Belleville Elementary School
What is for school lunch next week for the following week of May 14, 1983?

Principal – Joseph Donnelly
Teachers mid to late 1970’s
Mr Raymond 4th grade – He was known for saying, “Are you asking me or telling me?” when a student answered a question, and he sensed hesitation in his answer.
Mrs Stromquist (Helen?) 4th grade – Was also known as Lipstick lady due to always applying lipstick in class.
Mrs Kirpatrick
Eleanor Griffith Doyle
Mrs Smith
Mrs Flynn
Mrs Eaton 3rd grade – She was very strict with grammar and cursive handwriting. She would say that she was teaching the Palmer Method of cursive.
Mrs Puia -Spelling may be wrong.
Mrs Van Amburgh
Miss Fortune
Bart Gould – Substitute
Margaret Gould – Substitute
Facts
In the 70’s the Belleville School had an outside hockey rink. Locate It
Substitute teacher Bart Gould was an incredible chess player and all the kids would line up to play him at the Barrel Of Fun Fair.
Every memorial day we all circled the flag at the front of the school as a 4th grader would play taps in the distance.
Patrol Boy
Patrol Boy, at the Belleville Elementary School. Don’t walk on the grass or you’ll go to the office. That office was Joseph Donnelly’s office. You’re going to Donnelly’s! As a patrol boy you wore an yellow orange belt around your waist with an attached across the chest belt that went over your shoulder. This was about 1978 and I don’t believe girls were allowed to be patrol boys. Hence, the patrol boy name apparently. This must have been some kind of sick school experiment or maybe it was just the 70’s. I remember chasing down a student with a group of other patrol boys who was a known troublemaker. He will remain nameless at least in this conversation RW. Anyway, it seemed like a lynching and Principle Donnelly agreed. We were all brought down the office ourselves and we were the ones who got a good talking to. We all almost lost the patrol boy privilege. I believe it wasn’t long after I graduated from the school in 1978 that the patrol boy legacy went South. Although, the day I received the patrol boy belt, well it was a proud day, a very proud day!
Please add you memories to this school.
About Shawn Gearin - Moderator
Shawn is a former NBPTMA resident from 1967-1996. He lived at 5 Walnut St in a gray Greek revival home. He was a Whittier Tech 1986 graduate and a Northern Essex Community college graduate where he wrote and photographed for both school's newspapers. Finishing his education at Hesser College and North Shore Community College, he received a BA in Business Management and a FAA Private Pilot Certification.
An aviation, photography enthusiast and telecommunications project manager, he enjoys writing history, personal memoirs, and asking lots of questions on his hosted websites.
Now a resident of North Carolina, he lives with his family in a 1930 farmhouse on a gentleman's farm surrounded by cattle from other nearby farms.
YEAT!
View all posts by Shawn Gearin - Moderator →
no, they still had a similar system in the 80’s, i was one. i think you had to be a 4th grader, i don’t remember any specific duties other than standing outside, wearing an orange sash, and watching people get on or off the bus…
High School Principle in the 80’s…Emmit Gogin a.k.a “Capitan Cupcake”
Teachers I remember…
Kindergarden – Mrs. Faxon
First Grade – Mrs. Seager
Second Grade – Mrs. Lancaster
Third Grade – Mrs. Moynahan
Fourth Grade – Mrs. Mulvaney
Music – Mr. McGowan (he’s now the vice principal!)
Art – Mrs. Pollack
PE – Mr. Hennigar
Sub – who could forget Mrs. Dondaro (sp?)
Other Teachers:
Mrs. Mullins
Mrs. Murphy
Mrs. Van Amburg
Mrs. Olney
Mrs. McLeod
Remember the structure that used to be on the hill – we used to climb it during recess before they took it down.
Yes, I was one of the Patrol girls – and that was in the mid 80’s!
Not sure of the exact date, but the weather was nice and I remember my first grade class from the Curtis School on Ashland street walking up High St. to our brand new school…..The Belleville School. I may have even been the first kid in the school, because when we were almost to the front door I ran ahead and went into the school…..got in a little trouble for that one.
Let’s see:
1st grade was Ms. Garfi, then she became Mrs. Green, she introduced me to Japan
2nd grade was Ms. Puia, one of my favorites even though she had a rep as being super-strict. She also introduced us to the secret High School language known as “Cursive”
3rd grade was Ms. Moynahan, I recall winning a Chameleon after the in-class observation, however I had failed to bring a container to school that day and had to give it up to the next name drawn. I had written on my ‘ballot’ “I Hope I win”, and there was a girl in my class named Hope, and at first Ms. Moynahan thought she was the winner.
