Goodbye to old schools
The demolition of the former Camden High School, after the state decided not reaccredit the high school in 1979. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
(Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
Camden High School, in 1904. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
Elm Street School, on the corner of Union and Elm streets in Camden. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
Camden High School teachers, in the 1940s. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
(Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
Elm Street School class. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
Teachers at Camden High School in 1909. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
The demolition of the former Camden High School, after the state decided not reaccredit the high school in 1979. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
(Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
Camden High School, in 1904. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
Elm Street School, on the corner of Union and Elm streets in Camden. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
Camden High School teachers, in the 1940s. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
(Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
Elm Street School class. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
Teachers at Camden High School in 1909. (Photo courtesy Barbara F. Dyer)
PenBayPilot.com is reprising past columns written by Barbara F. Dyer, our friend and Camden historian, who died in 2022. We miss her, and her insightful pieces about Camden history. We are grateful for all that she has left us. This column, "Goodbye to old schools", was first published in 2016.
As in every town and city, schools are always not only a budget item, but the building of new schools and districts are a hot voting project, as well. Camden is no different and now the question on everyone's mind is the school board's recommendation to tear down the buildings on Knowlton Street and build new ones for the junior high students.
If you are fortunate enough to live to be "elderly," you have seen many suggestions as the population changes. So do ideas of what is good for education today. The money must be considered in order for property owners to be able to pay their taxes. My thoughts are that people who do not own property should not be able to vote on the school budget and new buildings. But that will never happen.
High school education was unusual, back when Elijah Kellogg was writing series of books for boys. There was little mention of high school, but it was more about what trade they could learn.
He was a Congregational minister, lecturer and writer, who was born in Portland in 1813 and died in 1901. His series were written from about 1868 to 1883.
Later on, Gilbert Patten who summered in Camden, wrote the “Frank and Dick Merriwell "series of the all American boy, and college was a big part of those stories.
In 1862, schools were placed in various parts of town because all children had to walk. They were graded and became the Megunticook District, incorporated by the Legislature in 1874. It was stated that we had "eight good school houses and 12 poor ones.” The estimated value was $11,850.
The Elm Street School, built in 1869, was one of them. Later, this building also included Camden High School.
The first graduating class of 1899 had only seven, and they included Nellie Payson, Louise Rollins, Orren Andrews, Olive Day, Julia Start, Maude Gould and Bessie Bowers.
The class sizes grew, and it was decided to build the Camden High School on Knowlton Street in 1904 on four and one-half acres of land for $20,000.
When I attended the high school in the 1940s, the third floor began to shake, rattle and roll whenever the band was practicing upstairs.
An addition was built in front of the old high school in 1956. It served until Camden-Rockport became a district, so the last Camden High School Class graduated in 1965.
The roof had slate shingles and years later they began to fall off. It was in 1979 that the school was denied accreditation by the Maine Department of Educational and Cultural Services.
The towns decided to demolish old Camden High School. Later, they had the first five grades in Rockport, as it included students from both Camden and Rockport.
As time went on, people had moved from the cities to Camden and wanted a bigger and better school, adding Hope, Appleton and Lincolnville to be with the Camden and Rockport students.
The new high school was located in Rockport, so all students had to be bussed and the school with everything did have many problems with some of the construction. Some of the students said they were not able to use their lockers, but had to carry their books all day because they did not have time to get from one class to another in the large building.
Times change and schools change. Instead of two sports they have so many it is hard to choose how many sport they can take and still have time to study their homework.
Pictures always help to tell a story.
Barbara F. Dyer has lived in Camden all of her life, so far.
More Barbara Dyer
The demise of a Camden-built vessel
Camden’s wooden boat builders were perfectionists
Building wooden boats in Camden, many years ago
Socializing and such, before television
The first years of the Camden Snow Bowl
The many moods of Camden Harbor
Demise of the Camden steamboat wharf
Curtis Island Lighthouse - the sentinel of Camden Harbor
