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From the best that I can remember from what folks have told me and my own experience this is a short history of DECA at THS. I encourage ALUMNI, Staff (Retired or current), and anyone else to fill in the "gaps".

Shortly after the current THS Building was open (1976), a Distributive Education Program was started. The first teacher was Leona Maletis.

For a short time the late Louise Terra also ran the Distributive Education program at THS. She later moved onto Southeastern Regional Tech.

Within a short time budget cuts closed the program, and later, Dr. Gerald Croteau, the Superintendent at the time, and the late Peter George, the Headmaster back then, and Mr. Jim Ritchie, the Business Dept Head, obtained a special form of funds from the Bristol County Training Consortium (CETA).

They hired Mr. Joe Ferreira, who started the new program that also included a Downtown Store operation called "MADE-BY US". The D.E. students ran that store in the afternoon and evenings and weekends and were supervised by adult "managers".

I'm not sure who was responsible for the original "LITTLE CLOSET", the School Store at T.H.S which I was told was located in the Cafeteria next to the current Burger City. The small room had mirror tiles on the wall to make it seem larger, thus the name "LITTLE CLOSET".

Eventually the school store was moved to it's present location, just off the main lobby and next to the Main Office.

The MADE-BY-US Store sold products that were made by several classes at THS in what was then called INDUSTRIAL TECH and HOME ECONOMICS.

Eventually the funding for those other classes was cut, and they started to buy products for the downtown store from the CHRISTMAS TREE SHOP in Falmouth. They would get a discount on large purchases and then set their own prices at the Taunton Store.

Mr. Ferreira was also active in DECA at that time. I've heard that students did compete at all levels of DECA competition, and also attended the NARCON conferences (North Atlantic Regional Conference).

In 1989 Mr. George died suddenly. He was a prime mover in the program and renewing the funding. That year Mr. Ferreira decided to take a job in his native Rhode Island at Barrington HS. That's when the current DECA Advisor, me, Mr. Medeiros was hired.

Joe Souza was affiliated with the Downtown Store and eventually finished college and left that position. He played a critical role during that initial transition period.

Eventually the Federal funding for the Downtown Store was eliminated. At that point Mr. Medeiros completed a major application to the Mass. Dept. of Education and with the blessings of Dr. Croteau, Mr. Cleary and the School Committee, the program gained, Chapter 74 Approval.

If you have any further information that would be of interest as we approach 25 years of Tiger DECA, please pass it along to us, so that our Story can be COMPLETE.

I estimate that I, Mr. Medeiros, have worked with over 600 students in 18 years. We've done many things in DECA. I know that Mr. Ferreira was ran the program for at least 7 years, and thus had worked with many students. I've occasionally met some of those DECA alumni.

Traditionally Vocational Education Programs take on a certain identity that tends to reflect the strengths of the Teacher. We have done the same as folks look over my background on the other page and see that our students have worked on areas such as Sports and Entertainment marketing and a number of major projects in the community.

I was a member of the Taunton Jaycees for many years, and I took advantage of the JC's Management Training programs and picked up planning skills that I use virtually every week in our classes. I've since met several current JC's who were in Distributive Education before my time.

The JC's is a Community Service organization. We are looking to build bridges with the JC's and any other local Civic Groups that will work with my students. My students can help those groups plan and promote their special events, and thus have a chance to apply their Textbook Theories, in the local community.