History Repeats Itself: Playground Equipment at Gorman School will be Well Used

In the Sun Transcript of this week in 1911 the following was reported:

“Town Meeting voted to appropriate $900 to equip the playground areas of the Shirley, Almont, and Pauline sts. schools and to have them be used as year round playgrounds in accordance with the new state law that requires all communities to construct playground areas for their children.”

So it is with a great deal of pleasure that we are able to report that the efforts of Dawn Hagan Manning and Kelly Gaughan Parker, parents of children at the Gorman/Fort Banks School, paid off when Council President and School Committee member Jeffrey Turco was able to advocate successfully for the sum of $30,000 to be inserted into the budget for new playground equipment at the school. Now the two parents are spearheading the effort to help the school’s PTO match that contribution so they can purchase even more playground equipment to accommodate the many students who use the area during recess.

The results of the PTO’s effort will not only benefit the Gorman/Fort Banks students but young children throughout the town who will be able to use the playground during non-school hours.

Mr. Turco obviously recognized the need for safe and updated playground equipment for the school and he should be applauded for that judgement. Mrs. Manning and Mrs. Parker are trying to expand upon that appropriation by the town and bring a playground to the school that can be enjoyed and utilized by a wider number of students.

Mike Eruzione and his Winthrop Charities has stepped up and donated $5,000 to the cause and we understand that the PTO will be holding an event at the school later this spring in an effort to raise funds.

We wish the Gorman/Fort Banks PTO well in their efforts and thank Mrs. Manning and Mrs. Parker for their leadership of the drive and their commitment to bringing the best possible recreational opportunities to the children who use and enjoy the school playground area.

We would note that oftentimes, when history repeats itself, it is not necessarily a good thing. But in this case, we are glad to see that our town fathers of today are listening to the parents of our children, just as their predecessors did 100 years ago.