Fairhaven High School - Huttlestonian Yearbook (Fairhaven, MA)

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stone and brick, is situated on a gentle rise of ground at the ap¬ proach to the bridge leading to New Bedford. It is a magnifi¬ cent edifice, ornate, hut not too ornate, generous in contour, hut not too rambling. Its stone trimmings are carved, and over its main entrances are the words, “Carpe Diem,” and Ad Astra,” to remind the students entering that they should use their time to the best advantage, and never lose sight of the ideals which their school fosters. Inside the building, one is impressed by the beauty of line, of material, and of workmanship. On the walls of the corridor at the west entrance, are six murals which are copies of those in the Congressional Library. They portray the history of language. The first represents the Stone Age in which there was no language. The second pictures the days of the Pharisees when sign language made with the hands was used. The third illustrates the Egyptian chiseling sign language out of stone. The fourth shows the im¬ provement made by the Indians when they cut the sign language into skins. The fifth delineates monks in a European monastery, painstakingly writing in longhand on paper. The sixth is a paint¬ ing of Gutenberg operating the first printing press. On the second floor of the building is the science department. When the school was built, the plans included large laboratories for the use of classes in the various sciences. At that time the arrangement and equipment of the laboratories surpassed those of many colleges and private schools. At present, in spite of over-crowding due to large enrollment in all classes, and the changes in curriculum with the increased number of science courses offered to the students, both pupils and teachers appreciate the foresight shown in the original plans. The crowning glory of the whole, however, the library, with panelled wainscot, tiled fireplace, and leaded glass book-cases, is richly furnished with massive bog-oak tables and Windsor chairs. This room alone is of greater value than the two previous high school buildings used by the town. Another exceptional feature of the i)uilding is the assembly hall. Its windows are of leaded glass, the chandeliers of wrought

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could attend because it was nearer at liand. Tlie academy pro¬ ceeded to operate without serious incident for some fifty years. J hen tlie town fathers decided that tlie scliool should he improved. The sum of four thousand five lumdred dollars was appro¬ priated to refit and adapt the Methodist Church to the needs of a school, and near the end of January 1852, the first public high school began sessions in its new home, having at this time a stu¬ dent body of seventy-five, and a faculty of three. Four years later, Henry Rogers, the son of poor parents, was graduated. He secured a loan of ten dollars from a fellow- townsman, went to New York to seek his fortune in the manner of the fairy-tale heroes, and, as sometimes happens, he actually did make a fortune. As the years went on, he dreamed a dream, and as his fortunes increased, he decided to make that dream a reality. His dream was to improve Fairhaven by giving it beau¬ tiful as well as practical gifts. The first of these gifts was the Rogers Grammar School. In architecture, sanitary conditions, heating, and lighting, it was far superior to any school building then in use in Fairhaven. This building, for the first two years of its existence, was used to house the high school as well as the town grammar school. As Mr. Rogers’ wealth increased, his desire to better his home town increased also. One by one, buildings such as the Millicent Library, Town Hall, and the Memorial Church, were erected by him. Ill 1905, Mr. Rogers decided to build a school to take the place of the high school from which he had been graduated. Near¬ ly fifty years had elapsed since his graduation day, and he de¬ termined that this, his newest gift, would he presented to the town on the anniversary of his graduation. He engaged experts to procure the most durable and beautiful of available materi¬ als for this dream high school, which he was planning to give his home town. His dream became a reality, beauty in every line, inside and out; every practical hit of equipment needed, was pur¬ chased to make the building useful as well as ornamental. The High School, built in Elizahethean style, and construct¬ ed of Ashlar (piarried from Fort Pheonix and of Indiana lime-

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iron, and ihe gargoyls were hand-carved hy Swedish wood-carvers. Not only is this hall l)eautifid, l)ut its acoustic ({iialities are ex¬ ceptional. The gymnasium, also, is superior to that of many other schools. It is well equipped for indoor sports, and, in addition there is an athletic field and tennis courts. Although this huilding is often called “the million dollar high school”, its actual cost will never he known, for Henry Rog¬ ers sold the completed structure to his native town for “one dollar and other valuable considerations.” His primary desire was to provide for Fairhaven’s youth an adequate huilding in which they might pursue their studies. He agreed with Keats that “a thing of heauty is a joy forever.” He wanted the generations following him to grow up with the example of an eternal joy; to live with it and in it; and seeing perfection, to be led to strive for perfec¬ tion in themselves and in their town. Leaving New Bedford! Entering Fairhaven! The time is 1938. What a change has taken place! There is a new bridge, hut on the left as one enters the town, one still sees the Academy. Now, however, it is in the background, and a beautiful sixty- seven room huilding stands in serene prominence, protecting its tiny ancestor like a strong, proud youth eagerly guarding his aged grandparent, while going forward towards new fields of educa¬ tional endeavour. Although this huilding for many years was large enough to satisfy the needs of the student body, yet that body’s gradual and steady growth finally necessitated the construction of an addition to the High School. Tlie new huilding is a two-story brick struc¬ ture, which is situated in the rear of the gymnasium, and con¬ nected l)y a tunnel. The Addition blends well with the magnifi¬ cent architecture of the main huilding, and, in its own turn, sig¬ nifies the indomitable spirit of progress in education which is Fair- haven’s. LrcY Eldkedge. ' 39 9