DAME SCHOOL REBORN AS CONCORD RECREATION DEPARTMENT HOME

      Despite the heavy rains, thunder, and lightening, the Concord Recreation Department opened their doors and welcomed the Concord community to their new home.   The former Dame School, located at 9 Canterbury Road is having a new life.  Being quiet since a year ago in June when students, teachers, custodial staff, and kitchen staff said a sad goodbye and excitedly moved to the new school off North Curtisville Road  known as Mill Pond School.    Dame sat their all summer, autumn, and winter wondering what was going to happen.   I, being a former student from kindergarten to sixth grade would drive by and remember all the times I had there.

I arrived at the new home for the Concord Recreation Department and was told by John, one of the staff members for the department I could walk around by myself or wait for someone to give me a tour.  I decided to go by myself and as soon as I did, i encountered Bob & Mary Towle, who reside on Marion Street on the Heights.   I had worked for Bob's brother Jim when they owned Towle's Market,  which is where a jewelry store and Kentucky Fried Chicken are located.   It was a family grocery store with a major meat business.  Jim Towle who was the owner having purchased it from his dad  Edgar Towle, did the meatcutting and built a tremendous business.   The three of us stood in the hallway at the former school remembering teachers, trends, fellow students, and I shared where the teachers were located inside.   What's interesting is the older section of the school, still has the yellow cement block walls, the circle with numbers on the doors, and the brown colored doors.  Most rooms still had the cabinets with windows in them.  It was fun walking with John through the hallways.  When I was there Miss Silsby was my kindergarten teacher.  The kindergarten was located in the office where David Gill and his assistant are.  Mrs. Nesbit and Miss Hurley were the first grade teachers.  the second grader teachers were Miss Sanderson (later to be Westover) and Mrs. Graham.   The third grade teachers were Mrs. Laramie and Miss Downing.  The fourth grade teachers were Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Hall; fifth grade teachers included Mrs. Mullen (who was extremely patriotic because one of her son's was killed in World War 2 and Miss Heseltine.    The sixth grade teachers were Mrs. Hyde and Mrs. Brown (who had moved from the fourth grade to do sixth grade.   Miss Brackett had been the sixth grade teacher but got married and moved away.  Mrs. Dorothy Guimond was the principal and you knew when she was present.    I was telling John that she would sit on the stage eating her lunch and if you didn't like was being served, you had to go up to the stage and explain why you couldn't eat it.   I had two visits to see her.  One day tuna fish salad roll with a slice of tomato on top.  I do not like either one, tuna fish and tomatoes.   I was told that I didn't have to eat it.  My second visit was one day we were served steamed hot dog in roll with sour krout.   I had never sorekrout and yuck!  Well Mrs. Guimond didn't agree with me this time.  I had to eat some of it.  Unfortunately my parents didn't make enough money for my sister and I to have hot lunch every day.   However, my mother tried to make sure my sister and would enjoy hot turkey dinner, chinese pie, or fish sticks when they would be served.  My sister and I would take a sandwich from home with a cupcake or cookies.  Ah the memories of walking through the school.    The new addition, which faced towards Loudon Road enabled the fourth, fifth and sixth grades to move to new rooms.   The school featured new teachers such as Miss Hill,Mrs. Morton, Mrs. Fanny, Mrs. Fraser, Mrs. Mark, David Alexander, Mr. McCormack to name.  Mr. Alexander and Mr. McCormack were the first male teachers at Dame School.   John Keach was a cadet teacher when I was in the sixth grade.  He worked with Mrs. Clark soon to be Mrs. McClintock.  

So back to the tour;  I went in to the new CCTV studios and what a nice place.   I am so excited to begin taping my shows in September at the Concord Recreation Place.  I was just so excited to see the new studio.   It is such a great improvement.  I was just enjoying myself remembering when I was a student there.   The auditorium/cafeteria brought back so many memories.  I was telling the Towle's how there was a third grade class room in the back of the auditorium. When there was an assembly that featured all the classes, they would open the big door and you had a big auditorium.  The daytime featured plays or musicals while the PTO would meet in the evening and the classes presented their programs.

The remaining rooms are going to be used by the East Concord Preschool, Senior Citizens programming, and other groups.  There are still rooms available by callling David Gill for more informiation.   

Arnie's served everyone ice cream in a cup.  You could choose from several flavors.  What a great way to end the tour!  The Recreation Department is planning fun and games on the Fourth of July from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Keach Park.   It is then you travel to Memorial Field for the evening activities!  At some point this summer, the Recreation Department will be selling off chairs, tables, cabinets left behind by the School District.  I wondered if they had any of the desks from the early 1960's when I was there.   Of course that drew some laughter, but thought I would ask.   Good Luck to the Concord Recreation Department  and let's not forget to display the Dame School sign and a portrait of Dorothy Guimond as a tribute.  They did find Harriet Dame's portrait which is hanging in the office.