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The final quadrant to be covered in this series comprises the Academy property located south and east of Main and Salem Streets; it also includes those school properties situated east of Highland Road. Throughout the course of this century this quadrant has been predominantly developed into the athletic facilities of the Academy --- hence, the use of the subtitle, "The Athletic Area".
It appears that this area was quite desolate at the time of the founding of the Academy. The plot of ground located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Main and Salem Streets was used by the citizens of Andover as a Training Field in their standby preparation for the defense of their country. It was on this lot that George Washington reportedly addressed the students during his visit to Judge Samuel Phillips, Jr., on November 5, 1789.
In 1890 there arose a controversy as to who actually owned that plot of land --- the Town of Andover or Phillips Academy. George H. Poor, Esquire, researched the records in Salem and found that Isaac Blunt had conveyed the land to the Trustees of Phillips Academy in 1784 with this limitation "Reserving to the Second company of militia in the town of Andover liberty to make use of so much of the premises to train. on on public training days forever as I have for years appropriated for that purpose." The arms for these militia forces were stored in a small brick building located in the area; it reportedly survived into the twentieth century but unfortunately, no likeness of this edifice has survived.
This little park served as the locale for the 50th anniversary of the Seminary on August 5, 1858, at which observance the success of Samuel F. B. Morse's Atlantic Cable was announced. It was also the tent location and focal point for the Academy's Centennial Celebration during which Oliver Wendell Holmes delivered his ode prepared for the occasion, "The School Boy".
When the Civil War broke out, the Seminary and the Academy both formed military companies --- the Havelock Greys and the Ellsworth Guards, respectively. They followed in the footsteps of their Revolutionary predecessors by also training on this field.
The first Academy dwelling to be located in this quadrant was apparently the Comstock House. Originally situated on Highland Road behind Borden Gym, where the Memorial Gym is now located, it was constructed before 1800. In 1889 the house was remodeled and an additional ell was added on by Hardy and Cole of Andover. Prof. David Young Comstock, a Latin teacher at the Academy from 1874 to 1892 lived there for many years. The house was named in his honor in 1941.
This building was listed in the Seminary purchase deed of 1908 as a bindery and was again remodeled in 1935.
When work was begun on the Memorial Gym in 1950, Comstock House was moved to Hidden Field at a cost of $6,000. It is still used today as a faculty residence.
Adams House, or Hardy House, the present location of the Admissions Office, dates back to January 10, 1801. At that time the deed listed the property as a small dwelling house and 1-1/2 acre of land owned by Capt. Asa Towne. In 1804 the Trustees purchased this old building --- a dwelling so dilapidated and weather worn that they were driven to make extensive alterations and to add a wing or annex so scholars could board there. It had a spiral stairway, 42 inch square panels, sliding shutters and six fireplaces but went unoccupied for a year. On March 20, 1806, the Trustees voted to give Eliphalet Pearson "rent free for one year" in this house --- he lived there from 1806 to 1810.
In May 1810, John Adams, fourth school principal, took up residence there with his wife and ten children as well as six boarding students. He remained there until 1833 and was followed by Prof. William B. Graves (1865-70 and 1881-1915), Treasurer William G. Goldsmith (1870-1), LaRoy F. Griffin (1871-75) and George C. Merrill (1875-81). Frederick E. Newton, Frank M. Benton and Frank F. DiClemente resided there in the twentieth century. About 1881 the older section of the house was removed entirely and replaced by a new ell.
In 1912 this dwelling was named for Alpheus Hardy (1815-1887) --- an alumnus , President of the Board of Trustees from 1879 to 1884, Trustee of Amherst and State Senator. In 1973 the building was remodeled for use by the Admissions Offices.
The next building to be erected in this area of the quadrant was Newman House. The land on which it was constructed --- one acre and 19 poles --- was purchased by Mark Newman from Isaac Blunt in 1809. After serving Phillips Academy as its third principal (1793 to 1810) Newman built a new house on this lot in 1811. On an adjacent lot to the south, he erected a store where he kept a miscellaneous assortment of small wares as well as his bookstore. In 1817 Mark Newman exchanged this residence on the Hill with the Trustees for the house and estate of Samuel Abbot, Esq., on Central Street which they owned.
