Mr. Leo J. Sammon Jr. was raised in Pittsfield, Massachusettes. Mr. Sammon was a star athlete at Pittsfield High School. He was a three-sport student and played baseball, basketball and football. He was the substitue first baseman on the high school baseball team. He graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1943. During World War II, he served as an officer in the Army Air Force.

Following the war, Mr. Sammon enrolled at Syracuse University. While there, he was a member of the rowing team for four years. In 1947, the freshman crew won all its races. They were designated as the university's official entry in the International Rowing Association (IRA) regatta at Poughkeepsie, where they came in second. Leo Sammon served as captain of the rowing team in 1951.

Leo Sammon graduated from Syracuse University in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He earned his Master of Arts degree, from SU, in secondary education, in 1952. He took additional graduate work at Utica College.

On Dec. 19, 1953, Leo Sammon Jr. married Audrey Harsh, the daughter of Lynn and Irene (Pounder) Harsh. They wed at St. Paul's Methodist Church, in Northport, Long Island. Reverend Robert F. Ramm officiated at the wedding.

Career in Education

Mr. Sammon began his career, in education, as a member of the staff at Hudson High School. He served on their staff from 1953 to 1956. He transferred to Herkimer High School in 1956. Mr. Sammon came to Ilion High School in 1957. At Ilion, he began as a citizenship education teacher and football line coach.

He and his family first resided at 132 1/2 West Street, Ilion and later at 5 Hall Street, Ilion.

From 1959 until August 1960, he was Ilion's vice-principal. He was named acting principal of Ilion High School in August 1960. He succeeded Robert H. Hall whose resignation became effective September 15, 1960. Mr. Sammon was later permanently appointed principal.

Administrative Tenure

Mr. Sammon always successfully and diplomatically dealt with many diverse topics and issues over the course of his tenure as an administrator.

In December 1960, Mr. Sammon advocated the academic accelerated program. He provided honest and factual answers to parents about the program. He explained that the Ilion program was only actually 'accelerated' in the seventh-eighth grade math program, where the seventh graders are a year ahead in mathematics. The remainder of the program was not a speed-up but provided a more "enriched course of study to boys and girls selected on their ability to absorb the additional work, without interfering with their normal work."

In the Fall of 1962, the school board approved a high school seminar program. Principal Leo Sammon and Assistant Principal Joseph Waters selected the pupils for the program. It was known as the Colgate Seminar Program.

News Articles During Sammon's Tenure

A Principal's job is not easy

An article about the Republican party in the Ilion High School student newspaper, "The Golden Quill", drew criticism from one irate Ilionite. Edwin T. Leniek, of 21 George Street, said the article which patterned after the 23rd Psalm, was "in poor taste."

The article, a parody to the 23rd Psalm, listed Barry Goldwater as the writer's "shepherd". It followed:

Mr. Sammon, said that the article, under ordinary circumstances would not have gone through. "It was an oversight on the part of faculty censorship and showed poor judgment. We will make sure it does not happen again," he said.

Reports of the teen thrill clubs, circulated through the Valley, and included one of an Ilion youth found hanging nude and nearly dead. Another report prompted police cancellations of dances, on a Saturday night, in both Ilion and Herkimer. That report concerned plans for "...a rumble (teen gang fight)."

Reports of teen-age suicide and thrill clubs were investigated at a special meeting of Mohawk Valley mayors and police officials in March 1965.

"These rumors have been blown out of proportion," said Herkimer Mayor Pryor. He and Ilion Mayor, John B. Morris, said there were no facts concerning reports of any such area clubs. Ilion Police Chief Maurice U. Goldin agreed, saying, "people are letting rumors take over without getting the facts." Chief Goldin described the 'hanging' of the Ilion youth as "a prank by four or five boys."

A West Winfield youth was badly beaten on a Saturday night, at a dance, in Ilion High School. The dance was sponsored by the Ilion Teachers Association as part of the group's annual scholarship fund raising campaign.

"School officials would welcome one type of dropout — the canine dropout"

School Officials stated, in a letter to parents, that dogs mess up the school grounds, knock down tiny youngsters and occasionally take a nip at an older student.

Leo Sammon, told parents in a letter, that "...the presence of dogs in and around the school buildings has presented quite a nuisance and a danger to our students. A recent court ruling places the responsibility squarely on the school district for keeping their building areas free of dogs."

The Ilion Teacher's Association posed several questions to the Board of Education on disciplinary measures. A Spanish teacher attempted to stop a boy, in the junior class, from running in the hall.

When the teacher attempted to stop him, she said he began swinging at her. After hearing the evidence, Principal Sammon suspended the youth from school until his parents could arrange for a conference. The boy returned to school twice, even thought he was under suspension, and was asked to leave.

