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North Branford High School Class of 1971
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Welcome to the
NBHS Class of 1971
Bulletin Board.
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Please check back often for updates. NEW NEWS - Check us out on FACEBOOK. NBHS CLASS OF 1971. Forty years is coming up...time for PLANNING! Who's in?!
Old news...Dr. Robert Wolfe is retired...so I guess it is time for me to make sure the new superintendant has this info. Comments below are from the Board of Education meeting on December 18th, 2003.
NBHS & NB TOWN LINKS Bottom of Page
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This is a quote from Dr. Robert Wolfe, Superintendent of North Branford Schools, at the December 18, 2003 Board of Education Meeting.
“I would like to provide the Board with an update on the issue under public comments regarding football uniforms. During the past month I have spent a considerable amount of time talking to High school Administration, the Athletic Director, coaches, members of the Touchdown Club and also citizens who were in the audience and those in attendance at the last Board of Education meeting whom I initiated a call to.”
“I attended the football Banquet and had a further opportunity to speak to the representatives of the Touchdown Club and a number of people who were in attendance at that Touchdown Club meeting.”
“Before I get to the decision, which the administration made relative, and inform the board. There were a couple of other things that came to be. “I too believe that tradition is very, very important”. I have talked to the High School Administration and we will add to our Student Handbook some text and perhaps graphics related to our mascot of the High School so that clearly the colors of Purple and White and the mascot of the Thunderbird will be acknowledged in the Handbook.”
“The other thing that we made is a determination on is that we do want our teams on the field to look Purple and White rather than all black and we will not enter into a policy or practice whereby we ask individual teams to vote on colors. Because we think that is inappropriate.”
“The football team will take the field next year with Purple jerseys with White numerals. Now they will continue to have black pants and they will have their Purple helmets. But they will basically on the field look like they are a Purple and White team.”
“The cost to do that is $2500.00 dollars. I have had a conversation with the Past President of the
Touchdown Club. They will probably, or most likely make a contribution to that and I have also had a conversation with several NBHS Alumni and have asked them for their support to return our team back to Purple and White on the field.”
I would like to commend Dr. Wolfe for his diligence in maintaining traditions created by the first North Branford High School graduating Class of 1965.
Including all original traditions in the North Branford High School Student Handbook is the ideal way to preserve the Purple and White school colors, the Thunderbird mascot and the North Branford High School seal and motto.
Providing this information to current and future students will guarantee North Branford High School Alumni their traditions will remain staid and true.
This is a sound solution, and one that will be documented in the Board of Education Minutes archive for any future dispute.
By the way, it is not surprising to me that so many North Branford High School Alumni pulled together once again to stand tall for an issue that is held so dear to their hearts.
“THE PURPLE AND WHITE THUNDERBIRDS
FROM NORTH BRANFORD HIGH
GO DOWN THE FIELD, AND NEVER YIELD
THE THUNDERBIRDS REALLY FLY!” - provided by, Cindy Czekala Deming, Graduate 1970.
Thank you all for your support. Please bookmark the site of www.NorthBranfordHighSchool.com for Alumni updates. Laurel & Mike Caprio
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NOVEMBER 20, 2003
North Branford Board of Education Meeting
We presented our case to the Board of Education this evening. We requested the Board consider creating a charter or decree, to make PERMANENT the colors of Purple and White, the original emblem and motto, the name of NORTH BRANFORD HIGH SCHOOL, and the Thunderbird mascot.
Next month, at the December 18th meeting, one or more of the Board of Ed members will make this an agenda item and it will be voted on in the near future. Hopefully, that will put an end to all of the controversy and questions regarding our traditions and colors.
Thanks for all your support. I will continue to post all new information and comments on this site.
Laurel & Mike Caprio
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This is the copy presented to the board and the standing room only crowd at tonights meeting.
My name is Laurel Caprio, I am a North Branford resident and I attended North Branford High School through 1971. I am here this evening to address the issue of NBHS purple and white colors and Traditions.
This is not a commentary against any one individual or the High School sports team. We all fully support our NBHS athletes and we are proud of their accomplishments.
Our ultimate goal this evening is to assure NBHS alumni that their own history at the high school will be preserved and the tradition of the Thunderbird mascot and Purple and White school colors remain intact.
