Malden High School - Maldonian Yearbook (Malden, MA)

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,fur 1 'fx 'Q . V., .fl awww -u.-4-- THIS IS OUR SCHOOL - MALDEN HIGH. HERE WE WORK AND PLAY . . . HERE WE LIVE! 1 J' 'X I ni il .S Qi

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With patience and understanding... You, Mr. Matthews Lead Our Parade There is no substitute for hard work . No finer proof of this quotation exists than its author, the man who has guided our school for the last fourteen years-Mr. John Bowers Matthews. You, Mr. Matthews, came down from Maine in 1920 to ioin our Malden High School faculty. Sharing room 321, now room 320, with Mr. Charles A. Marsh of the mathematics department, you taught history, not dull, boring history but history with humor added and priceless anecdotes that established such a bond between teacher and pupil, that many times in the past issues of the Maldonian, you were chosen as the favorite teacher . You were a history teacher with not only an excellent mem-ory for people, but also an interest of equal amount, making it easy and natural for teachers and students to build lasting friendships with you. Being the most respected teacher , you soon became head of the history department. Always on the iob you have served our school as adviser to the Literary Society, as business manager of the Blue and Gold, and as head adviser to the Class of 1926A. In 1937 you were elevated to the position of chief disparager of phony notes , when you were appointed class master in charge of attendance. With the retirement of Mr. Thornton Jenkins in 1943, the pilot's seat of M.H.S. became vacant. Who was to lead Malden High's parade? Who would be able to maintain the high standards of M.H.S. and keep it a different school ? And in 1944, you were rewarded for your untiring efforts through the years, when you were appointed the headmaster of M.H.S. Although your duties have increased many-fold since 1920, we, the Class of 1957, find the same warmth, compassion, and sincere interest, that students down through the years have re- ceived abundantly from our modest man of simple tastes . The father of two Malden High graduates yourself, Mr. Matthews, you now lead our parade. Your friendly greeting in the corridor, your guiding hand in times of confusion, and your interest in the problems of each of us have made this parade one with special meaning for us all. As we wave our banner high in 1957, we gratefully dedicate our centennial book to you, our guiding light. At our banqu ts At our game ebls At our oss m AI our dance

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IOO years of .. Learning, Laughing, Living The class of 1957 has ioined a parade-one full of eaning-one which belongs to us all. The next few pages ll about this unbroken procession--one which began 100 ears ago, and which grew, as it is growing still. Its story ill produce a few laughs, a nostalgic tear or two, it will ir up memories of long-forgotten incidents. This is your story, Malden High School graduates! Read cmd think! What did Malden High mean to you? And more tportant, what did you mean to Malden High? You in- Jenced its growth. As you entered its doors, each day- fo, twenty, fifty years ago--to learn, to laugh, and to live -you ioined the parade. You waved your banner, and now, 1957 still another class waves its banner as it ioins the 'owing procession of the years. lt wasn't very long before the early settlers of the tle town of Mauldon, Massachusetts realized the need for ducation for their children. Just sixteen years after the atablishment of this New World community, in the year 665, the first free school was opened. Under the strict struction of Ezekiel Jenkins, the young students learned to Reed and Wright and to Refmetick in a rude one-room ubin, possibly located on the present site of Jordan Marsh ompany. Years later, Schoolmaster Jenkins was laid to rest eneath a gravestone bearing the inscription, Mauldon's ute School Master From A Painfull Life is Gone to Take His est His Lord Has Called Him Whome . However, the desire for education seemed to have been uried with Mr. Jenkins - at least for a while. Until the arly 1700's the school was maintained only by the force of ate law, Many times during the 18th century, Malden was immoned to pay a fee for not having a schoolrem. The iw stated where any town shall increase to the number of ne hundred families or householders, they shall set up a rammar school . In 1710, however, Malden consisted of 6 families and 7 paupers. The seven poor members of the W 1, f J 11 c ,, c c c J U ..'- if' F ' f'f l.21 'i J 'iii' ' 2? 3ifY'ffgi-ikwl .sfif ,..1 .,... F 2 1 53' ' i--f ' clip-y,..,?if'?'i'r'5' Ei 2 S , A iiii W W LQHH: 1- ,..,.. .. '.,.,.,. .,V,Vk,,. .,V. . , is ,iw in . ' H H .i ' i lv - ff i it , W 'IE CENTRE DISTRICT SCHOOL, located an the present site of W. T. 5rant's Department Store, opened one of its rooms for the teaching of igh school subiects in 1857. Simply to enter this high school , pupils ad to be qualified in mental and written arithmetic, analytical geography, aading, spelling, and history of the United States! town saved the day! Our city was excused from keeping a grammar school, and from paying the fine! One of the reasons for the cessation of classes might have been the brief period of British occupation between 1775 and 1776. However, in 1783, an important step was taken when the town made provisions for regular school sessions. Since that year, our educational system has advanced steadily, and attendance has grown rapidly. iiiit fs, gi' tim ig-1: sfezesiias- 1 A fell i '. w M -1'1i2f.z 2,5 fit ill ! i ' -5277 'ieiiiiigffgii is tr 1 Ax-Myyj X M AS , F, ,vi yiix ,357 Mes - - C: s -, .fs r-1 ..-A ff m., 5 .H-,gi , , , smug.. Teieeaf . Q, - r is - 2 ifllil i I 'l'lll'l-lfiiiti gfitrfi st... iii,-.dx h U.,,.I,l.,i,.,,,,,ELilgLh 25 y es li fi-he .... , -eeeseef-.. chaol ouje :L J -,.a ',,.:f3 W39 'f'i7 j --M.-.,e A -.,Q...Qfi.....,...y if 1' .sLg1.T:L.......,.,.., ,,. MALDEN'S FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE did not provide a cafeteria, but it did boast a fireplace, possibly used to cook the teacher's lunch. Two windows and a seven-foot chimney graced the 20x16 foot room in which classes were held on the corner of Main and Pleasant Streets. How the townsmen must have prided themselves on this magnificent structure! The year 1844 revealed a lack in the school system - namely, a high school. While there were a great many private academies in the United States, public high schools were practically non-existent until 1860. Although the towns- people did their utmost to further the building of a high school, it was decided that the Town could not afford both high school and Town House, and the latter seemed more necessary. ln 1857, 100 years ago, MaIden's first Town House was built. The general feeling at this time was that the children, by having a high school education might be elevated above the condition of their parents. Thirteen years after the town had first discussed a high school, also in 1857, it was voted to provide one room in the Centre District School for an institution of higher learn- ing , Thus Malden High School had its inauspicious begin- nings. Under the supervision of Joseph H. Noyes, about sixty high school students began a three year course of study covering solid and substantial subiects - natural, moral, and mental philosophy, surveying, and astronomy and many other down-to-earth courses. Two years later, having increased considerably in size, the high school was moved to the Town House where classes were held in two rooms with Mr. Washington H. Merritt in the position of principal. By this time, the course of study had been enlarged to such an extent that it now included a weekly class in which the students were taught correct French accent . This course was conducted by a gentleman of no less imposing appellation than Monsieur P. U. Gemgembre.