Thomas Bayard Grosh, Jr.
Thomas B. Grosh, Jr. was born October 13, 1914, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a family that was like a human knot - a close-knit family of people who loved and enjoyed each other; made pies and "put up" foods from their gardens together; and shared stories, tears and laughter.
He graduated in 1932 from Marietta High School. He was class president, a violinist in the orchestra, with aspirations of being an architect. However, the Great Depression changed those plans. He found work during the Depression to pay his way through Pennsylvania State Teachers' College from 1934 to 1937. He studied at Elizabethtown College and Columbia Teachers College, earning an M.A. in 1942. At Columbia he met Eleanor Wanger in who would later become his wife. They would have three children, Thomas III, William and Susan Ellen. Tom Grosh enlisted in the United States Army on August 12, 1942. He was selected for officer training in the Aviation Cadet program at Yale and become an officer. He was trained and assigned to supervising and training personnel in maintenance and repair of bombsights. In the middle of the war, Tom traveled to NYC where he married Eleanor on July 15, 1944. He and Eleanor reported back to Stinson Field, TX, where he was a training officer.
In May 1945, he was assigned to the Pacific Theater. A year later he left the military, immediately starting as an instructor for the Veterans Administration, helping post-traumatic stress disorder patients. Because of his father-in laws poor health the Grosh family returned to NYC to take over the family hardware store and lock-smithing business in Manhattan. However, Tom longed to return to teaching. Soon he was hired as teaching principal at Canoe Brook School and later, at Indian Neck School. Each morning he would leave NYC by train, arriving in New Haven then driving to school in his car that he had parked at the station. For many years he ran end-of-year trips for his students, generally to places of historic importance. Tom Grosh never thought that education should be limited to the classroom, finding teachable moments in most situations, meeting challenges with a sense of humor and adventure. He was loved by his students and colleagues.
Tom continued his studies about innovative teaching and implicated new programs regularly. He was generous with his time and expertise, inviting other educators to observe his schools.
In June 1978, the daily commute had become too draining and Tom retired from Branford. However, he did not leave education. He embarked on a new adventure at a local private school as a guidance counselor. Tragically his life was cut short in September 1978, when he died in a car accident. The legacy of Thomas Grosh is his commitment to the humanistic education of his students and colleagues. He always sought to broaden horizons and encourage individuals to do their best. He was a talented man who invested his talents in people.
He graduated in 1932 from Marietta High School. He was class president, a violinist in the orchestra, with aspirations of being an architect. However, the Great Depression changed those plans. He found work during the Depression to pay his way through Pennsylvania State Teachers' College from 1934 to 1937. He studied at Elizabethtown College and Columbia Teachers College, earning an M.A. in 1942. At Columbia he met Eleanor Wanger in who would later become his wife. They would have three children, Thomas III, William and Susan Ellen. Tom Grosh enlisted in the United States Army on August 12, 1942. He was selected for officer training in the Aviation Cadet program at Yale and become an officer. He was trained and assigned to supervising and training personnel in maintenance and repair of bombsights. In the middle of the war, Tom traveled to NYC where he married Eleanor on July 15, 1944. He and Eleanor reported back to Stinson Field, TX, where he was a training officer.
In May 1945, he was assigned to the Pacific Theater. A year later he left the military, immediately starting as an instructor for the Veterans Administration, helping post-traumatic stress disorder patients. Because of his father-in laws poor health the Grosh family returned to NYC to take over the family hardware store and lock-smithing business in Manhattan. However, Tom longed to return to teaching. Soon he was hired as teaching principal at Canoe Brook School and later, at Indian Neck School. Each morning he would leave NYC by train, arriving in New Haven then driving to school in his car that he had parked at the station. For many years he ran end-of-year trips for his students, generally to places of historic importance. Tom Grosh never thought that education should be limited to the classroom, finding teachable moments in most situations, meeting challenges with a sense of humor and adventure. He was loved by his students and colleagues.
Tom continued his studies about innovative teaching and implicated new programs regularly. He was generous with his time and expertise, inviting other educators to observe his schools.
In June 1978, the daily commute had become too draining and Tom retired from Branford. However, he did not leave education. He embarked on a new adventure at a local private school as a guidance counselor. Tragically his life was cut short in September 1978, when he died in a car accident. The legacy of Thomas Grosh is his commitment to the humanistic education of his students and colleagues. He always sought to broaden horizons and encourage individuals to do their best. He was a talented man who invested his talents in people.