Whatever Happened to Andrew Warde High School? Did It Ever Exist?

That's a good question. In fact, if you happen to visit the former Andrew Warde High School, you'll see two monuments near the front entrance acknowledging the proud history of the school. The only problem is that there isn't any reference to Andrew Warde High School. It actually existed from 1956 to 1987. Don't you remember?

Once Andrew Warde High School consolidated with Roger Ludlowe High School into Fairfield High School at the Warde site in the Autumn of 1987, thirty years of memories were all but forgotten. Nearly two decades later, however, due to an exploding student population in town, the Fairfield Board of Education decided to reopen the former Roger Ludlowe High School and return to two public high schools in 2004.

The schools were named Fairfield Warde and Fairfield Ludlowe high schools in an attempt to unify the secondary student population, while at the same time offering a less-than-sincere cursory nod to the original names of the two high schools. The board never got it right in the first place, originally opting to name the schools Fairfield East and Fairfield West before yielding to public pressure, especially from alumni of the two high schools.

The childish antics of the board, students, and parents could have been avoided if the original names of the schools were returned. This corner has never fully embraced the new names of the schools, preferring instead to refer to them as Warde and Ludlowe. What is most troublesome, though, is the fact that there isn't any acknowledgement of the original Andrew Warde High School by the front entrance.

This came to light last week when I picked up my son from Ludlowe High School. Upon entering the main lobby of Ludlowe, there are several engraved plaques acknowledging the building as former home to Mill Plain School, Roger Ludlowe High School, Roger Ludlowe Middle School, and the current FLHS. In fact, an original school bell from Mill Plain School adorns the front lobby for all to see.

It's about time to pay tribute to Andrew Warde High School. Shouldn't there be a monument alongside the two which sit at the front of the high school? I think so. I am going to write to the Fairfield Board of Education and request that a third monument be placed alongside the others. Andrew Warde High School existed from 1956 through 1987. I should know. I graduated from AWHS! There are many proud graduates who will always call themselves Crimson Eagles.

Let's get a monument in honor of the original Andrew Warde High School.

Paul

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Warde Girls' Basketball Team Captures FCIAC Championship Over Stamford, 56 to 42

The following article was written by Mike Cardillo, a sportswriter for the Connecticut Post newspaper. The Andrew Warde High School alumni congratulate head coach Dave Danko and the Warde girls' basketball team for winning the FCIAC championship last night by defeating Stamford, 56-42.

The Stamford girls basketball team is probably relieved that it's playing in the Class LL state tournament, not the Class L division. It means the Black Knights won't have to see Fairfield Warde, or specifically Sabriana Siciliano, ever again.

Eleven days after torching Stamford for a career-high 37 points in a 28-point Warde win, Siciliano once again burned the Black Knights -- this time in the FCIAC championship game. Siciliano spurred a second-half charge by the top-seeded and undefeated Mustangs as they defeated the No. 2 Black Knights 56-42 Thursday night at Fairfield Ludlowe.

Siciliano, who was held scoreless in the first half, finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds, six steals and four assists to win tournament MVP honors.

"This is surreal," said Siciliano, seen at the left, after the Mustangs claimed their first league title since 1998, when it was known as Fairfield High. "I was getting the chills at one point. (Late in the game) I had an epiphany that we can actually win this."

That epiphany came after Stamford pushed Warde harder than any opponent this season. The Black Knights (17-4) fought tooth-and-nail with the Mustangs (23-0) until Warde finally pulled away in the final four minutes.

"Their depth will wear you down in the long run," Stamford coach Curtis Tinnin said. Stamford actually had Warde on the ropes during an eight-minute span when the Mustangs went scoreless between the first and second quarters.

The Black Knights led by as many as seven points, as senior forward Fiona O'Dwyer had her way with the Warde pressure. Stamford, however, couldn't extend the lead to double digits and make Warde sweat going into halftime. The Mustangs closed the half on a 9-3 run, capped by a rare 3-pointer by Rachel Friedman (nine points, 11 rebounds) as time expired, and trailed only 22-21.

