USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > West Hartford > West Hartford, Connecticut > Part 10
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The Committee held several meetings, examined carefully reports and other printed matter respecting the operations and general features of the consolidated plan, made inquiries of resi- dents of towns in which it had been adopted, and finally presented their report to the town as follows on December 24, 1877.
We recommend the passage of the following vote:
Voted, That this Town authorize and direct the Board of School Visitors to employ the teachers for all public schools of the Town.
Voted, That the above take effect on and after Sept. 1, 1878, and remain in force until otherwise ordered.
We do also suggest that at an early date the Town increase the number of School Visitors to nine, so that each district may, if desirable, be represented in the Board.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
E. A. WHITING, Chairman F. S. HATCH, Secretary In behalf of the Committee.
So the matter was deferred for a time; but again in 1884 the people were called upon to vote on the question with the result that it was decided to adopt the consolidated plan, to go into effect according to the provisions of the law in July, 1885.
During the last year under the local school district manage- ment there were nine ungraded district schools and a high school.
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HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
Ten teachers were in service, the total of whose salaries amounted to $3,915.31. The total enrollment of scholars was 360 and the total expenditure for the support of the schools for the year was $6,660.33.
To carry out the consolidation plan the first step was to have an assessment made of all school property and assets, and to levy a tax sufficient to provide funds for the purchase of the same with allowances for rebates in each school district to cor- respond to the interests of the tax payers in the same. The assessment of the school property was as follows:
Center School District . $5,000
North School District . .
1,200
Northwest School District .
500
Prospect Hill School District
2,500
East School District
500
South East (Charter Oak) School District
1,200
South School District
2,000
West School District
2,000
$14,900
The districts had cash on hand to the amount of $332.86 and the district debts amounted to $2816.18.
Note. The estimated value of the public school buildings and land in West Hartford in 1929 was $2,541,863
When some of the wealthy residents of the East School Dis- trict discovered that they were to be taxed to provide for the pur- chase of the school property of all the districts but would have but scant rebates because of the low value of the old school- house in their district, they petitioned for the holding of a town meeting to reconsider the vote in favor of consolidation and a meeting was called, but the action taken at that meeting did not affect the vote already passed in favor of consolidation.
The first members of the Town School Committee to serve under the consolidated plan were as follows: Wales L. Andrews, William H. Hall, Morgan Goodwin, Rev. James W. Hyde, Adolph C. Sternberg, T. Belknap Beach, Henry Talcott, Emer- son A. Whiting, George Barber. Henry Talcott was elected Chairman, T. Belknap Beach Secretary, and Adolph C. Stern- berg Acting School Visitor.
One of the first steps taken by the committee in the line of improving the condition and operations of the public schools was the adoption of a calendar providing for uniform terms of schools and vacations. Steps were also taken with regard to the better equalization of the salaries of the teachers and a plan for the proper gradation of the scholars was introduced. Kinder- gartens were opened in the Elmwood Chapel and on the second floor of Mr. Lewis T. Fenn's carriage house. The division of the scholars in the larger schools into primary, intermediate, and grammar departments was undertaken.
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HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
The need of additional accommodations led to the erection by the town of the East School building on Whiting Lane in 1888. This was at first opened as a two-room building, no use being made of the second floor for school purposes. At a later period this floor was divided into two rooms, and still later an addition was built in the rear with provision for three rooms. The next building to be erected was at Elmwood in 1900. This was a brick building of four rooms attached to the front of a wooden building of two rooms which had been built by the South School District a few years earlier. The Center School building was erected in 1910 and the Seymour school building in 1915. Each of these buildings contained eight class-rooms.
Mr. Adolph C. Sternberg continued to serve as Acting School Visitor until 1896. He devoted a large amount of time and atten- tion to the duties of his position, endeavoring and successfully to promote a higher degree of efficiency in the work. In 1889 he introduced instruction in singing as a new feature in the public schools, securing the services of Prof. Graham of Hartford, who gave occasional lessons in some of the larger schools. In 1891, Mrs. J. L. Mallory, now Mrs. T. M. Hodgdon, was employed as a regular instructor in music, and thus this became a recognized and regular feature of public school instruction which has been continued and enlarged from time to time until now West Hart- ford schools are in the forefront among the public schools of the State. This feature embraces a brass band, an orchestra, and glee clubs. A more detailed account of public instruction in music is given in a later section.
