Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Once again I have called on the amazing memories of my longtime and dear friends to help me tell the story of a beloved old neighborhood school. And again, sorry for another West Somerville story, but, hey, that’s where I’m from, folks!

The Benjamin G. Brown School has been on Willow Ave since 1900. My brother, sister, and I all attended kindergarten there before my parents sent us off to endure the emotional terror of nuns. Today, the Brown seems to be “the elementary school of choice among Somerville’s crop of hip parents. It is the “go to” or “in” school to send their kids.  Maybe because it evokes images of the little red schoolhouse, with comfy, cozy, small-town ambiance.  Lots of my fellow baby boomers have great memories of this historic structure. My teachers were Ms. Colbert and Mrs. Chiulli. When I was there, I thought her name was Miss “Julie.”

Three things I remember about my one year at the Brown School were large crayons with one flat side, wooden desks, and drinking milk from small cartons.

One of my fondest memories of Brown was an after-school program called “Hobby Class.” Two instructors guided us as we made tissue paper and macaroni wreaths, spoon holders, calendars, and cigar box jewelry boxes. I can still smell that silver spray paint we used for everything in that poorly ventilated basement. For years, my dad had a shaving mug that I made for him at Hobby Class. I painted a likeness of him on the mug, and through the years, it slowly chipped off completely.

Mr. Walter Flaherty put on children’s theater productions at the Brown. Walter occasionally entertained the children by playing his bagpipes for them. The kids referred to the pipes as “Walter’s broken-down vacuum cleaner”!

One of my pals recalls that sixth-grade teacher, Mr. Reagan, used to let him clean the teacher’s lunch room, which meant all the chocolate milk and crackers he could handle.  Another friend recalls that Mr. McDonald’s tiny little office was right behind where the flag was located. Two of my friends remember being “flag boys.”  One friend’s first introduction to music was playing the “flutophone” taught by Miss Kingdon. She also taught the class camp songs.

If it were your birthday, Miss Flynn would have you stand in the front of the class while everyone sang Happy Birthday to you.

Here is a list of some of the teachers from the old days of the Brown School. Ms. Jennings, (later Mrs. Kelley) Ms. Kelley, Ms. McNamara, Ms. Nelson, Ms. Flynn, Ms. Milewski, Ms. Merry, Mrs. Flynn, Mrs. Riley, Mrs. Phelan, Mrs. Kostopolous (formerly Ms. Lembo), Mrs. Noonan, Mr. Allen, Ms. Lawrence, Ms. Smith, (later Mrs. Paceco), Mr. Kilroy, Ms. McDonald, (Mrs. Flynn’s sister), Ms. Burke, Ms. Clark the vice-principal, and Mr. Fowler, the custodian.

Marilyn Hagarty, who was my French teacher at The Western Junior High School in 1968 (she drove a great blue Mustang with a white convertible top), was a principal at the Brown until just a few years ago. Pauline Lampropoulos, retired principal of the West Somerville Neighborhood School, also taught at the Brown School. Everyone speaks very fondly of all of the former Brown School teachers.

Whether it was playing four square, tag, or bombardment in the school yard, making macaroni wreaths after school, or just enjoying a simpler time, many of us have great memories of the Brown School.