While a student at the Academy in 1824-25, Oliver Wendell Holmes boarded in this house; Prof. Murdock was the housemaster at the time. This famous student lived in the upper room over the kitchen in the wing at the east of the house. He delivered his Exhibition Ode in the Brick Academy next door in 1825 and his Ode "The School Boy" at the Centennial Celebration of June 1878 on the Training Field in front of Newman House.
This dwelling later served as the residence of Professors Emerson, Shedd and Egbert C. Smyth; for some time it was known as the Smyth House. During the Civil War, Prof. Emerson harbored many a fugitive slave escaping by the "Underground Route" to Canada. Following the turn of the century this house became the residence of the Academy Treasurer, James S. Sawyer, and underwent restoration and modification including the addition of the piazza on the front which faced Brechin Hall. It now serves as a faculty residence.
The store mentioned earlier that was built by Deacon Mark Newman was an ugly angular building located just slightly south of Cooley House. It was to this facility that he retired from the role of Principal to become bookseller to the Academy and the Seminary. Dr. Eliphalet Pearson established a press on the second floor of this building in 1813. It was there that Prof. Stuart set up his printing press with imported Hebrew type --- the first of its kind in this country.
The first two proprietors of this press were Timothy Flagg and Abraham J. Gould; they operated it from 1813 to 1832. It was here that the first publications of the Tract Society were printed as well as the first temperance paper, "Journal of Humanity". The business was moved to the Brick House further north and across the street in 1832. The Newman Store building was later owned by D. & J. Shipman and called the Shipman Store and then by Deacon Albert Abbott who then identified it as the "Hill Store". He sold dry goods and groceries there for fifty years. Parnell's tailor shop and Joel Phelps' shoe store were also located in that building in the nineteenth century. A set of hay scales owned by the town was located outside the store for many years. They were later moved downtown to Elm Square and then behind the Town Hall.
Newman's Store building fell into disuse later in the nineteenth century, was turned into a storehouse and about the turn of the century was torn down.
Timothy Flagg and Abraham J. Gould lived in two stately homes situated at 234 and 238 Main Street --just to the south across Highland Road from their press.
The last Academy building to be erected in the southeast quadrant during the nineteenth century was the Third Academy Building --- the Brick Academy --now known as Bulfinch Hall. It was built in 1818 to replace the Second Academy Building which had burned. A discussion of its construction and use as an Academy building is presented in Chapter II. It continued to be used for lectures and recitations even after the opening of the Stone Academy --- right up to the time that the New Main Building was erected in 1865. It is interesting to note that the Academy Commencement exercises and exhibitions were held on the upper story of this building. Access was very restricted --- to the point that attendees filed up the narrow stairway to the hall but the performers used a long ladder outside the building to reach the stage at the opposite end of the hall. When Gen. N. P. Banks was Governor of Mass. he was invited to attend an exhibition. As he was obliged to leave before the close of the ceremony and exit could not be forced through the audience, he descended using the boys' ladder. He further delighted the spectators by going down face forward as in going down stairs rather than crawling down backwards in the usual manner of descent.
The Trustees resolved that when the Fifth Main Building was completed in 1865, the Brick Academy should be outfitted as a gymnasium. $1,000 was appropriated for this purpose and the building was opened on February 14, 1867. It had facilities for bowling, exercises and boxing --- the last of these fell into disfavor later in the century and was discontinued. Minor improvements were made over the years such as a new floor and new ropes in September 1882 but the general condition of the facility continued to deteriorate. An article in the "Phillipian" of October 1, 1887, declared "One of the most desolate looking structures on Andover Hill is the gymnasium and the forlorn appearance of its outside is only too truly indicative of its condition within. The walls of the building inside are in a deplorable condition, in many places the plaster is broken off, and they are covered with the accumulated dirt of years. The woodwork was painted once --- how long ago is a matter of conjecture; but it does not seem as though it were within memory of living man."
A follow up article of November 17 the next year stated "The old building on the hill known as 'The Gym' but which might more appropriately be called An Old Curiosity Shop, is utterly inadequate to the demands of this institution. The 'Old Gym' is a relic of by-gone years."
The entire edifice was gutted by fire on June 23, 1896. After the fall of the dome, the fire soon spent itself with the destruction being complete in less than an hour. The origin of the fire was never truly determined. The town fire department, however, suspected arson as there were strong evidences that the building had been saturated with kerosene. The proximity of the origin of the fire to the janitor's quarters, however, made the school authorities doubt this theory as the janitor, S. J. Norris --- a student, narrowly escaped with his life. Although the building was destroyed, the loss was covered by insurance. By November of that same year restoration was well under way and it was forecasted that the new gym would be ready for use in a short while. There were still no showers or baths in the facility.
