New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-04-16
HIGH SCHOOL FOR
PLAINV|LLE READY
First Glasses Viii Enter Rooms
Next Tuesday Morning
Especial to the Herald)

serve also as a community center, Is
opened. The Chamber OF Com
merce will hold its annual banquet
In the gymnasium Monday night,
and on Tuesday morning the first
classes will be held in the fine new
structure on East street. The
formal "opening" IS planned for the
evening OF May I.
Decades ago Plainville had high
school. but it was necessarily small
thing and finally was abandoned.
Schuyler P. Williams. grand Juror
and member OF the present school
committee, was principal OF this al
most prehistoric school for several
terms. From the time OF vacatlns
this until a few years ago hiSh
school students from Pla'nville We're
accommodated In New Britain and
Bristol, but these two cities, faced
with overcrowding, have recently
been forced to exclude pupils from
this town.
This step was met temporarily by
conducting high school classes IN
the Linden street grade school'
since the neighboring cities were
willing to retain pupils already en-
rolled the local secondary school,
O, which Austin r. liamm was
principal. at first contained only
freshmen. The next year ther"
we're two classes and at present
there are three; a full high school
course will be given beginning next
YEAR and the first class TO graduate
will receive its diplomas IN JUNE
1928. Phillips H. Lord has been
principal for the past two years ana
,,ilI b., the first to have charge Oh
the new building which has no"
been completed after more than TWO
wears Of preparation and several
months Of actual construction work.
To lie Community Center
The school is purposcd TO serve
as a community center, thihs
which Plainyille sadly lacks a,
present. The gymnasium and an-
ditorium will be available for dances
lectures, basketball games, ana other
social and athletic events conducteh
by local societies, and committee
has Dee0 d1pp4lItti w 4''~' - 'S
of their rental.
This community welfare mission
i. symbolized by series OF seven
civic windows placed directly across
from the main entrance between the
corridor and the gymnasium. Ihese
are seven panels Of tapestry glass,
on each OF which IS cut symbol OF
coma civic virtue. Government IS
reoresented by q balance scale, pro-
lection by a freman's helmet, educa-
ton bv a lamp OF learning. re-
,tr,on bv Roman cross, health by
a Greek cross. patriotism by an
American flag. and commerce by the
building facade used in all htera-
ulre of the State Chamber OF Com
merce.
These windows were purchased
through subscriptions OF various
town organizations The selectmen
and other town officials contributed
the government panel: the police
and fire departments the protecuon
the grammar school alumni and tn'
present school teaching staifs inc
education; the churches the religion
panel: the Plainvlle Public Health
Nursing association and the doctors
the health: Rrock-Barnes post
American Legion, the G. A. r. and
other veteran organizations the pa
triotIsm; and the Chamber OF Com
merce the commerce panel.
Designed by the School Service bu-
reau OF Middletown and erected by
tho firm OF Lawrence & Coe OF Hart
ford. the school today stands com
p'eted and ready for occupancy. i
was planned only after a thorough
examination Of all the small hlgt
schools IN the state by Superintcn
dent OF Schools /. S. Mills and mem
hers OF tho high school building
committee, OF which Frank II
Wheeler was chairman. All OF the
mos. up~to-date and worthwhile fea-
lures Of these We're included. yet Tbs
building was so planned that hEurcs
show Il contains more floor space
per dollar than any other school re-
Gently built in the state. It Is Sc
constructed that addition. may b.
made at a minimum OF expense.
The school is OF brick cons'rr"
ZION with pressed stone trimming
-. :. srenroor throuchout. TIL
n,a OF huge steel beams 10 carr,
the weight effected a great saFin
in cos, and also brought about great
or safety while smaller steel STRIP
we're used FOR the balance OF liz
framework. The partitions are oi
tie brick, the large size Of whlcI
permitted further monetary SAVING
The stairs and corridors are waii.1
and Hoorel with tireproof cowpo@i.
.fon, and there is no well" up Thicf
= draught might fan a fire, Above
the main entrance IS tho Latin IN
scription, "Quod face hene fac.
tWha, you 10, do welD, with a -.
below the seal of Connecticut aboy"
"rlainvile High School" is acros,
the extreme top. The building ts j:
the form OF a letter "E'' with th'
vertical stroke fronting East str@e
and the three arms reaching tow"It
the rea-. Classrooms are located II
the main stroke and outer bars Q
the "E." while in the middle ho
are The gymnasium. and, above It
the auditorium.
On the ground floor are the do
nestle science and sewing rooms, Al
equipped with the latest devices. TT
"nrst floor" contains a suite OF Of
fees for the principal and for Tn
supprintcndent of schools. n library
and five classrooms. also a nurse
room and restroom for the teachers
on the upper floors are the h!oloF'
and chemistry rooms, 'ypeWrlini
olassrooms and SIX other class
rooms.
The gymnasium is Just below IN
ground floor level and is Of larg