I hope everyone will derive as much pleasure from the pictures as I got from digging them out and sharing them."

Boys in Mrs. Ravosa's class. Front row: John Illig, William Lowe?, Carl Porcelli, Steve Tesini, John Ouellette. Row 2: Bill Scheumann, Ken Hall, Doug Kenyon, Dave Carpenter, Bill Stark, Bruce Moore, Arthur Valonen. Photo courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe.

 

Left: Mrs. Ravosa with John Illig. Right: Mrs. Ravosa with John Ouellette. Photos courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe.

 

Left: Mrs. Ravosa opens a gift. Doug Kenyon and an unknown girl, possibly Cynthia Richards, are in the back. Right: Mrs. Ravosa opens a gift. Alicia Coles is in the background. Photos courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe.

Miss Shapiro
 
 
Miss Shapiro in 1964.
 
Karen Albright, Susan Belden, Ellen Bonneville, Janice Breen, Carolyn Buck, Karen Carpenter, Nancy Cauley, Beverly Dion, Carol DuBois, John Evans, Andrew Farquharson, Donna Fiorentino, Armand Gamache, Douglas Goodrich, Deborah Hanson, Lisa Italiano, Susan Jasinski, William Kenyon, Carl Larson, Pamela Lutts, Paul McNamara, Richard Maurer, Jane Mertz, Scott Moore, Pamela Murphy, Peter Ouellette, Joanne Rinaldi, Wayne Scully, Christine Stewart, Stephen Viger, David Wieland, Malcolm White.
 

Miss Shapiro's third grade class during a picnic at her mother's home in Springfield, MA. Sitting, front row: Nancy Cauley (looking sideways), unknown girl (holding balloon), Paul McNamara, Wayne Scully, unknown boy, unknown boy (holding balloon), Malcolm White. Sitting, row 2: Donna Fiorentino, Ellen Bonneville (partially hidden), Carolyn Buck, Lisa Italiano, unknown girl, Jack Evans, Carol DuBois, Rick Maurer, Joanne Rinaldi. Standing: Scott Moore, Peter Ouellette, Sue Jasinski, Bev Dion, unknown girl, Miss Shapiro, Pamela Murphy, Andy Farquharson, Janice Breen, Karen Albright, Doug Goodrich (with hands raised), Armand Gamache, Steve Viger. Photo courtesy of Donna Fiorentino.

 

Combined program for third grade plays of Miss Shapiro's Room A and Mrs. Hall's Room G.

Miss Shapiro had us send a postcard to our home.

 
 
Lunch menu for Sep. 12-17, 1960. Milk was also available each day at three cents per half-pint bottle. 
 
Fourth Grade Class Rosters

Mr. Egan

Mr. Egan in 1961 (college graduation photo).

James Aubin, Patricia Berard, Andrea Burger, Debra Butler, Debra Campanella, Arthur Cook, Beth Davidson, Valerie Davis, Julia Devine, Barbara Ducharme, Bruce Duncan, Christine Flore, Steven Gagner, James Gilmartin, Richard Grimaldi, Theodore Harper, Patricia Hendrick, Carl Larson, Marilyn Man, Richard Maurer, Stephen Newell, Susan Petronino, Joanne Rinaldi, William Scheumann, Sharon Soares, Donna Sumner, Gail Steen, John Stolecki, Jeanne Symmes, Regina Truitt.

Mrs. Kindig
 
 
Mrs. Kindig in 1970
 
Karen Albright, James Bourque, Susan Circosta, Steven Corey, Frederick Doersam, John Evans, Andrew Farquharson, Richard Garrett, Constance Garvey, Douglas Goodrich, Garnett Hall, William Kenyon, Mary Lynch, Stephen Mascaro, Janet McCarthy, Douglas Milroy, Thomas Mineo, Pamela Murphy, Nola Olmsted, Kathleen Price, David Radebaugh, Albert Raimondi, Susan Regnier, David Sand, Kenneth Sheret, William Soares, Christine Stewart, Donna Tranghese, Phyllis Vogel, Edward Warren.

Mrs. Ogilvie

 
Mrs. Ogilvie in the late 1970s.