I have a document for each of the Board members that describes in detail, how the High School traditions were selected, what the traditions are, and who originally decided on these traditions.
This information was assembled from NBHS Alumni, the Atwater Library and from the Quinnipiac Tribal Council.
The first graduating class of NBHS chose on behalf of all future students, a mascot that symbolizes strength and ferocity, colors that reflect value and sincerity, a motto that recognizes the reality of growing into adulthood, and most importantly a seal that reflects the name of our school, North Branford High School.
The North Branford Class of 1965 worked diligently in their efforts to provide future NBHS students with traditions they could be proud of. Change to these traditions without equal consideration for prior graduated students is crass and disrespectful.
Everyone who holds dear the Purple & White colors and the Thunderbird mascot is taking a stand. Something that we should have done 12 years ago when JOSTEN’s ring manufacturer offered NB Class rings in multiple-choice designs.
So at this time I would like to propose to the Board of Education a suggestion. I propose that the board mandate a charter or create an official decree stating all of the traditions initiated by the Class of 1965 be adopted permanently by NBHS, its students and its faculty. The Board of Education is the only administrator who can enforce our legacy and make these traditions untouchable.
IF the board does not address this issue, then they will have to bear the burden of unhappy constituents, comprised of residents and business owners, many of whom are huge financial supporters of the various sports organizations and scholarship funds in North Branford.
In the last two weeks I have received numerous calls in support of this proposal. Here is a line or two from several of the comments sent to me from NBHS Alumni who could not be here this evening.
NORTH BRANFORD HIGH SCHOOL TRADITIONS
A few weeks ago the Totoket Times ran a letter in its Editorial section from a local resident who wrote about the change of uniform colors for the NBHS football team. This article caught our immediate attention. My husband Mike Caprio and I are NBHS graduates (1971), and our children are graduates of NBHS (1989) & (1992).
We all wanted to know “who changed our school colors and why”? Would the next change be the Thunderbird? Would a NBHS 38 year tradition change permanently? Or was this just the whim of an individual who “didn’t like the color purple” or thought the “black uniforms are really sharp”.
Instead of name-calling and adding to gossip, I decided to contact those who would answer my questions directly. While waiting for Dr. Perry to provide me with specific information, I decided to research the REAL meaning behind the NBHS school colors. This is some of the info I gathered from NBHS Alumni, the Atwater Library and from the Quinnipiac Tribal Council.
North Branford High School officially opened its doors in the fall of 1964.
The first graduating class for NBHS would be 1965. In the prior year, those students were taught in the Jr. High School Building for their sophomore and junior years. The new high school was close to completion. Decisions for naming the school and choosing mascot, colors, ring design, motto, and seal needed to be made.
The controversy with naming the high school was huge. Town officials and residents were clearly divided between the name of North Branford High School and John F. Kennedy High School. Students mobbed the town meetings and were told they had no say in the decision process. However, some students were permitted to speak on behalf of the student body and express their opinions in naming their new high school, North Branford High School.
The New Haven Register published articles about the “disrespect” shown by the North Branford students because of their alternate choice. The mid sixties was a turbulent time in our nation and individuality and “non-conformist” attitudes reigned among teens and young adults. The student’s effort proved positive for them and NBHS was so named.
Now that the name of the high school was settled, other choices needed to be made regarding school traditions. Elected student council representatives formed a committee that would complete the task. The high school principal was becoming irritated by the length of time the students were putting into all of their choices. So students stepped up the deliberation and student meetings were held after school and at student’s homes to accommodate the many hours of debate and research.
When they finally concluded their efforts, the North Branford High School student body was presented with the following; Name, Mascot, Seal, Motto, and Colors.
Because the town of North Branford is in the center of the Totoket region of the Quinnipiac Native American tribe, students chose the THUNDERBIRD as their mascot and the revered tribal colors of Purple and White for their official school colors.
The Quinnipiac Indians and many of the tribes in the New England coastal areas created elaborate beaded vestments and adornments. Most of the beads were formed from the Quahog shells and the shells of the Spinney oyster. These shells are primarily found to have purple and white colors.
Purple was a highly valued color, because so little of it grew in the shells. This color and those beads were held in such high esteem that it was presented in the exchange of gifts and worn during ceremonies of importance. The color Purple was so highly regarded and was so well respected, it was presented in the form of elaborate adornments and belts to the early colonists of Connecticut and New England.
