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05/24/2016 12:00 AMIn a year that marks the closing of The Morgan School and its reopening on a new campus this summer, the town’s high school will be the subject of the Clinton Historical Society’s 2016 Museum Room exhibit at Andrews Memorial Town Hall.
The exhibit, which opens Thursday, June 9, will be open every Thursday night from 5 to 7 p.m. through the summer. Admission is free.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn about The Morgan School’s rich history and traditions, browse through newspaper clippings for each decade, revisit the yearbook from your graduation, and catch up with fellow classmates,” said Museum Curator Barbara Corcoran. “Each week will feature class reunions for specific graduation years.”
Following is the schedule for June and July; the August and September schedule will be posted at a later date.
June 9: Classes of 1951 — 1955
June 16: Classes of 1956 – 1959
June 23: Classes of 1960 – 1964
June 30: Classes of 1964 – 1968
July 7: Classes of 1969 – 1973
July 14: Classes of 1974 – 1978
July 21: Classes of 1979 – 1981
July 28: Classes of 1982 – 1985
On display at The Morgan School Museum Exhibit are artifacts dating back more than a century, as well as more contemporary keepsakes.
“Thanks to The Morgan School Alumni Association,” said Corcoran, “we have yearbooks for almost every year of The Morgan School. We have a piece of wallpaper from the first Morgan School; trophies (Eliot and Holbrook Cups); class night and commencement programs from the 1800s to the present; class seals and the original Morgan School stamps; bricks from the original 1871 school building, which was demolished in 1953; students’ academic silver medals; and a gift box that Mr. Morgan gave to all 1st- and 2nd-grade students. It’s in excellent condition and just beautiful.”
A 1905 senior class photo of Emily Rose Burt (this notable grad went on to become a magazine editor at the highly successful Woman’s Home Companion) shows a young woman in a high-necked, wide-shouldered Victorian frock with cascading ruffles.
Newspaper clippings of graduating classes—along with volumes of photographs and newspapers set up in decade order—will be available for visitors to look through, and a looping CD of photos will be played during exhibit hours.
“I’ll also post some information about the trends of each decade for each class reunion,” said Corcoran, adding, “A big thank you goes out to The Morgan School Alumni Association. Without the work they’ve done collecting and archiving all the artifacts of The Morgan School’s history, this exhibit would not be possible.”
The booklet Charles Morgan’s Gift to Clinton, which the Association compiled, will be available in the Museum Room for $5, with proceeds benefiting the Association. “It’s an excellent history of The Morgan School.”
Each year, Corcoran said, the center exhibit in the Museum Room changes.
“I pick about six or seven topics, and the Clinton Historical Society votes on what the exhibit should be for that year. It was obvious with the creation of the new high school that this year’s exhibit should be on the history of The Morgan School, which is rich and multifaceted,” she said. “During the exhibit setup, I wished the space was twice the size to be able to tell the entire story. In addition to revisiting the history, I felt it was a great opportunity for classes to gather and share past and present experiences. Clinton is a close-knit town, and many people who attended The Morgan School have remained in the area.
“We have sent personal invitations to 11 alumni (and their families) who attended the original Morgan School to view the exhibit on the first night that it’s open to the public. Our oldest graduate is from the class of 1932!” Corcoran noted. “I’m very much looking forward to that evening and the stories these alumni will share.”
The Museum Room is on the upper floor; signs in the Town Hall’s foyer direct visitors to the exhibit.