"If we'd gotten (the lead) to double-digits or at least a safe zone, which is a lot with Warde, maybe it would have been a different outcome," said O'Dwyer, who finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

In the first half Stamford slowed down the pace and man-marked Siciliano out of the game, but it didn't take long for that to change in the second half. "It's a credit to them, they spread us out," said Warde coach Dave Danko, a former basketball standout with the Andrew Warde High School Crimson Eagles. "In the first half, we couldn't get it going, but all year my motto was eventually we're going to get you."

Warde got it going quickly in the second half, with an 8-0 run on baskets from Siciliano and Alex Aufiero to go ahead 29-22. Stamford, unlike most Warde opponents, didn't wilt to the pressure and trailed 36-31 at the end of the third, thanks to Jasmin Jones' tireless work on the offensive glass. Jones finished with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Finally by the fourth quarter, the Warde pressing defense became too much for Stamford to handle, with Siciliano and Daphne Elliott (17 points) wreaking havoc at midcourt and forcing the Black Knights into 18 second-half turnovers.

"We had to crack down on defense, which helped us build the 10-point lead," Elliott said. Stamford went scoreless for nearly four minutes at the end of the game while Warde did most of its damage via Siciliano and Elliott getting to the free-throw line. The Mustangs scored 12 of their 20 fourth-quarter points from the line, while the Black Knights were only 7-for-19 for the game.

"We didn't get frazzled, we kept our composure," Siciliano said. "We knew we'd be able to come back." For Warde's six seniors, the championship was the culmination of four years of work and a great sense of relief.

"You know, when they come back to the school and look up at that banner in the gym, they'll realize they accomplished something we've been working on for four years," Danko said.

Photos courtesy the Connecticut Post newspaper.

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Mr. Flint Was a "No-Nonsense Perfectionist," According to a Former Andrew Warde High School Student Now Living in Richmond, Virginia

A story which appeared in this space earlier this month about former Andrew Warde High School German teacher Frank Flint elicited several written responses from former students, including a 1974 Warde product who now lives in Richmond, Virginia.

"Mr. Flint was a no-nonsense teacher who took pride in teaching the language and moved the pace along pretty quickly," wrote Tom Wingreen, who was Mr. Flint's German student during his junior year. "He was a perfectionist at what he did and expected the same from his students. But Mr. Flint never refused to give extra help to any student, no matter how hopeless the situation, not even me."

Wingreen, whose older brother, John, graduated from Warde in 1972 and was also enrolled in Mr. Flint's class, recalled how difficult his junior year was. "I took Geometry, Chemistry, and German II along with the basics, History and English, that year," he mentioned. "It didn't take long to realize I was in over my head. So I didn't do particularly well in his class."

As for the tests Mr. Flint administered? Wingreen compared them to facing an overpowering pitcher from his youth. "Taking one of Mr. Flint's tests was always brutal," he acknowledged.

"The best way to describe taking one of his tests was like watching hitters face Bob Gibson at home plate in the World Series during the 1960s. He just blew me away. Mr. Flint (pictured in the 1976 Flame yearbook) seemed to enjoy that reputation of making the tests a real challenge."

One of Wingreen's favorite memories of Flint's class involved a former classmate and co-worker at Friendly's on Black Rock Turnpike. "I do remember he let us do presentations on Fridays on anything we wanted as long as they were in German," pointed out Wingreen, who attended Osborn Hill School and Fairfield Woods Junior High School.

"There was a student named Anna who did particularly well in his class but was a little cocky about it. I used to work with Anna at Friendly's until she quit after a confrontation with the manager. Anna used to tease me about not doing well in Mr. Flint's class," he continued.

"Therefore, when Friday came, I would do skits about Anna and the Friendly's manager going at it in German. I got some help with preparation ahead of time from some of her rivals so my skits were always top notch. The class enjoyed it, especially Mr. Flint. One classmate signed my year book, 'Remember German class? You were great!' I'm convinced that's what got me a passing grade in Mr. Flint's class. It certainly wasn't the test grades."

