Remembering Faculty Emeritus William Nicholson

In addition to teaching English at Taft, Nicholson also served as the director of college counseling; he was well-known and respected among college admissions officers around the country. He was senior class dean, editor of the Alumni Bulletin, and a JV baseball coach.

It is with heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of former faculty member William G. Nicholson, P’80,83,84. Bill passed away at the age of 87 at his home in Yarmouth Port, MA.

Nicholson arrived at Taft in 1969; it was his home for 28 years, until his retirement in 1997.

“Bill was a consummate classroom teacher,” recalls Head of School Willy MacMullen ’78. “He never stopped learning and creating. Students described him as ‘old-school,’ and it was a compliment: he came into class with a Socratic plan, he prepared very seriously, his standards and expectations were high. He simply loved teaching literature, and his commitment to students was total. He was recognized by students with the Abramowitz Award in 1995 for teaching excellence.”

Born in 1935 to George and Sophia Nicholson in Greenfield, Massachusetts, Nicholson was raised in New London, Connecticut. He was a graduate of the Mount Hermon School and Brown University and received his M.A. from Ohio State University. He spent his entire career teaching English and history, authoring three books along the way: Pete Gray: One-Armed Major Leaguer, Those Who Served, and The Taft-Thatcher Letters, as well as countless articles, many on baseball history. He was a founder of the Boston Braves Historical Association.

In addition to teaching English at Taft, Nicholson also served as the director of college counseling; he was well-known and respected among college admissions officers around the country. He was senior class dean, editor of the Alumni Bulletin, and a JV baseball coach.

“Somehow he found time to serve the community as well,” adds MacMullen, “serving on three Watertown agencies. Former Head of School Lance Odden shared for a Bulletin article at his retirement, ‘No teacher since Harley Roberts in the twenties has been more civic minded.’”

Nicholson’s dedication to service continued in his retirement on Cape Cod, where he volunteered with many organizations including Literacy Volunteers, the Housing Assistance Corporation, and Habitat for Humanity. He was also a popular lecturer on poetry at the Academy for Lifelong Learning.

Among Nicholson’s survivors are his wife of 63 years, Cornelia Downes Nicholson, and three children: Alexandra Nicholson ’80 of New York City; Christopher D. Nicholson ’83 of Concord, Massachusetts; and Hugh R. Nicholson ’84 of Chicago.

“Bill served Taft with great professionalism, dedication and passion for three decades,” MacMullen notes. “He left a legacy of commitment and excellence, and there are a lot of graduates who offer, ‘I learned to write from Mr. Nicholson.’”

A memorial celebrating his life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Literacy Volunteers of Massachusetts (lvm.org) and Housing Assistance Corporation of Cape Cod (haconcapecod.org).

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