Westford Academy Teacher and First Women Academy Trustee
By Jim VanBever (a former student) July/August 2021
If you were a student at Westford Academy during the years 1958 to 1976 and mentioned United States history, the first name that would come to a student’s mind would be Mrs. Bette Hook. Mrs. Hook was a Westford Academy institution and taught U.S. History during these years. Every student had to pass U.S. History to graduate.
But Bette, as the students called her, was more than a teacher, she was an institution who was well respected by both students and faculty alike. There was no one in the school who loved and knew more about U.S. History than Mrs. Hook.
If anyone was born to teach United States History, it was her. Even Mrs. Hook’s name had an American tinge to it, her maiden name was Bette Ross. A name that is a lot like the famous Betsy Ross who was the woman who is famously credited for making the first American flag.
Mrs. Hook was born and raised in Owosso, Michigan which is a small town located in the lower Michigan peninsula. Owosso is the hometown of two-time presidential candidate and former Governor of New York Thomas Dewey. The town was named after Chief Wosso an Ojibwe leader.
After graduating from high school, Bette entered the University of Michigan and majored in history. While a student at Michigan, World War II broke out and she was asked by the Dean of Women if she would like to enlist in the United States Navy. The Dean wanted Bette to enter the women’s branch of the Navy which was then called the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service).
Reflecting on her decision to join the Navy, Mrs. Hook recalled that “My uncle lost some forty-eight of his shipmates at Pearl Harbor. I decided the war was a time I could be of service, and the Navy was something I had grown up to and respected.” She went on to say that she was an only child and since her father was unable to serve, “she figured it was my turn.”
Following her graduation from the University Michigan, Bette was sent to Smith College and Harvard College for Naval training. After which, she received her commission as an Ensign. After being commissioned, Mrs. Hook asked to be stationed on the West Coast but instead was assigned to Philadelphia where everyone called her “Betsy” Ross.
During her five years in the Navy, Bette rose to the rank of Lieutenant. She also met her husband Eric Hook who was also a Naval officer at the Philadelphia naval yard. The couple married in 1947 and Eric took his new bride back to Westford where he had built a house in a Parker Village apple grove doing the “Hurricane of 1938.”
Although she was not teaching when she first moved to Westford, Mrs. Hook became active in local women veterans’ organizations. Her duties included a variety of things including personal visits to bedsides of women veterans.
In 1955, Bette resumed her teaching career when she was hired to teach a course entitled “Old World Lands” to 7th and 8th graders at the new Westford Academy which is now the Abbot School. In 1958, Mrs. Hook began teaching her first love which is United States History. Her favorite presidents were George Washington, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. She would teach U.S. History until she retired in 1976 in order to take care of her ailing husband Eric.
During her time at Westford Academy, Mrs. Hook would receive a Master of Education degree from Fitchburg State College. She would become chairperson of the History Department and chairperson of the National Honor Society. She was always known for challenging and demanding the best from every student who took her class.
In the 1960 Westford Academy Clarion the students wrote of Mrs. Hook who was their class advisor:
“As our senior class advisor, Mrs. Hook has demonstrated the same understanding of us in all situations that she has shown since her arrival at Westford Academy in 1955. Whether it is a coke concession crisis or a threat of failure in two major subjects, Mrs. Hook can somehow help us to handle the problem successfully. We will long remember her as a good friend.”
During her last year at W.A., Bette had informed the students of her love of raising goats. In order to gently tease their beloved teacher, the students developed the comical slogan of “Mrs. Hook, we’ll get your goat.” This became the unofficial motto for the class of ’76.
On Mrs. Hook’s last day at Westford Academy, Mr. Desimone and two students, Bess McIntosh and Ellen McKenna
picked up Bette in a limousine and drove her to school. It was “Bette Hook Day’ at W.A. The gym was decorated in her honor highlighted by a sign that said, “Bette Hook Day”, “We got your goat”.
The Senior Class then surprised Mrs. Hook by presenting her with a small white Saanen kid who was born on Washington’s Birthday. Bette would later name the young goat Martha. The school in its appreciation for all of Mrs. Hook’s service had “really put out the Red Carpet for a grand lady.” The day marked the end of Bette Hook’s storied service to the students at Westford Academy but not the end of her service to the town of Westford,
The first women academy trustee, School Committee Member, Town Clerk and more
By Jim VanBever (a former student) August 2021
After leaving teaching, Bette Hook never really retired. Even before leaving her teaching position at Westford Academy, she ran for and was elected to the Westford School Committee in 1976. She was the top vote getter that year, receiving 2,253 votes.