Wingreen frequently visits this Web site to take a stroll down memory lane. "I read some of the articles on the Web site, including the one about the Warde women basketball players winning the championship 33 years ago," he wrote. "I recognize one of the players, Debbie Mendell. She was in my art class with Ms. Whalen when I was in my senior year. I don't know why I remember this stuff, but I do."

Thanks, Tom. I appreciate your thoughtful letter and response to the articles. Good luck with your impending retirement. Your memories of Mr. Flint's class are priceless.

Paul

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Andrew Warde High School's Girls' Basketball Team Captured First FCIAC Title 33 Years Ago Today by Defeating Westhill Vikings, 62-49, in Norwalk

Andrew Warde High School's girls' basketball team captured the FCIAC championship 33 years ago today by defeating Westhill High School, 62-49, in Norwalk. Kathy Anderson, tournament MVP, led the Crimson Eagles to their 15th victory in 17 games by scoring 20 points, while Diane Dionis and Debbie Mendell had 12 points apiece to aid the Warde attack.

The Crimson Eagles led the entire way against the Western Division champions, marching to a 32-25 halftime lead. The Lady Vikings lost for only the third time in 17 outings. Warde advanced to the title game by defeating Western Division runner-up Stamford, courtesy of Anderson's 19 markers. Westhill moved into the finals by defeating Eastern Division runner-up Ludlowe.

The champions bolted out to a 12-9 lead after the first quarter before taking the seven point cushion into the intermission break. Warde outscored Westhill, 14-10, in the third quarter to increase its lead to 46-35 heading into the final frame. Warde won the final quarter, 16-14, to post the comfortable 13-point margin of victory.

With a new head coach, Miss Mary Beth McGirr, the girls got off to a slow start early in the season, but they staged a remarkable comeback to end up winning the league title. One of the reasons for the team's mid-season surge was the play of Anderson, a sophomore sensation. Her phenomenal improvement from the beginning of the season paralleled the improved play of the team as a whole.

By the end of the campaign, Anderson was habitually leading the team in points and rebounds every game. She earned All-FCIAC first-team honors, and she was named the MVP of the league tournament. But, Anderson wasn't the only reason the team won the coveted FCIAC championship.

The many other players who contributed much to the team's achievements included seniors Dionis, Mendell, who earned All-FCIAC second-team recognition, Gayle Johnson, and Marti Causey. The juniors included Kris Ness and Betsy Niesyn. The FCIAC championship game was played Friday evening, February 13, 1976, at Norwalk High School.

Paul

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Warde Boys & Girls Sweep Hoop Contests at Ludlowe to Claim Bragging Rights in Fairfield, Much Like Warde's First Hoop Squad in 1956

What a night for the Fairfield Warde High School boys and girls basketball teams! Both teams traveled to Ludlowe High School Tuesday night and swept a basketball doubleheader on the Falcons' court to claim "bragging rights" in Fairfield. However, the night was even more meaningful for both teams for several reasons.

First, Tyler Bisack scored 14 points and Anthony Rodriguez added 13 as the Fairfield Warde boys' basketball team ended a 59-game losing streak with its 47-40 victory over arch-rival Fairfield Ludlowe. The Mustangs' last victory happened over three years ago, when they posted a 39-36 triumph over Staples High School on February 7, 2006.

Meanwhile, the Fairfield Warde girls remained perfect after 17 games by posting their second victory of the season over Ludlowe in relatively easy fashion, 77-43. The Lady Mustangs remain the only undefeated team in the FCIAC with a perfect 15-0 league record. Daphne Elliott scored 24 points and Sabrina Siciliano added 17 to pace the winners.

Did you know that Andrew Warde High School's first-ever boys' basketball game was a 55-52 victory over Roger Ludlowe High School at the Tigers' court at Mill Plain School? Veterans Dick Dakai, Jim Jankousky, and Chris Costello came through with successive field goals in a three-minute overtime to help the Crimson Eagles earn the thrilling come-from-behind victory. The game was played Friday evening, December 14, 1956.

