Mason-Rice Elementary School
Mason-Rice School is one of the 15 public elementaries in Newton. Its more than 400 students come mainly from Newton Center and Newton Highlands. After 5th grade, Mason-Rice students go to Brown Middle School and then to Newton South High School. Some have the option of attending Newton North High School. Mason-Rice was built in 1959 to replace two older schools, the Mason School and the Rice School. It has had no major renovations or additions. Mason-Rice is one of the few Newton school not facing a space crunch, according to a 2007 study of space done for the School Committee. The study also projected that the school's enrollment will increase only slightly in the next five years. The original Mason School, built in 1852, was named for David Haven Mason, a prominent Newton lawyer who served as US attorney for Massachusetts under President Grant. The original Rice School, built in 1870 to relieve serious overcrowding at Mason, was named for Marshall Spring Rice, Newton town clerk for 27 years. At the time Mason-Rice was built Rice was the oldest school building still in use. Mason-Rice School has had five principals since it opened. Ruty Dority serverd from 1959 to 1965, Elaine Panaretos from 1965 to 1971, Eugene Gray from 1971 to 1982, and Clara Hicks from 1982 to 1995. Current principal Mark Springer has been at the school since 1995.
Version 2.1 last modified by / on 11/18/2008 at 05:31