We Fairhaven Alumnae of a certain age lost a great friend and an amazing teacher last week. Joe Rapoza died within a few days of his beloved wife Hazel. Joe was hands down my favorite teacher at Fairhaven High; he was also a mentor and so generous with his time and gifts. His art room was a haven for those of us who weren’t easy to peg into any category. We weren’t jocks, or heads, or nerds, or cheerleaders; we were artists.

The Art Club

Our art room was at the top of the building, our beautiful castle with the clock tower on Huttleston Avenue. He turned a blind eye when a few of us climbed into the tower one day to see the view from up there. He let us bring a record player and albums into the room to listen to music during class, and allowed many of us to spend our study halls there, working on our art projects. He encouraged us to try new ideas, and I remember the joy of getting a previously untried project, a photo silk screen, to work with the help from a classmate in shop. I can’t count the number of times I’ve repeated the words he taught us in life drawing, “Draw what you see, not what you think you see.” That advice can be used in so much more than art.

“Draw what you see, not what you think you see.” That advice can be used in so much more than art.

I know I disappointed him when I didn’t pursue a career in art, but I was more pragmatic, and perhaps if I’d gone to a commercial school vs. a fine arts college  things would have been different. But I’ve used my artistic side in other ways, and always took his teachings about art and life, about being a good person and doing things the right way with me. His teachings and advice have always served me well.

Last year for my 60thbirthday my husband arranged a trip down memory lane, complete with a visit to Fairhaven High School. Our tour guide was an alum a few years older than me, but when he found out when I graduated he referred to that time as “The Joe Rapoza Years”. Yes, indeed. And we were lucky to have him.

Godspeed, Mr. and Mrs. Rapoza.  

Deborah