The New England THUNDERBIRD is very different than the Southwest Indian version. While the Thunderbird in New Mexico has ties to the elements, the New England Thunderbird is a being much feared by the Indians and according to Quinnipiac Tribal legend is a giant, half man half bird who swoops down on its prey and destroys them.
Quinnipiac Tribal lore describes Sleeping Giant Park as the burial place of the body of Hobbomock who was slain by the mighty Thunderbirds. It was this Quinnipiac culture hero and stone-giant, Hobbomock, who also built the now famous “Giant Steps”, a stairway of stone that leads 325 feet from the base of a traprock formation to its summit at East Rock park in New Haven.
If you have a class ring, get it and take a good look at it. The following information is what the NBHS Class of 1965 worked so hard to put together for all of us.
On one side of the ring you will find your Mascot, a Thunderbird, with the year of your graduation. On the opposite side of the ring, you will see the NBHS Seal. Within that seal you will see a Fleur delis pointing upward or “North”. Next to it you will see a bundle of “bran”. (Are you getting this?) Running across the seal and under the Fleur delis and bran you will see droplets of water or a “ford”. This is North Branford. There is also a Nutmeg image, a symbol of the State of Connecticut.
Completing the seal is the NBHS motto, “Quid Erimus, Nunc Fiemus”, or “What we are to be, we are now becoming.” One of the students studied Latin and chose the phrase specifically for NBHS. Finally, a stone of amethyst crowns the top of the ring signifying our school color.
All of this work and all of this effort and nowhere is this information documented. If someone has copies of early issues of the THUNDER, perhaps they might find these facts stated in an issue or two. Otherwise, there is not a word of information written.
In 1965 there were 98 students who graduated. Less than 67 of those students are alive today. Several didn’t make it to their first reunion. They served our country in the Viet Nam War and died while preserving democracy for all of us.
The Class of 1965 worked diligently to provide future NBHS students with traditions they could be proud of. We should honor them by continuing with the traditions they put in place over 38 years ago.
On November 20, 2003, I will attend the Board of Education meeting to ask them to consider making the Thunderbird mascot and the colors of purple and white permanent North Branford High School traditions. Please join me there, or email me at LaurelCaprio@hotmail.com with your support.
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Comments from NBHS ALUMNI
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Dear Laurel and Mike,
I was in attendance, tonight, at the North Branford BOE meeting. I am a graduate (1970) of NBHS and proud of it. Thank you both for your attention to the color change in the uniforms of the football team. It was mentioned by a board member that the colors were not going to be changed, but the uniforms were. Okay, so now the announcers will say the team names and describe what end of the field they are at and what color are the uniforms of NB? Not purple, but black. So, how much longer will it be that some other future class decides that the purple letter jackets should be black to complement the uniforms? So, in response, I say NO to the black and back to the original colors, Purple and White.
In an era of cooperation and to promote less discord, if the students would like to add some black to the uniform ( not the opposite of adding some purple to the black uniform) then it would of course be considered. Please, as echoed by the overwhelming majority of respondents, keep with tradition and bring back the purple and white on the uniforms.
Go NB, Go T-Birds!!
Deborah McGlynn Bruen
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THE PURPLE AND WHITE THUNDERBIRDS
FROM NORTH BRANFORD HIGH
GO DOWN THE FIELD AND NEVER YIELD,
THE THUNDERBIRDS REALLY FLY!
Please do not mess our colors. Restore the purple and white!
Cindy Czekala Deming, Proud graduate NBHS 1970
***I recently heard about the movement to change the initial colors for North Branford High School. I graduated in 1965, was on the original student council that selected the colors, mascot and all the other initial traditions everyone has been loyal and faithful to over the past 38 years.
Tradition and pride in heritage are values that we seem to forget much too often. For whatever it’s worth my wife and I (a 1966 graduate) are against this proposed change.
Thank you for listening to my thoughts.
Alan B. Tancreti
Bernadette (Lanzo) Tancreti
***Black is for funerals,tradition is my vote.-William VanWilgen(1971)
***Dear Mrs. Caprio, I am a high school friend of Rose's' not sure if you remember me but I wanted to respond to an e-mail I received concerning the NB colors.
