Duffy Elementary Prepares for 60th Anniversary

is busy planning its 60th anniversary celebration.

To mark that milestone, on June 7 at 2 p.m., the school will welcome alumni and hold an assembly. On display will be historical posters containing memories from the past 60 years as well as a 60-foot timeline. Fifth graders are busy collecting details about historical events, major accomplishments, and inventions over the lifetime of the school.

The "Who-What-Where-When West Hartford" biography project funded by the Foundation for West Hartford Public Schools is well underway. Over seven alumni have been interviewed and their memoirs are being drafted by the students.

“I was really impressed with the stories I heard at the interviews,” said Grace Faenza. “I thought it might be boring but it definitely wasn’t.”

The memoirs will be posted on the Internet where a team of students and adults will collaborate toward a published memoir. The finished books will be donated and the project will be posted online.

So far Ron Van Winkle, Nancy Gray, Sheila Saxe, Roger Pikor, Roy Bech, Anne Stone, and Mary Lou Dempsey O'Connor have decided to help the students with the project. Many other alumni are sending in fun memories.

Sheila Saxe shared how her class were “Polio Pioneers” and were among the first children to get the new Salk vaccine. “I remember my mother checking with my pediatrician as to whether or not I should get the vaccine, and he said that I was lucky to have the opportunity to get it.” wrote Sheila Saxe in an e-mail.

Marilyn Petrides Cohen shared, “We had special one-piece blue short bloomer-style gymsuits we had to wear for gym, and girls wore dresses to school. Female teachers had to wear skirts or dresses, too, and boys had to dress in good pants... no jeans for anyone!”

The school would like to encourage other alumni to share their memories over the past 60 years. The students ran into a little scheduling snag when Ron Van Winkle was waiting at the Town Hall to be interviewed. “We forgot to tell everyone they had to come to the school,” explained teacher Clare Taylor.

The school is looking for more Duffy memories and stories from the early years. Duffy is also inviting alumni to the Duffy Fair on June 1 starting at 5 p.m. and the Anniversary celebration on June 7 at 2 p.m.

"We want to know all about Duffy's rich past," stated Principal, Kathleen Tracy. "Bring your stories in so you can teach the future generations about real life history." The school has a 60 foot timeline you can add historical dates to and there will be posters for different decades that need alumni input.

Contact Kathleen Tracy for more information 860-561-0110 or e-mail Clare_Taylor@whps.org with Duffy memories and photos.

Submitted release from Duffy Elementary School