Andrew Warde High School's House Plan Called a "Pace-Setter" & the Result of Practical Thinking

Andrew Warde High School's original design and house plan were the result of progressive thinking over a half century ago. The unique house plan, which divided the secondary school into four smaller units, provided an intimate atmosphere in which close relationships between students and teachers were fostered.

The photo below shows Andrew Warde High School in 1960. The school's practical design was a pace-setter at the time. The four houses included Wolcott, Smedley, Barlow, and Mason. Fitts House, which was constructed over a decade later, still remains the only house with its original name today. The two-story building is adjacent to Melville Avenue.

According to the 1960 Flame yearbook, "Through personal association with pupils, the purposes of the high school --- instruction, supervision, guidance, and administration --- are more easily achieved (with the house plan) while, at the same time, the student becomes an individual."

Consider that Roger Ludlowe High School, the town's only public high school prior to the opening of Warde in 1956, was located in what is now Tomlinson Middle School. Ludlowe was aging, overpopulated, and students attended classes in separate shifts throughout the school day.

Warde, on the other hand, was the sparkling jewel in Fairfield, and a tangible, practical result of progressive thinking. Each house enjoyed the advantages of a bigger school because certain facilities and equipment were shared. So, as the yearbook states, "the house plan is enriching our journey as a stop on the road to tomorrow."

Paul

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".