In 1896 Mr. Sternberg felt that the schools of the town needed a larger amount of attention and skilled supervision than he could give to them, and with the consent of the School Com- mittee he arranged with Prof. Charles D. Hine, at that time Sec- retary of the State Board of Education, to assume the supervision. Secretary Hine rendered efficient service until January, 1897, when he refused to continue because of opposition to this arrange- ment which had developed in connection with the annual town meeting held in October, 1896. The supervision of the schools then devolved upon William H. Hall, Chairman of the Town School Committee, by action of that committee.
At the town meeting held in October 1897, it was voted to employ a supervisor of schools to devote his entire time to the duties of the position and to receive a salary of $1,000 per annum. Mr. Hall was appointed by the School Committee to this position, in which he continued to serve for twenty-five years, or until September, 1922, when he signified his desire to be released and the School Committee appointed Lloyd H. Bugbee, Principal of the High School, as his successor. During the latter part of Mr. Hall's term of service the title of the office was changed from Supervisor to Superintendent of Schools. At the time of Mr.
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HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
Hall's retirement from the position of Superintendent in Septem- ber, 1922, he had completed fifty years of official service in con- nection with the public schools of his native town, serving con- secutively as Teacher, Principal, Acting School Visitor, Secre- tary of the Board of School Visitors, Chairman of that Board, Supervisor and Superintendent of Schools. When he retired, the School Board appointed him Associate Superintendent, or Superintendent Emeritus.
Mr. Bugbee as Superintendent has rendered very efficient service, developing the public school system of the town on a broad, scientific basis commensurate with the rapidly increasing population and the modern and most progressive plans and methods of organization and administration.
The High School. Under the title Private Schools some account is given of The West Hartford Academy, which for a period prior to 1865 provided for the education of some of the older boys and girls of the town who wished to pursue their studies beyond the opportunities afforded in the district schools. The Academy was not strictly a public school in the sense that it was provided and conducted by the town for the benefit of those who attended it, without expense for tuition. The first movement for the opening of a public high school was made in 1872. In the summer of that year there were forty or more young people in West Hartford who had completed the work of the un- graded district public schools and were desirous of an opportunity for further study. The Board of School Visitors, in recognition of the condition, recommended to the citizens of the town in the annual town meeting held in October of that year that a school of a higher grade be opened, and a vote was passed authorizing the Board to open such a school at their discretion for the year 1872-3.
The Board arranged with the Committee of the Center School District, Mr. Samuel Whitman, for the rental of a room on the second floor of the district schoolhouse on North Main Street, and on December 2, 1872, the school was opened with thirty-eight scholars, ranging in age from twelve to twenty-one years, who had successfully passed an examination conducted by Mr. Henry Talcott, Acting School Visitor. Mr. William H. Hall, who was serving as the teacher of the Center District School, was engaged as principal and sole teacher. The total expense for maintenance for the first year was $584.50, consisting of the fol- lowing items: room rent, $100; supplies, $53.90; salary of prin- cipal, $430.60. The studies pursued by the scholars consisted of advanced work in the so-called common branches, also book- keeping, algebra, physical geography, and Latin. Music was taught in weekly lessons by a special teacher. There were week- ly exercises in composition, declamation, and debates.
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HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
In 1884, Rev. James W. Hyde, Rector of St. James Church, who was the Acting School Visitor, prepared a four years' course of study. He was assisted in this work by Charles M. Andrews, the principal at that time of the High School. The first scholars to complete the work of this course of study were Miss Amalia A. B. Sternberg (now Mrs. George Traut of New Britain), and Miss S. Louise Brannon, who was graduated in 1887. With two exceptions there have been graduates to re- ceive diplomas every year since 1887, and in the later years large numbers of graduates.
