Page 24 - North Haven Magazine Issue 20 Autumn 2021

A Modern Education for a Modern World:

by Marisa Hexter

Schooling is a collective memory in all of our lives. We remember teachers and classes we
had, books we were assigned (and sometimes did not always read), and even more memories
with our friends in the hallway or on the playground. Depending on when you graduated, you
might all remember a different building as your high school; sometimes with a different town’s
name attached. North Haven’s secondary education has a long history, dating back possibly to
the 1830s, but it was not until 1953 that the first North Haven High School was officially built
and used. Since then, the high school has seen many changes from additions to entirely new
buildings, but the focus has always remained on the ability to give North Haven students the
best education.
rom its initial roots, North Haven thrived overload of students. Classes were being held
Fas a small-town farming community. Be- in basements, cafeterias, gymnasiums, and believed the number of students in the high
cause of its consistent population size during for Center School, the basement of the Con- school during the first academic year equaled
the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, there gregational Church. The ability to educate the total population of North Haven just a de-
was no need for larger secondary schools, be- the growing population of young students cade before, showing the drastic increase in
yond what is now known as junior high lev- could not be satisfied at the level of which the the town’s population in just a short time.
els. One-room schoolhouses were staples in schools were able to handle. Thus, talks were
the different districts, teaching students of all in the works for another elementary school Population increases did not stop but instead
ages at a sixth-grade level. Children also were as well, along with additions and moderniza- surged even more, and it was not long before
not required to go to school after the age of tions to the already existing education build- there was talk of another school being built
14 if they were employed. Those children who ings. With overcrowding in their own schools nearby a high school. Another building was
did continue their education either went to and being denied entry for their students by constructed and finished in 1960, now hous-
private school or vocational schools to learn surrounding towns due to their own prob- ing the upperclassmen, while the first high
trade skills. From 1850 to 1860, North Haven lems with capacity limits, North Haven saw school now held the underclassmen. The for-
briefly had private secondary education avail- it was time to finally incorporate secondary mer is now known as East Campus and the
able at the North Haven Academy, which was education in town, and build a high school. latter as West Campus. Further expansion
located in the center of town. Over 100 stu- was completed with the opening of Orchard
dents studied there in its short tenure. While Hill in 1968, which now housed seventh and
the Academy did not necessarily prepare their eighth graders, allowing the high schools to
pupils for higher education, the students did accommodate two years each, though it is
leave with practical life skills. known students would move from one school
North Haven started seeing problems with to the other depending on which classes they
had. The elementary schools were also up-
overcrowding at the end of World War II dated during this time. Newly constructed
when the population in town started to in- buildings included Temple Street, Montowese
crease at a faster rate than before. By this time, in 1959, Green Acres in 1965, Mill Road in
North Haven had three elementary schools, 1963, and Clintonville in 1969.
Center, Montowese, and Ridge Road. These
schools stopped at sixth grade, when students In a brief time, North Haven saw many
then went on to secondary school in nearby The building of a high school in town was changes to its educational environment.
towns like Hamden, Wallingford, Meriden, met with some opposition who thought this From having only a small group of schools to
East Haven, and New Haven, as they all had change was too much for a small farming the creation of a modernized high school, ju-
high schools. As per a state mandate, a town community, but the need for modernized nior high, and elementary schools, North Ha-
with no secondary education was required to schooling in a booming population greatly ven understood the importance of creating its
pay either full or partial tuition per student outweighed the dissatisfaction from some own cohesive educational system. They saw
sent to a neighboring town. In the end, this community members. In 1950, the education the importance of having a high school de-
was less expensive for North Haven to do committee agreed on the construction of a gree and creating an academic system where
than build newer schools. But at the same high school, which would consist of 25 rooms. students could move onto higher education
time, as populations were growing, there was That same year, as well as in 1952, contracts as well. As time went on, there were more
an increasing problem of overcrowding in were awarded for the new building, and the changes to this system. Some schools closed
those schools, which meant that many began development of the high school began. The down and today, North Haven has a differ-
limiting or stopped accepting out-of-town building was finished in 1953 and housed the ent high school, a new middle school as well.
students. As this drew nearer to North Haven, graduating classes of 1955 to 1961, seniors While the construction of a high school was
the concern for a fast fix to secondary educa- to sixth graders who were moved to the new originally met with opposition from some,
tion became the main focus. high school to help with the overcrowding at when finished, the North Haven High School
the elementary schools for the time being.
Elementary schools were seeing the same The North Haven High School’s total cost was became a place of pride in the community,
showcasing the great abilities of the young
problem with overcrowding, and by the $2,118,528.18. Today, that number would be pupils in town to thrive and grow.
1950-1951 school year, all three elementa- about nine times the cost. The pupil capac-
ry schools were on an average 30% capacity ity was 1,342 with 125,040 square feet. It is

24 North Haven Magazine - Autumn Issue 2021