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This magnificent building, now Elm Street School, served as the high school from 1927 until the current high school building opened on Catherine Street in 1976

Before the exterior of the new Gardner High School on Elm Street was finished in 1927, a decision was made to inscribe an inspirational quotation on the outer third floor facade above the school’s entrance.
Hundreds of suggestions were presented to the school building committee in hopes of expressing the ideals and aims of public school education.

The quotation chosen was the words of Abraham Lincoln, taken from his address before the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Ill., on Jan. 27, 1837: “Let reverence for the law be taught in schools, let it become the political religion of the nation.”i

The new Gardner High School dedication ceremonies took place on the evening of Sept. 30, 1927, when more than 1,000 citizens crowded into the auditorium for the exercises and initial inspection of the building.
Superintendent Fordyce T. Reynolds called the dedication, “the happiest moment of my life, to be able to stand here, in such a high school auditorium, before such an audience of those who, as taxpayers, made the completion of the new school possible.”

James O. Betelle, one of the building’s architects from the firm of Guilbert & Betelle, presented the keys to the high school to former Mayor Chester Pearson – chairman of the school building committee, businessmen and citizens of the era, such as Ashton P. Derby, Seth Heywood, Judge Austin E. Livingstone, William L. Shaughnessy and William S. Tappin. Pearson noted that the school budget called for $500,000 for the building to be completed but an unforeseen expense occurred in the discovery of a solid layer of ledge rock in the spot where the boiler room was to be located. An additional $22,000 had to be figured in for blasting and other excavations of the land.

Mayor Albert H. Stone accepted the keys on behalf of his predecessor, former Mayor Pearson, and addressed the audience: “Citizens of Gardner, this is your building. I am sure when you have thoroughly inspected it, you will believe that the large amount of money spent in making it a reality, was a good investment.”
In 1930, the school paid tribute to Mayor Pearson for his efforts on behalf of the building by dedicating the auditorium in his honor.

Here are some of the other historic highlights that occurred over the years at this Gardner High School

1933 – The “Little Oscars” appear for the first time, selecting student superlatives in a number of school-related categories.

1939 – The Pro Merito chapter of the National Honor Society is introduced.

1942 – The Gardner High School Alma Mater, written by Wilma Johnson and Louise Allen with music by Ruth Wallgren, makes its debut.

1952 – The high school athletic field is dedicated in honor of Mayor Albert H. Stone

1953 – Westminster pupils, presently attending Fitchburg High, will attend Gardner High School|

1959 – Gardner High School class day extended by 45 minutes from 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.gh S

1960 – Last group of Westminster students graduate from Gardner High and will attend newly opened Oakmont Regional in the fall.t

1961 – The last eight Hubbardston students graduate from Gardner High and will attend Athol High next year.giona

1971 – It is announced that Gardner High School will lose its accreditation at end of 1971 due to overcrowding.

1972 – Gardner High School begins double sessions.

Anyone above the age of 62, who grew up in Gardner, will no doubt fondly recall the moments spent at the venerable school.

The stirring history classes led by the dynamic Herve Bowden; treks to the nearby woodlands, surveying nature under the direction of science teacher Helen Whittier; Virginia Aldrich and her love of world history; reading literary classics in the English classes of Dorothy O’Neill and Edla Denney; mathematics made easy and interesting thanks to Marion Viets and Muriel Sutherland; French with the two Helens – St. George and Chaffee; business classes with Mary Horrigan.

There were also senior plays directed by Maude Cobleigh; the dedicated leadership of principals F. Earl Williams, John Gearan and H. William Snell; exciting football games on Stone Field with Dubzinski’s Dragoons; spirited football rallies in Pearson Auditorium, with the freshman class tucked away in the “peanut gallery” balcony above.

Lest we forget the stern discipline doled out by Vice Principal Robert L. Littlefield; the lavish musicals produced by Jeff Williams; the coaching expertise of Phil Tarpey, Bill Footrick, Bob Duncan, John Tinker, Marty Anderson and Priscilla Power; the original Athletic Association Balls held in the high school gym with James W.H. Baker organizing the grand march
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Undoubtedly, there were hundreds of other names that led forth to thousands of memories over the years, but you get the idea.
By 1969, with the baby boomer population explosion, this school could no longer accommodate Gardner’s growing community. Gardner High School soon needed to add double sessions to serve the academic needs of the student body, and it became evident a new school would be a necessity.

After several sometimes-heated battles between the proponents of a new school and those who did not favor another building, voters backed the plan for a new school in 1973.

In the fall of 1976, when the new high school on Catherine Street opened, this building became home to the present Elm Street School for elementary grades.

However, it’s still very difficult to pass by that school and not hear the buzz of activity in your memory, or drive past Stone Field and not imagine the strains of the band’s rendition of “Glory to Gardner” echoing in the distance.