Memories

A Place for All Seasons - Janet Tatten McGrath

All six members of the Tatten family attended Johnson School at some point between 1961 to 1974. Our family recently enjoyed a conversation to share our memories and how the school had shaped us. This neighborhood school once again brought us together with a spirit of gratitude and a healthy dose of humor.

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Sue remembers being in Grade 2 in 1963 when John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Black & white televisions were rolled into the classrooms, but soon after everyone was sent home. Patti recalls that the teachers were crying; she knew it was a big, important event even though she was in kindergarten.

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Jimmy remembers Miss Bell, the school nurse who chased after him after he fell off the bicycle rack in the rear of the school. All bloodied up, he headed home to our house on Bennett Street. Miss Bell quickly ran after him, took him back to school, and took care of him prior to needing stitches.

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Maureen remembers playing a delivery man in Mr. Popper’s Penguins and “setting the pitch” for the singers who accompanied Miss Stephens’ electric piano. She remembers when the school would bring musical instruments into the auditorium to expose students to music education.

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Janet remembers her favorite place at Johnson was the school library which was across the hall from Mr. Cassidy’s office. In addition to a good supply of books, one of the library aids was our mother, and the Brownie troop met in the library after school. Janet’s 4th grade class honored Miss Stephens with the gift of a lovely pin when she retired from Johnson School in 1974. Many members of our family had Miss Stephens as a 4th Grade teacher. 

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We think fondly of the lifelong friends made at Johnson School including the Ofria, Connolly, Hayes, Cyphers, Gillis, and Ruiz families with plenty of siblings whose ages aligned with ours. We shared memories of our teachers including Mrs. Cudmore, Mrs. Woodruff, Miss Baldwin, Miss Adams, Miss Crisafulli, Mrs. Best, Miss McCann, and Mrs. Beachamp. 

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We remember our sister, Nancy, who attended Johnson School, and our mother, Marguerite, who volunteered as did other mothers who did not work outside the home during that time. We fondly remember Mrs. Angela White who crossed students at Johnson. Her constant presence, even during inclement weather days when she wore a sturdy Natick Police raincoat, should not be forgotten. 

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Our family spent four seasons at Johnson. We slid down the white-hot gigantic metal slide in the Summer and went sledding down the front hill in the Winter. In the late Spring, the PTA and teachers would host the school fair. As the end of the year approached, one of the custodians, Mr. Woods (“Woodsy”), would hand out Hoodsie ice cream cups to students. We all participated in Natick’s Summer Recreation Program which was free and filled with summer adventures like movie making, crazy sandwich contests, scavenger hunts, and making friendships. 

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Our experience at Johnson School was not out of the ordinary for this superb neighborhood school that served families in Natick for 75 years.