Vernon W Evans

Early life

Evans was born on January 5, 1895 in Saugus. He attended Boston University and worked as a journalist before entering politics. He served as a field artillery officer in France during World War I.

Massachusetts House of Representatives

From 1920 to 1924, Evans represented the 13th Essex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. First elected at the age of 21, he was the youngest person ever elected to the Massachusetts General Court. In 1924 he was a candidate for State Senate in the Seventh Middlesex District, but lost in the Republican primary to Charles P. Howard.

In 1925 he was elected to the Saugus Board of Selectmen. During his tenure on the board, Evans and fellow selectman C. F. Nelson Pratt paid out of pocket for repairs to a bridge frequently used by Saugus residents that the town could not pay to fix because it was on private property. He also led an effort to make the Board of Selectmen an unpaid board.

Principal

From 1922 to 1930 Evans was submaster of Saugus High School. On August 29, 1930 he was promoted to principal following the departure of Robert R. Webber. As principal, Evans pushed for the overcrowded High School to be expanded.

Superintendent

In 1934 he was appointed School Superintendent.

In October 1935, Evans expelled six Jehovah's Witness students who refused to salute the flag.

In 1937, the Saugus Public School System became embroiled in a controversy after English teacher and dramatic coach Isabelle Hallin was not reappointed by the school committee amid rumors that she had served cocktails to students during a drama club rehearsal at her home. The three members of the School Committee who voted against keeping Hallin insisted that their actions were based on reports from Evans on her abilities as a teacher and not the unproven rumors. Evans publicly recommend giving her tenure, but the school committee refuse to reinstate her. Evans would testify in Hallin's slander case against Minnie McDuffee that he had investigated the rumors surrounding Hallin and was unable to substantiate them.

In 1938 he traveled to Amherst, New Hampshire and helped convince Saugus High School graduate and college football star Harrington Gates to leave the The Holy Ghost and Us Society, a cult led by Frank Sandford, and return to Dartmouth College.

In 1940 he expelled two more Jehovah's Witnesses for refusing to salute the flag.

Evans retired from the Saugus School System in 1951.

Board of Selectmen

In 1955, Evans was elected to the Saugus Board of Selectmen.

In 1958, the Board selected John B. Kennedy to serve as Town Manager. Evans, who voted for temporary Town Manager Arthur Gustafson instead of Kennedy, chose not to swear him in and Town Clerk Ruth E. Stevens administered the oath instead.

In 1961 the Board voted to ban dancing and other entertainment on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

On February 20, 1962 the Board of Selectmen voted 3 to 2 to appoint John O. Stinson Town Manager with Evans voting for Clarence Wilkinson. Evans would later become a supporter of Stinson and was the only Selectmen who opposed his firing in 1967, although he was unable to attend the meeting due to illness. Evans would vote to appoint temporary manager Stanley Day to permanently succeed Stinson, however Paul H. Boucher was chosen by a 3 to 2 vote. The Board would unanimously vote to fire Boucher six months later and Clarence Wilkinson was appointed to succeed him on a 3 to 2 vote, with Evans once again supporting him.

Personal life

Evans was married to Gladys Wyatt of Prince Edward Island. The couple had one son, Vernon W. Evans, Jr., who would serve as a Florida Circuit Court judge. The two divorced and Evans, Jr. grew up with his mother's family.

On September 16, 1931, Evans married his second wife, Annie M. Emrick, at the Center Congregational Church in Lynn, Massachusetts.