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Father Kineen, high school teacher?

Telephone building, Burlington MA

Cornerstone laid for new phone building

When Burlington received telephones in 1902, everyone had to dial an operator to connect calls. No more! The new building at Bedford Street and Center Street ushered in a new “direct distance dial” system, sure to delight residents and the burgeoning commercial presence in town. This meant you could dial New York City, New Jersey and many spots in Rhode Island. Selectmen chose “Browning 2” as the town’s new telephone exchange, because it was the most “poetic” option available. Vincent Gangi of Bedford Street, representing the local Lions Club, placed a little container inside the building’s cornerstone. Inside the container:  a roster of club members, an invocation by Rev. Sidney D. King and a blessing by Rabbi Meyer Baer.

Drake/Chandler to be developed after all

The Conservation Commission asked Town Meeting to buy the land from developer Robert Murray, but voters didn’t go for it. So hello Drake Road, Freeport Drive etc.

Planned parenthood course by . . . Father Kineen!?

Three high school students asked for exactly that, in a letter to Dr. Herman Dunseith, school superintendent. He turned the letter over to Rev. Kineen of Saint Margaret’s Church. But the School Committee caught wind of this and all heck broke loose. The committee reprimanded Dunseith for participating in the effort. The three students said they were harassed by other students. Oy! No course was offered.

 

Fr. John B. Kineen in 1976 Burlington MA
Burlington Retro editor Robert Fahey in 1976 with Fr. John B. Kineen, always barrel of laughs

 


 


 

4 thoughts on “Father Kineen, high school teacher? Leave a comment

  1. Back then the school system didn’t want to deal with planned or better yet, informed, parenthood or sex. Maybe not the school system but the controlling conservative John Birchers in town. They killed the idea back in ’69/70 at a meeting where they threw the students out of the hall. We just wanted to hear about a possible lesson some were suggesting, but we were tossed out and so was this silly idea!
    At least St Margaret’s lay people at CCD gave the seniors and overview of what to expect on our wedding nite..
    A little too late, at that point!

  2. I remember having sex education on Wednesday evenings with Mr Mita at the St Margaret’s school building.

  3. I also remember Wednesday evenings with Mr Mita at what we called the ” Religion School ” building. We started the first class by Mr Mita deviding the blackboard in half and we raised our hands and yelled out ” slangs ” for penis and vagina. That in itself was quite and education for me. I guess I was a bit sheltered. I saw no harm in any of these efforts. My Mom and Grandmother ( who raised me ) were all for it.

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