Students Return to Honor Beloved Chappaqua Teacher on His 99th Birthday
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It may have been more than a half-century since many of the people who were Adrian McGuire’s former students sat in his classroom at Chappaqua’s Grafflin Elementary School.
But for those who attended last Friday’s 99th birthday party for their former beloved teacher, they wouldn’t have missed the celebration for the world.
McGuire, a revered fifth-grade teacher who spent his entire 40-year career in Chappaqua, was greeted by at least a few dozen former students and friends during a party at only the second home he’s ever known – the Waterview Hills Rehabilitation and Healthcare in Purdys.
“I’ve had world renowned professors and teachers, none of them were in his league,” said Rich Taylor, who had McGuire for fifth grade for the 1969-70 school year. “Because what he taught me was mediocre teachers, they teach the curriculum, they regurgitate the knowledge, good teachers will help you, help the smart kids, but great teachers push you to be your best, they teach you life lessons which go way beyond the classroom, which is what he did.”
McGuire taught until 1989, with all but a few of those years in a fifth-grade classroom. Some students recalled that he may have had a few brief stints with fourth- or sixth-grade classes or a one- or two-year interlude as an interim principal.
Last week there were plenty of stories to share before and after guests dug into an oversized strawberry shortcake – his favorite birthday treat – and other refreshments. Guests also had chipped in to get him a Yankees jersey with, of course, Aaron Judge’s number 99 on the back.
What made McGuire special, said some of his former pupils, was his respect for children as people and his ability to be tough but fair. They also fondly remembered his high-pitched voice and some of his quirks, such as his collection of back scratchers and his affinity for Chinese plays for the annual class production.
“He was not wishy-washy. That guy made you work,” said Gracine Bueti, who was in McGuire’s fifth-grade class in 1966-67. “It’s like you’ve got to do your work – or else. It’s tough to motivate kids for projects and work, and I thought he was good at that. Not then, I didn’t, but now that I look back on it, that guy made sure that we, whatever he taught, he made sure we were going to learn it.”
Until a fall four years ago, McGuire lived his entire life in his parents’ house on Sarles Street in Pleasantville, said two of his longtime neighbors, Jennifer and Shawn Hall. He served in the 104th Infantry Division during World War II and eventually completed his education by earning his master’s degree from Columbia in 1948.
The next year McGuire went into the Chappaqua school system where he would stay for four decades. He would never marry, but he dedicated his life to his profession and to the children and families.
The Halls said from the day they moved into their house in 1983, right around the corner from him, McGuire was friendly, upbeat and always gracious.
“Our first greeting from him was, ‘Hi, I’m Adrian, you’re going to love it here,’” Jennifer Hall recalled.
Shawn Hall said as neighbors for more than 35 years, McGuire loved listening to opera and could often be heard blasting “Madama Butterfly” when the windows were open. He was always thin and spry and remained active until his fall forced him to move out of his two-story house.
Waterview Hills’ director of recreation and volunteers, Scott Urgola, said McGuire’s infectious personality still shines through. McGuire may have lost most of his hearing, but not his zest for life or his ability to care about others.
“He makes friends very fast, makes connections with people of all ages,” Urgola said. “Even through COVID he had people visiting at his window on a regular basis. So it never really stopped him.”
John Dever, a now-retired 37-year teacher in Chappaqua, was a student teacher under McGuire and recalled his kindness and generosity at what was a difficult time. First, he bought Dever a car when he was first starting out and didn’t have much money, then always made sure to see how young, promising educators were doing.
“It’s tough to be a teacher in Chappaqua,” Dever said. “There’s a lot of pressure from the community to be exceptional, and Adrian, when a new teacher would come, Adrian would go over and reach out, and if a person didn’t want to talk that was fine, but most of them adored him.”
“The community was really indebted to him because he gave so much to their children,” he added.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