In this day and age, there is so little tradition honored. I will always look back at my days at NB, being a T-Bird and wearing those purple colors with pride. A school should never change its mascot or colors, a school should always be a place where everyone attended and always belongs to. Days of school pride should not be honored with a color like black which in my mind symbolizes mourning. Keep the purple and white, they are colors we all belong to and always will, hopefully. Sincerely, Janine Munsill Braun Class of 1989.
Janine M. Braun
Deputy Legislative Director
Office of Governor John G. Rowland
***Hi Laurel, I am in agreement that the school should maintain tradition in regards to colors and mascot. I suspect that perhaps the current players feel purple to be a feminine color which I don't agree with. I don't know exactly what NBHS alumni do for the school, but they must do enough to have some influence in the matter and also there must be enough still paying taxes in NB to carry some weight. Please keep me posted. Thanks Rick Trench(1971)
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Laurel, Kudos to you for going forward to speak on behalf of all of us who treasure the colors and mascot.
I live in Tacoma, Washington so will not obviously be able to support the cause in person but did want to send my verbal support of your efforts.
I am an athletic director at a school out here and would never dream of changing tradition without consulting school alums. I think those who chose to do so at NB made an egregious mistake that needs to be challenged and hopefully rectified.
Best wishes for a productive meeting. I hope you will let us know how things went after the meeting.
With warm regards, Bob Beeman(1971)
***I graduated from NBHS in 1970; my siblings graduated in 1966, 1969 and 1973. We all proudly wore the school colors of purple and white, whether it was for cheerleading, track or another sport. We also proudly wore (and still wear occasionally) our purple class rings.
This morning, I received multiple emails about the change of the school colors to black (a rather morbid color) from the historic purple and white. I also received an email written by Laurel Caprio about the source of the school colors as well as the mascot.
Why would anyone want to mess with history? The change in the school colors has mobilized the alumni of NBHS to protest this action. It amazes me that after more than 30 years, I still care enough about my high school to take the time to fight for what I believe in......tradition! With more notice, I would have driven from my home outside Washington, D.C., to attend the Board of Education meeting this evening to voice my frustration and dismay over the change in the school colors.
I'm sure I am not alone in treasuring the fond memories I have of my four years at NBHS. Those memories are inextricably entwined with my deep love of the "purple and white."
Please respond to the growing, emotionally charged movement to restore NBHS to its historic and cherished colors.
March On, Thunderbirds!! Arlene Celotto Thorne
***Your letter was fascinating and insightful. And what a contrast to the shallow reasoning by Dr. Perry right next to your letter!
I was involved with NB Little League for the past 15 years. We always insisted on maintaining the NB purple as our basic color scheme, and received much notice when we were in the Eastern Regional World Series in Bristol when the crowd was "a sea of purple". After reading your history, I am proud that we held to the tradition.
If you are counting supporters for the upcoming Board of Ed meeting, count me in! Paul Dodson Northford
***(SENT TO DR.WOLFE, NBSCHOOLS) - To All Concerned Parties:
I am probably the last person who would ever be fighting for the removal of "black". I grew up in North Branford (somewhat of an outsider) and today I live in New York City. Both then and now, completely identifying with "black". Black is a symbol for nothingness, its actually not even a color in the artistic sense - it is the absence of all color. I truly believe North Branford school colors should not be a representation of nothing, of lost identity.
I have attached my mother's (Laurel Caprio) letter acknowledging the history and tradition of the school's purple and white colors. As superintendent of the school system and a representation of our local democratic society, I feel it is your duty to educate both your staff and your students on the history and culture of North Branford's school system. I have shared the current color change at the high school with several of my alumni, all of whom are deeply upset at this undertaking.
As I will not be able to attend the November 20th meeting, I would like my voice to be heard. To all, please keep in mind what would happen at Yale if the school decided to change its colors or the bulldog mascot. School colors are more than a fashion statement, they are historical representations, childhood memories and part of our town's culture. -- Rose "Caprio" Sol (Class of 1989)
***Wow, now that’s some research! I didn’t know any of that before. Now the purple color sounds cool.-Chris Arnold(1989)
***This is crap. What are we, some expansion pro football team or something? I don't support this color change whatsoever. Thanks for alerting us to it! If you wind up with a link for a petition or anything like that, forward along....! Hope you are both well!