For several years after the opening of the school, its con- tinuance from year to year was dependent upon a vote by the citizens in the annual town meeting held in October. Some citi- zens regarded the school as a doubtful experiment. Others regarded it as an expensive luxury, not required by the laws of the state. Finally, in one of the annual town meetings, a vote was passed authorizing the Board of School Visitors to continue the school until further notice. Further notice has never been given.
CENTER SCHOOL, BUILT IN 1865. FIRST HIGH SCHOOL WAS HELD HERE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, 1872-1896
118
HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
From December, 1872, until September, 1896, the school continued to occupy the upper room of the Center District School building, the Center District School occupying the first floor. In 1895 the matter of providing a new and larger building was discussed in town meetings and elsewhere. The question of a suitable site awakened considerable opposition. Residents on West Hartford Main Street were strongly opposed to the loca- tion of a building anywhere near their residences, and so site after site proposed by the Board of School Visitors was rejected. Finally Mr. William Hall, Chairman of the Board, suggested the purchase of the Seyms property on South Main Street, and the location of the new building on the high ground in the eastern
AIRPLANE VIEW OF HIGH SCHOOL AND CENTER SCHOOL
part of that property. The price for which it could have been purchased was $6,000. That proposition was strongly opposed by a few influential citizens, but at a subsequent town meeting a vote was passed authorizing the purchase of the eastern portion of the property for $5,000. Seyms Street and School Street (now Raymond Road) were opened, and in 1896 a building was erected on the corner of these streets at a cost of $20,000. The High School and the Center School were transferred to this build- ing in September, 1896, and occupied it conjointly until Septem- ber, 1910.
Therefore, from December, 1872, until September, 1910, a period of nearly thirty-eight years, the High School did not have
119
HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
a home of its own, and when, in 1910, it had the use of the entire building on the corner of Seyms Street and Raymond Road, the accommodations were quite inadequate for its needs. An effort was made in 1910 to secure a vote in town meeting for the erec- tion of a new building for the High School, leaving the old build- ing for the use of the Center School. This effort failed, but the friends of the High School did not cease to advocate the erection of a new building, until in 1923 a vote was secured for the pur- chase of additional land for a site, in connection with the property already owned by the Town, and for the erection of the present William H. Hall High School building, which was first occupied in September, 1924.
In connection with the public exercises in dedication of the new High School, Professor Curtis M. Geer, a member of the School Board, made an address in which he gave the reasons for the selection by the School Board of the name for the school.
He said: "It has been the custom for many years to give special names to public school buildings. This custom began when some man of wealth gave money for the erection of a build- ing and the building was named in his honor. The next step was in giving the name of some distinguished man to the building, such as the Washington High School. This was done in order to honor the person whose name the school bore and also as an inspiration to the pupils in that school. A third stage was the naming of the school for some man who had lived in the commun- ity and who had been noted in his distinguished service to that community. We have as an illustration of this the Henry Bar- nard School and the Thomas Snell Weaver High School in Hart- ford.
"The citizens of this town had the problem of selecting the name of some man for our high school and there were, as it seems to me, three qualifications which such a man should possess.
"First, he should be a man who had long identified himself with the things that were best in the community, one who had interested himself in all that was good in the political and re- ligious life of his town.
"Second, he should be one who had long been identified with the educational life of the community, because the high school is an educational institution.
"Third, he should be one who loves children, with a heart big enough to take in all the children in our community, of every race and color.
"We have a man who fulfills all these requirements and others as well. That man is William H. Hall."
The following named persons have served as Principals of the High School: William H. Hall, 1872-5; Charles W. Robbins, 1875-8; Fred C. Williams, 1878-80; Henry C. Meyer, 1880-3; Henry W. Lamb, 1883-4; Charles M. Andrews, 1884-6; George
120
HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
E. Beers, 1886-7; James R. Tucker, 1887-8; Roderick W. Hine, 1888-9; Alfred F. Howes, 1889-97; John H. Peck, 1897-1906; Lawrence H. Parker, 1906-7; Walter B. Spencer, 1907-17; Lloyd H. Bugbee, 1917-22; Raymond W. Harriman, 1922.
