When school begins next week, youngsters will head back to a variety of buildings.
There are well-built, well-renovated structures like Greens Farms, Kings Highway and Saugatuck Elementary Schools. One needs renovation (Coleytown El); another is slated for demolition, then an entirely new school (Long Lots).
Bedford Middle School works well, after a quarter century; Coleytown Middle shines, after a mold-induced closing and remodeling.
Then there is our high school. Already 20 years old, the “new” Staples still looks fresh, bright and modern. The $84 million price tag was worth it. It has served generations of students, and will serve many generations more.
But this is only the latest incarnation of Staples High School. Here is a pictorial history, through the years.
In 1884, Horace Staples donated both land and funds to construct the first building. It was on Riverside Avenue, not far from his own home.
Today, the site of the original Staples is the area behind the Saugatuck Elementary School auditorium.
It continued to be used by Bedford Junior High teachers and students until 1967, when it was demolished.
In 1936 — in time for the 50th anniversary of Staples’ first graduating class — a new building was constructed, just north of the original. Today, it’s the central wing of Saugatuck El.
A $800,000 north wing was added 12 years later. It included 5 classrooms, a gym and cafeteria.
The “new” 1948 wing. The original Staples building can be seen in the far background.
In 1959, with school populations surging, the high school moved to a modern new campus on North Avenue.
The California-style architecture included 7 separate buildings, connected by walkways. The design worked well in September, October, May and June. It was a bit problematic the rest of the year.
Clockwise from left: auditorium; vocational arts building; cafeteria; gym; foreign language and other classes; English and social studies; science and math; administration and library.
The view, looking north.
In 1964, an addition on the south added more social studies, math and science classrooms.
A 1978-81 project addressed the many issues of a multi-building, open-air campus (including heating pipes buried inadequately, resulting in frequent malfunctions and disruptions).
The 9 separate structures were all connected. But students and staff continued to refer to the “4 Building” (arts), “6 building” (English and math), etc.
(Photo/Steve Turner)
Eventually, that renovation outlived its usefulness too.
Work began in 2003 on an entirely new Staples. That 3-story building rose, while classes continued in the old one.
Gradually, piece by piece, the old structure was removed.
This was the result, shortly before construction was completed:
And the current view (circa 2020):
(Drone photo/Brandon Malin)
Since 1884, generations of Westporters (and, for a long time, Westonites and Wiltonians) have their own memories of Staples’ buildings.
What are yours? Click “Comments” below.
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trying to get from swimming in the pool to class in the 9 building in 5min was always a challenge 😄
It’s even further now, from one end of campus to the other. And there are 2 sets of stairs to climb, to the 3rd floor.
Spring in the early 1970s….Senior or Junior Day with some students riding motorcycles on the tops of the building walkways…no clue as to how they got them up there!
It all begins with the Staples that my Parents attended and grows and improves and just gets better and better. My class, the class of 1958 was the last to graduate after attending the Riverside buildings.
It sure was a great year!
My older brother was in the Staples class of 1972.
I recall he had classes in the old Riverside Staples when he was in 7th grade at Bedford Junior High. The town had just started the work on the new addition of Bedford Jr.
The over-the-front-door, stone Staples piece was kept/salvaged from the 1884 original and now sits at the entrance on North Avenue.
Yep – it’s called a lintel. I have no idea how I know that.
I’m just curious: what was the percentage of students who had parking spaces on campus back in the day vs today? And was/is there some kind of lottery? I don’t recall ever having a designated space; I parked at Diller’s on Terhune. And I remember several others parking their cars at Lev’s on North Pasture. Of course, I don’t think the older or used cars that we drove are probably commonplace today.
I believe when we were there, Fred (Class of ’71), there was some kind of system where 2 people (seniors) shared one space. I think they were assigned. The idea was the 2 people would work it out together. The strategy was to share a space with someone who did not have a car, or did not drive often. That’s because there were 2,000 students in the school — in just 3 grades — so there were lots of drivers.
Fred- I recall here was a requirement of 3 student names per assigned parking space for the class of ’73. You had it made if you could find two friends who didn’t have cars.
Those were the days when students were allowed to leave campus for lunch. Norwalk’s Lum’s, on the Post Road, was where 6 or 7 of us went often. “Freedom” If they could draft you and send you to Vietnam, they assumed you were adult enough to leave for lunch?
Part of open campus was the times, and the “we trust you” environment that suffused the school. Part was to relieve the crush of people in the cafeteria at lunch time.
We moved from Westport after I was in 8th grade, though I remember going to the original Staples building, then part of Bedford Jr. High, where we (LongLots and Bedford Jr. Highs) had joint orchestra practice.
Living behind Staples in the multi-building stage, the campus made for great bike riding.