The use of this building as a gym only lasted for six more years --- until the completion of Borden Gymnasium. In the summer of 1902 the Brick Academy was converted into a Dining Hall by J. M. Bishop Co. of Boston to the architectural plans of Guy Lowell. Twelve large columns supported the second floor and hardwood floors were used throughout. A stairway near the north entrance led to the banquet hall on the second floor. A two story east wing, 31 feet by 33 feet, was constructed to contain the kitchen, serving rooms and a bakery. The culinary equipment was installed by Duparquet, Huot and Meneuse Co. of New York City; the plumbing, including a dishwashing machine, vent and gas were installed by W. H. Welch & Co. The Class of 1871 donated a set of china which bore the school seal. This "Beanery" served the dining needs of over 200 students.
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A change in the board system was instituted in 1916. Previously there was a fixed charge of $3.00 per week which covered light, heat, service and staple foods. Other foods were a-la-carte at cost and charged against meal tickets which cost $5.00. The new system cost $5.50 per week with no meal tickets involved. There was still an extra list if desired. This rate was raised to $6.00 a week in 1917. The Dining Hall remained functional until 1930 at which time the new Commons was built across Salem Street.
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The building was completely remodeled in 1936 as a result of a gift from Edward Harkness; the architect firm was Perry, Shaw & Hepburn. It was renamed Bulfinch Hall in memory of its initial architect and was dedicated May 15, 1937, as the home of the English Department. It contained 15 rooms each designed to accommodate small classes of 12 to 15 boys seated at a round table or in moveable chairs. There were also six conference rooms and a well arranged debating room in the rear of the building for use by Philo, Forum and other organizations.
The street in front of the building was officially named Grub Street, October 1983 --- after the London Street of the same name of the 18th century which was the abode of dozens of writers who were satirized in Alexander Pope's "Duncaid".
Additional renovations, repairing and redecorating were performed in the summer of 1984 and again in 1987. In 1985 it was ascertained that the bell atop Bulfinch Hall was cast by C. T. Robonson of Boston in 1888. The Paul Revere Day Books revealed that the Trustees of the Academy had purchased a 119-1/2 pound bell from Paul Revere in 1821 for $53.00; unfortunately, this was not that bell.
During the latter part of the nineteenth century the Trustees recognized the need for a modern gymnasium to round out the school --- the present facility was very inadequate. As indicated above, the condition of the Brick Academy had been deteriorating for years --- in fact the student attitude might have led to its gutting. Phillipian editorials ran strong in their condemnation of the facilities and the apparent absence of action. At last the administration and the Trustees became responsive and Principal Cecil P. F. Bancroft personally led the campaign to raise the $60,000 required for the planned facility. The principle donor was Matthew C. D. Borden, Class of 1860, of Fall River, Mass., and the building was named for him. Ground was broken in May 1900; the architects were Peabody & Stearns of Boston.
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The completed facility was officially opened on March 22, 1902, with a basketball game against the Harvard Freshmen. Unfortunately, Principal Bancroft did not live long enough to participate in the realization of his efforts. There were 15 shower baths, 360 lockers, full provision for a race-track on the mezzanine level and basketball courts as well as all other indoor exercises. The apparatus for the facility was selected by Dr. W. G. Anderson of Yale from the stock of A. G. Spaulding & Co.. The first of many Senior Promenade Concerts was held here on June 17, 1903.
In 1909 the students started a fund raising for the construction of a pool wing to the gymnasium. Unfortunately this effort was being conducted in parallel with the Trustees campaign for the Seminary property purchase. The students were undaunted in their efforts and were able to secure $15,000. Construction of the wing was started on May 30, 1911, and the facility addition was opened on December 2 of that year.
The new building joined to the rear of the old gym by a covered passageway which opened into the shower-bath room in the basement. Special granite was cut to match the stone in the gym. The wing was built by Holt-Fairchild Co. of Boston. The opening day activities on that Saturday afternoon of December 2 were so popular that a special hour had to be set apart for each class; there were nearly 400 boys in the water that afternoon. The tank was 75 feet long, 39 feet wide; the deep end next to the gym was 8 feet 9 inches, the shallow end 4 feet 9 inches. 110,000 gallons of water were required to fill the tank and the filtration system was located in a passageway underneath the pool. The sides and bottom surfaces were of ceramic tile while the upper border was brick.