Paul Battige, Donna Bitzer, Peter Blyth, Laura Bradley, Jeffrey Burton, Marlene Cabana, Alicia Coles, Lawrence Cooper, Denise Descheneaux, Ralph Donohue, David Farioli, Dolores Finch, Donna Gaudenzi, Julia Gorman, Marilyn Gour, Douglas Howe, Eileen Jordan, Lynne Kinney, Cynthia McIntosh, August Maserati, Kathleen McCarthy, Susan McGill, Gregory Naylor, Priscilla Perusse, Cynthia Richards, Maria Siano, Mark Simone, Nancy Steitz, Paul Stilphen, Felix Tranghese.

Donna Bitzer in fourth grade. Photo courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe.

We were issued Certificates for Reading during fourth and fifth grades.

Miss Ruel
 
 
Miss Ruel in 1961.

Leslie Bergeron, Koby Borodkin, Stephanie Chmielewski, John Dlugos, Lois Dusenberry, Linda Farrell, Nancy Galvin, Eddie Goguen, John Haetinger, Kenneth Hall, Andrea Hastings, Patrick Hughes, John Keane, William Lowe, Candice Marino, Patricia May, Earl McKenzie, Bruce Moore, Ralph Nooney, Robert A. Price, Linda Redin, Michele Roy, Wayne Scully, Debra Simons, Dorothy Stellato, Ann Tesoro, John Vigliano, Melinda Wheeler, Nancy Wrinkle, Anthony Zampiceni.

Program for Salute to Spring - - - a play by Miss Ruel's grade class.

Program for Gold of the Marshes - - - a play by Miss Ruel's class.

Bruce Moore's Certificates for Reading. The last word is "merit".

Mrs. Stanley
 
Deborah Andwood, Linda Bates, Janet Betterley, Nancy Birtwell, Kendra Bowker, Robert Bradley, Arlene Breau, Nancy Bryson, Carolyn Buck, Nancy Burritt, David Carpenter, Cathy Chapman, Harry Coles, Marsha Coons, Carol DuBois, Paul Duquette, Dean Florian, Dale Goddard, Douglas Keith, Katherine LaBerge, Diane LaFave, Derek Larsen, Paul Lieberwirth, Bruce Lindwall, Allison Lipp, Richard Malmstrom, David McCallum, Scott Moore, Debra Peterson, JoAnna Sturtevant, Robert Wenning, Malcolm White, Kurt Whitney.
 

 

Left: Mrs. Stanley in the classroom. Right: Mrs. Stanley with Dale Goddard. Photos courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe.

Mrs. Stanley's class. Front row: Janet Betterley?, Bruce Lindwall, Nancy Bryson, Kathy LaBerge, Linda Bates, Dale Goddard. Row 2: Bob Wenning,  Paul Duquette, Scott Coles, JoAnna Sturtevant, unknown girl, Derek Larsen, Dave Carpenter, Paul Lieberwirth, unknown girl, Kendra Bowker. Row 3: Allison Lipp, Carolyn Buck, Cathy Chapman, Carol DuBois, Diane LaFave (partially hidden), Nancy Birtwell, unknown boy (hand over face), Doug Keith (tall and partially hidden), Dean Florian, Scott Moore, Rich Malmstrom, Marsha Coons. Photo courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe. 

Dean Florian's fourth grade report card.

Program for Captain Hook's Last Battle - - - a play by Mrs. Stanley's class.

Article in Springfield Union, Nov. 15, 1961. Courtesy of The Republican. 
 
Fifth Grade Class Rosters

Mr. Heffernan

Mr. Heffernan in 1961 (college graduation photo).

Paul Battige, Koby Borodkin, Richard Bjorklund, Andrea Burger, Alicia Coles, Ralph Donohue, David Farioli, Linda Farrell, Christine Flore, James Gilmartin, Eddie Goguen, Kenneth Hall, Patrick Hughes, John Keane, Ernest LaMountain, Mary Lynch, James Manferdini, Stephen Mascaro, August Maserati, David McCallum, Pamela Murphy, Priscilla Perusse, Robert A. Price, Linda Redin, Joanne Rinaldi, Christina Rowlston, William Scheumann, Maria Siano, Sharon Soares, Nancy Steitz, Jeanne Symmes, John Vigliano, Melinda Wheeler. 