(Nicole Minore, class of '89)
***(Editorial Letter Published in the NEW HAVEN REGISTER 11/19/03) I have recently discovered that the contracted football coach Mark Basil, North Branford High School Athletic Dir. Chris Webster, and principal Dr.Dave Perry have changed the uniform colors from purple and white to black. I have just one question. Who the hell do they think they are ? In 1965 the first student class of North Branford High School picked the colors purple & white to honor the native Totoket Indians who lived in the area for hundreds of years before we even stepped foot in North Branford. They then choose the Thunderbird ,the revered symbol of the Totoket Indians again to honor them.Now 38 years later come these “Johnny come lately “ gentlemen ( and I use the term loosely ) have decided to throw tradition out the window, and not respect the wishes of the first graduating class and all 37 classes to follow. Again I have to ask. Who do these people think they are? I am a NBHS alumni ( Class of 1971) the football coach from that time Mr. John DeCaprio , who was also a teacher there, not to mention the winingest football coach ever at NBHS would never thing of doing something like this. The principal at that time Mr. Gerald Finnely a real educator, and one of the finest men I have ever known, would never think of doing something like this. These three individuals need to reverse their decision and return the school colors to purple and white. To this end I ask all graduates of North Branford High School to attend the November 20, 2003 meeting of the Board of Education and request that the board over rule these men and Immediately return to the traditional school colors. Jerry Deno(1971)
***Mike & Laurel, Just as you, I have grown up in this town. In the 34 years I have lived here I am rarely surprised by anything that the Board of Education does. Many of the people who make decisions for our students are not necessarily long time residents with roots or traditions in the school system. At a time when the world is being upside down I think that we should look back on our traditions and what they stand for. Someone mentioned that it would appear the black uniforms were easier to keep clean. My brother played many sports in the North Branford School System. Often he came home looking like he fell in the biggest mud pile or the greenest grass you'd ever seen. My mother soaked those uniforms for hours but when he hit the field he was always clean and bright. He wore those purple and white uniforms with pride. It's funny because Mom had very few "whitening and brightening" products available to her. Somehow she managed. A real concern of mine is that if they change one thing what's next? Graduation attire?? It seems like such a small thing to complain about but tradition is tradition. In our family we pride ourselves on passing them down. My husband and I went through the NB system as did all our brothers and sisters. My kids went through the system as well. We even donate funds for a scholarship in memory of my mother-in-law every year because she always felt it was important to support the NB school system. At this point it has become a tradition. Maybe it's time that some of our family traditions change as well. Let me know if there is anything we can do to assist. I am dying to know who decided to change the tradition.
Regards, Debbie Doman Newell (1971)
***Dear Laurel, Thank you for taking the time to research the NB school colors. I'm glad that we now know the reasons for choosing purple and white, and think that if the students and coaches were polled again after learning the history and
symbolism of the original colors, there would be no arguement. I have no problem with adding black to parts of team uniforms for practical reasons. But as a 1971 NBHS alumnus, I feel strongly that the primary visible colors remain purple and white, and no other colors introduced. I realize that uniform colors are of infitesimal importance in the bigger picture of the world, but the original NBHS alumni had strong and proud reasons for choosing as they did, and
I see no reason to capriciously overturn tradition. Please let me know if there is any way I can further support the cause of keeping the purlpe and white flying high at NBHS. Caroline Dufourny Mulligan (1971)
***Paul Tancreti (71) Donna Busch (74) Support Tradition
*** We know the traditions so well……. Consider these for examples…….
Red white and Blue—our country
Red and green---Christmas
Blue and Gold---Cub Scouts and East Haven
Red and White---the Red Cross and Branford High
Green and White---Guilford High
Black and White--- Xavier
Green and Gold—Notre dame (high) and University
Green Bowl---Hamden vs. Notre dame
Gold and Black—Hand High
Blue and White—Yale/Morgan High
The color combos go on and on and they signify a school, a holiday, and a group. The colors become symbolic of the identity of the organization, team or event. We all know them.
Traditions go along with each one. Rivalries go with each. Our memories go with them. Time changes things all the time but traditions never die unless we rationalize the reason for change.
