School Committee Chooses Cambridge Superintendent

After an exhaustive five-month search involving more than 75 citizen advisors, the Cambridge School Committee this week selected Robert S. Peterkin as the system's new superintendent.

Peterkin, currently a deputy superintendent in the Boston public school system, said he hopes to involve all elements of the community in the school system.

"Education is a community venture, and not just educators and parents should be involved," said Peterkin, who, as headmaster of English High School in 1974, encouraged local business and university partnerships with the school in order to attract students there during early Federal court-ordered desegregation.

School Politics

In an unusual action by the seven-member body which is often fraught with political division. Dr. Peterkin's selection was unanimous, the first such agreement on a superintendent in 50 years.

"I think the School Committee demonstrated that we want to work with him and support him by the unanimous vote," said Rena H. Leib, who originally supported another of the three finalists, but later changed her vote.

Added Leib, a member of the liberal Cambridge Civic Association (CCA), "Now we can deal with education more than politics."

Heated controversy broke out earlier this year when committee members voted not to rehire CCA-endorsed William C. Lannon, superintendent since 1975.

Glenn S. Koocher '71, who led the January move to end Lannon's tenure, said "accountability and credibility will improve immeasurably" under Peterkin.

He also expressed hopes that "a good leader like Peterkin can take the School Committee above politics."

The Boston educator's selection came after a national search which began with $10,000 worth of advertising in metropolitan and minority-oriented newspapers, said Albert H. Giroux Jr., spokesperson for the Cambridge School Department.

"The theme here was affirmative action recruitment," said Giroux. Of the 68 complete applications, 47 percent were from minorities, he added.

Peterkin will be the second Black to serve as superintendent in Cambridge, whose public school system is 46 percent non-white.

"It's an asset to have a leader in the minority community as superintendent," said Koocher.

Peterkin--who holds an adjunct professorship at the University of Massachusetts. Amherst--has worked extensively with community groups ranging from Boston Youth Theater to Roxbury Youthworks. In addition, the 39-year-old was named one of Boston's "Ten, Outstanding Young Leaders" in 1980.

As deputy superintendent of school operations, Peterkin supervised cafeteria workers and custodians, teacher in-service training, and student affairs.

School Committee Member Alfred B. Fantini praised Peterkin's "diversity of experiences," and his management skills in particular.

The new manager of the $42 million annual school budget faces "the challenge of trying to maintain and improve educational excellence within set resources," said Fantini yesterday.

Another item on Peterkin's agenda will be how to reduce the exodus of students to private schools. About one third of Cambridge's school age children attend private schools, according to school officials.

Frances H. Cooper, a committee member said the new superintendent will "really have to give private schools a run for their money."

Among current superintendent Lannon's achievements were the implementation of voluntary desegregation in 1975--all the city's schools now have minority populations of between 30 and 50 percent--and the merger of Rindge Technical and Cambridge High and Latin schools into one high school, Cambridge Rindge and Latin.

Peterkin will begin his new job on August 16, the day after Lannon's contract expires At Tuesday's meeting, the committee proposed to extend Peterkin a $65,000, three-year contract.

Peterkin and his wife plan to move to Cambridge soon