By Paul Dumas
On November 27, 1810, a meeting was held at John Needham's home to discuss the building of a school in District No. 8. John Needham was a member of the School Committee, along with Joseph Newhall and John Marsh. They first meeting was adjourned until December when they procured a school house.
They voted to raise funds to defray the expenses of the school. On the second day of April 1811, the inhabitants voted John Marsh to be Treasurer of the district. It was ten years later when it was voted to "open the school as soon as possible". The following year, residents voted to use town money for the school. (Source: Manuscript of the Peabody Historical Society, 1810)
Thaddeus MacCarty was a Boston merchant who got land from his father-in-law, Lieutenant Francis Johnson. Johnson was born in England in 1608. When he grew up, he moved to Marblehead, Massachusetts. He met and soon married a woman named Hannah. They had seven children. He sold his house in Marblehead in 1666 and moved to Boston.
Before this happened, he received land grants in the South Peabody area known as Johnson's Plain. He chose where the Johnson's Plain would be. Now, South Memorial School and South Congregational Church are situated there. (Source: John Wells, The Peabody Story, p. 83-84)
The Stone School was built on the left of Lynnfield Street near the County Street intersection. Originally a 20-foot by 20-foot school, it became a dwelling in 1836.
See also: "Stone Schoolhouse on Lynnfield Street Was Second Building" (NEED TO LOCATE AND MAKE APPENDIX)
Provide details on what happened to the first South School while it was under construction in 1869? Describe the expansion and eventual disposition of the building.
By Chris Smith
In September 1869, the Rockville/South School was being built in South Peabody as a four-room, two-story building. During construction, a great gale blew down the unfinished building, forcing the school to be rebuilt. It was reported that the "framework of the building was smashed into match sticks. Undaunted by this blast of nature, South Peabody people undertook the task of rebuilding the schoolhouse almost immediately, with Benjamin Hill, father of the late Charley Hill of the Salem Evening News, being engaged as the contractor. For the erection of the South School, the town appropriated the sum of $16,000. It was built to replace the outmoded, one-room Rockville school on Lynn Street which passed into oblivion with the elimination of school districts," reported Ed Meaney in an article in the Peabody Times in 1948.
Mr. Warren Galeucia, a student of various early South Peabody schools described the destruction wreaked by the "great September gale that blew the unfinished structure down. It was framed in and the roof partially on, as I remember. The contractors had to tear it all down and begin all over again at the sills and first floor." [Source: "Stone Schoolhouse on Lynnfield Street was Second Building", Frank C. Damon, Salem Evening News,1927]
The school, which had a hand-bell that was used to call students to class, was completed in 1872. The School had three rooms and a hall. The hall was utilized at one time by the South Congregational Church while the construction of the church was completed. [Source: Salem Evening News, 1/23/1948]
In 1901, the town expanded the school and it was replaced in 1950 by the current South Memorial School. The vacant school was later razed for homes.
See Also: "Description of Remodeled South Schoolhouse", 1901 (Appendix 1)
Who was Lieutenant Charles B. Warner?
Charles Boardman Warner, a very popular teacher at the Rockville school beginning in 1855, fought and died in the battle of Fair Oaks during the Civil War.
He was born March 2, 1835, the son of Nathaniel and Harriet Warner of New Hampshire. He married Lizzie Osborne, a South Danvers woman, in 1860. He was an officer of the Jordan Lodge of Freemasons. (Source: History of Freemasonry in Danvers, 1778-1896, D.A. Massey, 1896)
According to the South Danvers Wizard newspaper, Warner served in the Massachusetts 19th regiment, Company K and held the rank of Second Lieutenant. In January of 1862, he was stationed at the company's headquarters near Mudge Branch, Maryland and wrote home describing the camp's first snowfall and how he distributed the extra clothing furnished by ladies in South Danvers to the local men.
