Malden High School - Maldonian Yearbook (Malden, MA)

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The first bond issue in 1936 was approved by the Board of Aldcrmen but rejected by the City Council, and for an extended time there was much debate as to whether the old school should be remodeled and enlarged, or a new school should be built on Mountain Avenue, or other locations, or on the present site. Not until April, 1937, did both branches of our city government finally give the needed approval. In August, 1937, the P.W.A. grant of 3514350 was approved and soon after, the money was available. There was almost no doubt now that Malden would get its long hoped for high school. With the appointment of a building commission and the selection of Desmond and Lord as architects, work soon got under way with the razing of the Manual Arts building, the destruction of many old homes along Berkeley, Salem, Holden, and Prescott streets, and the breaking of ground for the new school. In October, 1938, the Rugo Construction Co., and many sub-contractors, started work on the new structure. No sooner had the walls begun to go up when protests were raised because of the use of the buff brick of the new building against the red brick of the old. However, these protests were in vain, and the work con- tinued. On December 12, 1939, the building was finally declared ready for occupancy. Exactly one week later, with an interruption of less than two hours in the school schedule, the transition was made from the old quarters to the new, rooms, desks, and lockers were assigned and lessons continued as usual. Immediately following this exodus, work was begun on the remodeling of the old high school. The most impressive features of our new building are the fully equipped Thorn- ton Jenkins auditorium with a seating capacity of nearly I800, the extensive Farns- worth G. Marshall gymnasium with its modern apparatus, banked track, and bleachers, the new and well lighted recitation rooms and laboratories, the music room with its bright chromium plated chairs, the boiler room with its four huge boilers, and the teachers' lounge with its comfortable furniture, tasteful appointments, and modern electric kitchen. Nor must we forget the headmaster's attractive office, and the adjoining school oHice with its modern telephone equipment, and the two-way radio and broadcasting instrument. Over this system radio programs and phono- graph records may be sent, and announcements may be made to all parts of the building, while recitations may be listened to by persons in the office, if and when necessary. With all these excellent facilities Malden High School should have no difficulty in the future, as in the past, in retaining its high rank among the secondary schools of the country. ' ,M l

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A1'chitect's Drawing-Desmond and Lord OUR NEW SCHOOL LEGEND By Lillian Sager At long last the dreams of the citizens of Malden have been brought to reality in our new Malden High School, perhaps one of the finest in New England. The mere sight of this modern educational establishment causes us to realize how great has been the growth of the public school system in Malden since its introduction in 1665. Since its founding in 1857 the Malden High School has been situated in several different places. The first high school was a room in the Old Centre Grammar School located where Grantls department store is now. In 1859 two rooms were devoted to high school studies in the townhouse. However, inadequate facilities brought about agitation for a new meeting place. Thus in 1872 ninety-four pupils and four teachers took over the structure known to the present generation as the Manual Arts building. After the passage of twenty-four years, the increase in the number of students necessitated the opening of a new high school building. Twelve years later in 1908, this building was extended eastward more than its own length. The Manual Arts building was then moved to the site which it occupied until 1938, at which time it was razed to make way for the present new building. Crowded conditions again presented themselves and by 1928 it became neces- sary to use the Centre Grammar School as an annex. This accommodation was not satisfactory. All sophomore homerooms were located in the Annex and hundreds of students found it necessary to cross Ferry Street between periods. Besides this, the building itself was in very poor condition. Something had to be done! Time and again a new school was proposed, and each proposal met rejection by the city government. Came the year 1936 and with it the persistent clamor for a new high school. Mayor John D. Devir suggested the construction of a new building with the inten- tion of receiving a Public Works Administration fP.W.A.j grant for 45? of the cost.

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