Bruce Carlson, Sanford School Board member
Photo: Sanford Tribune, March 4, 1976
By Lawrence Furbish
Schools and School Board issues dominated the front page. In spite of a petition drive with 1,500 supporters, the School Board, by a vote of 2 to 2, defeated board member Bruce Carlson’s proposal for a “moment of silence” at the start of each school day after the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Opposition was led by chair John Caramihalis, who said he feared a lawsuit and the expense of defending the proposal. The issue was brought up again at the March 15 School Board meeting, and this time it passed, after a decision by State Attorney General Joseph Brennan that such a rule was legal. Chairman Caramihalis reversed his position, and Sanford became the first school district in the state to enact such a provision. It is still followed today.
The School Board and the Sanford Teachers Association (STA) were dealing with a grievance regarding the length of a teacher’s workday. The STA was submitting the dispute to binding arbitration. The issue involved a drivers’ education teacher who was working more hours than his contract called for in order to allow students to complete the class.
The Superintendent of Schools presented a staffing report to the School Board. Except for kindergarten, Sanford’s student/teacher ratio was very close to the national average. It was 1 to 24 for the elementary level, 1 to 28 for middle school, and 1 to 26 for junior high. At the kindergarten level, Sanford had one teacher and half a teaching assistant for each 25 students. The national average was one teacher and one assistant for every 15 students. Sanford was also light on administrative personnel.
A Springvale man was charged with aggravated assault of a federal narcotics officer in an attempted arrest for 1,000 tabs of LSD. The officer suffered head, face, and chest injuries, and the defendant suffered a gunshot wound to his leg during the scuffle. He was released on $5,000 bail.
Dedication ceremonies were held for the Sanford Springvale Bicentennial Center at the former Drummer Boy restaurant in Springvale. Paul Garvin, chair of the Board of Selectmen, recounted the history of Sanford, initially called Phillipstown, and its first settlement at the intersection of routes 4 and 109 in South Sanford. “The Bicentennial History of Sanford” was published by the Sanford Historical Committee in 1968. Sanford was incorporated as a town on Feb. 27, 1768.
Sanford High School was represented by three wrestlers at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Tournament. Dave Binette at 98 lbs. and Jim Westcott at 145 were both undefeated seniors, while Doug Brochu at 132 lbs. had only one defeat to the state champion.
The Tribune reported on the “shocking implications” of Springvale resident Kenneth Kerwin’s claim to be the kidnapped son of Charles Lindbergh. His lawyer had filed the claim in Hawaii, where Lindbergh died in 1974. Kerwin’s father reported that his son was crazy and had been in mental hospitals.
Fern’s Meat Market on Lebanon Street had chuck roast for 79 cents a pound and London broil for $1.39. Hamburg was 85 cents a pound. They also recommended trying their homemade creton.
At Dairy Queen you could get lunch – hot dog, french fries, and a drink – for a dollar.
Lawrence Furbish is president of the Sanford-Springvale Historical Society. The Historical Society Museum in Springvale has many resources regarding Sanford’s history. It is open Thursday and Saturday, 10 am-2 pm and Friday 10 am-4 pm.
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