It was a closely-contested battle from start to finish, although the charges of Warde coach Bob Seirup, the former Ludlowe basketball coach, raced out to a 13-6 lead in the opening period and maintained a narrow lead until the final quarter. The score was tied at 49-apiece at the end of regulation. Henry Sprouse sank a foul shot for Ludlowe to tie the game and force the extra session.

Frank Mizak gave the Tigers a 51-49 lead at the start of overtime before Dakai, the six-foot-three, 210-pound former Ludlowe letterman, evened the count by hitting a jump shot. Jankousky followed with a set shot from side court, and Costello's long set shot iced the victory for the Crimson Eagles.

Dakai finished with 20 points and pounded the boards for the winners. Jankousky added 14 points in Andrew Warde High School's first major sports triumph, just three months after the high school opened. The Warde football team dopped all eight games during its inaugural season.

The Warde jayvees edged the Ludlowe junior varsity, 45-42, in the preliminary tilt. Howard Ratner and Tom Tuzzio tallied 11 points each to lead the winners. The Crimson Eagles' varsity and JV teams swept their Ludlowe counterparts on the road that memorable night. Over 52 years later, the Warde boys and girls basketball teams swept another doubleheader at Ludlowe. The more things change ...

Paul

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Andrew Warde High School Students Helped Win Approval of the 'New' Roger Ludlowe High School at the Mill Plain School Site Nearly 50 Years Ago

The Fairfield Taxpayers League charged the Fairfield school administration with having pressured students at both Andrew Warde and Roger Ludlowe high schools to influence parents and friends to vote in favor of converting Mill Plain School into the new Roger Ludlowe High School. That's according to a story published 48 years ago today, Saturday, February 11, 1961.

The original Ludlowe High School, located in what is now Tomlinson Middle School (seen at left), could no longer house the burgeoning high school population in Fairfield in 1961. Double-sessions were required for the students who attended Ludlowe. Meanwhile, Warde, which opened in 1956, was the sparkling new public high school in town, more than comfortably housing its large student population.

Edward Remeika and James Aurigemma, officials of the league, said petitions for the students to sign were circulated in both high schools. The townwide referendum was to take place less than a week later.

The officials said the petitions read, "We, the students of Roger Ludlowe (and Andrew Warde), being definitely in favor of the conversion of Mill Plain School to prevent double sessions, will do all in our power to have our parents and other voters vote 'no' to double sessions in the referendum Wednesday, February 15."

Mr. Remeika and Mr. Aurigemma also charged that school paper and time were used in the circulation of the petitions. "We feel that this sort of pressure should not be permitted in the schools," they said. "The parents and taxpayers are old enough and certainly wise enough to make up their own minds without the undue influence of the school administration."

Vincent Bussetti, president of the league, also took exception to a statement issued by Emil Frankel on behalf of the Fairfield High alumni for Continued Quality Education. The group favored the conversion. Frankel graduated from Warde in 1957 and went on to attend Wesleyan University.

Christopher Currie, the president of the Roger Ludlowe All-School Congress, said that he and his counterpart at Andrew Warde High School, Samuel Rost, president of the Warde Student Council, were circulating petitions in which students pledged to "do all in our power to have our parents vote 'no' to double sessions" in the referendum on the Mill Plain School plan.

Currie said that the original idea for the petition started when a group of Ludlowe students met to consider what they could contribute in support of the addition proposal. They signed "work volunteer cards," offering to babysit for voters, campaign door-to-door, distribute campaign literature, and demonstrate --- with signs --- at the town's 13 polling places. He said that the response was "very good, just about the best we've had on any project."

Asked why students were opposing a cut in the school day from six hours to four hours, which would happen if the new school is defeated, the student leader said, "We owe it to the students who will come after us to see that they have the same educational opportunities that we enjoy."

He asked signers to accompany their parents to the polls, "just to make sure they cast their ballots."

