Edward M. Brolin, former principal
Edward M. Brolin of 33 Walnut Grove Road, an administrator at both of the town's secondary schools and an athlete who once pitched to Ted Williams, died on Friday, June 28, 2002, at his home. He was 71 years old and the husband of Mary Donovan Brolin. Mr. Brolin had been principal of East Ridge Junior High School, now the middle school, and later became an assistant principal of Ridgefield High School.
A native of Massachusetts, Mr. Brolin was born on Aug. 23, 1930, a son of the late Manelf and Hazel Brolin. He attended Massachusetts schools and graduated from the Bridgewater (Mass.) State Teachers College with a bachelor's degree and received his master's degree from Fairfield University. Mr. Brolin served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. After a period of working in the insurance industry in the Boston area, he turned to education and in 1963 took a job teaching biology at the old Ridgefield High School on East Ridge. "I came to Ridgefield because it was a good place to teach, to live and to raise my family," he said in a 1990 interview. "I've never been sorry for that decision."
In 1966, Mr. Brolin was named the Jaycees "Outstanding Teacher of the Year." A year later, he was elected the president of the Ridgefield Teachers Association. In 1968, Mr. Brolin became chairman of the science department at Ridgefield High School and two years later, assistant principal of the school. But only a few months after that appointment, he was named principal of East Ridge Junior High School. He led the junior high school for 13 years, including a period in the early 1970s when it was the most overcrowded building in the system - some 1,300 students were packed into a school designed for about 850. The school system had a thousand more students then than it does today.
Because of his background as a teacher and administrator at the high school, Mr. Brolin was appointed chairman of a committee that planned the use of the "new" high school that was about to open in 1972 on North Salem Road. He served on many other curriculum and administrative committees, and headed the Ridgefield Administrators Association for 10 years, often negotiating contracts. Around 1984, Mr. Brolin moved to the high school, serving as assistant principal until his retirement in June 1990. At the time of his retirement he told an interviewer that his greatest pride in his career was the ability to work with students, parents and teachers. "Deep down I hope they'll miss me just a little bit." Guidance Counselor Arlene Heissan said at the time that Mr. Brolin provided "the best advice." "He cares about kids and the faculty," she said. "We're going to miss him."
An avid sportsman, Mr. Brolin had been a top college baseball player who was once scouted by the Boston Red Sox. During a tryout with the team, he had the opportunity to pitch to Ted Williams. He remained a Red Sox fan all his life, and was also a collector of sports memorabilia. Mr. Brolin was also a Little League and Pony baseball coach. His first team, Ridgefield Savings Bank, went on to become the undefeated league champion that year.
Mr. Brolin was a member of St. Mary's Church.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Tuesday morning in St. Mary's Church. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery. Contributions in Mr. Brolin's memory may be made to the Ridgefield Fire Dept. Ambulance Fund, 6 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877. The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Published in The Ridgefield Press Jul 2002
Edward M. Brolin of 33 Walnut Grove Road, an administrator at both of the town's secondary schools and an athlete who once pitched to Ted Williams, died on Friday, June 28, 2002, at his home. He was 71 years old and the husband of Mary Donovan Brolin. Mr. Brolin had been principal of East Ridge Junior High School, now the middle school, and later became an assistant principal of Ridgefield High School.
A native of Massachusetts, Mr. Brolin was born on Aug. 23, 1930, a son of the late Manelf and Hazel Brolin. He attended Massachusetts schools and graduated from the Bridgewater (Mass.) State Teachers College with a bachelor's degree and received his master's degree from Fairfield University. Mr. Brolin served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. After a period of working in the insurance industry in the Boston area, he turned to education and in 1963 took a job teaching biology at the old Ridgefield High School on East Ridge. "I came to Ridgefield because it was a good place to teach, to live and to raise my family," he said in a 1990 interview. "I've never been sorry for that decision."
In 1966, Mr. Brolin was named the Jaycees "Outstanding Teacher of the Year." A year later, he was elected the president of the Ridgefield Teachers Association. In 1968, Mr. Brolin became chairman of the science department at Ridgefield High School and two years later, assistant principal of the school. But only a few months after that appointment, he was named principal of East Ridge Junior High School. He led the junior high school for 13 years, including a period in the early 1970s when it was the most overcrowded building in the system - some 1,300 students were packed into a school designed for about 850. The school system had a thousand more students then than it does today.
Because of his background as a teacher and administrator at the high school, Mr. Brolin was appointed chairman of a committee that planned the use of the "new" high school that was about to open in 1972 on North Salem Road. He served on many other curriculum and administrative committees, and headed the Ridgefield Administrators Association for 10 years, often negotiating contracts. Around 1984, Mr. Brolin moved to the high school, serving as assistant principal until his retirement in June 1990. At the time of his retirement he told an interviewer that his greatest pride in his career was the ability to work with students, parents and teachers. "Deep down I hope they'll miss me just a little bit." Guidance Counselor Arlene Heissan said at the time that Mr. Brolin provided "the best advice." "He cares about kids and the faculty," she said. "We're going to miss him."
An avid sportsman, Mr. Brolin had been a top college baseball player who was once scouted by the Boston Red Sox. During a tryout with the team, he had the opportunity to pitch to Ted Williams. He remained a Red Sox fan all his life, and was also a collector of sports memorabilia. Mr. Brolin was also a Little League and Pony baseball coach. His first team, Ridgefield Savings Bank, went on to become the undefeated league champion that year.
