Tuesday, May 23, 2017

The Passing of Harold "Sandy" Wiper, one of the first MABT members and co-creators

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!