On Wakefield Street stands Spaulding High School. It was built in 1939 and is one of the most beautiful high school buildings in New England. Did you know Previous to 1939 Wakefield Street was also the home of Rochester high school? It was the city’s public high school in the early part of the 20th century.
welcome to the Rochester New Hampshire History Podcast a monthly show that will shine a light on a piece of history that has been all but forgotten on Wakefield Street St Spalding High School it was built in 1939 and is one of the most beautiful high school buildings in New England did you know previous to 1939 Wakefield Street was also the home of Rochester High School it was the city’s public high school in the early part of the 20th century to understand the origin of Rochester High School one must go back to the 1800s back then Rochester students never had a permanent high school they were shifted around to existing schools and took their classes and buildings that also housed Elementary grade students the old Main Street School the Maple Street school and the Allen school at one time or the other was used for high school classes in 1898 mayor William Bradley advocated for a brand new high school building and by 1900 the city budgeted money for a new high school building in addition money was also budgeted to purchase a Solomon Evans house on Wakefield Street this beautiful house was moved and Rochester High School was built on the vacant lot in 1901 the new high school was completed and according to the city’s annual report some of the biggest expenses were $23,600 paid to the contractors Maguire and Penman $3,000 paid to the Allen fire department Supply Company $1,200 paid paid to William Walker and Son architect $938,000 one permitted boys and girls to use the same entrance and exit the school’s basement was 10 ft high and contained restrooms was also used for gym classes back then public transportation for Rochester’s high school students did not exist if you rode a bike to school you would wheel your bike down a ramp and store it in the basement the third floor contained an assembly hall the high school did not have a cafeteria as there was no need for students to have lunch since a classes were only from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. the school did have sports teams but lacked athletic fields and a basketball court their basketball team played in the City Hall Auditorium baseball games were played at the Rochester common and football games were played at Cold Spring Park [Music] in 1926 a vacational building was built next to the high school to teach industrial Arts despite the new vocational building the school was overcrowded to find extra space the Assembly Hall was converted to classrooms the assemblies and graduations were held in the nearby Rochester Opera House in City Hall also by the late 1930s Rochester High School which was built at the turn of the century was considered rundown and did not have the resources required for a 20th century high school education in 1939 Spalding High School was built on Wakefield Street it was a modern red brick building with imposing white pillars and it replaced the old Rochester high school after more than 30 years of use the Rochester High School building was demolished and disappeared from the city skyline today a church resides in the spot where the old higho school was this ends the podcast if you have any questions or comments please email Bob Griffin podcast gmail.com and come back next month for another episode of Rochester New Hampshire history [Music]