Odds and Ends From The MUSEUM!
Is it Millinocket High School or Oxford Street School? Photos keep appearing on Facebook and visitors at the museum looking at photos on display frequently identify or point to the photo of the large two-story school building with the belfry and comment that that building, the first school building, later became Oxford Street School.
That is incorrect! Millinocket High School and Common School was the first school building erected in Millinocket (opened January 6, 1902). It was located on the corner or Katahdin Avenue and School Street. Oxford Street School opened on Oxford Street in the fall of 1907 for elementary students. These two buildings would house all Millinocket students until 1914 when Aroostook Avenue School was completed.
The confusion comes about as someone looks at photos of the two buildings. The museum has one of each on display (side by side). Visitors frequently point to the photo on the left and say “the first school that later was called Oxford Street School.” That is when one of the museum volunteers’ steps in and gives an explanation.
Millinocket High School and Common School was the first building constructed as a school and housed all students in the rapidly growing community. Union Chapel had held some classes in the early days (1899-1900). At first, MHS & Common School had only four of its eight rooms completed. At that time there were 300 school age children in town. By 1903, two more of the rooms were finished. Later, the last two rooms were completed and the attic space was made into another classroom space (7th grade). Even the principal’s office over the front entrance was used as a classroom! Truancy was often overlooked due to lack of space.
Oxford Street School was just for elementary students. The four-room wooden building had four rooms at the beginning. An addition with four more rooms came later. This building with furniture, plumbing, heating and a teacher’s room cost about $9000.
Millinocket High School & Common School (corner of Katahdin Avenue/School Street) and Oxford Street School (Oxford Street) were two different buildings in two different locations. Their architectural design was very similar although Millinocket High School was larger (lots more windows, more rooms in the beginning) and had a bell tower. Oxford Street School was smaller (4 rooms at first, more later) and had no bell tower. It’s the bell tower that is the most identifying feature!
MHS has a book for sale at the museum titled Millinocket Schoolhouses...A Look Back In Time! that details the history of all school buildings in Millinocket. It was compiled by museum volunteers…come in a pick up a copy! Lots of photos within the text plus many photos of students/student groups down through the years in a Photo Album at the back of the book.
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