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The gold standard of teaching, Miss Orofino

Created on: 02/13/10 02:46 PM Views: 2162 Replies: 1
The gold standard of teaching, Miss Orofino
Posted Saturday, February 13, 2010 09:46 AM

Hi:

No, don't look in the faculty section of the yearbook for Miss Orofino, although she is in the yearbook ever present in the hearts of those New Bedford High class of '65 who attended Normandin.  I simply have to include her in the remembering teachers section. 

Her name translated from the Italian means fine gold and yes, she was, her teaching was golden.  In one of my elementary education classes in college, the professor said that we were there  because a teacher inspired us.  Miss Orofino had the combination of intellect, humor,  firmness and compassion that I try to emulate to this very day.  We all wanted to know about her private life, yet she was professional enough to stick to the topic (stay on task in today's vernacular) yet giving us a glimpse into the person she was.   She loved to assign writing paragraphs with an attention grabbing topic sentence.   I remember "Ivanhoe"  "Lady of the Lake" "A Midnight Summer's Dream" and how to diagram a compound complex sentence because of her enthusiasmn (all right, plus a good memory)  I can see the class (9C23) now and the faces of the students around me.  Those of us lucky enough to be in her class celebrated the end of the year at a party at a Long Pond cottage.  In my visits to New Bedford after moving away, family life dominated my time, but now looking back, I need to know:  anyone know how Miss Orofino is doing now?

 
Edited 02/13/10 09:49 AM
RE: The gold standard of teaching, Miss Orofino
Posted Saturday, March 13, 2010 09:18 PM

Ann Orofino lived across the street from me when I was growing up in Acushnet. I thought she had married and moved to New Hampshire. Her mother Rose and her Aunt Lena lived together in the house for some while afterward. But both have since passed on. She was related to the Brienzo family, and several of themstill live about the New Bedford area.

I'm sorry I don't have better information, but that may be something for you.

Ray Veary