Maple I. Percival
Maple Percival was born in Maine on October 27, 1911. She was educated in the Maine public schools and in 1925 entered the University of Maine at Orono to study English and history. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from the University in 1925, with a major in his tory and minor in English and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Later she would return to her alma mater to earn a Masters of Arts degree in 1940. She completed additional studies during summers in Orono and at Yale University.
Maple's first teaching position was at Terryville High School in Connecticut where she taught U.S. history and social studies between 1927 and 1931. She returned to Maine in 1931 to begin a ten year tenure at Houlton High School as an American history teacher, which permitted her to continue studies at the University of Maine. In 1942, Maple left Houlton and was hired at Robinson Seminary in Exeter, New Hampshire, where she taught until 1944.
In 1944, Maple Percival was hired to teach at Branford High School and began a 15- year period that had a profound impact on Branford students. She taught American his tory with a passion that ignited students' interests and fostered a love for American government that was acknowledged by her students. She served as advisor to the senior class and was the mainstay in preparing seniors for their graduation exercises, tutoring class speakers and attending to every detail to make graduation ceremonies special.
Maple's ability to relate to high school seniors was greatly tested the first two years at Branford. The counsel and support she provided on a daily basis to help upperclassmen cope with the reality of the war and its aftermath were important contributions that al lowed her students to balance the pain of seeing their classmates go off in harm's way in the service of their country and the need to have a focused normalcy for a teenager at Branford High School. Maple served as Head of the Social Studies Department for several years and was a leader of a teachers' group, forerunner to the Branford Education Association that secured group insurance for teachers in 1954. She taught in the Branford Summer School, as her contract stipulated, "...for 6-7 weeks, from 8:00 AM to Noon" and was compensated with $150. Maple volunteered as advisor to Student Council, Model Congress and Model U.N., taking students to conferences at colleges, high schools and the United Nations.
Few teachers have had the immediate influence that Maple Percival had on Branford High School students. She was an academic with a soul. She had an intuitive understanding of adolescence and an unwavering courage to follow her instincts. She taught the whole student and balanced a focused, "the business of school is learning" teaching style with a warm personality and dry wit. When she talked about a person in American history, she made her students feel that she had known the individual and was willing to share little known secrets about the leader's thinking concerning major events in our nation's history.
Perhaps the strongest influence she had on education in Branford is the great number of her students who followed her example and entered teaching. With little exception, these students became lifetime educators. Many of who, in so many words, cited the child centered teaching of Maple Percival as the prime reason why they chose their profession. The dedication of the 1947 and 1954 Branford Milestones to Maple Percival is an indication of the respect and admiration BHS students had for her. It is clear that students liked learning in her classroom that abounded with respect, high expectations and good will and it is equally clear they loved their teacher.
In 1959, Maple Percival left Branford to teach at Milford High School where she stayed until 1970, when she retired from teaching and returned to Maine. Maple's career in Milford mirrored her tenure in Branford. She was an esteemed master teacher who also served as social studies department head. A former colleague called her "an excellent teacher, the best in the department." A former principal at Milford High said, "She was a very hard worker who was popular with students and teachers." The 1965 Milford School yearbook was dedicated to Maple. In part, the dedication said, "Miss Percival's models of impartiality and efficiency, together with her interest in the welfare of her students, have endeared her to our class." One of Maple's students in Milford, who later returned to the faculty at the school said, "She was the reason why I chose teaching as a profession." Clearly, Maple Percival's impact on Milford was similar to what it was in Branford.
On graduation day in 1959, her last day at Branford High School, she didn't mention that she was leaving Branford. Her last act was giving each of her students a personalized graduation note wishing them well and reminding them to work hard and capitalize on their many individual strengths. She loved her students and her profession. The Branford community loved and respected her.
Maple's first teaching position was at Terryville High School in Connecticut where she taught U.S. history and social studies between 1927 and 1931. She returned to Maine in 1931 to begin a ten year tenure at Houlton High School as an American history teacher, which permitted her to continue studies at the University of Maine. In 1942, Maple left Houlton and was hired at Robinson Seminary in Exeter, New Hampshire, where she taught until 1944.
In 1944, Maple Percival was hired to teach at Branford High School and began a 15- year period that had a profound impact on Branford students. She taught American his tory with a passion that ignited students' interests and fostered a love for American government that was acknowledged by her students. She served as advisor to the senior class and was the mainstay in preparing seniors for their graduation exercises, tutoring class speakers and attending to every detail to make graduation ceremonies special.
Maple's ability to relate to high school seniors was greatly tested the first two years at Branford. The counsel and support she provided on a daily basis to help upperclassmen cope with the reality of the war and its aftermath were important contributions that al lowed her students to balance the pain of seeing their classmates go off in harm's way in the service of their country and the need to have a focused normalcy for a teenager at Branford High School. Maple served as Head of the Social Studies Department for several years and was a leader of a teachers' group, forerunner to the Branford Education Association that secured group insurance for teachers in 1954. She taught in the Branford Summer School, as her contract stipulated, "...for 6-7 weeks, from 8:00 AM to Noon" and was compensated with $150. Maple volunteered as advisor to Student Council, Model Congress and Model U.N., taking students to conferences at colleges, high schools and the United Nations.
Few teachers have had the immediate influence that Maple Percival had on Branford High School students. She was an academic with a soul. She had an intuitive understanding of adolescence and an unwavering courage to follow her instincts. She taught the whole student and balanced a focused, "the business of school is learning" teaching style with a warm personality and dry wit. When she talked about a person in American history, she made her students feel that she had known the individual and was willing to share little known secrets about the leader's thinking concerning major events in our nation's history.
Perhaps the strongest influence she had on education in Branford is the great number of her students who followed her example and entered teaching. With little exception, these students became lifetime educators. Many of who, in so many words, cited the child centered teaching of Maple Percival as the prime reason why they chose their profession. The dedication of the 1947 and 1954 Branford Milestones to Maple Percival is an indication of the respect and admiration BHS students had for her. It is clear that students liked learning in her classroom that abounded with respect, high expectations and good will and it is equally clear they loved their teacher.
In 1959, Maple Percival left Branford to teach at Milford High School where she stayed until 1970, when she retired from teaching and returned to Maine. Maple's career in Milford mirrored her tenure in Branford. She was an esteemed master teacher who also served as social studies department head. A former colleague called her "an excellent teacher, the best in the department." A former principal at Milford High said, "She was a very hard worker who was popular with students and teachers." The 1965 Milford School yearbook was dedicated to Maple. In part, the dedication said, "Miss Percival's models of impartiality and efficiency, together with her interest in the welfare of her students, have endeared her to our class." One of Maple's students in Milford, who later returned to the faculty at the school said, "She was the reason why I chose teaching as a profession." Clearly, Maple Percival's impact on Milford was similar to what it was in Branford.
On graduation day in 1959, her last day at Branford High School, she didn't mention that she was leaving Branford. Her last act was giving each of her students a personalized graduation note wishing them well and reminding them to work hard and capitalize on their many individual strengths. She loved her students and her profession. The Branford community loved and respected her.