ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Retired Lynn English teacher, Tim Ring, stands in front of one his projects, the restoration of the Lincoln statue in the lobby at Lynn English High School.
BY BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — Tim Ring’s philosophy is simple: leave things better than you found them.
Ring, who retired from Lynn English High School on Monday, served as an educator for 39 years. During his 16 years teaching at Lynn English, he made more than a few contributions.
Ring brought the iconic bronze bulldog to the school, spearheaded a project to restore the deteriorating Abraham Lincoln statue in the Lincoln Foyer and repaired a grandfather clock in the principal’s office.
With a vision in mind, Ring found Lena Toritch, a Utah-based sculptor, who had completed similar projects. Throughout the 2009 school year, Ring worked with Toritch to design the bulldog. He wanted the statue to be a specific height and had a vision for what his face should look like.
“His face isn’t mean or intimidating,” Ring said. “There are no spikes on his collar. I think he came out great.”
David Solimine Sr., arranged and funded a granite base to be delivered, and used his connections as a funeral home director to find someone to mount the statue, Ring said.
Every time the school holds a sporting event, students take photos with the dog, he said.
The next year, Ring served as class advisor for the Class of 2010 and pursued the Lincoln statue project for the year’s class gift. It required additional fundraising, but he made it happen.
“There were cracks, kids had carved their names in it, the toe was broken off,” Ring said. “The place looked horrible, and it’s the entrance into the school.”
In addition to restoring the sculpture, holes in the walls were repaired and the room was repainted, he said. Two American flags were added to the display.
“I just want to make the school look nice when you walk through the door,” Ring said. “It’s embarrassing when you walk into a building and it looks like nobody cares about it. Morale goes with it and pride.”
Ring, a 1972 graduate, revived a history course focused on Lynn. Teaching the teenagers about their city’s past is something Ring is passionate about.
“I was amazed when after we talked about certain neighborhoods or topics, I would have students come in and tell me they saw something while out riding with their parents,” Ring said. “They pointed it out and taught their parents something. That connection between parents and children alone makes it worth it.”
Ring, who taught the class for 12 years, said the course also teaches the students to have an appreciation for history, because they are learning about things that they walk by every day.
Principal Thomas Strangie said Ring’s retirement is “going to be a big loss.”
“He’s a wonderful person with a great sense of humor,” he said. “He’s beloved by his students. He has worked on tons of projects to enhance the building.”
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.