In July of that year, a telegram was received "announcing that Lieutenant C.B. Warner was killed in the battle of that day in front of Richmond. An official announcement came the following day: "…In the conflict of Wednesday last, the 9th regiment was in the right wing of our army, upon the extreme left of Gen. Hooker's division, and was consequently one of the first to receive the shock of battle. In this engagement, Mr. Warner was killed. This was the first time the 19th had been under fire since Lieut. Warner joined it, the battle of Ball's Bluff having occurred some time before. It is certainly a singular fact, that the at the first battle his company was in, Lieut. Warner was the first and only one killed or wounded. The death of Mr. Warner is a great loss." (Source: South Danvers Wizard, 7/2/1865)
It was a solemn day in the village on July 3, 1682 when Warner's funeral was held. All flags were drooping.
The following letter was received announcing the death of Mr. Warner:
Camp Lincoln, June 26th, 1862
Dear Sir, - Our forces at this point were engaged with the enemy yesterday. The 19th participated. Among the casualties, I regret to announce to you the death of Lieut. Chas. B. Warner who fell at the first fire, from a wound in the breast that killed him instantly. Thus, in the discharge of his duty, at his post of danger, fell one who, by his many warm friends among his brother officers: to none more so than the officers of his own company, in which are many of his earlier friends, to whom his death causes profound grief. Sadly, they will look at his vacant place in our ranks, and in vain listen for his cheerful words of encouragement. He has gone from among us, to be happy we hope, to the home of the blest we trust.
To God's care and mercy we entrust him in our prayers as we consign all that is mortal of our companion and friend to his relatives and friends.
His body has been embalmed and we send it by express to you at So. Danvers. We endeavored to have his brother, George, accompany his remains home, but the rules of the service forbid it, and he, poor fellow has to remain here. Your obd't serv't,
Chas. U. Devereux
To: C. Warren Osborne, Esq., S. Danvers
When the current South School was built, pupils were relocated from the wooden facility to the new building. Using published accounts and interviews, tell the story from a student's point of view.
By James Lisk
It was a clear day and there was little snow on the ground.
The students packed up their supplies in brown paper bags that day and
took a short walk across the street to the brand, new, shiny building.
They left behind the old South School, a wooden facility located between
where Brown and Carlton streets now sit.
It had taken the boys days to carry supplies to the new school. Many students helped the teachers put up decorations in the new school to have the school look attractive for the public inspection of the building.
Before we left the old school, we were given shopping bags to put our books in. The bells in the old School rang for the last time and we filed out the north door. Our pictures were taken outside the school, and then we continued our way across the street to the steps of the new South Memorial School, where we once again lined up for photographs. We entered the building in the rear door, near Cashman Street.
As we went up the stairway and down the hall to room 202, we realized how different everything seemed. The walls were yellow on two sides, one wall was filled with windows and the other wall was painted white. The room had many shelves, a tile floor and many moveable desk chairs. The tops of the desks could be adjusted to different angles.
The sound of Christmas carols could be heard as we sat down at our desks. Right in the middle of the music, the loudspeaker asked for Charlie Williams to report to the office. The janitor, it seems, was testing the loudspeaker to see if the students could hear it or not.
In a short time, a bell rang, signaling us to go home.
The day had certainly been an exciting one for all of us.
Undated newspaper clipping from the Lynn Evening Item - Courtesy of the Peabody Historical Society
South School went in new direction.
Forty years ago, students were relocated from wooden facility to new building.
By Jeff Shmase
It was 40 years ago last Friday that students from the South Memorial School packed up their belongings and made a short walk diagonally across the street to a new, gleaming building - what is now the new South School.
The old school was wooden and located between where Brown and Carlton Street now sit. There are six Cape Cod homes where the old school was.
…Warren Innis, the maintenance supervisor at South School, was a Grade 8 student in 1951. But Innis told South Principal John Birmingham Friday that he remembers the Friday in December 1951, quite well when students carried their supplies in brown paper bags to the big, new school. (Students went in their first school for grades 1to 8 back in 1951, before going to the old Peabody High on Central Street.)
John Doyle was the principal of South School that year, and stayed
on until1966, when he retired in June and was replaced by Birmingham. Doyle
left Birmingham a copy of a short hand-written essay about the move from
the old school to the new school that was written by then Grade 7 students
Carol Walsh."
Editor's note: Walsh's letter was the basis of Lisk's student account
of the transition.
Recount the history of the naming of the South Memorial School, the creation of a memorial tablet and the open house held in 1951.
