History of Durfee
For some, graduation from B.M.C. Durfee High School of Fall River will mark the end of their formal education. For others, it is just a beginning. For all, the Durfee diploma is a sign that the young person has completed the necessary program of studies required by the city's only public high school.
There were other high schools in Fall River before there was a Durfee. But, both George B. Stone's private school on Franklin Street and Fall River High School on June Street were quickly outgrown.
While the School Committee debated what to do about providing a new high school, Mrs. Mary B. Young entered the picture. She offered to build and furnish a high school as a memorial to her son, Bradford Matthew Chaloner Durfee.
Durfee was born in Fall River on June 15, 1843. He was the only child of Major Bradford and Mary Brayton Durfee. Major Durfee died the same year, and left his considerable estate to their infant son.
B.M.C. Durfee was provided with the best possible care and the utmost of opportunities. He traveled quite a bit, but suffered from poor health. He attended Yale University, but his frailty forced him to quit at the end of his freshman year.
He is remembered for his generosity. He donated a dormitory known as Durfee Hall to Yale. The building still stands and is one of the structures which form the quadrangle known as the Old Campus at the institution.
Little is known of Durfee's life. As for his character, however, Dr. Roswell Hitchcock remarked at the school's dedication, "We all know how generous he was. Only those of us who came more closely to him, understood how thoroughly manly, and how modest, he was." On Sept. 13, 1872, he died at the age of 29. A provision of his will asked that a portion of his estate be left to his native city so that Fall River youths could be instructed in the chemical, physical, and mechanical sciences necessary for the city's industries.
His mother, who had married the Rev. Jeremiah Young in 1851, carried out his wish. On February 5, 1883, she delivered a written proposition to the city offering to build a public high school. Needless to say, the city eagerly accepted her offer. Construction began after the city received approval from the Massachusetts legislature, which was necessary to accept such a gift.
Ground breaking was held on August 13, 1883, and the new school was dedicated on June 15, 1887. The building was made of granite, from the local quarry owned by William Beattie and a New Hampshire quarry owned by Alexander McDonald. A steep slate roof, along with clock and observatory towers quickly made the structure a local landmark. The original Durfee High School is now a court house.
William Lambert was the school's first principal. The first graduation was held on July 1, 1887, but the diplomas still carried the name "Fall River High School." It wasn't until the Class of '88 that the name B. M. C. Durfee High School appeared on the parchment.
In 1891, Mrs. Young died. In addition to her timeless gift to the city, she was known for her work with the First Congregational Church and for her support of anti-slavery groups.
Education in Fall River expanded greatly in the early decades of the 20th century. In 1913, the Technical High School opened just across the street from Durfee High, providing an opportunity for students to gain skills needed for jobs in industry. The two schools merged in 1918.
Athletics also became more important and other extracurricular activities came upon the scene. The school newspaper, the Durfee Hilltop, began publishing in 1921, carrying on a tradition of student journalism which began in 1882. Drama and debating courses also began in the '20s.
In 1927, two noteworthy occurrences took place. The Technical High building was destroyed by fire, only to be rebuilt and reopened in 1930. The School Committee voted to change the name of the school back to Fall River High School, only to rescind the vote in 1928 after much protest by alumni and students.
The 1930s saw such diverse activity as the improvements at Alumni Field and the painting of the murals by John Mann in the technical building auditorium. John Watkinson also penned the words of the Alma Mater in 1931, taking the tune from Cornell's anthem.
Durfee students took part in World War II, and afterward some returned to the classrooms as war veterans. For the first time, in 1947, Durfee students wore caps and gowns instead of suits and white gowns.
The '40s was a time of legends. Luke Urban developed the athletic teams and Charles Carroll became the most enduring principal, serving from 1925 until his death in 1952.
By the '60s, turmoil came to Durfee. Protesting students brought about the elimination of a dress code, and the Englehardt Report underlined the need for a new and modern high school.
Throughout the '70s, under the direction of Superintendent of Schools Robert J. Nagle, construction continued on a new high school. It opened in May of 1978 to sophomores, juniors, and the staff. By the fall of 1979, after the city's first teachers' strike delayed opening, the new $27.5-million educational complex on Elsbree Street opened.
The "new" Durfee High School opened in 1978.
Principal James S. Panos was named principal in 1978 and continued to serve in that capacity until 1992, when Albert J. Attar took up the post. Attar served until his retirement in 2001. Fernand Letendre served as principal from 2001 to 2004.