In the summer of 1940 this pool was opened to the public and swimming clubs were formed; there were 2743 admissions to the pool that season. The swimming facility was reconstructed in 1943 and named York Pool in honor of Theodore Woodbury York, Class of 1911, who was chairman of the original fund raising "Swimming Pool Committee".
As Borden Gym was being constructed, plans were being implemented to provide playing fields for the outdoor sports. George Brown Knapp, Class of 1854, provided funds for the purchase of land south of the gym for these fields. The Trustees had to spend $30,000 in addition to this gift to drain and grade the land and to build grandstands.
A contract was let to J. W. Tarbell of Lowell to provide two football fields and two baseball diamonds. The work was completed in the summer of 1902 but the soft condition of the turf delayed use for athletic events.
George B. Knapp wanted to associate his name with that of his brother, Arthur Mason Knapp --- a teacher at the Academy in 1863, in the memorial so the facility was dedicated in 1903 as Brothers Field. The first contest played there was on November 14, 1903, during which Phillips Academy beat their longstanding rival, Lawrenceville.
Miss Katherine Knapp, sister of George and Arthur, willed sufficient funds to the Academy for construction of the Knapp Memorial Gateway located at the entrance to the playing area just west of the Cage and facing the Main Street-Highland Road triangle.
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The major baseball diamond was shifted in 1912 because the sun was directly in the eyes of the catcher and batter making it impossible to hit a shoulder level ball or to take a high throw from second base. The new plans were drawn up by Olmsted Brothers and provided for a "turtle-back diamond" --- there was a drop of six inches from the mound to the base lines. An eighty by thirty-five foot grandstand was constructed behind home plate which could seat 1325 people.
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The first track installed on Brothers Field was put there in 1913. This wooden track was replaced in 1917 by a cinder 440 yard track with a 220 yard straightaway that stood for 71 years. This track was, in turn, replaced by a new track and field facility which was dedicated on April 30, 1988. The Stephen Stanley Sorota Track was named for the track coach from 1938 to 1979. The facility has a bright blue polyurethane surface which makes it virtually maintenance free. The eight lanes are useful in all kinds of weather. New throwing and jumping areas were also added.
Acreage available for athletic fields was expanded significantly in 1922 by the purchase of the Pearson Farm. This property, consisting of thirty-two acres of land, a house and a barn, provided considerable frontage on Main Street and stretched back to the north and east to a juncture with Brothers Field. The land was primarily meadowland which could be made into additional playing fields. Some of that acreage still remains in an undeveloped state today for future expansion.
A new football field was dedicated on October 15, 1924, with a 13-0 victory over the Harvard freshmen. This field was located about 100 yards to the south and east of Borden Gym; this move was necessitated by the construction of the Case Memorial Cage which encroached upon the site of the old field. Construction had taken more than a year and the new field was situated on an east-west axis so that the sun would very seldom shine on any player's eyes. In the process of levelling the area, more than 20,000 cubic yards of earth were excavated and used to fill in hollows around Johnson Hall and Samuel Phillips Hall (which was then called the new Main Building). The new stands for this field were made of spruce at a cost of $27,000. They were 300 feet long on the Andover side, 22 rows high to accommodate 4200 spectators; on the west side they were of the same length but only 17 rows high to seat 3000 people.
The PAE Society House, erected in 1908, was discussed in detail in Chapter IV.
Following the dissolution of the Secret Societies in 1950, this facility became Cooley House and was used for many years in conjunction with the Gymnasium for athletic purposes. Brooks Hall Room, dedicated on May 18, 1963, provided an addition which doubled the capacity of the house for a variety of functions involving student groups and guests of the school. In 1980 the building was converted to a Student Center and today remains a general purpose facility.
Two edifices were constructed in the southeast quadrant during the 1920's --- Fuller Memorial Tower and Case Memorial Cage. Eight descendants of Samuel Fuller --- the first rector of Christ Church --- offered to give the school a bell tower in memory of the 87 Andover men who had been killed during the Great War. The site selected for this tower was the high ground originally known as the Training Field. Ground was broken in the spring 1922; the cornerstone laying was part of the commencement exercises on June 16, 1922. Under the cornerstone was placed a copper box packed with many symbols of that day --- newspapers, books, magazines, photographs, a baseball, a pack of cigarettes and coins.