LLOYD H. BUGBEE
An assistant to the principal was first employed in 1884. Miss Elizabeth S. Elmer of West Hartford was the first to oc- cupy that position. She devoted a portion of her time to teach- ing classes of the highest grade in the Center Grammar School.
| The Junior High School. In 1914 Superintendent Hall in his annual report called attention at some length to the desir- ability of a reorganization of the school system of the town by the introduction of a junior high school division between the gram- mar school grades and the high school, this division to include the seventh and eighth grades of the grammar schools and the freshman class of the high school as the schools were then or- ganized. This system was sometimes called, in communities where it was in operation, the six - three - three system.
121
HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
This reorganization of the West Hartford public school system was finally brought about in 1922. The *Alfred Plant Junior High School was opened in a new building bearing that name located on Whiting Lane adjacent to the East School building, and soon after the ** James Talcott Junior High School was
JAMES TALCOTT
opened in a new building bearing that name, located on' South Quaker Lane at Elmwood. Mr. Lloyd H. Bugbee, at that time Principal of the West Hartford High School, rendered very help- ful and efficient service in the planning for the reorganization of
*Named for Alfred Plant, for several years the efficient Secretary of the Town School Committee, whose death occurred just prior to the erection of the building.
** Named for James Talcott, a native of West Hartford, for many years a successful business man of New York city, who had been the inheritor and owner of the site, and whose son, Frederick Talcott, made a liberal contribution for the establishment of the school on that property.
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HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
WILLIAM H. HALL HIGH SCHOOL
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HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
the public school system and the organization of the Junior High Division.
At the present time a third Junior High School known as the Center Junior High School is in operation in the William H. Hall High School building, but will be removed to a building to be erected in the near future on Park Road between West Hart- ford Main Street and Mountain Road.
T. BELKNAP BEACH
The school year 1922-3, which was the first year of Mr. Bugbee's administration as superintendent, marked a decided advance and improvement in the organization and development of the public school system. The opening of the new High School building at that time, and the appointment of an elemen- tary supervisor to have the general oversight of the elementary schools, provided a fine opportunity for a careful and wise readjustment of the entire school system of the town.
A further development was accomplished in 1926 when the
124
HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
Beach Park Kindergarten and Primary School was opened, and a new, modern, and scientific plan of instruction and training for the youngest children was introduced, under the efficient and wise direction of Miss Rose J. Wathley, elementary super- visor. The school derives its name from Mr. T. Belknap Beach, who gave the spacious lot on which the school was built and also a large and beautiful grove or park which adjoins the school grounds on the south. It commemorates his public-spirited generosity and his continued interest in the public schools, in behalf of which he rendered efficient service for several years as clerk of the School Board.
BEACH PARK KINDERGARTEN AND PRIMARY SCHOOL
The fine large buildings of most modern construction and equipment which within a few years have been built under the direction of the school board on Fern Street and at Elmwood, and the plans which have been formulated for additional build- ings and for new school sites of ample proportion with provisions for extensive playgrounds, indicate clearly the wise and progres- sive policy of the superintendent and the school board and of the citizens of the town, in providing the best educational advantages for the children of the community now and in future years.
Public Instruction in Music. In the earlier years of the history of West Hartford the only opportunity afforded for
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HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
public instruction in music was through the weekly singing schools conducted for a time in the autumn or early winter by itinerant "singing masters" who went from community to community giving instruction and drill in singing. It was not a well organized system or plan, for the work was not con- tinuous from year to year as a rule, and was sometimes omitted entirely. These singing schools afforded the young people fine opportunities for social enjoyment, however, and as such opportunities were of rare occurrence in the community, they were fully improved, but did not contribute to the efficiency and value of the musical teaching and training.
The teaching of music was not required in the public schools. The teachers who went to the home of the Acting School Visitor to pass an examination in order to determine their fitness for the position for which they were applicants were required to read and spell, and to parse a sentence in grammar, but not to sing. They were, however, accustomed to have some singing in connection with the devotional exercises at the opening of the daily session, and on special occasions.
