Alex Kassanos.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
LONGMEADOW — Most educators hope to leave an impact, but Blueberry Hill School’s late principal, Alex Kassanos, left an enduring relationship between the school and his family.
Alex was the principal of Center School from 1960 to 1969, before moving to Blueberry Hill School for eight years. “He loved education,” his son Nick Kassanos said, recalling how his father would pick up crying kindergarteners who were scared on their first day of school. He also said Alex would venture out in snowstorms during the night to make sure the school’s boiler had not gone out.
Alex died in October 1977 from viral encephalitis. “It was very, very sudden,” Nick said. His father came home for lunch and was slurring his speech. He was brought to the hospital but succumbed to his illness six weeks later.
The following year, the school named the library in Alex’s honor. Nick has always felt that was fitting, as his father used to say the quality of a school was reflected in the size of its library.
Nick said that his work with General Motors has brought him around the world, but he regularly makes time to visit his mother, who still lives in Longmeadow. His family has continued to have affection for Blueberry Hill School and he visits whenever he is in town.
Nick said he often donates “a few hundred dollars” to the school. Recently, when visiting, he asked Principal David Allen what the school needed. Allen told him that he wanted to “warm up” the library, a room that was once the school’s gymnasium. He said Allen wanted to “create a better reading environment for the kids.” After talking it over, Nick said they decided that new carpeting would be a good addition to the space.
The School Committee approved the gift of $17,000 for the carpeting at its April 29 meeting. Allen said the carpet is expected to be installed in June.
