Visit the Fairfield Museum & History Center to View AWHS Flame Yearbooks and The Crimson Crier Newspapers

If you're looking for old Flame yearbooks or The Crimson Crier newspapers from Andrew Warde High School, I urge you to visit the new Fairfield Museum and History Center on Beach Road. The facility, which opened in September of last year, has a vast collection of yearbooks and other memorabilia from Warde.

Rod MacKenzie, the Library Assistant of Geneology, provided me with a wealth of material from Fairfield's second public high school, including yearbooks from over 50 years ago. Mr. MacKenize has worked at the center for 28 years, and he shared my interest in learning more about my high school. What caught my eye, however, was the Flame yearbook from 1957, published during the first year of Andrew Warde High School.

As soon as I opened the yearbook, I found myself reading just about every page, fascinated by the photographs. It was evident that the students and teachers were genuinely thrilled to be at a brand new school, and their excitement showed in the writing and photos.

The first page reads:

"To the future classes at Andrew Warde: In dedicating our yearbook to you we are offering more than a book of paper and print; we are dedicating, as a history and guide, our entire senior year, including the standards and traditions we have established during this opening year of Andrew Warde. We hope that our experiences as the first graduating class will provide a strong foundation upon which you will build the enduring traditions and standards that are so vital a part of all school life."

Remember, the senior class had a difficult transition after spending their first three years at Fairfield's only public high school at the time, Roger Ludlowe High School, which was located at what is now Tomlinson Middle School. Initially, I'm not so sure they were thrilled to be split from their friends and classmates.

The seniors seemed wise well beyond their years, and they had the foresight to write to future classes about their experiences as the first graduating class of Andrew Warde High School. We owe a lot to the original class for blazing the trail for the Crimson Eagles who followed in their footsteps.

I was also interested in looking at the many issues of The Crimson Crier, too. Many of the newspapers date back to the late 1950s and early 1960s, and they afford the reader a glimpse into the world of yesteryear. The publications are quite impressive, and many of the editions appear to be of a highly-professional quality.

As far as the museum is concerned, the Director of Operations, Laura Roberts, is hopeful that more residents and history buffs visit the facility. "The museum opened in September," she told me, "and the community responded with open arms. Thousands of visitors came to our museum that (opening) day, and we are always looking for ways to keep the museum in people's minds."

If you're interested in browsing the collection of Andrew Warde High School Flame yearbooks and The Crimson Crier newspapers, I urge you to visit the center, located at 370 Beach Road. If you're like me, you'll end up spending an entire day there.

For more information, please call the Fairfield Museum and History Center at (203) 259-1598 or send an email to info@fairfieldhs.org.

Paul

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film."