“Persistence is the most powerful force on earth, it can move mountains.”
— Albert Einstein
By Tracy F. Seelye, Express editor
editor@whitmanhansonexpress.com
Even Albert Einstein was not a good fit for a traditional education as a young scholar. While he excelled and loved math, he didn’t care much for other subjects and, as a result, a myth was born that he was a poor student who somehow became a genius.
But there’s always the backstory few delve into to learn more about him.
Perhaps the dozen students who graduated from Whitman-Hanson’s Community Evening School on Thursday, May 29 would understand Einstein better than anyone else – they, too, took a non-traditional route to their high school diploma, and their families were overjoyed with pride, just as much, if not a little bit more than parents attending the graduation for the main group of seniors on Friday, May 30.
And all of them are equally members of the Class of 2025.
“This evening’s ceremony not only celebrates the countless hours of hard work on the part of our graduates, but the dedication of those who have supported the students throughout their journey,” said CES co-director Joseph Chismar in welcoming the graduates and their families to the ceremony, “Everyone sitting in this auditorium has contributed to each students’ success.”
Chismar then encouraged the graduates’ loved ones to give themselves a round of applause.
Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak also celebrated the class’s educational journey, speaking on theme, “The Power of You,” and noting that when thinking about power, we often envision something big – something outside ourselves.
“Today, I want to talk about the power that is within you,” he said. “The power to choose your path, to rise again after setbacks, to defy expectations and to define success on your own terms.”
Szymaniak, who began his career in education teaching in alternative high school programs, spoke from experience.
“Each of you sitting here today, took a different route than most,” he said. “That doesn’t mean your path is less valuable – it makes it more remarkable, because it took courage to keep going when things got hard.”
He said their achievement took strength and vision to show up when giving up would seem easier and to believe in a future that wasn’t aways clearly marked. Success is not one-size-fits-all.
But, as with nearly every CES graduation, the speaker the Class of 2025 no doubt looked most forward to was co-director William Glynn, opening as per usual with several “if-you-know-you-know” references for the benefit of the graduates he had guided since their freshman English class and concluding with a short list of things to remember in life.
“RZA, the abbott of the Wu-Tang Clan, and author of the magnificent little book, “The Tao of Wu,” reminds us to be open to the echoes of Wisdom – it will reveal itself in time,” Glynn said, before offering his own thoughts which he hoped contained a little bit of wisdom, ans concluding with poet Carl Sandbur’s musings on hope [see opposite].
“I have been, or worked with, teenagers for more than two generations, so I won’t waste your time,” he said, listing three points to ponder as they walk off into their future – fear, courage and hope.
“I did steal some of this, also from the RZA, but don’t worry, I properly quoted and cited these words from the text,” he said. “I was afraid as a child – I’m afraid right now. Honestly, I’m afraid of ghosts, but at some point, I realized [that] a ghost is something you create yourself. … So much of what we fear is inside ourselves.”
He said his aim is to remind them that anytime they find their fears stopping them from persuing their goals remembering that one creates fear from their mind, can help them overcome it.
“Don’t let fear be your master,” Glynn said.
Leaning on his English teacher experience, he quoted Beowulf, “fortune may favor a person if their courage holds.”
“To put it, simply, if you try, you might succeed,” he said. “So, try. You might succeed. … Have the courage to take the chance. Life is often hard – it’s banal, it’s awkward, yes, it’s even tragic – but do the hard things, do the scary things. Do those different things. Do. Don’t let life pass you by.”
Leaning on Sandburg’s poem, “Hope is a Tattered Fag,” Glynn.
“Hope is always ephemeral,” he said. “It’s hard to quantify. It’s often delicate and small, needing constant attention, but hope is … also essential to living a meaningful and present life. … You can be grim, you can be serious, you can be pragmatic and hopeful at the same time.”

HANSON – After 12 years on the job, Police Chief Michael Miksch will retire on June 30, Select Board Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett announced at the board’s Tuesday, May 13 meeting.
“Anybody who has the good fortune to work with him knows that he is a prince among men,” she said in discussing his retirement notice letter sent to the Select Board. “He is very balanced, [has] very good judgment, which is kind of key in that role, and he’s really worked on developing folks amongst the ranks and I, personally, am going to miss [him].”
FitzGerald-Kemmett said she didn’t want to get emotional about it, but did say she had counted on Miksch on a “variety – a plethora – of things one could never imagine you’d have to talk to somebody about.”
“He’s always been there and given very good, sage advice for the town and the town employees,” she said. “You know if we could kidnap you and keep you longer, we would, but that’s not the right thing to do, so we’re not going to do that.”
For his part, Miksch said the town has been great to him and he appreciates that.
“If you asked me 12 years ago if I’d be here, and still be here, I probably would have said I highly doubt it,” he said. “I’m going to be retiring just short of 30 years, and I didn’t think, at times, I’d ever make it, but the finish line’s here and it’s the time of my life that it’s time to say I need to do something else.”
He said that he has met some wonderful people and incredible officers, one of which he said he hoped the board would make his replacement.
“You’ll have a number after that, I think, in years to come, you’ll be able to take care of, from within, the leadership of that department,” Miksch said. “For that, I’m very grateful. They’ve made my life easier, this job easier and, hopefully, I’ve left the place a little better than I found it.”
The board voted unanimously to accept Miksch’s resignation with regret.
“For what it’s worth, you’re just a good person,” added Select Board member Joe Weeks. “We’re going to miss you. You really are all-around. It’s really hard to take a vote on this one.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett added that, aside from all the plaudits heaped upon him, Miksch could also be a standup comedian.
“When you read his Facebook posts …” she said. Now we can whip back the curtain on who’s the Wizard of Oz. … The Hanson Police posts, which are hysterical, are Chief Miksch.”
The Board’s attention then swiveled to naming a successor to Chief Miksch.
Deputy Chief Michael Casey was nominated for the promotion, to which Miksch had alluded a few moments before. The board voted unanimously to appoint Casey.
FitzGerald-Kemmett said that, after discussions with Miksch and discussions among the board members on succession planning and that the board was generally in agreement on Casey’s being promoted.
Board Vice Chair Ann Rein said it was admirable that Miksch “pulled someone up” to replace him.
“He’s made my job easier, the officers respect him,” Miksch said. “He has done a great job over the past eight years … I am 100-percent confident that if I walked out tomorrow and handed him the keys everything would be fine.”
He said residents won’t notice any lack of service or major issues, he said. Casey, who has been with the department for 30 years can boast excellent institutional knowledge and connections in town. He’s also been in charge of recruitment for the last eight years.
“He’s good to go, he’s ready – and once he’s ready, it’s time for me to go, so, I’d say,
‘Fly baby bird, but there’s nothing baby about you,’” Misch said, patting Casey on the shoulder.
Casey, meanwhile, said Miksch is leaving the place better in terms of equipment, culture and leadership.