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Apr 07, 2023

Community bids adieu to East Gloucester school

Two women who were part of the first group of children to attend East Gloucester

Two women who were part of the first group of children to attend East Gloucester Elementary School in 1948 — Joan Brown Herrmann and Sarah "Sally" Anderson Olsen — gave each other a big hug when they met during a farewell celebration for the school Friday evening.

The event, sponsored by the school's PTO, allowed folks to say "goodbye" to the 75-year-old school on Davis Street Extension.

With the threat of rain, the event was held indoors. It featured a DJ in the gym, a slide show playing in the auditorium and a cake with the school seal and the dates 1948-2023.

The K-5 school is slated to be demolished and the campus turned into open space after its students, teachers and staff combine with those of Veterans Memorial Elementary School (in session at the former St. Ann School on Prospect Street) at the new East Veterans Elementary School on Webster Street.

Assistant Superintendent Amy Pasquarello, who started the school year as the school's principal before transitioning to her present role, Assistant Principal Kristie Lambert, and Principal Matt Fusco greeted those who came to roam the halls one last time.

"It's just a celebration of East Gloucester and remembering all of the memories," Pasquarello said.

Ellen Sibley, a former Beeman Elementary School principal, taught at East Gloucester until 2006. She said it makes sense to upgrade school buildings.

George Sibley attended East Gloucester starting in 1958.

"I think it's terrible, of course," he said. "I wish it didn't happen. Yeah. Neighborhood school, we used to walk here."

Jonathan Pope, the former chair of the Gloucester School Committee who now co-chairs the School Building Committee, started attending East Gloucester as a first-grader in the 1954-1955 school year.

"It was pretty much brand new when I went here," Pope said. "You know, it had a cafeteria which none of the other schools had except West Parish."

He said before the city built East Gloucester and the old West Parish School, there were 17 elementary schools in Gloucester, including some two-classroom schools.

"They were all in neighborhoods and everyone went home for lunch, there were no cafeterias," Pope said. When East Gloucester and West Parish were built, they were the first schools with cafeterias so students could eat there.

"The new school building is going to be fabulous," Pope added.

Joan Brown Herrmann, 82, of Essex said she came to the school as a third-grader when it opened in 1948.

"It was amazing because the school that we were in was on Plum Street. Wooden school. Wooden, creaky staircases. No auditorium, no cafeteria, nothing. This was just amazing." Herrmann was not fond of the school's closing. "East Gloucester needs a special school … needs a school."

Also on hand was Jane Herrmann, Joan Herrmann's granddaughter, a Gloucester High sophomore, who went to East Gloucester from 2012 to 2018. Kerry Herrmann, Jane's mother, went to school along with her sisters and also taught at East Gloucester briefly. Her late sister was the school nurse.

"It's bittersweet," said Kerry Herrmann, an eighth-grade teacher in Rockport. "It's a place we love."

"I’m sad," said Jane Herrmann, "but at the same time, like, I haven't been here in a while so it's like it's kind of like I have accepted it. If I had just finished, I think I would be more upset."

Olsen, 82, lives on Rocky Neck and works as a substitute teacher for Gloucester High and O’Maley Innovation Middle School. She attended the Plum Street School for three years and came to East Gloucester in the fourth grade.

"I don't like it," Olsen said of the school's closing. "I wish they had done something with it so we can have it." She recalled the school was modern when it opened. "We loved it."

Superintendent Ben Lummis understood the occasion was at the same time bittersweet for some. "Folks have a lot of memories, you know, it's big part of a family's life, of a child's life, of a staff member's life."

"I’m just really glad that we’ve been able to give families and alumni and former staff a chance to come back and see the school and visit with each other and celebrate what a wonderful school it's been for Gloucester," he said.

Lummis credited Pasquarello and first-grade teacher Ann Sanfilippo for putting the celebration together.

Ethan Forman may be contacted at 978-675-2714,or at [email protected].

Ethan Forman may be contacted at 978-675-2714,or at [email protected].

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