NORTH BRANFORD HAS LOST ITS TRADITIONS--THEY HAVE LOST THEIR IDENTITY AND HAVE CHOSEN TO instead go with colors that serve to confuse the very traditions. Trendy changes are just that trendy changes! We strive as educators to provide historical source, provide historical accuracy and we insist that students learn what was so they are not doomed to repeat the same mistakes.
It is now time for you the B of E to prevent repetition of the mistakes of lost traditions. It is time to train students to follow the real tradition we set up for them in 1964.
It is time to reestablish the tradition that sets N.B. apart from all other common color and named teams. It really is time for us to put the thunder back in thunderation and the color back into the passion of purple.
Do what is right. Reestablish the traditions!!
Mike Graham (1971)
***Dear Laurel, We read your article int the Totoket Times. Bob and I agree that the colors should be purple and white.
Diane and Bob Sorensen
***Dear Mike and Laurel, I read my E Mail tonight and I thought it was fun reading what some of my old classmates have to say but I also thought, SCHOOL COLORS, I've got enough to worry about without worrying about this too, so I went to bed.
It's midnight now and I'm back. I started to think about how important my school years were in North Branford. I never miss a reunion, I look at my yearbook a lot, I think about classmates all the time, and I miss my friends since I moved to Florida. This "little" issue started to bother me a lot.
I'm not in love with the color purple, although I still have my purple letter jacket and a purple headband which was given to the soccer players by the field hockey team. It's the traditions I'm tied to. Once we graduate, it's how we relate to other classes from year to year. What else do we have in common. You ask your students to take pride in their school and then you go and do something like this. It's been 32 years since I left NBHS and it seems like yesterday. It's gone by faster than I ever could have imagined. It sounds crazy but I always say "I'd relive those days in a heartbeat" as long as I don't have to take 4 years of english classes again. Please leave the traditions in place. Pride and Spirit are more important than making a fashion statement. The next thing that will happen will be UCONN changing to the Bulldog rather than the Huskie.
Good luck in your efforts. I look forward to seeing y'all in 2006. Everyone, please make an effort to get there.
Ken Buccelli (1971)
***I read with much interest the research you did on the NBHS school colors, thanks. I also read the letter a few weeks ago about the uniform color change with disbelief. I was ready to call Dr Perry myself, but didn't.
I discussed it with my kids both graduates, but they did not know about it. My son played Sr football 2002 and I thought, how weird to change school colors, what thought process went on, who was consulted? Its part of History! You can't change that! Well good luck and I support the Purple & White cause. Look forward to reading about it again, no doubt.
Beverly Bartha. P.S. I will pass this historical info on to my kids!
***To the Board: I am definitely opposed to the changing of the colors at North Branford High School. Anytime I see Purple and White together, I think of my old high school. Our yearbooks have purple covers. We wore purple and white robes when we graduated. Purple and White IS North Branford! The families of North Branford waited a long time for a High School of their own. The first graduating class took the choosing of colors and a mascot very seriously. I know, because my cousin was in that class and he told me. While change is good in certain circumstances; tradition is the backbone of family and society. Therefore, I am totally in favor of making the colors Purple and White and the Thunderbird steadfast symbols of North Branford High School. Sincerely, Susan J Cooper/Class of 1971
***Good for you Laurel. My brother, Al, and I were just in the NBHS gym watching a volleyball game (his daughter was playing for Valley). Al turned to me and said "Does anyone KNOW what a Thunderbird IS anyway????" And now thanks to you - I do!. It is a great story, and enough proof for me that the colors should stay Purple and White. I hope that your efforts are successful.