A conference was conducted with the principal, the parents, the boy and the teacher. Mr. Sammon recommended to James Dunn, Superintendent of Schools, that the youth would not be allowed to return to school for the remainder of the school year. A hearing was then conducted with the Superintendent of Schools and Richard Daily, attorney on behalf of the boy's parents. Only the superintendent had the right to suspend a pupil for more than five days. Mr. Dunn supported the principal's recommendation with the modification that the youth be allowed to do his schoolwork at home and take his final examination in June with his class.

Members of the junior class (The IHS Class of 1971) staged a sit-in, in homeroom 218, to protest the suspension. The sit-in did not last very long. Such was the level of respect he had, that as soon as Mr. Sammon appeared at the door of the classroom, the students scampered off to their first period classes.

On April 27, 1970, the parents appealed Dunn's decision to the Board of Education. The following evening, the board rendered their decision and stated that the school personnel acted in the proper manner in all respects. The Board's decision was:

Leo J. Sammon notified Westmoreland Supervising Principal Clifford Baker that disciplinary action had been taken against seven boys at the Ilion Junior-Senior High school.

A rock-throwing incident occurred November 30, 1973 in Ilion, following a basketball game. Westmoreland won the game 65-43. Five Westmoreland students were treated for superficial face injuries caused by flying glass in the incident, and one girl was reportedly struck in the head by a brick.

Mr. Sammon's letter stated, "We received good cooperation from our student body in general, and that along with peer group pressure brought students forward....Until the investigation is completed, the seven students are not to take part in any activities after school is out. This will be the minimum disciplinary action. What happens after that depends on the police investigation."

The District's Greatest Crisis

The 1963 High School Fire

On Sunday night, April 21, 1963, the high school was destroyed by a fire. Damaged areas of the building included the auditorium, girls' gymnasium, 25 classrooms, and the administrative offices on the second floor. There was evidence that the fire was the result of arson.

Two firemen, Robert Day and Burton Seymour, were injured, one of them fatally. Fireman Burt Seymour lost his life to the fire.

Mr. Sammon faced his greatest challenge as principal during this dark period. Under Mr. Sammon's leadership, 1,100 high school students resumed classes on the following Thursday. The district set up split sessions where grades 9-12 met in the morning and junior high students convened in the afternoon. The 426 elementary students were moved to West Frankfort. In addition, tbe district used 10 rooms in the new West Frankfort Elementary School. They also used four rooms in the old West Frankfort school on Ferguson Road for elementary classes.

For the next three years while construction on the new high school took place, Ilion High School operated under split sessions. When the new school opened in the Spring of 1966, the auditorium in the new high school was named the Burton T. Seymour Auditorium. The name for the auditorium honored the memory of Fireman Seymour and in honor of his heroics while fighting the 1963 blaze.

A Tragic Loss

Leo J. Sammon Jr., age 49, of 5 Hall St., principal at Ilion High School, died Sunday, August 4, 1974, in Mohawk Valley General Hospital. He died after being stricken at the high school track while jogging with his son.

Herkimer County Coroner Malvin Applegate, ruled that death was due to natural causes. Mr Sammon died of a coronary thrombosis. Dr Zafar Haider, a pathologist, performed the autopsy.

Mr. Sammon was a member of the Ilion United Methodist church and formerly was a member of the church's Board of Trustees. He was also a member of the Ilion Conversation Club.

Mr. Sammon also served as president of the Iroquois League. The league members ranged from Little Falls High, with a 400 enrollment to Oneonta Central, which had 700 students. Rome Catholic High School, Norwich, Mohawk, Ilion, Herkimer and Frankfort were other members of the Iroquois League. It sponsored varsity and junior varsity teams in football, cross country, basketball, wrestling, baseball, track and field. The League also operated winter sports competition in badminton, volleyball, bowling and table tennis.

His professional affiliations included serving as state chairman of the resolutions committee of the Secondary School Administrators Association of New York; a member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the Herkimer County Principal's Association. He coached football and basketball and served as director of boys and girls camps.

Funeral services for Leo J. Sammon Jr. were held at 10 am Thursday, August 8, 1974, from the Ilion United Methodist Church.

Mr. Sammon was survived by his wife, Audrey: a daughter, Deborah and a son, Leo J. III, both at home. He also left a sister, Mrs. Charles (Marjorie) Frambach, and a brother, Herbert, both of Pittsfield.

Mr. Sammon's wife, Audrey Sammon, was also a teacher at Ilion High School. She died in 2002.

It was a sad day for the Ilion Central School District when they lost this gentle giant.