April 2017 - Portrait of Earl Watkin - Newspaper article from the Ilion Sentinel
Robert Loomis - Student Council President
presents memorial portrait of Dr. Earl P. Watkin
Source 1954 Ilion Sentinel Newspaper article

Administrator Portrait Gallery

April 2017

By Aileen Carney Sweeney
April 2017

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Portrait of Earl Watkin - Newspaper article from the Ilion Sentinel
April 2017 Administrator Portraits

Portrait of Dr. Earl P. Watkin

Below is the text from the Ilion Sentinel newspaper article about the presentation of the portrait of Dr. Earl P. Watkin to the school.

Shown above with a portrait of the late Dr. Earl P. Waktin is Bob Loomis, president of the Ilion Student Council, who recently engineered a drive in the Ilion High School for grades 7-12 to purchase the memorial.

Similar to the one placed in the main hall of the high school a few years back, as a memorial to Mr. John Prindle, the portrait is a beautiful picture of the beloved Superintendent who passed away suddenly at his desk a few months back.

The student drive, conducted last month through the home rooms at the school netted $125.00 for the portrait, and was done exclusively by the students. Teachers added to the collection, but the students did the work.

The portrait was purchased by Mr. Joseph A. Baker, Acting Superintendent of Ilion Schools, through the J. B. Wells Company of Utica, and will be placed in the Main Hall at the High School near the office.

Administrator Portraits

In later years, portraits of other administrators were added to the gallery. There appears to be no exact criteria for the dedication and display of an administrator's portrait. Some Superintendents, (George Anderson, Gary Tutty and Cosmo Tangorra) and Principals (Joseph Collea and Renee Rudd) are missing from the gallery because no portrait was ever presented to the district for display.

Each name below contains a link to a page with a larger photographic image of the portrait. These portraits are still displayed in the Superintendent's Conference room.

Principal - Guy J. Prindle

Students returning to school, in the fall of 1951, saw for the first time a plaque and photo of their late principal, J. Guy Prindle. Custodian Everett Allen put up the memorial plaque over the summer recess. It was made possible by funds from the 1951 Senior Class and the school. The plaque was erected in the second floor corridor across from the principal's office. Above the plaque was a hand painted photograph of the former school official. The plaque carried the legend:

IN MEMORY OF
JOHN GUY PRINDLE
1920 PRINCIPAL 1951
ILION HIGH SCHOOL
TEACHER-ATHLETE-FRIEND-ADVISOR

Superintendent - Dr. Earl P. Watkin

The Ilion Student Council raised funds for the portrait in 1954. The plaque carried the legend:

EARL PARRY WATKIN
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
1923 - 1954

Principal - Joseph A. Baker

Mr. Baker also served as the Acting Superintendent after the death of Dr. Watkin. His plaque has this legend:

JOSEPH A. BAKER
TEACHER - PRINCIPAL - FRIEND
1923 - 1958

Superintendent - George H. Purple

Mr. Purple's plaque legend:

GEORGE H. PURPLE
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
1954 - 1964

Principal - Leo J. Sammon, Jr.

Mr. Leo J. Sammon, Jr.'s plaque carried the legend:

LEO J. SAMMAN, JR.
1957 - 1974
A TALL MAN
WHO CAST A LONG SHADOW

Superintendent - Constantine 'Gus' Panarites

Mr. Panarites's plaque:

CONSTANTINE "GUS" PANARITES
TEACHER - COACH - SUPERINTENDENT
1944 - 45 & 1955 - 1978

Principal - Charles Lang

Mr. Charles J. Lang's plaque:

CHARLES J. LANG
TEACHER - PRINCIPAL - FRIEND
COACH
1956 - 1984

Principal and Superintendent - Joseph A. Fusco

Mr. Fusco's plaque:

JOSEPH A. FUSCO
TEACHER - PRINCIPAL - SUPERINTENDENT
VISIONARY
1963 - 1997

Principal and Assistant Superintendent - George A. DeLuco

Mr. George DeLuco's plaque:

GEORGE A. DELUCO
TEACHER - COACH - ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT - PRINCIPAL
DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP
CHARACTERIZED BY
"...DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS"
1967 - 1999

Superintendent - Robert Service

Mr. Robert Service's plaque:

ROBERT SERVICE
SUPERINTENDENT
2004 - 2008

 


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