Hometown Weekly Correspondent
Its official address is 88R (R stands for rear) South Street. Today it is the home to Medfield High but 50 years ago next month it was built as the new Medfield Junior High. It later dropped the Junior High name and became the Medfield Middle School. The then Medfield Middle School was renamed the Thomas A. Blake Middle School in 1991 at a dedication ceremony honoring the former superintendent of schools.
In 2005 the Thomas A. Blake Middle School and the Amos Clark Kingsbury High School (aka Medfield High) switched buildings and their names went with them. Because of that switch the 24 Pound Street building became the middle school and the 88R South Street building became Medfield High.
The new junior high opened for grades seven and eight on February 28, 1966. At that time 296 children entered the new school. One week later on March 7 grade 6 arrived from Dale Street with 162 additional students.
The buildings new principal, James H. Morris, announced that “as all students had previously been given an orientation to the school, the opening went smoothly.” The Open House for the new school was held on May 22, 1966 and was well attended by the townspeople.
The program of studies which had been modified due to the crowded conditions in the Amos Clark Kingsbury Junior-Senior High School on 24 Pound Street was expanded to its previous level with the addition of eight new teachers. A full and complete program of studies was now in effect at the new school.
Building Committee Chairman Harry Kelleher and members of the building committee were given thanks by Superintendent Thomas A. Blake for the “many hours spent in planning and supervising the construction of this very functional school.”
The new school’s first principal, James H. Morris, who had degrees from Providence College and Boston University, was no stranger to the Medfield educational circles.
Morris was first hired in 1955 as a math and science teacher at the high school. In 1961 he took on the duties as part-time assistant principal, in addition to his duties as a math and science teacher. He became the full-time assistant principal at the high school in 1964 and when the new junior high opened in 1966, he was named its first principal.
In 1968 Morris went on to become assistant superintendent of schools, a position he held until 1976 when he retired and left Medfield after more than 20 years of service to the town.
The original 1966 part of 88R South Street was greatly expanded and added onto from 2003-2005, creating the current Medfield High School building you see today. But it was 50 years ago when the original 88 R South Street opened to great fanfare as the new Medfield Junior High.
Richard DeSorgher is a Hometown Weekly Correspondent. To reach Richard, email [email protected].