Paul

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Fairfield Selectwoman Sherri Steeneck Recalls Her Fight for Equality in the Early Days of Girls' Sports Programs at Andrew Warde High School

A recent feature story on the front page of the Connecticut Post sports section highlighted the undefeated Fairfield Warde girls' basketball team. The Lady Mustangs have built an impressive record and have aspirations of winning the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference title and state championship this year.

However, girls' sports weren't always on the same playing field with the boys over three decades ago. According to a story which appeared in the Bridgeport Post in January of 1975, "The expenditures for girls' athletic programs at Andrew Warde High School are substantially less than the funds spent for boys' programs, and also substantially less than the funds for boys' programs at Roger Ludlowe High School."

The data was made available by the school administration, and it indicated that of $43,408 allocated for sports at Warde, only $5,500 was spent for girls' athletics. A sum of $51,032 was allocated for the entire sports program at Roger Ludlowe High School, with $10.949 earmarked for the girls and $40,083 for the boys.

The figures were compiled as a result of a request made by Sherri Steeneck, a high school student for the equalization of the sports program for girls at both schools. Thirty-four years later, Steeneck remembers when times were very different .

"I remember going to Little League and Pop Warner games to watch my brother play when he was in elementary school," Steeneck told me today via email. "As I think back about it, that is probably because there was nothing publicly organized for girls. They didn't have T-ball, Little League, soccer, or lacrosse for girls. In fact, they didn't have soccer or lacrosse for anyone. People didn't think heavily about girls sports.

"It wasn't until high school that I really was introduced to girls sports outside of gym class," continued Steeneck, currently serving a four-year term on the Fairfield Board of Selectmen. "I tried out for the volleyball team." She said that former volleyball coach Ed Bengermino recalled a meeting of the gym teachers and coaches where Steeneck's name was mentioned as having gone to the Board of Ed asking for equal funding, specifically for volleyball.

Steeneck revealed the real reason she tried out for the volleyball team, however. "I wish I could tell you that there was this great love of volleyball that got me there, but actually, a boy I liked was setting balls for the girls," she admitted. "One of my friends who was trying out told me to come. I went the next day, and he never returned. I made the team!"

That's when she saw first-hand the discrepancy between the girls' and boys' sports programs at Warde, and how the girls' program paled in comparison to the rest of the league. "At the games we had nets that were left over from gym class," she pointed out. "They sagged and we twisted the nets around the polls to tighten them up. Our volleyballs were beat, too. The boys got the good ones." The girls also didn't have any uniforms.

"I still didn't think too much about this until we played against other teams," Steeneck continued. "They had quality nets, balls, and uniforms. I started to think about it and realized that all of the boys teams had quality equipment and uniforms."

According to the article and the figures compiled, it was estimated that even if the girls' sports were kept at the same level in the 1974-75 fiscal year and four proposed sports were added at Warde, the Warde girls expenditures would still be less than that spent at Ludlowe.

It was also estimated that $4,375 --- the cost of the added programs --- would rise to $9,875, the amount set for Warde girls. This would still be $1,000 less than the amount allocated for girls at Ludlowe.

"Ludlowe girls had most of the things we didn't have," observed Steeneck, pictured as a junior in the AWHS Flame yearbook. "(Ludlowe had) more teams and better equipment. The rumor amongst the students was that Warde had better scholastic programs, and that Ludlowe had better athletic programs. I don't know how true that was." So that's when Steeneck decided it was time to take action.

"Title 9 was just coming to the forefront, and I had to go before the Board of Ed to ask for equal funding for girls sports," she recalled. "I do remember being ridiculed a bit, called a rabble rouser, a women's libber! I guess that was sort of the start of my political career," said Steeneck, a Democrat, who joined Fairfield First Selectman Ken Flatto and Republican Ralph Bowley on the board.

"The ridicule was uncomfortable, but it didn't last more than a few months, probably the length of time it took to get through the approval process," she continued. "The Board really couldn't say 'no' because Title 9 was a federal mandate," she acknowledged. "But, I guess they could have cut some money from the boys teams to make the two equal. Title 9 was the turning point to how most of us thought about women's sports. I just called them on it."

