New Marlborough Elementary School Gets A Name

MARLBOROUGH, MA — A new $56.4 million elementary school set to open in Marlborough this fall has a potential name.

This week, Mayor Arthur Vigeant proposed naming the school after three Marlborough brothers who died fighting in the Civil War. Theodore, Andrew and Charles Goodnow were only in their early 20s when they died, and are now buried at Rocklawn Cemetery.

"Andrew Goodnow was born on Sept. 15, 1839, and upon being captured in Drury's Bluff, Va., he was taken to Andersonville Prison, where he died on Sept. 18, 1864. Theodore was born on March 18, 1844, and was shot and died while in surgery on Aug. 3, 1864. Charles Goodnow was born March 2, 1841, and died of illness on Jan. 13, 1863," Vigeant described in a letter to City Council proposing the new name.

Along with the Goodnow School proposal, the Council also got suggestions for new names for two city sports fields.

The softball field at the Goodnow School could be named after Corp. Richard Demers, who was killed in July 1966 while fighting in the Vietnam War. The baseball field behind the Whitcomb School could be named for Harold Cole, who served in the Navy Reserves during World War II. Cole died in 1951 in a plane crash while on active duty. Both Demers and Cole are burined at Immaculate Cemetery in Marlborough.

The name proposals have been sent to the City Council Veterans Service Committee for further discussion before final approval.

The new elementary will house over 600 students, allowing Marlborough to shift fifth graders back into elementary schools.