Groton's Cutler Middle School Celebrates 50 Years

Linda Cady went to Cutler Middle School around the time blow dryers came out, which was a good thing, because girls wanted their hair to look like Farrah Fawcett’s.

Cady told an assembly of students Tuesday that when she went to school, “If a boy really liked you, he might walk you to your class and carry your books for you.”

The assembly let out a collective sigh.

, and brought in former principals, teachers and students Tuesday to reminisce.

Cutler opened in September 1961 as a junior high for students in grades 7, 8 and 9. The school year started three weeks late because the building wasn't quite finished, so students had to make up the lost days by going to class on Saturdays.

The school is named after Carl C. Cutler, one of the founders of Mystic Seaport Museum.

Cady, a teacher who attended Cutler in the 1970s, recalled that the only time girls saw boys then was during square dancing, which was actually fun.

She said halls were crowded, students wrote everything by hand and the school secretary auditioned kids who wanted to read the morning announcements.

The science teacher brought in "road kill" for students to dissect, Cady said.

"He loved keeping dead things in his room and we loved looking at it," she said.

Robert Welt, a former teacher who will return to Cutler next year, attended the school years earlier.

He recalled how a reading teacher struggled to repeat a four-letter word in the book “Gulliver’s Travels" and how boys dressed up on picture day but otherwise skipped the ties.

Welt said another teacher, a former minister, sometimes said, “You’re so stupid, you couldn’t pour water out of a boot if the directions were written on the heel.”

Students said they appreciated the stories.

“I liked hearing the stories of all the different teachers,” said Nick Velletri, 13.

Robert Pendolphi, who will move from Fitch Middle School to Cutler next year, said one thing that hasn't changed is students' ability to adjust to change.

“The members of the Cutler community have worked together to adapt to change and to overcome challenges,” he said.

Teacher Neil Solar, who served as master of ceremonies, told the students they might come back themselves some day, when Cutler celebrates 100 years.

 “We are confident that you will lead us and make us proud,” he said.