Harold “Sandy” Wiper
(1930-2017)
Sandy
was a member and founder of several educational organizations in Massachusetts
including, the Hall of Fame for Science Educators, the Greater Boston Biology
Teachers Association, and the Marine Educators Association. He wrote a monthly multipage newsletter, DNA,
containing information about meetings, upcoming programs, summer opportunities,
national meetings, special opportunities for students, and sample labs and
activities. This newsletter (printed with
the aid of purple ditto masters) was distributed at the monthly meeting of the
Greater Boston Biology Teachers.
Sandy did
an incredible amount of work helping teachers to network long before computers
became a way of life. He encouraged sharing and monthly meetings at different
schools where all of us would discuss teaching strategies for a particular
subject. Attendance at these meetings almost always was between 20 and 30
participants and because we went to different schools the actual participants varied
depending upon the location of the meeting.
His classroom at Newton North High School was a
model that many of us tried to emulate.
It was filled with plants and animals.
Everything was organized and invited students (and teachers) to get to
work and participate. I remember one
meeting when Sandy, who was teaching her son, invited Lynn Margulis to be a
featured speaker. This meeting was so
well attended that we had to move into an auditorium!