By Rich Luciano
The people of South Peabody chose the name South Memorial
Grammar School. It was presented by William Daly, ward councilor.
"There has been nothing in the records to indicate that any attempts were ever-made to change the name of the South School, either to commemorate the memory of a war hero or a leading South Peabody citizen. There is no other reason for the naming of the school than the fact that it is located in South Peabody and the name 'South' is justified," reported Ed Meaney in an article in the Peabody Times in 1948.
A member of the school committee, Mr. Murphy, thought that the Gold Star* mothers should be contacted for their views on the name for the School.
Another school committee member, Dr. Ellis, thought that the school should honor all veterans not just one specific individual. The name "South Memorial School" was finally selected.
On February 15, 1951, the School Committee received a communication from John M. Gray Co., architects for the new school, that the use of bronze for purposes such as a memorial tablet would become illegal after March 1, 1951.
The School Committee tried to get approval for the bronze memorial tablet before bronze was outlawed for uses such as that. The reason for the proposed law is unknown to me; however, my grandfather, Salvatore Luciano, who was in the Army during the time of the Korean War recollection that the tips of the bullets were made of bronze or a mixture with bronze in it. This could be the reason that bronze was outlawed because the Korean War was going on at that time.
A memorial plaque to all veterans of World War I, World War II and the Korean Conflict was ordered to be placed outside the school. Today, this plaque is located on a rock in front of the entrance to the auditorium. It reads:
The plaque and the stone was knocked down in 1996 by a snow plow and has been restored.
The School Committee decided that the names of the following people be inscribed in a tablet to be located in the main entrance foyer of the school:
Other names to be included on the plaques:
An open house was held at the school on October 28, 1951 and again on November 4, 1951. The school was inspected and visitors flocked to the new school to look at the modern technology and classrooms. All of the classrooms were designed for a specific grade level and the blackboards, which were green to prevent eye-strain, were located at appropriate heights for the intended audience of the classroom.
Lockers were located inside the classrooms for the younger children so the teachers could make sure everything ran smoothly. For the older children, the lockers were recessed in the hallway walls. The tack boards were decorated by students to show how their work would be displayed.
The principal's office was brightly painted and well planned. Most adult visitors felt that it took away "the fear" of the principal's office and would be better for the children. Visitors were also impressed with the glass display case outside the central office, where student's work would be displayed.
Another technological high point in the office was the Public Address system for the school. It served as a two-way radio between the Principal's office to any given room in the school, and as a public address system. This was designed so teachers would not have to always walk to the officer to talk with the principal.
* Gold Star mothers have sons or daughters who were killed in combat while on active duty in the United States Armed Forces.
Editor's Note: The 1997-98 South Memorial School Improvement Plan includes a request for an intercom that would connect classrooms on the second floor with the office.
Who are the namesakes of Carroll-Savage Park, the school's play area?
Carroll Savage and Frank J. Martinack were graduates of the South School who served during World War I.
"These two Peabody youths have been remembered in their own section of the city - the Carroll Savage playground, which is but a few yards from the South School, being named for that war hero, and Martinack Avenue bearing the name of that youthful veteran," reported Ed Meaney in the Peabody Times in 1948.
What are the unique programs and features of the South Memorial School?
By Chris Smith
The South Memorial School, built in 1956, has many special programs.
Passos Avante is a bilingual, preschool program that teaches English to
young Portuguese and Hispanic children. The students come from throughout
the city and occupy three classrooms at the school.
"It allows to be able to give them a little bit of a head start so they can start kindergarten on an even footing with all the kids who come out of English speaking families," explained South Memorial School Principal Timothy Murphy. [Source: Interview with Murphy, 3/11/1998]
Two other unique features of the South School are its time capsule and its "secret garden", both of which were buried in the 1980's.
Helene Skerry, who is now the Principal of the Center School, was then the Vice-Principal of the South School. She recalled, "We were doing a story in Reading class about a time capsule and we decided to make our own time capsule. Janet Resnaham, who is now a teacher at the West School, was my student teacher at the time. Her boyfriend, who is now her husband, dug the hole on a Sunday and we made it (the capsule) out of white PVC pipe so it's waterproof. The children contributed memorabilia. I know there's a picture of Larry Bird in there. We put in some trading cards, a tape of music. It was meant to be memorabilia of that year and the idea was that it would be dug up at another time."