Mr. Brolin was a member of St. Mary's Church.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Tuesday morning in St. Mary's Church. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery. Contributions in Mr. Brolin's memory may be made to the Ridgefield Fire Dept. Ambulance Fund, 6 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877. The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Published in The Ridgefield Press Jul 2002
Edward M. Brolin, former principal
Edward M. Brolin of 33 Walnut Grove Road, an administrator at both of the town's secondary schools and an athlete who once pitched to Ted Williams, died on Friday, June 28, 2002, at his home. He was 71 years old and the husband of Mary Donovan Brolin. Mr. Brolin had been principal of East Ridge Junior High School, now the middle school, and later became an assistant principal of Ridgefield High School.
A native of Massachusetts, Mr. Brolin was born on Aug. 23, 1930, a son of the late Manelf and Hazel Brolin. He attended Massachusetts schools and graduated from the Bridgewater (Mass.) State Teachers College with a bachelor's degree and received his master's degree from Fairfield University. Mr. Brolin served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. After a period of working in the insurance industry in the Boston area, he turned to education and in 1963 took a job teaching biology at the old Ridgefield High School on East Ridge. "I came to Ridgefield because it was a good place to teach, to live and to raise my family," he said in a 1990 interview. "I've never been sorry for that decision."
In 1966, Mr. Brolin was named the Jaycees "Outstanding Teacher of the Year." A year later, he was elected the president of the Ridgefield Teachers Association. In 1968, Mr. Brolin became chairman of the science department at Ridgefield High School and two years later, assistant principal of the school. But only a few months after that appointment, he was named principal of East Ridge Junior High School. He led the junior high school for 13 years, including a period in the early 1970s when it was the most overcrowded building in the system - some 1,300 students were packed into a school designed for about 850. The school system had a thousand more students then than it does today.
Because of his background as a teacher and administrator at the high school, Mr. Brolin was appointed chairman of a committee that planned the use of the "new" high school that was about to open in 1972 on North Salem Road. He served on many other curriculum and administrative committees, and headed the Ridgefield Administrators Association for 10 years, often negotiating contracts. Around 1984, Mr. Brolin moved to the high school, serving as assistant principal until his retirement in June 1990. At the time of his retirement he told an interviewer that his greatest pride in his career was the ability to work with students, parents and teachers. "Deep down I hope they'll miss me just a little bit." Guidance Counselor Arlene Heissan said at the time that Mr. Brolin provided "the best advice." "He cares about kids and the faculty," she said. "We're going to miss him."
An avid sportsman, Mr. Brolin had been a top college baseball player who was once scouted by the Boston Red Sox. During a tryout with the team, he had the opportunity to pitch to Ted Williams. He remained a Red Sox fan all his life, and was also a collector of sports memorabilia. Mr. Brolin was also a Little League and Pony baseball coach. His first team, Ridgefield Savings Bank, went on to become the undefeated league champion that year.
Mr. Brolin was a member of St. Mary's Church.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Tuesday morning in St. Mary's Church. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery. Contributions in Mr. Brolin's memory may be made to the Ridgefield Fire Dept. Ambulance Fund, 6 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877. The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Published in The Ridgefield Press Jul 2002
Edward M. Brolin of 33 Walnut Grove Road, an administrator at both of the town's secondary schools and an athlete who once pitched to Ted Williams, died on Friday, June 28, 2002, at his home. He was 71 years old and the husband of Mary Donovan Brolin. Mr. Brolin had been principal of East Ridge Junior High School, now the middle school, and later became an assistant principal of Ridgefield High School.
A native of Massachusetts, Mr. Brolin was born on Aug. 23, 1930, a son of the late Manelf and Hazel Brolin. He attended Massachusetts schools and graduated from the Bridgewater (Mass.) State Teachers College with a bachelor's degree and received his master's degree from Fairfield University. Mr. Brolin served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. After a period of working in the insurance industry in the Boston area, he turned to education and in 1963 took a job teaching biology at the old Ridgefield High School on East Ridge. "I came to Ridgefield because it was a good place to teach, to live and to raise my family," he said in a 1990 interview. "I've never been sorry for that decision."
In 1966, Mr. Brolin was named the Jaycees "Outstanding Teacher of the Year." A year later, he was elected the president of the Ridgefield Teachers Association. In 1968, Mr. Brolin became chairman of the science department at Ridgefield High School and two years later, assistant principal of the school. But only a few months after that appointment, he was named principal of East Ridge Junior High School. He led the junior high school for 13 years, including a period in the early 1970s when it was the most overcrowded building in the system - some 1,300 students were packed into a school designed for about 850. The school system had a thousand more students then than it does today.
Because of his background as a teacher and administrator at the high school, Mr. Brolin was appointed chairman of a committee that planned the use of the "new" high school that was about to open in 1972 on North Salem Road. He served on many other curriculum and administrative committees, and headed the Ridgefield Administrators Association for 10 years, often negotiating contracts. Around 1984, Mr. Brolin moved to the high school, serving as assistant principal until his retirement in June 1990. At the time of his retirement he told an interviewer that his greatest pride in his career was the ability to work with students, parents and teachers. "Deep down I hope they'll miss me just a little bit." Guidance Counselor Arlene Heissan said at the time that Mr. Brolin provided "the best advice." "He cares about kids and the faculty," she said. "We're going to miss him."
An avid sportsman, Mr. Brolin had been a top college baseball player who was once scouted by the Boston Red Sox. During a tryout with the team, he had the opportunity to pitch to Ted Williams. He remained a Red Sox fan all his life, and was also a collector of sports memorabilia. Mr. Brolin was also a Little League and Pony baseball coach. His first team, Ridgefield Savings Bank, went on to become the undefeated league champion that year.
Mr. Brolin was a member of St. Mary's Church.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Tuesday morning in St. Mary's Church. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery. Contributions in Mr. Brolin's memory may be made to the Ridgefield Fire Dept. Ambulance Fund, 6 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877. The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Published in The Ridgefield Press Jul 2002
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