HIGH SCHOOL - CENTER SCHOOL, NORTH HAVEN
Postcard of the High School - Center School, North Haven, 1914
At the annual town meeting in 1906, islanders voted to purchase land for a new island school, not far from the beginning of the road to Crabtree Point. A two-story building was completed later that year and named the High School - Center School. The first floor served as a grammar school for children from Crabtree Point and Pulpit Harbor while the second floor became the island’s high school, with students from all over North Haven attending. In 1907, a class of five young women became the first to graduate from North Haven’s newly established four-year high school program.
Electric lights were installed at the High School - Center School in 1928 and teacher Nettie Beverage Crockett noted, “Having the school equipped with electricity greatly improves the conditions for study on dark cloudy days and also adds many advantages to the laboratory equipment.”
When a fire at the High School - Center School in March 1932 caused considerable damage, a local newspaper reported:
North Haven High School was destroyed by fire yesterday with a loss approaching $20,000...The fire was discovered at 10:15 by Mrs. Helen Haskell of the grammar school on the ground floor...Mrs. Haskell’s first knowledge of trouble came with the appearance of smoke rising through the floor. The pupils of both high and grammar schools left quickly but in perfect order…The fire department arrived promptly but their efforts were hampered by low water pressure and a high, bitterly cold wind. The “allout” was not sounded until 2:30 and found the building badly gutted with partitions burned out and several holes through the roof. The whole south wall was burned black and all the contents ruined…A special town meeting will probably deal with the building problem.
Islanders determined the building repairable and work quickly began while classes temporarily moved to other locations. When school resumed there in the fall, renovations included the installation of a new central heating system “thus doing away with cold seats in the back of the room and drafty floors which caused much discomfort in the winter time.” In addition, drinking fountains and flush toilets were installed in the school and “added much to the sanitary conditions of the school and the comfort of the children.”
After a community building with a gymnasium was built in town in 1959, discussion ensued about building a high school and junior high school nearby. Voters turned the plan down at a special town meeting in 1966 and again in 1968, despite the urging of superintendent Hamilton Bailey:
We all know that the present high school building is grossly inadequate for the operation of today's education program…it is not practical or advisable to remodel the present structure. The 103rd Legislature passed a law which will eventually eliminate all but a very few geographically isolated high schools of under 100 pupil enrollment. This means that those small schools remaining must meet the physical and educational standards of the larger consolidated schools.
In time, islanders came to recognize that the High School - Center School was no longer a suitable or adequate space for students. In 1971, North Haven voters approved plans for a new school for students in Kindergarten through grade 12 and construction began just north of the High School - Center School. Classes continued at the High School - Center School until 1973 when the building was torn down. In typical island thriftiness, the materials from the demolished school house were used in construction of a North Haven home.
Electric lights were installed at the High School - Center School in 1928 and teacher Nettie Beverage Crockett noted, “Having the school equipped with electricity greatly improves the conditions for study on dark cloudy days and also adds many advantages to the laboratory equipment.”
When a fire at the High School - Center School in March 1932 caused considerable damage, a local newspaper reported:
North Haven High School was destroyed by fire yesterday with a loss approaching $20,000...The fire was discovered at 10:15 by Mrs. Helen Haskell of the grammar school on the ground floor...Mrs. Haskell’s first knowledge of trouble came with the appearance of smoke rising through the floor. The pupils of both high and grammar schools left quickly but in perfect order…The fire department arrived promptly but their efforts were hampered by low water pressure and a high, bitterly cold wind. The “allout” was not sounded until 2:30 and found the building badly gutted with partitions burned out and several holes through the roof. The whole south wall was burned black and all the contents ruined…A special town meeting will probably deal with the building problem.
Islanders determined the building repairable and work quickly began while classes temporarily moved to other locations. When school resumed there in the fall, renovations included the installation of a new central heating system “thus doing away with cold seats in the back of the room and drafty floors which caused much discomfort in the winter time.” In addition, drinking fountains and flush toilets were installed in the school and “added much to the sanitary conditions of the school and the comfort of the children.”
After a community building with a gymnasium was built in town in 1959, discussion ensued about building a high school and junior high school nearby. Voters turned the plan down at a special town meeting in 1966 and again in 1968, despite the urging of superintendent Hamilton Bailey:
We all know that the present high school building is grossly inadequate for the operation of today's education program…it is not practical or advisable to remodel the present structure. The 103rd Legislature passed a law which will eventually eliminate all but a very few geographically isolated high schools of under 100 pupil enrollment. This means that those small schools remaining must meet the physical and educational standards of the larger consolidated schools.
In time, islanders came to recognize that the High School - Center School was no longer a suitable or adequate space for students. In 1971, North Haven voters approved plans for a new school for students in Kindergarten through grade 12 and construction began just north of the High School - Center School. Classes continued at the High School - Center School until 1973 when the building was torn down. In typical island thriftiness, the materials from the demolished school house were used in construction of a North Haven home.
Grammar School students with teacher Nettie Beverage, 1932
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High School students in front of North Haven's High School - Center School in 1933
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