Philip A. Sweeney was the principal at the Springfield High School of Commerce for 21 years before retiring in 1979.
SPRINGFIELD – Back in 1966, Philip A. Sweeney, who was principal at Springfield High School of Commerce for 21 years, was appointed acting assistant superintendent for all of Springfield’s public schools.
“I think he lasted about two months,” his daughter, Janet Sweeney, said Sunday. “He asked to go back to being a principal. He missed the kids and he missed Commerce too much.”
Sweeney died Saturday, one month shy of his 94th birthday. He retired in 1979 after spending 37 years in education, starting as an English teacher at Monson Academy, now Wilbraham and Monson Academy, then teaching English at Forest Park Junior High School in Springfield. He was also the vice principal at the former Classical High School and principal at Forest Park Junior High School before going to Commerce.
After retirement, he became a tennis coach and adjunct professor at Western New England College. “He may have had two daughters, my sister (Christine Benoit) and myself, but he had thousands of children,” Janet Sweeney said. “His students loved him, and he loved his students.”
Cheryl A. McCarthy, who now lives in Hampden, earned the affectionate nickname “Number Three,” as in daughter number three, around the Sweeney household. She cried Sunday telling how that came to pass.
McCarthy’s mother died in June of 1969, the summer before she entered Commerce as a freshman. She said her father had trouble dealing with her mother’s death. There was trouble at home.
Things came to a head in a particularly trying incident just a few weeks into the school year. McCarthy was already friends with Janet Sweeney. She called the Sweeney home not knowing where else to turn.
Philip Sweeney came right over.
“He basically saved my life,” McCarthy said. “They took me in. They became my family. I became the honorary daughter.”
She came to rely on Philip Sweeney’s counsel.
“He would make you make your decision,” she said. “He didn’t judge you. He spoke to you like you were an adult. He taught you how to live your life.”
Janet Sweeney said the unrest of 1969 hit other high schools in Springfield, but not Commerce while her father was in charge.
“He said if you treat people decently, they will return it in kind,” she said. “People respected him. He respected his students.”
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno was freshman class president at Commerce in 1979, Sweeney’s last year there as principal.
“He was a gentleman and a true educator,” Sarno said.
Philip Sweeney’s wife, the former Ruth E. Jefferson, died in 1997. They were married 53 years. Sons Stephen and James also predeceased Sweeney.
A complete obituary will appear in Tuesday’s editions of The Republican.