The school was dedicated in 1991. Among the guests were Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Mayor Carlton M. Viveiros, and Superintendent of Schools John R. Correiro who was named to the post in 1980 and who resigned in 1993. Today, Mayor Edward M. Lambert, Jr. and Superintendent Nicholas Fischer continue to provide educational leadership to the city's schools.
Built of concrete, the Durfee High School facility is actually made up of four buildings. The spacious field house, named for Luke Urban and housing the Karen Jarabek Memorial Pool, is located near the athletic fields, including the Malcolm P. Aldrich Football Field and the Thomas Hammond Track, off Elsbree Street. It also houses the health classrooms, shower and locker facilities, and other areas.
On the other end of the school, off Chestnut Street, the large, well-equipped Robert J. Nagle Auditorium is contained. In the same building are art and music rooms, two of which carry the names of Fred Budda and Joseph Raposo, two musical alumni. The Arthur Frank Industrial Arts wing provides space for classes in woodworking, electricity, graphic arts, small engine repair, drafting and others.
In between, a series of interlocking "Y's" provide a multitude of classrooms in all of the academic areas. Although several of the rooms were built to be open areas of four classrooms each, walls have been erected in recent years to provide self-contained spaces. Miles of carpet, modern lighting, and a climate-controlled environment are also features of the school.
The science area provides not only modern laboratories, but bridges the gap between new and old. There is a planetarium, but the telescope from the old Durfee building was also moved and is housed in the Roger Violet Observatory.
Students who may not be going on to higher education can learn skills in the vocational and home economics departments. Located off Weetamoe Street, the Trade Winds Restaurant is open to the public and serves as a workshop for students of the culinary arts. Nearby, there is a small child-care area, and other rooms where students learn various practical skills from sewing to cosmetology, and from data processing to sewing machines.
Computers are used throughout the school. Report cards, staffing and scheduling are among the tasks done by school personnel using various programs. Students are able to take classes, and get involved with computers in many ways.
Programs like the Work Experience Program and the Mentor Program also provide ways to help students. The first allows students to earn credits by working, and the second provides enrichment experiences for young people.
>A television studio, named for alumnus Morton Dean and located in the large Ambrose F. Keeley Library, gives students a chance to gain experience by videotaping events and producing programs which are broadcasted over the city's cable network. A computer lab with direct Internet access is also located in the library, and a terminal there provides World Wide Web access to the home pages of the city and its schools.
In terms of communication, the school newspaper is published twice monthly, and student journalists use Macintosh computers, scanners, and laser printers to produce camera-ready copies of the school newspaper, the literary magazine, and a variety of other materials ranging from the school's program of studies to the school department's newsletter. The publications area is located just off the business rooms where, in addition to several computer labs, students gain knowledge in everything from accounting to office equipment. Near the large cafeteria on the first floor, there is a campus store which sells school supplies and Durfee articles, as well as provides retail experience, and a branch office of the Compass Bank, which is staffed by students.
Musical and dramatic programs are also often recognized. The school's orchestra was invited to and performed in Vienna, Austria, and various outstanding theatrical offerings have been presented over the years. In 1996, the Durfee Theatre Company was honored as the State Champions in the prestigious Boston Globe competition.
Exchange students, travelers to other countries, and art contest winners have also brought Durfee's name to the public's attention. Student-produced murals bring life to the school, and the work of visiting artists further add to the decor.
Those who wear the Durfee Red and Black continue to make the school's name known in the area of athletics. Few teams have not had a taste of victory in school sports, and under the direction of Thomas "Skip" Karam, Durfee's former athletic director and legendary basketball coach, the athletic programs blossomed. Thomas Burns, who was named part-time athletic director in 1996, continues to provide leadership to the school's many athletic teams.
As a comprehensive high school, Durfee tries to serve all students with programs ranging from bilingual education to special needs courses. A suite full of guidance counselors, and many other specialized personnel supplement the regular teaching staff.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first graduating class, the school was rededicated on May 1, 1987. A program featured counterparts of the first dedication, and was followed by a carnival organized by the student government.
William J. Pelton, in his booklet "Durfee Quo Vadis: Biography of a High School," pointed out that throughout its history, B.M.C.. Durfee High School has reflected the city and the times. From its beginning in a time of prosperity through the declining economy of the '30s, through the expansion of programs in the '40s and '5Os to the challenges of the '60s and '70s, Durfee has prevailed.