Editor’s note: This is an edited version of a letter recently sent to the School Committee by Frank Winter, president of Portsmouth High School’s Class of 1966 — the first class to graduate from the school.

To the editor:

The purpose of this letter is to forward a formal request from the entire Class of 1966 asking the School Committee to rename the Portsmouth High School football field “Sullivan Field” in honor of Mr. Raymond Sullivan. The Portsmouth School Committee Policy 8020 for “Naming of School Facilities” clearly establishes the criteria. Ray Sullivan’s contributions to generations of Portsmouth Patriot students have been enormous. His worthiness, moral character, community acceptance and guidance far exceed the School Committee criteria. 

Mr. Sullivan was a pioneer and the first true Portsmouth Patriot. He dedicated his entire adult life supporting generations of Portsmouth school children first as a teacher, second as a football coach and finally as a mentor and class advisor. He was the first senior class advisor in Portsmouth High School history.

Mr. Sullivan was first and foremost a teacher. He was a life-long educator who taught children in the Portsmouth School District for over 44 years. Somehow, he always made the subject matter come alive for us. Since his American history class included a segment on the Revolutionary War, Ray Sullivan made certain that his students understood the historical importance of Fort Butts. The fact that Revolutionary War Patriots fought a battle against the British on our high school soil was imprinted in our hearts and minds by Mr. Sullivan. Very few high school students can make this claim; PHS Patriots can. 

Coach Sullivan was loved by all his players. Yes, he was tough on us yet he also coached with firmness and fairness. The construction of the high school was completed in the spring of 1964. Ray Sullivan was the father of the football program in Portsmouth. He built it. Portsmouth did not have a youth football program like Pop Warner. In fact, Portsmouth did not have a football tradition of any kind. He was the first football coach at Portsmouth High School. He established frosh, JV and varsity teams. 

We played our first varsity football games during the 1964-65 school year and we did so without a senior class. Even though the initial number of students at the new high school was much smaller than those at Rogers, Middletown or Bristol, we were competitive from the very beginning. His football teams improved with each passing year culminating in the undefeated state championship in the 1968 season.

Did you ever wonder why we are called the Portsmouth Patriots? How we ended up with team colors red, white, and blue? Why is our school song modeled after the Boston College fight song? How much did it cost to publish our first yearbook? Who was the teacher who was most influential in this process? 

The Class of 1966 started the history and traditions which are carried on to this day. We were not dictated to by the administration, the teachers or our parents. The Class of 1966 made these decisions collectively. We did this by a class vote, by committee selection or other democratic method. Practical advice and guidance was always available to us from the “man behind the scene,” senior class advisor Ray Sullivan. 

All members of the Portsmouth High School Class of 1966 are eternally grateful for having the privilege and honor of learning from, being coached by, and receiving advice and/or guidance from the first Portsmouth Patriot. Ray Sullivan passed away in December 2015. It is time to formally recognize Ray Sullivan by dedicating the football field in his honor. 

Francis C. Winter

Fallbrook, Calif.