Steeneck said the ultimate improvements to the girls' sports programs helped their image and self-esteem. "It amazes me as to how getting the right equipment and uniforms can bring things up a notch," she added, "improving the quality of the program and the way both the participants thought about themselves and the spectators thought about the players. It all happened because of Title 9."

Steeneck, who graduated in 1977 and is pictured above wearing number 10 next to Coach Bengermino, was a part of the unforgettable 1976 Warde volleyball squad as a junior. The team got off to a tremendous start by winning its four matches in shutout fashion. The Lady Eagles won their fifth match, 2-1, against rival Ludlowe, before falling to Stamford's Westhill High School, 2-1. The team won its next nine matches, eight of which were shutouts, to finish with a 14-1 record heading into the league playoffs.

The squad lost the FCIAC title to Westhill, then entered the CIAC tournament ranked third in the state. In the first round of the double-elimination tournament, the girls beat Buckley soundly, but in the second and third rounds they were defeated by Maloney and Ludlowe. These losses eliminated them from further competition, and dropped them to fifth in the final standings.

But, the volleyball program and girls' sports were building a solid foundation for the future, thanks in no small part to Sherri Steeneck.

Paul

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Fairfield's High School Boundary Lines Split Friendships & Families Over a Generation Ago

Childhood friendships forged in elementary school and junior high school were often put to the test if the children eventually attended different public high schools in Fairfield based on where they lived. That was often the case for students who "grew up" together in private or parochial schools, despite living on separate sides of town.

But can you imagine a family with siblings who were enrolled at both Andrew Warde and Roger Ludlowe high schools at the same time? That's exactly what happened in the Vida household in Fairfield over a generation ago.

"This is actually a very interesting story," said Mark Vida, who graduated from Andrew Warde High School in 1976. "I went to Warde because all my friends from grammar school (Holy Family for eight years), were going there," he admitted. "When I got there the first few days, I fell in love with the place and made many new friends really fast."

However, there was one "little" glitch. The Vida home, located on Sigwin Drive, was technically located in the Roger Ludlowe district in September of 1972. It was up to the school administration to resolve the dilemma, and in a hurry.

"On that Friday, I got called into headmaster's office (Mr. Guss), and he informed me that where I lived was actually in the Ludlowe district, and as of that Monday I was to report to Ludlowe's office to be placed in my new homeroom there," added Vida, pictured to the left in the 1976 Flame yearbook. "To say that I was upset was an understatement."

Mark wasn't too thrilled about the prospect of being separated from his friends and being sent to the "other" high school. He wasn't about to accept the transfer. So what happened at the meeting?

"I informed him that I was quitting school and walked out of his office and walked home," he recalled. "As it turned out, the wall in my backyard was the Warde/Ludlowe line, and they were going to make me go to Ludlowe."

It was time for Mark's family to come to his aid. "That's when my Mom, God love her, went to bat for me with the Board of Ed and the school, and (she) fought so that I could stay in Warde," Mark said. "I'm so glad she did. I couldn't imagine not knowing all the great people I met in my four years there."

The story doesn't end there, however. Mark's younger brother, Craig, entered high school two years later. Care to guess where he attended high school?

"When my brother Craig was ready to go to high school, the Board of Ed made sure they spelled out the districts, leaving no questions, and he had to go to Ludlowe," admitted Mark, who works in Bridgeport and Weston as a financial advisor with Fairfield County Bank/Infinex Investments. Craig, who currently works in the Black Rock Turnpike post office, graduated from Ludlowe in 1978.

"As far as I knew, I set such a strong precedent, no one on my street went to school out of district. Of course, there was always the rivalry between Warde and Ludlowe, and you know who always won that argument," he joked.

There's even more to the family story, believe it or not. All four Vida siblings actually attended different high schools. "Tony, the oldest, wanted to go to trade school, so he went to Bullard Havens in Bridgeport," Mark added. "He took a bus from Fairfield to school every day for the first two years." And, his younger sister, Karen, attended Notre Dame High School in Fairfield.

