Headmasters and Principals

Click on any man's portrait to learn more about him and his time at Woodsville.

Samuel Worcester Robertson

Often called the "Father of Woodsville High School," Mr. Robertson was the first headmaster of the school. He saw the graduating classes of 1897 to 1905.

Norman J. Page

Mr. Page, as the second headmaster of WHS, was with the school for two years, lasting from 1906 to 1907.

Eric Chase

Principal number 15, Mr. Chase joined Woodsville for the class of 2017, and is the school's current principal.

Samuel Worcester Robertson

Often called the "Father of Woodsville High School," Mr. Robertson was the first headmaster of the school. He saw the graduating classes of 1897 to 1905.

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Traditionally, the headmasters of Woodsville High have always been involved with their student body. Many students, past and present, have stories about headmasters and principals that make others laugh and reminisce about their old school days. Here is a small collection of these stories:

Facts and Stories

G. Hampton McGaw
- Headmaster McGaw was so enthusiastic about bringing foreign languages to WHS that he went back to college in order to do it. Studying at a small university, he spent enough time there so that he could master certain languages, particularly French. Doubling as both a headmaster and a foreign language teacher, he was so passionate about languages that after he resigned from headmaster after 23 years, he continued to teach languages at Woodsville.
- Mr. McGaw believed and instructed by own quote: his own. "Punctuality, accuracy in scholarship, widening vision of world affairs, love for work and desire to service."
J. Harold Moody
- Despite being headmaster for only two short years, he oversaw the installation of a game room in the school's basement. In 1942, Woodsville was the school of many tuition students. These students lived far from the school, and were forced to take the train to school. Because of the great distance, many of these tuition students were not able to go home during the lunch hour. In order to combat boredom during this time (and to discourage the students from taking to the streets), the game room was built to provide recreation.
Elbert E. Orcutt
- Katharine Blaisdell wrote about Headmaster Orcutt and how strict he was with his students. She said that Mr. Orcutt would often patrol the streets of downtown Woodsville at night, and if he saw any student on the streets when he knew they should have been studying, then those students could expect a "zero" on their assignments the next day.
Robert Jones
- A principal adored by many, Mr. Jones loved to get involved with student activities. In a quarterly activity known as ¨De-Stress Day¨, he taught a classroom of students how to juggle.
Eric Chase
- The current principal of Woodsville and music enthusiast, Mr. Chase showed off his saxophone skills at the school's yearly Holiday Dinner. He also makes a point to sit in with teachers during lessons, getting to know the students better.
Samuel Robertson
- Commonly dubbed the "father of Woodsville High School," more can be read about Headmaster Robertson here.