Mr. Jackson

Mr. Jackson in 1954 (college graduation photo).

James Aubin, Leslie Bergeron, Laura Bradley, Debra Butler, Marlene Cabana, Susan Circosta, Beth Davidson, Denise Descheneaux, Bruce Duncan, John Faust, Dolores Finch, Nancy Galvin, Richard Garrett, John Haetinger, Theodore Harper, William Kenyon, Patricia May, Bruce Moore, Ralph Nooney, Carl Porcelli, Kathleen Price, Cynthia Richards, David Sand, Wayne Scully, Kenneth Sheret, Debra Simons, Gail Steen, Christine Stewart, Susan Sullivan, Felix Tranghese, Jane Viveiros, Edward Warren.

Mrs. Searles
 
 
Mrs. Searles in 1954 and in 2004.

Patricia Berard, James Bourque, Jeffrey Burton, Stephanie Chmielewski, Lawrence Cooper, Julia Devine, Barbara Ducharme, Steven Gagner, Donna Gaudenzi, Douglas Goodrich, Garnett Hall, Andrea Hastings, Patricia Hendrick, Mary Holotka, Thomas McCabe, Marilyn Man, Richard Maurer, Thomas Mineo, Stephen Newell, Susan Petronino, Robert A. Price, Albert Raimondi, Susan Regnier, Michele Roy, Susan Saacke, Mark Simone, William Soares, Dorothy Stellato, Donna Tranghese, Phyllis Vogel, Anthony Zampiceni.

Mrs. Winton
 
 
 
Mrs. Winton as she looked while teaching us fifth grade, and with her daughter, Cheri Winton Gaetz in 2009.
 
Linda Bates, Janet Betterley, Donna Bitzer, Kendra Bowker, Arlene Breau, Nancy Bryson, Debra Campanella, David Carpenter, Harry Coles, Marsha Coons, Frederick Doersam, Carol DuBois, John Evans, Constance Garvey, Marilyn Gour, Richard Grimaldi, Douglas Keith, Lynne Kinney, Katherine LaBerge, Diane LaFave, Paul Lieberwirth, Bruce Lindwall, Richard Malmstrom, Candice Marino, Douglas Milroy, Scott Moore, Nola Olmsted, Debra Peterson, JoAnna Sturtevant, Ann Tesoro, Malcolm White, Kurt Whitney.  

Mrs. Winton's class (second photo is close-up). It's a bit difficult to see everyone because the original photo was not clear, but we'll try and identify who we can. This is our best guess, so please feel free to send names of those you recognize to Scott Moore. 

Kneeling/Sitting: Connie Garvey, Janet Betterley, Nancy Bryson, Donna Bitzer, unknown girl, unknown boy, Paul Lieberwirth?, unknown boy, unknown boy, Bruce Lindwall.

Standing: Unknown girl, Debbie Campanella, unknown girl, unknown girl, Marsha Coons?, unknown girl, unknown girl (hands on chin), unknown girl (obscured), unknown girl (facing sideways), unknown girl, unknown girl (partially obscured), unknown girl, Dave Carpenter, Rich Malmstrom (suit jacket), Scott Moore, unknown boy (facing right), unknown boy (seems to have coat and tie on), unknown boy (bending over), unknown boy (in back of person with coat and tie), unknown boy (facing sideways and holding right hand over head), unknown boy. Photo courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe.  

  

Arlene Breau in fifth grade. Photo courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe.

Diane LaFave in fifth grade. Classmates' bicycles in the background. Photo courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe.

Bruce Lindwall, Rich Malmstrom, Doug Milroy, and Kurt Whitney in fifth grade. Photo courtesy of Arlene Breau Wolfe.
 
Memories
 
Third Grade

Donna Anderson remembers, "I had Mrs. Olin in third grade - Room B at Mapleshade - and I loved her as a teacher. She was a very old-fashioned teacher. Every morning we sat at our desks with our hands folded and had a moment of silent prayer, and then we said the Lord's Prayer. Then came the Pledge of Allegiance. After that, we recited either the 23rd Psalm or the 100th Psalm. All of us had to remember both Psalms!