How difficult was it getting to and from school for Mark and his siblings? "Getting to school was another story," he pointed out. "We would walk, ride our bikes, get rides from friends or from Mom or Dad, or (do) whatever it took, but we managed," he said.

Mark was one of over 200 attendees at the AWHS Class of 1976 30-year reunion three years ago. "Our committee did a fantastic job in putting together the event at Testo's, and I've heard nothing but good things from everyone who attended," he said.

"It was nice seeing a lot of the 'kids' from school I had not seen in years, some as long as 30 years ago! I do stay in touch with a lot of them, though, still today and hope to for the rest of my life."

Do you have a similar story? Were you separated from your friends or family when you attended high school? And what was it like? I'd like to hear from you.

Paul

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Strong Allegiances to Warde & Ludlowe High Schools Added to Neighborhood Loyalty

Alumni and students of Andrew Warde and Roger Ludlowe high schools have always felt a strong allegiance to their schools. Even today, there is a tremendous rivalry between the students of Fairfield Warde and Fairfield Ludlowe high schools.

Any talk of redistricting or altering school boundaries has almost always been met with vigorous opposition from both sides, especially from the Ludlowe side of town. That was certainly the case 37 years ago, when a select group of loyal Ludlowe parents and students voiced their displeasure at potentially being redistricted to Warde.

In letters mailed to parents of about 125 students involved in a proposed boundary change from Roger Ludlowe to Andrew Warde, Dr. Joseph Zapytowski, superintendent of schools, announced that he would not recommend a high school boundary adjustment for the 1972-73 school year. An additional year or two of study was needed for any long-term recommendations, he said. That's according to a published story which appeared on this date, February 3, 1972.

The action was taken following a series of meetings with parents and the Board of Education during which strong objection was raised to changes which would have shifted some pupils from the Osborn Hill School, Holland Hill School, and Dwight School neighborhoods to Andrew Warde High School. Concerns were also voiced by parents about continuity of pupils from Tomlinson Junior High School to Ludlowe High School.

Dr. Zapytowski said that while attendance at Ludlowe was expected to be about 2,200 --- or 200 above the listed capacity --- the preliminary investigation suggested that the expanded Ludlowe would be able to handle the enrollment projected for the next year or two with minimal difficulty if course election patterns didn't shift dramatically.

"A year or two of experience with the new facilities should provide a more definitve conclusion regarding a reasonable operating capacity for Ludlowe and Warde," Zapytowski said. He said the concern about continuity from junior high to high school would be considered during the expansion of junior high facilities.

"Recent trends, Zapytowski added, "now lead us to the conclusion that our earlier estimate of 4,200 pupils as a maximum high school enrollment in this decade will probably prove to be conservative.

"We already foresee about 4,300 pupils in the years from 1975-76 through 1977-78, and almost 2,200 of them will be at Ludlowe. There are also some unpredictable factors which are not part of our normal projections, and most of these could lead to even higher enrollments, especially at Ludlowe."

The superintendent added that, after long and detailed analysis, it was determied that adding two houses to Warde and one house to Ludlowe would be the least costly way to provide room for about 1,000 high school pupils beyond existing capacity. The high school building committee was asked to expand Ludlowe to a capacity of 2,000 and Warde to 2,200 pupils.

"A more precise determination of capacity can best be made a few years after the new facilities have been in use," he mentioned. Dr. Zapytowski also said that transportation needs and costs, problems of family inconvenience, recent trends in course selection by high school students, junior high school enrollment, and the potential for new housing in areas considered for boundary change were studied.

This writer attended Osborn Hill School and Andrew Warde High School many years ago. Today, however, the boundary lines have been altered. Children attending Osborn Hill School will eventually move into Ludlowe High School, which my son attends. Here is the current high school boundary map for Fairfield.

If a boundary change was proposed today, I'm all but sure the Osborn Hill School parents would not want their children redistricted to Warde. I have always felt the Ludlowe parents, students, and alumni to be elitist, and that seemingly hasn't changed at all over the last 37 years.

