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Francis T. Maloney High School News
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http://www.meriden.k12.ct.us/maloney/
121 Gravel St.,
Meriden, CT 06450
Tel: (203) 238-2334
Fax: (203) 630-7011
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After 40 years of service, John Kenney, a drama an ...
April 6, 2000
After 40 years of service, John Kenney, a drama and English teacher at Maloney High School in Meriden, is retiring. State Senator Thomas Gaffey and Mayor Joseph Marinan, Jr. honored him on behalf of the City for those 40 years of teaching and directing theater at Maloney High School. March 20th was named John O. Kenney Day in the city. The auditorium stage at the school will have a plaque bearing his name. Valerie Wigglesworth, who has been teaching English at the school for 28 years, said that John is an extraordinary individual with an enormous amount of energy and that is what students will remember the most. In addition to teaching English, speech and drama, Mr. Kenney is also the Director of the Props and Paints Drama Club where he has cast two productions every year. He also instituted a number of program including dinner and dessert theaters. The last of these productions, "The Tempest", will be held May 18th. Principal Gladys Labas called Kenney an asset to Maloney. Senator Gaffey also recalled that Mr. Kenney had been his English teacher and encouraged him to try out for the leading role in "Guys and Dolls" --- he got the part. Mr. Kenney first got involved in community theater while attending Johnsbury Academy in St. Johnsbury, VT. He then went on to the University of Vermont, minoring in speech theater. After teaching drama for three years at Pittsford High School in Pittsford, VT, he joined the staff at Maloney in 1960. Mr. Kenney said that what he would miss the most was the interaction of students and teachers---the process of connecting people to information and information with people.
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