• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Business index
  • Contribute
  • Wellesley Square
  • Private schools
  • Camp
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Kids
  • About us
  • Events
  • Natick Report
  • COVID-19
  • Seniors
  • Letters to the editor
  • Live government meetings
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

In remembrance: Martha ‘Martie” Cherry Fiske, award-winning Wellesley teacher who fought for job rights

August 2, 2022 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

The passing of Martha “Martie” Cherry Fiske on July 21 at the age of 86 in her Weston home is memorialized in an online obituary that highlights her strong presence as a Wellesley High School teacher in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.

According to the obituary: “In 1970, she became an English teacher at Wellesley High School. When she did not receive pension benefits because she was part-time, she protested, leading to pension benefits for part-time teachers. For more than 20 years at Wellesley High School, Martie was a highly respected and beloved teacher. In 1985, she was invited to the White House as a “Distinguished Teacher” after one of her students, a Presidential Scholar, named her as his most influential teacher. Less than a year later, she had become so dissatisfied by the lack of respect and support for teachers, that she resigned and publicly criticized the town for not supporting good teaching. She was featured in a televised interview (Martha Fiske Wellesley High School Resignation 1986). In 1988, the town asked her to return, and she resumed her teaching, until her retirement in 1996.”

Fellow Wellesley High teacher Jeanie Goddard told us: “Yes, our Martie was a warrior. Many teachers were outspoken in the sixties, seventies, and eighties, but Martie actually quit the job she loved when she pinned her objections on her classroom door and walked out. She spoke passionately about educational reform for two years. We were lucky to lure her back.”

Our condolences to family and friends.


Please reach out to us to post a remembrance on Swellesley: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

print

Share

Filed Under: Obituaries & remembrances, Wellesley High School

Comments

  1. Michael Maggard WHS '85 says

    August 3, 2022 at 9:50 am

    I was fortunate to have her for my Modern Mass Communication class in ’85. I consider it one of my most influential courses, and her one of my most effective, and challenging, teachers. Indeed over the years I’ve tried to look her up to thank her for what she imparted. Looking back and talking with peers I believe the English Departments at both Wellesley Jr High (as it was named when I attended) and Wellesley High School were exceptional both in the courses we were offered and the educators leading them. RIP Mrs Fiske and thank you.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

Linden Square, Wellesley
Wellesley United Soccer
Wonderful Wellesley

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

 

Advertisements

Wellesley Square
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Cheesy Street Grill
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Fay School, Southborough
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Admit Fit, Wellesley
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Most Read Posts

  • Congrats to all those sweaty, determined Pan-Mass Challenge riders
  • Wellesley High holds special August ceremony for grad injured in car crash
  • Wellesley arts news: Davis Museum previews fall exhibits; Abstract art welcomes you to the library
  • An hour in a Wellesley garden—a visit to Little Red
  • Upcoming political debates & forums

Upcoming Events

Aug 12
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Fay School admission information session

Aug 12
1:00 pm

Bach to Rock free instrument petting zoo

Aug 15
1:00 pm

Wellesley Neighbors, Open Lunch

Aug 17
10:00 am - 11:00 am

Tour at Boston Outdoor Preschool Network

Aug 17
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Al Fresco Dinner and Music on the COA Patio

View Calendar

Popular pages

  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads

Recent Comments

  • Ellen S on The Underrated Cure: Gardening’s Effect on Mental Health
  • Mary Ann on First taste: Wellesley Square’s new Lockheart Restaurant
  • Mary Ann on First taste: Wellesley Square’s new Lockheart Restaurant
  • Michael Maggard WHS '85 on In remembrance: Martha ‘Martie” Cherry Fiske, award-winning Wellesley teacher who fought for job rights
  • Katherine Fellows on Wellesley outdoor watering restrictions to come with a bit of ‘enforcement’

Links we like

  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Taquitos.net
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (24)
  • Animals (418)
  • Antiques (49)
  • Art (581)
  • Beyond Wellesley (49)
  • Books (368)
  • Business (1,514)
  • Camp (11)
  • Careers/jobs (49)
  • Churches (81)
  • Clubs (229)
  • Construction (296)
  • Dump (127)
  • Education (3,125)
    • Babson College (251)
    • Bates Elementary School (16)
    • Dana Hall School (34)
    • Fiske Elementary School (9)
    • Hardy Elementary School (44)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (43)
    • MassBay (55)
    • Schofield Elementary School (24)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (2)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (11)
    • Upham Elementary School (35)
    • Wellesley College (610)
    • Wellesley High School (970)
    • Wellesley Middle School (204)
  • Embracing diversity (70)
  • Entertainment (792)
  • Environment (754)
  • Fashion (141)
  • Finance (14)
  • Fire (164)
  • Food (347)
  • Fundraising (615)
  • Gardens (160)
  • Government (565)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
    • 2022 Town Election (14)
  • Health (853)
    • COVID-19 (200)
  • Hikes (4)
  • History (389)
  • Holidays (406)
  • Houses (157)
  • Humor (47)
  • Kids (854)
  • Law (8)
  • Legal notices (6)
  • Letters to the Editor (63)
  • Media (70)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (11)
  • Morses Pond (108)
  • Music (571)
  • Natick Report (30)
  • Neighbors (273)
  • Obituaries & remembrances (76)
  • Outdoors (643)
  • Parenting (63)
  • Police (757)
    • Crime (386)
  • Politics (551)
  • POPS Senior Profile (10)
  • RDF (6)
  • Real estate (334)
  • Religion (132)
  • Restaurants (335)
  • Safety (151)
  • Scouts (2)
  • Seniors (123)
  • Shopping (148)
  • Sponsored (6)
  • Sports (986)
    • Athlete of the Week (6)
  • STEM (107)
  • Technology (164)
  • Theatre (395)
  • Town Meeting (23)
  • Transportation (232)
  • Travel (17)
  • Uncategorized (1,231)
  • Volunteering (347)
  • Weather (178)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (277)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (19)
Deland, Gibson Insurance, Wellesley

© 2022 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login