Paul

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Innovative German Class Project Awarded 'Sehr Gut' Rating at Andrew Warde High School in 1974

A hike at a bird sanctuary, a three-day camping trip, and a play date that included 'Capture the Flag' were not the ordinary activities you'd expect to find in the curriculum of a third-year high school German class in 1973-74.

But they were an integral part of an innovative program that was developed by German teacher Frank Flint and some of his students at Andrew Warde High School. The course was based on the idea that students learn more if they acquire knowledge from real-life experiences, and that premise proved true for Mr. Flint and his students.

It all began in the Spring of 1972 when answers to a questionnaire administered to all foreign language students at Warde indicated a desire to see the speaking skills stressed more in class and to make the content of foreign language courses more relevant. A major complaint of the students was studying chapter after chapter of a text, and learning many words they felt they were never going to have to use.

With financial backing from Robert Gillette, the Warde teacher who was awarded the Mary Gresham chair to develop innovative programs, Mr. Flint and his students set about the next school year to develop something entirely different. The result was a program in which the students were able to use what they were learning.

"The whole program was really student-oriented," said Mr. Flint. "The students planned it, and the students were making their money so they could participate. To a certain extent, the students decided themselves where they wanted to go to have the experiences," he added.

The students began with a relatively short experience --- a three-hour hike at the bird sanctuary. "We gradually lengthened the time of the experience until the Spring, when we went camping," he continued. German was spoken on the trips, and vocabulary relating to the adventures was learned in preparation of the event.

For the initial Audubon sanctuary trip, the students learned vocabulary dealing with nature, animals they might see, first aid, and related terms. The students made transportation arrangements, and they reported back to the class entirely in German.

One of the activities during the 1973-74 school year was a play day at 90 Acres Park in Bridgeport. "They wanted to play 'Capture the Flag,' so we learned words such as flag, borders, and prison," said Mr. Flint. "The whole idea was that they used what they were learning in class. When they learned new vocabulary, it was not because it was in a particular chapter, but because they actually went out and used it."

The students studies first aid vocabulary prior to the 90-Acres trip. They were saying, "It's not going to happen. Why do we have to learn this?" Mr. Flint recalled. "Sure enough, somebody actually did sprain her ankle. The person didn't yell out 'help.' She yelled out in German, 'Help, help. I sprained my ankle.' That's true devotion."

Preparation of a German meal, a three-day camping trip at Macedonia State Park, and a trip to New York's Yorktown district were other activities in which the students participated. After each trip, the class discussed the experience and compiled a vocabulary sheet to fill any voids which may have existed. They also suggested ways to improve the trips.

The school administration gave enthusiastic backing to the program. The activities took place during school hours, and the students raised money for them with projects such as car washes, bake sales, and sales of first aid kits and candy canes. The program became self-sufficient in 1973-74.

The third-year class used a basic German text for study of structure, but their main 'text' was a 142-page manuscript that was compiled by Mr. Flint and five students over the summer vacation on the basis of the pilot program, and with financial support from Mr. Gillette.

Those who worked on the 1973-74 project included fourth-year students Rose Divjak, Leslie Gminski, and Richard Jacobsen. Graduates Monika Zirkus and Ellen Gitlin also helped. The three fourth-year students worked with Mr. Flint on revising the third-year program and developing a similar German Four program with the assistance of a committee of third-year students consisting of Matt Wage, John Byrne, Richard Deonges, Susan Rona, Nancy White, Terri Plotnik, Lorraine Crossin, and John Driscoll.

Included in the innovative text were a number of reading selections that related to the program. For example, the students read nature-oriented poems by Goethe. They also read "Little Red Riding Hood" in its original German and compared it to the English version while they also discussed cultural differences.

"The results of the test scores, both teacher-made and standardizied, were promising," Mr. Flint acknowledged. He said the students scored better on his tests than other third-year students, and a significant number moved up one full grade from what they earned the previous year.

"Although we encountered several snags in the implementation of the program, the basic approach was met with overwhelming student approval and enthusiasm," recalled Mr. Flint. "The possibilities were limitless."

Paul

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