Cirone, Retired Drury Principal, Dies at 70
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The respected and well-liked educator was principal for 22 years, and a teacher of science and social studies for more than a decade, at the North Adams high school he graduated from in 1957.
Friends and colleagues described him as open minded and willing to entertain new ideas, a mindset that served him well during his tenure, which included overseeing Drury's experimentation with the "open classroom" concept.
"He was one of the few that could handle that," said Ronald Superneau, a high school classmate and longtime friend who served on the School Committee for 32 years.
The "new" Drury High opened on South Church Street in 1974 utilizing what was then considered a cutting-edge school construction — classrooms without walls. The experiment wasn't exactly a success and, over the years, walls began appearing. The high school underwent a complete renovation several years ago to traditional classrooms.
Superneau recalled how Cirone was able to handle the challenging environment — and the teachers' complaints. "He was able to keep things going."
"He was somebody who was respected. He didn't demand respect, he earned respect," said Superneau, adding that if Cirone said he was going to do something, "he'd do it."
But it was the students, not the setting, that Cirone was most concerned with, he said. "Always, always the kids came first."
Donald Pecor, retired dean of curriculum, had a similar sentiment about his friend of more than 30 years.
"He cared about all the different types of kids, those he helped get into the best schools and those kids in danger of dropping out," said the history teacher. "He made sure they had every chance to stay in school."
Cirone was willing to take chances, including on Drury's flourishing drama program and the Academic Decathlon, which no one was sure would take off. "He gave me both time and financial support," said Pecor of the decathlon.
An impressive athlete in his youth, including on the Brown University football team, he instilled his love of sports to his students during a decade as head football coach and was the recipient of WBEC Sports Caravan Coach of the Year award in 1970. Cirone coached junior varsity baseball and Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball in Williamstown.
Cirone was strict but fair with his students, and inspired his players, said Superneau. "They wanted to play ball for him."
In 1998, he was presented with the Martin Luther King Jr. Peacemaker Award, presented by the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, for his efforts in helping the school address issues of diversity and tolerance.
"He was committed to his family and to his community," said Pecor.
Roger Francis Cirone died Monday, Oct. 27, 2008. He was born in North Adams on Oct. 10, 1938, son of Dominick and Margaret Zocchi Cirone.
He graduated from Drury High School in 1957 and received his bachelor of arts degree in history from Brown University in 1961. He obtained his master's degree in education from the former North Adams State College in 1969. He took additional courses in education at Syracuse University, State University of New York and Harvard University and participated in the John Hay Fellowship Program at Williams College.
Mr. Cirone was a member of the football team at Brown for four years. He was named to the All-Brown football defensive team of the 1960-1969 decade by the Brown Herald, the official university newspaper. He was also the leading scorer during the 1959 season and played a key role in the Brown victory over Harvard in 1959.
An Army veteran, he served from 1961 to 1963 and was a member of the National Guard from 1963 to 1965.
He began teaching biology and chemistry at Drury High in 1963 and continued his teaching career in social studies until 1976, when he was named assistant principal. He became principal a year later; he retired in 1999.
At Drury, he was the JV baseball coach for three years and assistant football coach under Dan Rorke and Joe Llodra. He was the head football coach from 1967 to 1977. He was the recipient of the Peacemaker award in February 1998.
He was a communicant of Sts. Patrick and Raphael Parish and was a past member of St. Patrick's Parish Council. He served on the Advisory Committee for the James and Robert Hardman Fund for North Adams and was a member of the Williamstown Municipal Scholarship Committee. He volunteered at the Milne Public Library and was a member of the Williams College Sideline Quarterback Club. He was an avid golfer at Waubeeka Golf Links.
He and his wife, the former Barbara Trabold, were married July 2, 1966, in St. Francis' Church in North Adams.
Besides, his wife, he leaves three sons, John Cirone and his life partner, David Brannon, of Seattle, Matt Cirone and his wife, Kristin, of Cincinnati and David Cirone and his wife, Leslie, of South Hadley; a sister, Patricia Cirone of Seattle; six grandchildren, Mia Brannon-Cirone, Ella Brannon-Cirone, Kaia Cirone, Tyler Cirone, Nicholas Cirone and Nathan Cirone.
He was predeceased by a brother, Joseph Cirone, in 1959.
FUNERAL NOTICE — A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick's Church in Williamstown. Burial will be private in the family plot in Southview Cemetery in North Adams.
Calling Hours at the Flynn & Dagnoli- Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, are Wednesday from 4 to 7. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested for the St. Patrick's Food Pantry through the funeral home.
