Wellington Gym Now Has A Name: Mr. S Honored

Minutes after the voted unanimously Tuesday, June 21, to name the gymnasium in the new Roger Wellington Elementary School after long-time teacher Richard Samaria, Brianna Normile was outside thecalling the educator she said inspired her to become a teacher.

"Hi Mr. S. We did it!" Normile said with a mixture of exhaustion and happiness, telling Samaira that she succeeded as a physical education teacher, mostly at the former Wellington.

In the culmination of an idea that became a movement and on this first day of summer, a triumph of civic involvement, the soon-to-be senior – who School Committee member Karen Parmett said showed a "lot of courage and persistence" reaching her goal – was now just glad the entire process was finally over.

"I'm relieved," said Normile, at the school currently under construction on Orchard and School streets due to conflicting information on whether the committee had a policy on naming buildings and parts of structures after people. 

"What I learned (from this process) is that you can't wait for things to get handed to you; that you have to fight for what's right," said Normile.

"If this appears to be deja vu, yes it is," said Laurie Graham, school committee chairwoman who welcomed Normile before the committee and about 30 supporters in the audience.

'Chicken Fat' remembered

She also noted that "I never thought I would see references to 'chicken fat' in so many e-mails" referring to a much-used song played by Samaria to motivated the youngest children to exercise.

Normile said that as of Tuesday, she had collected 273 signatures and 880 friends on the Facebook page she set up, quoting one of messages on the page that Samaria has "a heart of gold" influencing generations of children. 

She said would set up an account at the to receive funds to create a plaque with wording approved by the School Committee that will hang inside the new "Richard Samaria 'Mr. S' Gym" at a celebration sometime after the official opening ceremonies of the new school in September. 

"There's not that many times you can have a do-over," said Graham, saying that in the week after the first attempt, the committee did locate a memo from 1989 concerning existing protocol on naming buildings and portions of structures after people. 

The 22-year-old guidelines suggested that the person be retired, worked for and gave service to the town and was someone who showed dedication and work that would merit a building be named after him.

"I would suggest that Mr. S falls into these categories and fits into this protocol" of someone who should be honored, said Graham. After a short discussion, in which Parmett said that Normile's work was a "wonderful civics moment" that "struck the deepest cord for me," the committee voted 6-0 to support the naming to the cheers from the audience.

Graham also noted that the committee would have a moratorium on any further namings until a new policy is created and passed by the full committee.

Outside after the vote, Margie Eaton, Samaria's daughter who gave Normile her phone to speak to her father, was a bit emotional discussing her feelings after the vote honoring her father.

"The only word I have is overwhelmed. It shows how much love people have for my father. And that so many people would supported this, I could cry," said Eaton as she hugged Normile.