Farmington High School - Student Yearbook (Farmington, CT)

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FARMINGTON STUDENT History of Farmington High School LTHOUGH an elementary education was available. in the town of Farm- ington during the middle part of the nineteenth century, it was not until 1882 that the first class was graduated from the high school, which com- prised but two rooms on the upper floor of the same wooden structure in which the classes of the grammar school were, and still are, conducted. At that time, and for many ensuing years, the institution was known as the Unionville High School, until a complaint on the part of the citizens of Farmington brought about the change which exists today. The commencement exercises of that first class, which were under the supervision of Mr. Montieth, whom we honor as the first principal, were held in the Congregational Church, which stood where the Town Hall now stands. Of the four graduates, three were boys. It is interesting to note that the salutatorian of the class, Iohn Scott King, whose topic at graduation was Education, and who, incidentally, was the first student of the high school to attend college, later was graduated from Yale with the well-known William Lyon Phelps. The valedictorian, Wallace Heady, now holds the honorable position of Iudge in one of the Springfield Courts. In 1883 no class was graduated, due to the fact that Mr. Montieth pre- vailed upon the students to remain another year that they might better fit them- selves for the future. Since this year, 1932, marks the bicentennial of Washington's birthday, we must make mention of the fact that these first two classes fittingly celebrated its occurrence and would undoubtedly have established a precedent for all ensuing classes had it not deducted too muchtime from the pupil's regular work. Of the nine members of the class of '84, those who attained especially noteworthy positions were the valedictorian, P. Tuttle, Iudge of a Superior Court in Connecticut, C. T. Callahan, now deceased, but who rose to the Iudge- ship of the Supreme Court in Springfield and William R, Hayes, the first student of the school to enter the Priesthood, The classes of '85 and '86 numbered eight and six, respectively, while the sole member of '87, Carrie Alling, who was the Methodist minister's daugh- ter, was induced to remain another year. R. Booth, of the class of '88, is at present connected with a business college of high standing. In 1889 we have the smallest graduating class in the history of the school. It's motto, When shall we three meet again, taken from Shakespeare's Macbeth and used so adequately in this connection, tells us all we need to know about the numerical substance of the group. The only boy, B. F. Broderick, has since become a Roman Catholic Priest. On account of the diminutive size of this group, alumni members from the Hrst three classes were asked to take part in the commencement exercises. Iohn King, William Hayes, and Mrs. Ada Woodford, whose topic was Memoranda Alumnorumf' were the principal participants. 9

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FARMINGTON STUDENT l Facsimile of the Commencement Program of the Class 1882, the First to be Graduated from Farmington High School I Y CLASS or '82. COLOR, CARDINAL. s m-ns '-sim....11..1Hz.m.,.........,,.,.....,s.z 4 W, w, k Hmnv, J. 5. KING, c, 1. YOUNGS, M. NETTIE COOKE CLASS OF '82 4 'gA ' CHORUS. 50,-.Q..0. lluionville High School. v ... fr vm era.. .. Wine.. ' CONGREGATIONAL. CHURCH. FRIDAY, ,lllxll 23, 1332. Emi-n' o'cLocK nm. nouns one Ar 1.3 iv xl. vu. P A R T l . Ol HKTI 'flf- Vo!! and l el51l1K . . Svfjt. H. A G W., .i ft... L HCHUS- Th: Heavens Are Tclllllgf' , Hdylw. l'K.X'x HR. SONGf Tht Klvig and IHC Kllllthll . A'tlltl. in xy A v.m.,m. 5u,L7T.a'r0xv-i' mummn mu, MN s r. Q soxn-we ximy mms , MM rm., ip Nm. nk.ATIoN-Mx,-nfoqd xia--waxy, ui 4 1 im.-W ox ERTUKL.-'-Lu-ispwir' . ni. A 4. u...,i.t. . W, I 1- 1 Gmmsfff. Av m 11.12. ms. yi- w, ymfm, me 1: - cfm, un in iz num mis, mm WIND. my in-.ii yum, um nom sammy, ms u. N. c--nw, Mm my wwnww S num nm my Ev. mm my omni., :nw mm ummm, Mm Lum wywim ,sue mn 1 n nm.,-W, ms, umm cmwv wa L n vm. Mm uw! um, um Anus cvrwm 7-Unk nu., F-Aw rw., in-, w n no-mv, xi. 1-. c cam, N.. ww num., ui vu w vm..-W ML ww-H cm..-1 BASS M. :is rx uma, -1. xv A rm,..,. iv- cm 1 mi. ui wmv rn- M, M. ,x E rum, u. w A iuwiwcn H. E iam.. Husw::.1i,D:Fsi:::1, VP .' THOMPSON PART ll. 1. cuokus--4D,m1mS1fiumpnu1 Mmiv' . . cw., ii. Essn- :mmm civaiawaon H my M Nm. CML ui, sorlczfuixavhm rvamiw' www- im y If nw.. xv. olo.1-xox---mn swam mmm, mu. vanfdmfy ,xadfms W it K um.. V. QUAR'I'l'.T'l'lif Whvlc has llxc Summer Hui ' way.,... 1, M, N, Mm mm .mn M., m..,f1..m,, im 1 n. l,..,.ir.M vi coxrsiuum ulx'iLorAAs. vu uiouus-.--umm Nom, rlfmus mm in n vm, lKllN1.U1L'I'ION,

