Some names are put in lights, but not principals' names

former Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School gym

Irving Elementary School

I am sure you will be surprised to read that I was not popular with all of the students at the schools where I served as principal. Occasionally a rare student would take it into his hands to express his personal feeling.

Most disgruntled students chose to express feeling directly to my face, although often they waited until they were on the way out of the office. Enduring such criticism is part of the job and actually meant I was doing it correctly. I should mention again, that such public criticism was very rare. I assume most was reserved for the trip home or the week-end get together.

Some students were motivated to be more explicit in their expression of criticism. The most visible palette for this self-expression was the brick wall of the school, especially the wall near the entrance. Ubiquitous spray paint was the medium of choice. I should note that my last name presented a spelling challenge such students could not readily master.

Knowing my first name helped personalize the message, so “Rick Sucks” became the favored phrase. Because I served the principal role at two schools over the years, both were inscribed over the course of my tenure there. Back in those days, spray paint was permanent.

Fortunately sand blasters can remove the graffiti, leaving a nice white outline of the phrase. You can see the outline at Irving over the shoulder of the person in the photo at the right. Seeing this, I asked for an additional treatment.  Further blasting blurred the outline, leaving a large area of lighter colored brick. If you look closely at the school photos you will note the lighter colored brick on the lower half of the walls. This made for a new palette.

Fortunately a message to me was only posted once on each school.  The fact that I quickly apprehended the guilty may have discouraged the next Rembrandt or Banksy. The Saybrook students had to pay a fine. Irving had white tile floors easily marked by black soled shoes. That spray painter had to remove the marks after school while his father supervised.  

The spray painted messages lasted about 24 hours, but both the walls have carried the memory over 30 years.