Middletown High School - Cauldron Yearbook (Middletown, CT)

Page 16 text:

1848 — The first graduation exercises were held at the now fully co-ed high school. 1850 — With the installation of a new principal, S. Coburn, the school is experiencing a new serge of life. (As its first years were dif- ficult ones.) He has introduced new courses of study and started the first extra-curricular activity, a literary paper. 1856 — Students have been applying to the school every year, but conditions are over-crowded and there is no more room. 1869 — The school building has been remodeled. November, 1878 — A fire of unknown cause has heavily damaged the school. Classes will be held in other city buildings until the school is rebuilt. 1883 — Board of Education reports that a new high school is needed. July 10, 1893 — At a special meeting held today, the school district has unanimously voted to build a new high school at a cost of $50, 000. The details will be left up to the board, and the property on the corner of Pearl Street and Court Street will be purchased from St. Lukes Home at a cost of $7,500. July 1, 1894 — After careful judgement, the Board has accepted the plans of Messrs. Curtis and Johnson of Harford, and excavation has begun.

Page 15 text:

July 10, 1840 — Today at a meeting of the Christ Church it was vot- ed to rent to the City School Society the basement story of the church, reserving one-half of the vestry room at a rent of $125.00 per annum.” Spring of 1841 — The new School Board has voted to construct a building for the high school since the first year of operation has been a success. Consequently a lot has been purchased on Par- sonage Street. December, 1841 — The first high school building is now completed and occupied. The school boasts two floors and an attic, but inter- estingly enough, two high schools are established: the first floor confined to the young men, and the second floor to the women. Each floor is composed of one large room, except for a glass parti- tion at the far end with small cubicles designed to be classrooms. Each room is engineered for 200 students, but an average enroll- ment realized of about 150 per floor. The girls use the attic for re- cess on rainy days or indulge in “gymnastic exercises . 1847 — The school building is considered a show place and people from all over the country have come to see it. A committee from Hartford visited it before building Connecticut's second high school this year. For the first few years, there has been no definite course of study of any formal graduation from the school. Howev- er, curriculum was marked out in the first half dozen years. The New Look For M.H.S. In the short interim of my princi- palship, this building with its cen- tury of tradition has grown on me and I feel an integral part of it. I know that some element of its intangible spirit will be trans- planted to the new school. E. Pehota, Principal

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—i 1895 — The building is completed. It is 99 feet long by about 70 feet wide. An impressive tower at the north east corner graces the new build- ing and no doubt will become a familiar landmark to the citizenry of Middletown. There are entrances on Court Street and Pearl Street. The floors are of double construction four inches thick, supported on steel beams encased in terra cotta. The interior wood finish is constructed of ash, and the blackboards are of slate. All of