Middletown High School - Cauldron Yearbook (Middletown, CT)

Page 10 text:

Around 1835, Middletown is still emphatically a river town. Ships still come in from far away countries with exotic foods, silks and other riches, and trade has always been brisk here too. But manu- facturing boasts a strong foothold while people are agitating for more, bigger and better things. The steam horse” and steam ferry mean more manufacturing, more business, and more buildings. There is a boom spirit in the air. It is the beginning of a new age. From Humble Beginnings Public education hasn't always prospered here as rapidly as times suggest. The few existing public schools typically reflect New Eng- land and then there are private secondary schools reflecting their own uniqueness. Wesleyan, for one. is now an eight year old col- lege, apparently indicating a general interest in education.

Page 9 text:

In the commercial course, emphasis was placed upon typing, stenography and basic arithmetic. There was no manual training of any kind such as there is today. The demands upon the high school were much less than they are today. Not nearly so many young people attended high school then as now. Our education level seems to have been raised substantially over the years, meeting the requirements not only of the so-called Ivy League Colleges, but of the Stale Colleges and the Community Colleges as well. The whole base of education has broadened tremendously over the last 50 years; a highly desirable thing. Over the years the school has produced some outstanding women and men graduates, not all of whom ever attended a college, but became leaders in the business and social life of the communities where they went to live.

Page 11 text:

,x’ 4 October 2, 1838 — Local leaders and businessmen sponsored a meeting today of “The Friends of Education in the County of Mid- dlesex”. Henry Barnard was one of the speakers. This meeting has resulted in forming a county organization which will sponsor a lo- cal association to deal with education. November 9. 1838 — Today the local association met at the old town hall. The matter of combining certain districts was brought up because the existing ones are too small, and nothing can be achieved unless at least three districts are amalgamated. As a re- sult, the State Legislature has been petitioned for a law permitting the people of Middletown to combine the four divisions of the first School Society representing the center of the city. 1839 — The law has been passed by the State Legislature with little opposition.