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Committee hears strong public support to name Hingham High track for late coach Fred Jewett, vote deferred
Summary
The School Committee reviewed a Track Boosters request to name the high school track for Fred Jewett, heard supportive public testimony, and deferred a final vote for a required public-notice period under the district's naming policy.
The Hingham School Committee discussed a formal request from the Hingham Track Boosters to name the high-school track (at Michelson Field) for the late coach Fred Jewett and opened the floor to public comment. Superintendent Catherine Roberts read the boosters' letter, which she said "formally...requests that the track located at 17 Union Street be named in honor of Fred Jewett," and described broad community support.
Several committee members praised Jewett's decades of service to Hingham students and athletes and urged following the district's naming policy. Public commenters included Bill Ramsey, who described Jewett as a longtime coach and mentor, and Rich Chamberlain, who urged pairing the track name with the existing Michelson Field name and recommended archival research to confirm the field's naming history.
The committee noted the district's naming policy requires a public-notice period and time for community response before a vote. Chair Jen Benham said she would like to vote as soon as policy allows but that the formal process requires a one-week public comment window; the board agreed to schedule a vote for the next meeting after the notice period.
No final naming vote was taken; the committee instructed staff to publish the required public notice and to include the naming item on the next meeting agenda for a formal vote.