"Before we went to lunch we had to say a prayer thanking God for our food, and at the end of the day we sang a song that started, "Father, we thank Thee for the night. And for the pleasant morning light ..." Can't remember the rest of it. THEN we were allowed to line up in the gym to wait for our bus to go home. Can you imagine a teacher trying to say the Lord's Prayer in class today?

"She was a very dear lady who rarely got flustered."

Marilyn Gour Kelly and Scott Moore recall playing marbles during third grade recess, with the cat's eyes, clearies, puries, and boulder marbles.

Marilyn also remembers playing with a ball that belonged to Donna Bitzer and having it land on the school roof and not being able to retrieve it.

Susan Circosta Mancinone remembers in third grade "the boys chasing us girls around on the playground at Mapleshade and trying to pull up our dresses and skirts." Diane LaFave (Cirignano) recalls, "This went on for many recesses until the teachers put a stop to it."

Bruce Moore remembers an incident in Mrs. Ravosa's third grade class: "During the school year everyone in the class got recorders, which were plastic musical flutes. We learned a few songs, so Mrs. Ravosa thought it would be a good idea to invite the fifth grade class next door to hear us. They all came in the room and spread out around the perimeter. I was in the front left row, so older students were all around and very near. Somehow, (I'm not at all musical) I hadn't mastered the songs, so I pretended to play the songs. No one seemed to notice, and the reason I probably have the memory is the potential was there to have a really embarrassing moment if someone actually heard my scratchy playing."

Fourth Grade

Scott Moore remembers his fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Stanley's favorite phrase: "stick-to-it-iveness."

Susan Circosta Mancione remembers, "getting called down to Mr. Coon's office, the principal, because we were playing tag at recess and John Beery reported that I was playing too rough! I remember feeling shocked that he felt that way since I was such a pip squeak! Mr. Coons got a chuckle out of that since I was at his house every day after school." 
 
Fifth Grade
 
Stephanie Chmielewski Francis remembers Mrs. Searles in fifth grade: "I recall that was the year that I started wearing glasses for distance and recall that the row my seat was in ran perpendicular to her desk, and my desk was in the row next to hers. I felt comforted by that connection."  

Bruce Moore has several memories from fifth grade, where he was in Mr. Jackson's class: 

"When Valentine's Day was approaching, everyone in the class gave one another a card. I gave a romantic one to Susan Circosta (puppy love for me) and signed it "from a boy." During the class party when all the cards were handed out she got it, and went around to all the boys to see who sent it. I denied it and suggested it might be from Ted Harper. Well, Susan, I'm now fessing up that I did send you that card.

"The whole class was lined up outside waiting to go in when Butch Garrett grabbed my Ludwig Von Drake lunchbox and broke the handle. I punched him in the stomach. We were immediately sent to the principal's office for fighting. Asked to tell my side, I remember crying, as this was traumatic (going to see the principal) at the time. When Butch told his side I was astounded at how calm he was (not knowing he'd been in this situation a few times before). We shook hands and became friends. He was new to our school and became popular.

"A lot of students played marbles at Mapleshade. Mostly we made a hole in the grass just where the blacktop ended. You decided before each game how many marbles you each would risk, usually the smaller ones. One day I came to school with a couple of pure boulders (usually they were cat's eyes). Bob "Albert" Price talked me into a game using one of them. He had a favorite pot near the school in the blacktop. I ended up losing one of them. I stressed over that for a long time as they were hard to get. I still have the other one.

"David Sand and I had a pencil lead collection in each of our desks. The goal was to get the largest piece possible. We destroyed dozens of pencils, mostly by hand, doing this, and weren't able to get a real good one. One day, in Bill Scheumann's backyard, in an old leaf pile, there was a whole green pencil. Being there a long time, it had decayed to the point where the two sections separated. There, inside, was a whole unbroken piece of lead. This was the biggest one we ever got. Mr Jackson discovered what we were doing two thirds of the way through the school year, and made us dump our hundreds of pieces out. We tried again to get another collection started but it wasn't as good as before. Leslie Bergeron should remember this." 

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