William (Bill) Woolfson

Nov 8, 2004 4:26 PM

Like a lot of other very talented people Bill Woolfson got into teachingbecause the alternative was the unemployment line. When Woolfson walked intoBoys HS in 1937 he was already 34 years old. A working journalist for morethan a decade, he'd been laid off as news editor for a publication calledThe American Banker. With job prospects nil, he followed his speech teacherwife, Edith, into the schools. The banking industry's loss was a gain forteaching and the labor movement. Over the next three decades Woolfson's talentsas a writer and communicator were put to good use. He wrote for the Guildnewspaper and, with a deep and resonant voice, did radio and television workfor the Guild. Later, his way with words caught the ear of Abe Lefkowitz,the Guild's longtime legislative rep, who began taking Woolfson along tolobby in Albany. Woolfson also became a chapter leader at Christopher ColumbusHS and a member of the Guild's executive board. Woolfson's labor roots wentdeep -- his father was a militant in the cigarmakers' union. "Bill bled union,"said his wife. "He had an unswerving faith in the labor movement's role asthe voice for the little man who has no voice." Woolfson's own voice wasstilled in 1988, a year after celebrating his 50th year in the union he lovedso much.