4th Grade was Ms. Fuller, I don’t remember too much of her, except that she was a very kind teacher, but I do remember her wishing us well and preparing us on the last few days for our transition to RA Nock.
Mrs Pollack for art, she was sooo challening! It was awesome, she was the first person who taught me how to draw without looking at the paper, a skill I possess to this day.
Mr McGowan and ‘Gary Guitar’ for Music…what more can be said, that guy was a hoot!!! Ti Ti Ti Ti Taa Taa 😉
Mr Hennigar for PE, I remember him being one of the only PE teachers I would ever like.
Is the jungle gym made out of truck tires (4 high!!!) still there, or had it claimed too many lives?
Mr. Hennigar just retired last year.
When I went to the Belleville I had Miss Spencer, grade 5. Mrs. Stromquist was one of the other 5th grade teachers. I think we had four 5th grades. I went to Davenpoirt on corner of Kent and Congress grade 1 Mrs. Reardon, grade 2 Mrs. Cashman, grade 3 Miss mason who later married and became Mrs. MacDonald. Everyone loved her! Then grade 4 Miss MacDonald. Miss Peacock was out gym teacher and Mrs. Carroll was the music teacher. After a year of riding that dreadful bus overfilled with junior high students
I went to the Currier School on Forrester St. My grandfather went to that school too.
grades 6, 7 & 8. Then on to NHS.
Miss Lawson- First Grade, married in 1968; don’t recall married name
Mrs. Jean Kirkpatrick- Second Grade. Very business-like and kind; sang as a class daily; structured, predictable routines; strict but fair
Miss Linda Cardello- Third Grade, married in 1970 and became Mrs. Monihan. Young, stylish, attractive, sweet, loving, creative teacher. Drove an orange MG convertible
Mrs. Fuller- Fourth Grade Nice enough, dedicated; had after school clubs
Retired…sheesh, I guess that was the early/mid 80’s, but he still can’t be that old?
I was also a Patrol Boy back in the ’70’s….. my teachers:
1st Grade – Miss Wilson
2nd Grade – Mrs. Faxon
3rd Grade – Mrs. Eaton (I have very good penmanship even now)
4th Grade – Mrs. Sporrey (spelling?)
5th Grade – Miss Murphy (massive crush – cleaned erasers after school)
Then it was on to Rupert A. Nock Middle School when it opened its doors – 6th Grade – White House
I had Mrs Doyle, Mrs Flynn, Ms. Twomey (had a crush on her) , Mrs Mcleod and Mrs Bragg. Never forget Mrs. Dondero (sp) and her singing. Was a patrol in 4th grade. Remember lining up after lunch and hoping Mr Donnolly would pick you to go into the gym to play basketball. Some Classmates: Mike Beaton, Chris Shea, Dave Kolman (RIP), Scott McCleod, Scott Bentley, Nancy Lima, Kurt Lakkso. Good Times…..Belleville Bees…
I believe had
Kindergarten- Mrs Doyle
Readiness- ??
1st Grade- Mrs Seiger
2nd Grade- Mrs MacDonald
3rd and 4th I’m confused on. I know I had Mrs Murphy and Mrs Mullen one year. I think that was 3rd.
I miss the Belleville. The Barrel of Fun Fair!!
1st grade was Mrs Grant – I cried so much when I learned I had to move on to a different teacher the next year.
I remember Mr. Donnelly the principal, I had my mother bring in a bag of apples that I took in to him at his office.
School nurses, getting our polio shot-in-the arm
The awkward and serious annual gathering around the flagpole
The lost and found cardboard box
Brownie meetings in the lunchroom
Lunchroom tables that folded up
Running in from recess everyone screaming
There were cows behind that tall wooden fence on the playground
Kindergarten-Mrs. Doyle She lived around the corner from me.
Readiness(polite level for not ready for 1st Grade) Mrs. Faxon We did a walking field trip to Mrs. Doyle’s house that year.
1st Grade- Mrs Seiger Left early that year on Maternity leave
2nd Grade Mrs. Twomey
3rd Grade Mrs. Macloud
4th Grade Mrs. Chase I think she retired after my year.
I remember Mr. Gould. He was old when he subbed . i didn’t know how old until my dad told me he taught him math at NHS in the early 60’s
I spent 3 years there in the 68/60/70. I can't remember any of it, except the smell of the lunchroom. Oh, wait, I do remember singing for the elderly right down the street.
@Gary The Belleville school did have quite a smell, from the hallway to the lunchroom. A mix between floor polish, gritty powder hand soap and food. You knew lunch was being served because the smell of salisbury steak permeated every crevice of that building. It seems like the smells never leave one's mind. You must have sang at the Home for Aged Men opposite Atkinson Common perhaps?