The introduction of regular instruction in music in the public schools of West Hartford was made in 1889 by A. C. Sternberg, who was at that time the Acting School Visitor. The story of its introduction and development from that date as presented in the annual school report for the school year 1927- 1928 is herewith quoted as follows:
In his annual report for the school year 1885-6 Acting School Visitor Adolph C. Sternberg made the following recom- mendation with respect to the introduction of instruction in vocal music, in the public schools of West Hartford :-
"It is urgently desired that the people of West Hartford will evince anew their proved generosity to promote the educational work in our midst and allow the expenditure of an amount necessary for this important branch of study which, it may be stated, is now being introduced in many progressive towns of the state."
This appeal elicited no official response, but evidently it attracted the attention of some of the people, for in his report for the school year 1887-8 Mr. Sternberg presented the following statement: "I have been urged repeatedly by some of our best people to add to the studies that of vocal music. Two years ago the town was asked to make an appropriation to this end -".
In September 1889 the Board of School Visitors appointed Timothy Sedgwick, one of its members, to present to the annual
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HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
town meeting a request for such an appropriation. No action was taken at the meeting. In his report for the school year 1889-90, Mr. Sternberg stated that Prof. Graham of Hartford had given instruction in vocal music in our public schools with commendable success and that the expense had been provided for by private subscriptions.
This patriotic action on the part of Mr. Sternberg and his cooperators evidently aroused the citizens of the town to action, for at the town meeting held in October 1890 it was voted to make an appropriation of $10.00 per week to provide for in- struction in vocal music in the public schools.
Mr. Graham continued his work for another year, coming out from Hartford for his visits to the schools.
Beginning in September 1891 Mrs. J. L. Mallory (now Mrs. T. M. Hodgdon) became the regular instructor in vocal music, devoting time and attention to weekly visits and in- struction in all of the schools and virtually establishing, in an efficient and successful way, instruction in vocal music as an officially and publicly recognized part of the work of the public schools. Mrs. Mallory continued her work very satisfactorily for two years, declining a reappointment. She was succeeded by Miss Francesca Sternberg, daughter of Mr. A. C. Sternberg, who carried on the work successfully for two years.
In 1896 the School Committee engaged Prof. Lewis W. Harvey to serve as supervisor of music in the West Hartford schools. He continued to serve in that capacity for twelve years.
Mrs. Mallory and Miss Sternberg had in connection with their regular work devoted considerable attention to drilling the pupils for participation in public exercises which were held each year illustrating the prominent features of the work in the schools. Prof. Harvey introduced and developed the plan of public musical concerts intended to demonstrate the progress and proficiency of the pupils in singing - as well as to interest the people of the community in this work of the schools.
Miss Helen L. Webb succeeded Prof. Harvey, serving only one year, subsequently taking up the same line of work in the Waterbury public schools.
James D. Price served efficiently as Supervisor of Music in our schools for five years. Ralph A. Peters and Frederick B. Hill had brief terms of service. Keith C. Brown rendered
HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
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ARTIST'S SKETCH OF PROPOSED MODERNISTIC SCHOOL
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HISTORY OF WEST HARTFORD
excellent service for four years and Frank C. Goodale was Supervisor for two years.
With the exception of Miss Webb all these persons who served subsequently to Miss Sternberg divided their time between service rendered here and in other communities.
Following the services of Frank C. Goodale, Albert Cullum acted as Supervisor and Director of Music in the schools of the town from September 1922 to September 1924. His work was well done, and he left us to go to New York as director of in- strumental instruction. Mr. Dana S. Merriman then took over the work and inaugurated an idea which had been discussed with the former supervisor; namely, the presentation of a Concert Course by nationally known artists to the Junior and Senior High Schools without any charge. Mr. Merriman served from September 1924 to October 15, 1925. He left us to become director of the Travelers Broadcasting Studio at Hartford, Connecticut. The services of Mr. Mark A. Davis, formerly director of music in the Greenfield, Mass., public schools, were then secured. He has carried out with marked success the wonderful work that has been inaugurated by his predecessors. The growth and development of the instrumental and various club activities have been phenomonal.
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