by Elizabeth Connolly
Hometown Weekly Reporter
It was a bittersweet Friday evening June when hundreds gathered to say goodbye to Bird Middle School (BMS) in East Walpole. Since the brand new Walpole Middle School is scheduled to open this Fall, demolition on BMS which began on Monday, June 17.
Former students and teachers, many with their family and friends in tow, wandered through the classrooms and hallways, reminiscing. “This was my favorite place,” murmured one woman, entering the art room. “So many memories.” Others took turns standing on the stage in the auditorium, thinking about their time in drama club, playing an instrument, or helping out backstage. In the gym, you could find many people dribbling basketballs or simply taking in the space. “I get anxiety just walking in here,” someone said to a friend with a laugh. “That rope climb was tough.”
Old friends met in hallways, some for the first time in years. “Good to see you, man! How long has it been?” said one. “A long time!” the other said as they shook hands. There were whispers through the hallways about which teachers were recently spotted and where classmates were these days. Some folks stated their disbelief that their former school was soon to be crumbled, while others expressed their relief. “It’s time,” one man admitted. “Look at this place. It has seen better days, for sure.”
In 1958, the town purchased 21 acres from the prominent Bird Family to begin construction of East Junior High, which later became BMS. The school was completed in 1961, and the first principal was Leonard Downs, a longtime Walpole school administrator. In 2021, a feasibility study on the two Walpole middle schools was conducted. The study suggested that the buildings were near the end of their usable life, having both been built in the 1960s.
The new school will combine 6th, 7th and 8th grade students that previously would have gone to either Johnson Middle School or BMS. Each grade will be assigned a level, and there will be shared spaces such as the cafeteria and the gymnasium.
