Center School
Kindergarten (undated)
One look at this busy
classroom scene evokes
memories of past Decembers
when teachers and students
alike counted the days until
a well deserved holiday
break to celebrate the
season and the beginning of
a new year! Such a festive
time! As the town's
population has grown over
the past century, children
from families of many faiths
and cultures have brought
their customs into
classrooms to share with
their teachers and
classmates.
This image, likely a
kindergarten, was captured
in a classroom in the
earlier years of the Center
School building that still
stands on the green today.
Hard to say exactly when
this photo was taken, but
the new school building
opened to students on
September 3,
1929. Kindergarten was still
optional, and a largely new
occurrence in public
schools. Parents in town
were increasingly interested
in giving their children a
headstart on formal
schooling, though. Converse
Street School converted one
of their classrooms to a
kindergarten around this
time with success. Norway
Street School was too
crowded for one, but parents
were invited to send their
children to the new Center
School one if they chose.
Miss Lorraine W. Benner was
hired to teach the new
Center School kindergarten
at an annual salary of
$1450. Her classroom had 25
students. Perhaps she and
her students were better off
than the 3rd grade classroom
that held 39 students that
year!
The "New Center School- c. 1929
Per the 1929 Annual Town Report:
“The building committee and the
superintendent of schools spent
much time studying modern
features of school equipment.
They decided to use movable
chairs and tables in the three
lower grades as well as in the
kindergarten. The upper grades
were equipped with the usual
fixed desks but with swivel
chairs. On September 3, nine
rooms were occupied, six by the
regular grades one by the
kindergarten. The layout of the
finished building stands as
follows: auditorium with stage,
12 classrooms (including
kindergarten and a room for
special class work), library and
board room, dental clinic,
health room, teachers’ restroom,
reception room, principal's
office, serving room, stockroom,
four toilet rooms, two basement
playrooms with lunch counter,
boiler room and janitor’s work
room.” The total cost for the
new school was $125,900. Next
door, the Junior High shop
classes built 51 flower box
stands and 2 chests for blocks
for the new school.
The Longmeadow Historical
Society wishes all town
teachers, staff, parents and
children a joyous and peaceful
holiday break this year! You
certainly deserve it! Perhaps in
100 years, we’ll be writing
about your extraordinary efforts
in 2020 to keep school going for
our children during a global
pandemic.