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FARMINGTON STUDENT Up to this time the high school curriculum had included merely the classical course which fitted students for college. But in 1892 two students received diplomas under the so-called English course which appeared at this time. The classes of '93 and '94 abounded in doctors, lawyers, engineers and teachers. Of the latter let us make special mention of Elizabeth H, Hafey, who for so many years as primary teacher in the Union District was the medium through which so many boys and girls acquired the foundation upon which they built their futures. '94 also boasts of the only movie actor in the history of the institution, Iulius Cowles. As we near the end of the nineteenth century we notice material changes in the scholastic atmosphere. In 1899, a third teacher was added to the faculty, which up to that time had consisted of but two, the principal included. To make room for the additional teacher, Miss Ives, a partition was put up to make a third recitation room until some years later, when the whole building was taken over by the high school. In 1900 no graduation exercises were held. In 1902 still greater changes took place in the school routine. The Senior class went as a body to the school board seeking one session and secured it temporarily with this one restriction: that if seen on the streets between 2 and 4 P, M. the offender must remain in school all day for a month. This group is also credited with having the first class emblems in the history of the school and with being largely responsible for the custom existing today of presenting a gift to the school upon leaving, for, previous to this time, it was customary for each class to flaunt banners. bearing the class colors and date, at graduaf tion time. In 1902, also, we have the first class to hold their commencement exercises in the new Town Hall. In recording the names of former students of Farmington High School we must mention the Honorable Frank lones, a member of the class of 1904 and at present a lawyer in Hartford, who has taken a very active part in alumni work. We cannot pass by the class of 1906 without pausing a moment with due reverence to Louis C. Hanrahan, who was the first boy from Unionville to enlist in the great World War and the first to :make the supreme sacrifice over there. The classes of 1913 and 1920 produced the Hrst two professors in Elford Lounsbury and loseph Burns, while '21 graduated the Rev. lohn Delaney, '26, Robert Crowe, a teacher at Holy Cross, and Bernard Flynn, who is at present studying for the Priesthood. A decided metamorphosis took place in the fall of 1928, when the institu- tion was transferred to the new high school building. More teachers were added to the staff. New subjects, including Domestic Science, Manual Train- ing, and Commercial Law were given a special place on the high school curricu- lum. A cafeteria service was organized. An athletic field and spacious gymnasium assured the students of plenty of activity, and brought new life into sports. Nothing which might in some way benefit the students and make them better fitted to bear their share of the country's burden as citizens in the years to come, was neglected. 10