That same year, the students at the school planted a bulb garden to coincide with a live, interactive theater performance of "The Secret Garden". "We had talked about how plain the front of the school was so we had the whole edge of the school dug up and rototilled up to the walkway. We took out the weeds and the PTO bought bags of bulbs," said Skerry.
"At that time we had about 400 children in the building
and every child had their own bulb. We set it off into little compartments,
you had so many blocks on the walkway, so class by class, grade by grade,
the students planted the bulbs. We had it planned as to where the jonquils
and tulips would be and we planted our secret garden. When all the flowers
bloomed the following spring it was magnificent. We called it our secret
garden, but none of the kids picked the flowers because they had planted
them. We planted again the following year and the nest year we had 800
flowers."
From the Salem Evening News, "Peabody Happenings", Sept. 12, 1901
Description of Remodeled South Schoolhouse
Peabody, Sept. 12. - The South schoolhouse, built in 1869 by Benjamin M. Hills as a four-room, two-story building has been enlarged and remodeled at a cost of $12,000 and although this work was not begun until about July 1, it will be ready for occupancy on Monday next and will be open to public inspection between the hours of 1 and 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
The question of making any changes or expending any large amount of money on this building was considered by the town for two years before definite action was taken, and now the people in the southern part of the town, who were the most anxious for the improvement, are well planned and satisfied with the work, which they think will provide them with ample school accommodations for a number of years.
The question came as whether to build another small schoolhouse or enlarge the old one, and the later course was adopted.
Exteriorly the building presents a fine appearance. The old building was raised one foot, moved forward 32 feet and an addition 80 x 79 feet added to the rear, making a two-story building, 72 feet square, set on a cut granite foundation with large windows on all sides to light the basement.
There are wide entrances on the front and two sides, with inside stairways leading to each, thus giving ample means of exit in case of necessity. The first floor contains four rooms and the second floor contains about 28 feet wide. It is laid with a hard pine floor and will make a fine place for exhibition purposes.
There is a large amount of open hallway on each floor in the center of which are racks for clothing and rubbers, with steam pipes running beneath for drying purposes, an idea which will prove healthful to the children as well as convenient.
The finish of the new part is in No. Carolina pine, which is filled and varnished the natural wood color. All the new rooms have ample closet conveniences for the teachers, and the latest improve slate blackboards. The walls throughout the building have been kalsomined attractive tints that give them a bright and cheerful appearance.
The basement of the building is of high quality, light and dry with cemented floor, plastered ceiling and plenty of room for the pupils in wet weather. The basement is divided into two parts: one for the girls and the other for the boys, and is provided with modern toilet closets and plenty of them. Two stairways lead to the first floor.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the remodeled building is the heating and ventilating apparatus, which is the very latest and most approved system. This heating in the new part is by the indirect system and in the old part by both direct and indirect. In every room in the building there are two large apertures in the walls, one next to the floor and the other above the blackboard.
The hot air comes through the upper opening, being regulated as required, and the foul air is drawn off through the lower opening, steam pipes in the shaft creating a current. By this process all the air in the room can be changed in a minute or two. It is called the gravity system of heating and ventilating and cost nearly one-third the expense of the whole job. No building in Peabody has such a complete system for perfect ventilation. The heat is supplied by two 30-horse boilers.
The architect who planned and supervised the remodeling of the schoolhouse was E.B. Balcomb, and the following contractors were engaged on the work: E.H. Porter, mason; John J. Jeffers, carpenter; Lynch & Woodard, Boston, steam and ventilating apparatus; Ray and Murray, painters; M. F. Lynch, plumber; Edward Gilliland, Danvers concrete.
The committee appointed by the town to carry out the work consists of Joseph H. Wiggin, chairman; William T. Woffoff, secretary; Samuel G. Southwick, George W. David, George S. Curtis. They have attended to the work faithfully and well and devoted a large amount of time to it without renumeration, and succeeded in doing the work within the appropriation and having $20 remaining as a balance. Had they $500 more to work with it could have been used to good advantage on the old part of the building, but the public will be satisfied with what they have accomplished.
