Community
Durfee High School Alumni Association to honor William “Bill” R. Eccles, Jr., Thomas “Skip” Karam, issue 25 scholarships
The Durfee High School Alumni Association invites everyone to their Annual Meeting and Awards program which will be held on Thursday, May 22nd at the High School at 460 Elsbree St., Fall River, North Entrance.
There will be a social hour from 6:00-7:00 p.m. with refreshments prepared and served by the students in the Durfee Culinary Arts Program, followed by the program in the Nagle Auditorium at 7. The Durfee Orchestra will be performing, under the direction of Nicole Turgeon.
Around 25 deserving Durfee seniors will be presented with 4-year scholarships, and two Distinguished Alumni will be honored and will speak.
This year’s recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award are William “Bill” R. Eccles, Jr., ’69, retired CEO of the Fall River Five Cent Savings Bank and a long-time community organizer; and Thomas “Skip” Karam, ’53, legendary basketball coach and Athletic Director at Durfee.
Eccles tenure as President and Chief Executive Officer of Fall River Five Cents Savings Bank, also known as BankFive, was marked by significant achievements, including leading the bank to record-breaking financial performance. Under his leadership, BankFive expanded its footprint and community impact including the establishment of the BankFive Foundation Fund in 2011 to support local schools and organizations serving low- and moderate-income households.
Karam had a 36-year career that left a lasting mark on the program. He amassed 659 wins, achieving an impressive 85% winning percentage, and led the Hilltoppers to five state championships, reaching seven state title games and making 32 postseason tournament appearances. He was inducted into the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1988-89, after becoming the first Massachusetts coach to reach 500 wins, and also earned a place in the New England Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. The basketball court at Durfee was re-dedicated as the Thomas “Skip” Karam Basketball Court in 2021, and the annual Skip Karam Holiday Tournament continues to honor his legacy.
