Andrew Warde High School Began a Full Schedule of Classes for the First Time in January of 1957

Andrew Warde High School, which officially opened while still under construction in September of 1956, finally offered a full schedule of classes by January 7, 1957, according to an article which appeared in The Bridgeport Post 53 years ago this week.

The announcement was made by Dr. Walter Hellman, acting superintendent of schools, and Harold S. Shea, director of secondary education, Friday, December 28, 1956.

Dismissal time was scheduled for 2:44 p.m. instead of 1:30 p.m., with school sessions beginning at 8:10 a.m. The new schedule for Andrew Warde High School was the same as that of Roger Ludlowe High School, the town's other public secondary school.

Former Fairfield Police Captain Bob Comers, who celebrated his 50-year reunion from Andrew Warde High School this past summer, recalled that year vividly. "It (the school) wasn't finished when we got there, but it didn't seem to interfere with us going to class," he told me via email recently. "It was great to be in a brand new school.

"I don't know if the Ludlowe kids were envious or not, but I imagine they were. What I remember most was how big and spread out the new building was compared to Ludlowe. You had to really hustle to get from one class to another," added Comers, a member of the third graduating class at Andrew Warde High School, and the last class at Warde with roots to Roger Ludlowe High School.

The 43-year police department veteran attended Ludlowe during his freshman year in 1955-56, but found himself at the sparkling new public high school on Melville Avenue at the start of his sophomore year in the Fall of 1956.

Fellow classmate Jane Servadio, who also attended the 50-year reunion, added that portions of the school weren't completed when Warde opened in 1956. "The gym wasn't finished," she pointed out. "The same for the cafeteria. Wiring was sticking out of all the walls in the halls."

Scheduling the full-day program was made possible by the completion of several facilities by construction contractors, according to the school officials. The shorter sessions were necessitated because the cafeteria, gym, library, and music room facilities were not available for school programs during the construction period.

The school schedule would consist of seven periods, averaging 48 minutes each. Some of the periods, however, would last 72 minutes, the officials said.

Paul

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".