Thomas D. Sullivan

I am one, in the first class of boys, to graduate from BLA (formerly GLS)...Class of 1977. I met Mr. Sullivan during orientation the summer before freshman year. I immediately knew there was something special about him...He gave up a beautiful summer's day to make a few boys more comfortable about attending GLS. Two years later, even with boys in attendance, it remained GLS, until Mr. Sullivan recommended me to speak at a meeting of the Boston School Committee about changing the school's...

I'm really sorry to read of Mr. Sullivan's passing so many years ago. My father, Thomas Ashe, who died two years ago today, was his best friend until the lost touch in the 1980's. Mr. Sullivan was best man at my parents wedding. My mom, Madeleine, remembers Tommy fondley. My family's thoughts are with him and his family.

Mr. Sullivan was my homeroom teacher and Latin teacher at the Barnes School in East Boston. he was the most enjoyable engaging teacher I ever had. I remember coming into his classroom and he wold sit up front on a table with the light above him connected by a long cord swinging back and forth and he would have all of our attention because it was swinging so close to his head but of course would never hit him. I would like his family to know that he was always pleasant and I remember him...

It has almost been 10yrs. I still can't believe it. I would like to personally thank each and every one of you that has written in this guestbook. It gives my family and I great pleasure knowing that our loved one was greatly loved by so many people. Thank you so much for all your kind words and God bless all of you.

I just found out about Tom, 10 years later! We taught together and spent a lot of free periods and lunches together. He was a great guy, dedicated to his family and his students. You guys were very lucky to have been touched by Tom.

A year and 9 months have passed since your passing. I still think of you from time to time and mourn a wonderful man. 59 is too young. I last saw you 20 years ago. I'm in my 30s now and I'm suddenly realizing that you were in your mid-30s while you were my teacher. It's clear that you touched many lives during your career and are remembered fondly. Remembered with love, even. That's a testament to your achievement of excellence.

May your soul continue to soar.

"You should learn humility," Mr. Sullivan taught me, smiling gently. "No one is perfect, and you should realize that, not just to be kinder to others, but to be kinder to yourself." With that, he handed me back an exam where he deducted 5 points for writing "ab campo" instead of "a campo." It ruined a perfect record for me that year in Latin, and despite his kindness, I was crushed. But in that single gesture, that single heart-breaking gesture, I DID learn to be kinder to others and to...

Dear God, may u bless this wonderful man's soul. Life is something that is 2 damn precious, which is why we should never take it 4 granted. Watch over his fam and guide them in the right direction.Dymond is prayn and will continue.
-Dymond-B

I was sad to hear of Mr Sullivan's passing. Although I have not seen him since the graduation of 1983, I have thought of him often. He not only help me through the years of Latin but also gave me words to live by, which I used as my class quote. He of course gave me those words in Latin but simply translated into English is:

"Perhaps some day we will look back upon these things and laugh."

Those are words I still live by and it was Mr. Tom Sullivan who help me...