During her campaign for school committee, Mrs. Hook had the support of many of her former students who were fortunate enough to have her in class or in homeroom. Bette said she had about 150 students a year in her homeroom and she said that “they were my children, 150 of them each year.” It was not surprising that she was the top vote getter.
Her sense of service and love of education prompted her to run for school committee. As she said, “I still wanted to be involved with the students after my retirement.” On the committee, she was especially interested in studying the needs of gifted and talented students. She became school committee vice chairperson in 1977.
Sadly, Bette’s husband Eric died in 1978. A few months later the Westford Town Clerk Enid Vaughn also tragically passed away at a young age. With more time for herself and to serve the town, Bette became the Westford Town Clerk which was a full-time position. She would complete her term on the school committee which ended in 1979 and would not seek reelection.
As town clerk, Mrs. Hook was “able to greet town residents and keep a close watch on a growing town.” Of course, the position of town clerk was much more involved than that. She was involved in running town elections, sending bylaws to the Attorney General, keeping records for the Board of Appeals and Planning Boards, and recording all town births, deaths, and marriages.
To help Bette with her duties, she always kept a book by her side entitled “272 things the Town Clerk is supposed to do” written by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” Referring to the 272 things she was supposed to do, Mrs. Hook always commented that “I’m getting there.”
Mrs. Hook completed Enid Vaughn’s term as town clerk and ran unopposed for the position in 1979 and received 2,896 out of 3,319 total votes. The former Westford Academy history teacher ran again in 1981 and of course was overwhelmingly reelected.
Although busy with being a school committee member and later a town clerk, Betty was also involved in a lot of other Westford and historical activities. Mrs. Hook was the first woman elected to the Westford Academy Board of Trustees in 1976, she became a member of the Westford Bicentennial Committee and the first female Deacon of the First Parish Church United of Westford. Bette became active in the National Society Daughters of American Revolution where she would become National Vice Chairperson, and State Regent of the Massachusetts Daughters of American Revolution. These were only a few of the titles and organizations that Bette Hook held and belonged to.
Being involved with the DAR was certainly important to Mrs. Hook. She could trace her ancestors in America back to 1634. One of her ancestors Derrick Hoagland was one of the founders of Flatbush, New Jersey. Another of her relatives, Jonathan Pidcock and his son Charles who were Patriots during the Revolutionary War helped General Washington and his troops cross the Delaware River. In fact, Bette discovered that one of her relatives had rowed George Washington across the Delaware.
It must be said that Bette Hook was not without a sense of humor. On one occasion, Library Director Ellen Rainville was planning a trip to Tennessee. During her trip, Ellen was planning to visit Andrew Jackson’s hermitage. Knowing that Jackson was one of Bette’s favorite, Ellen asked her if she could get a souvenir for her at Jackson’s home.
Bette thought a moment and said that the only thing she wanted from Tennessee was Johnny Cash’s autograph. Ellen then wrote Johnny Cash a letter asking him if he would be kind enough to send Mrs. Hook a picture and an autograph. Shortly afterwards, Bette received a signed kind message from the famed country singer.
Mrs. Hook died in 2012 at the age of 91. She leaves a legacy in Westford that will long be remembered and treasured. The actress Mae West once said that “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. Bette Hook certainly did it right.
Sources:
Lowell Sun, July 8, 1976, p. 10. “Male domination of Academy’s Trustees ends”, by Gordon Seavey.
Westford Eagle, November 9, 1978, p.7. Bette Hook”.
Westford Eagle, December 16, 1982, p.3. “Town Clerk announces retirement”, by Virginia Kimball.
The Minuteman Chronicle, February 15, 1992, p. 8., “First Parish Deacon”.
Westford Eagle, September 25, 1986, p. 5A. “Woman traces family history to old world”. By Suzette Gamero.
Lowell Sun, “Ancestor Rowes Washington into history, by Austin O’Connor. (Date unknown).