Take care and good luck, Carole Bisacky Grady (1971)
***I agree that the colors should be purple and white having grown up in town and graduated from NBHS in 1980 those are the school colors. I have four boys -three of which play on the high school team. Even though they like the uniforms, I agree that purple should be represented. Perhaps a compromise
of the black pants with a purple shirt once again would go over well. Monica Graham Gallogly (1980)
***Mike & Laurel, You have definitely done your homework in researching the history and legends behind our school colors. Please add my name to the list of people supporting the traditional purple and white. Glenn O'Brien (1971)
***Dear Laurel, Hi my name is Lisa Papa. I was a student at North Branford High School (2001) and I do agree with you that they should not change the colors. I never really liked NBHS, I actually dropped out of school (graduated at Branford) but I read the history that you sent out (it was very interesting), and it makes allot of sense not to change the colors. These colors mean something to some people, and changing to black is a stupid idea. I won't be able to go to the meeting tonight, but I really hope that you get through to the board and hopefully they will not change the colors. If they do I think that it would be a really bad idea. Good luck to you. Sincerely, Lisa Papa
***Laurel,,,,,my three children also attended NBHS and my son & his friend were co-captains of the football team 4 years ago,,,,even though I do not have any children in the school system I still will be there Thursday evening in support of keeping the colors purple & white,,,,it's really not a matter of colors, it is a matter of tradition,,,,from what we understand the football team was able to vote on the uniforms & chose black because it was cool,,,,,I believe that if you let 16 thru 18 year old boys choose what they want, they would choose black because they of course would see that as cool,,,,but fail to understand that purple and white has meant so much to the past years of football players that wore purple and white so proudly,,,so since when can a team decide what color they wear, breaking a 37 year tradition??? I am shocked that those in authority gave them that choice instead of choosing the uniforms in the traditional colors,,,,,apparently Chris Webster said she was disappointed that you could not see the small amount of purple that is on the uniform,,,,,,duh!!!!!! I also understand that some members of the team will be there with thier uniforms,,,,well we will also be there with our son's PURPLE jackets that they worked so hard for,,,,,,in support of leaving the traditional colors stand as they were,,,,I would also like to know if Mr. Perry's, Chris Webster's & The coaches High Schools still have the colors that they had when they went to that High School,,,,I know mine does and I got out of High School 34 years ago,,,,,if they wanted to change the colors of my alma mater I would be there to support our colors of Blue & White also,,,,,See you Thursday,,,
***Hi Laurel, my sister Eileen sent me your email regarding the school. As you might know, I am one of the students that graduated from the first class of 65.
I remember how much excitement we had with all the voting of things for the school. I also remember that there had to be two meetings for the naming of the school, and there were many people that were very upset with 'us kids' for being to persistent in keeping the name NBHS. If I remember correctly, the first meeting was in the cafeteria....and then the second in the gym. I do remember we made it on the radio news, and they really emphasized how some of the girl's started to cry when at that time they were going to change it to John F. Kennedy. Even my mother stuck up for us, when the ladies at the Democratic Womans Club were saying bad things against the student's.
Its funny how some things might be fuzzy on remembering... but I do know that most every student was very proud and we did take it very seriously.
I'm sorry I can't be at the meeting as I won't be in town. But I applaud you for taking action. I am sure that if it would help, I could contact some of the people from our class to see if they can make a fuss. I know that Charlene Boyce who lives in NB still with her husband Dennis would be interested in this. Let me know how Thursday's meeting goes... and if you would like, at that time, I could contact her. U take care.. and say hi to Mike for me.. your ol neighbor, Linda (1965)
***Mike, I too am an original 1965 graduate and remember all this history for our High School. I agree with you that we should not change the culture from which we gain our values.
Sincerely, Ellin (Winkler) Heard (1965)
***Dear Mike and Laurel:
I was quite shocked yesterday to read a Letter to the Editor sent by Jerry Deno regarding the change of school colors. I immediately contacted my friends from the class of 1970. I personally knew someone from the Class of 1965 at NBHS; sadly, he passed away many years ago. Vince Iovieno always spoke of how proud he (and the rest of the class) was of the choices of the Thunderbird mascot and the purple and white colors to represent the new high school and the town. After all the research that was conducted by those students and the considerations by which their choices were made, I feel this administrations's change in colors to be a total disregard for their dedication. I knew students in older classes who had travelled to North Haven to attend high school, and I recall the thrill they felt when they knew their own high school would soon be constructed. Can any of us imagine the effort that was required to build a high school in a small farm town with the hope and expectation of growth? Can we begin to comprehend the thrill of the first class when asked to choose school colors and a mascot, knowing that their choices would live on long after they had graduated. Let's give them credit for not choosing colors that "look good" on football jerseys. Perhaps if the current students and administration could appreciate the history of the colors and mascot they would not be so quick to dismiss them.
Sincerely, Deb (Teasdale) Shaffery Class of 1970
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