GHS59-GHS1&2

This year will mark 165 years since Gardner High School held its first classes in a schoolhouse on Green Street, which was the culmination of some 10 years of planning for educating the young people in the community.

On Feb. 9, 1856, the town warrant presented an article “To see what action the town will take, in relation to supporting a High School, as required by the 5th section, 23d chapter, of the Revised Statutes.”

That fall, the first high school was approved and an 11-week fall term began on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 1856, under the charge and instruction of Misses E.G. Dorman and E.A.A. Rea.

However, because it was found that the townspeople could neither afford the tuition nor support the school, it closed a short time later.

It would take 10 full years, until April 2, 1866, before a high school was established in Gardner, according to law. The selectmen and superintending School Committee would have to find “a suitable place for holding said school.”

Gardner High School No. 1 – 55 Green St.

The school, which cost the city $19,578, was maintained in a two-story wooden building at 55 Green St., opposite the grounds of the First Congregational Church. Classes were conducted by a faculty of seven.

That school had been built around 1845 and served the children in the Gardner Center area. It continued as a grammar school until 1857 when the new Centre School (on School Street) was built. For several years, the building was used for purposes other than a school before it became the high school.

Six years later, the Green Street schoolhouse became too small and inadequately equipped for the good of the students. An established survey committee demanded, “A new building with better accommodations be built in a more central part of the town.”

The major stipulation was to choose a site where South and West Gardner students would have easier access to getting to school.

Although there was a need for a new high school, Gardner was without funds or land to erect such a structure.

Fortunately, local philanthropist Levi Heywood came to the rescue, offering the town a quarter-acre on the corner of Chestnut and Temple streets. The only stipulation was that the school building had to be erected within three years and used for school purposes only.

Gardner High School No. 2 – Chestnut Street

In March of 1873, the tract of land was accepted and construction began immediately, with the building ready for occupancy on Dec. 21, 1874. The cost for this building was $22,000.

Once the “new” high school was built on Chestnut Street, the previous Gardner High building was moved in 1875 to Union Depot where it was used by the Howe Brothers as a grain store. It was again moved for the final time in 1914 to 362 Elm St., where it still stands as a private home today.

The high school on Chestnut Street would see the first graduating class of which a record was kept in June of 1876. A total of 10 students – all girls – received their diplomas in exercises held in Town Hall.

In 1877, one male managed to graduate along with three young ladies, but the next year only three girls were presented their sheepskins. It was not until 1879 that the boys finally evened matters in the commencement exercises when four of each gender graduated.

By 1888, the commencement numbers grew to where there were nine boys and 11 girls, while in 1891 the boys finally got the upper hand, 8-6.

Some significant things occurred at this Gardner High School on Chestnut Street. For example, the first student publication – “The G.H.S. Comet” – debuted in 1887. Three years later in 1890, the first supervisor of music was engaged.

The year 1893 would become a big one for Gardner High School for a couple of reasons. First, the six-page semimonthly school publication “The Enterprise” was introduced. Then that fall, Gardner High’s first football team was formed with principal Henry H. Folsom serving as the first coach.

That first Gardner High team would play only three games of an abbreviated schedule and put forth a record of one win, one loss and one tie. Fullback and captain Fred Garland was credited with scoring the very first touchdown in his team’s opening 22-6 loss to Murdock.

As the number of students in the school grew, the writing was soon on the wall that the building was suffering from overcrowding issues.

Another high school would soon be needed for the growing student population. Lack of space forced the laboratory students into the school attic, while the preparatory school students had to relocate to the nearby Engine Hall on Chestnut Street.

With a spiked growth in the student body, further issues ensued. For example, classes were so large that not all students would be allowed to speak at graduation, as had been the past practice with class orations. The class valedictorian and a student chosen by the faculty would perform the honor.

There was no question: the need for expansion had to occur before the end of the century.

In April 1897, the Gardner School Committee elected to build a new Gardner High School – which would be the third building of five used as a high school – on the Morrill lot located on the easterly side of Elm Street.

That old high school would become Chestnut Street Elementary School until it was discontinued in 1927. It was later razed in 1938 and there were plans to create a playground on that land.