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Inability to secure granite and fabricated steel in sufficient quantities made it impossible to make any progress during the summer and work really began in the fall. The tower was built of granite and brick with a white belltower of wood surmounted by a weather vane for a total height of 159 feet. The tower was designed by Guy Lowell and built by E. W. Pitman Co., Lawrence. It was dedicated in June 1923 with the address being delivered by Major Marlborough Churchill, Class of 1896. Inscriptions appear on three sides of the tower, none are on the east face:
West side: MONUMENTUM ET PIGNUS AMORIS
North side: POST EOS LUCET VIA
South side: LOGO SANCTO STABUNT
The granite posts and chain fence around the area were installed in the summer of 1929.
The bell tower originally contained a carillon of 30 bells which was also a gift of the Fullers. These bells were manufactured by the John Taylor Co. of Loughborough, England, and at the time there was only one other set in the U.S. --- it being located in a church steeple in Gloucester, Mass. The bells were first played on Armistice Day, November 11, 1923, by Dr. Carl Pfatteicher, head of the Academy Music Department. The dedicatory recital was given December 1, 1923, by Edward Shippen Barnes, then organist of the Rutgers Presbyterian Church in New York City.
Concurrent with the completion of the carillon was the installation of the clock with an automatic Westminster quarter-chime mechanism which operated the four lowest bells of the carillon. Seven additional bells given by the Fullers were installed in May 1926 to complete the three full chromatic octaves. The bells are played from a console in the tower beneath the bell chamber. The console consists of 30 hand/fist levers and 10 foot pedals.
By the 1960's the instrument had fallen into a state of disrepair and the tower itself needed painting and refurbishing. The latter was done in 1961. In 1966 the top 18 bells, declared to be not cast heavy enough to balance with the rest of the carillon, were replaced with new ones cast by the Dutch firm of Petit & Fritsen. The lowest bell, or "bourdon", sounds the note E, is 4 feet in diameter and weighs 2347 pounds. The highest bell also sounding E, is 9 inches in diameter and weighs 22 pounds. The instrument is still being used for periodic recitals.
A baseball cage was erected in 1923 by Mr. & Mrs. George B. Case, their son and daughter, in memory of George Bowen Case Jr., of the Class of 1923, who died in 1921. When planned in 1922 the architect Guy Lowell estimated the cost to be $75,000.
At first it was thought that this cage should be attached to Borden Gym but the architects pointed out that it would be unattractive from an aesthetic point of view and difficult to construct because of grading problems. After prolonged discussions the present location was selected with the attendant relocation of the football field.
Case Memorial Cage is 150 feet square with walls of brick and hollow tile 25 feet high. The roof, constructed of slate and glass supported by steel trusses, is 64 feet high in the center. Provision was made for a baseball diamond with the deep position of short-stop and second base. There is a running track twelve feet wide on the ground level around all four sides and a suspended track of the same width as well as jumping, hurdling and shotputting areas. The facility was built by E. W. Pitman & Co., Lawrence, and was dedicated on Commencement Day 1923.
The glass and rusting metal of the ceiling were replaced during the summer of 1941 and the Ray Shepard Memorial Wing was added in 1961 at a cost of $42,000. The total cage facility was renovated in 1977 at a cost of approximately $550,000. This latest renovation included the replacement of the leaking roof and the overhead netting and the installation of a new artificial floor surface suitable for basketball and indoor tennis as well as track. Rededicated on January 7, 1978, the new cage could be used for intramural basketball, volleyball and tennis on rainy days in the fall and spring. The facility also proves to be suitable for school assemblies, dances, testing and other large functions which require a seating capacity of as many as 2500 people.
During the 1950's two more facilities were added in the southeast quadrant --- the Sumner Smith Rink in 1950 and the Memorial Gymnasium in 1952. Prior to 1950 all skating by the students --- both for pleasure and by the hockey team --- was done on Rabbit Pond or on the flooded rink located behind the track on the western quadrangle. Sumner Smith, Class of 1908, contributed $54,100 in the winter of 1950 for the construction of an artificial ice rink --- the first such facility in the history of prep schools in America. He added another $10,000 to this gift to put the nine miles of pipe in sand and the Trustees added $10,000 to embed them in concrete figuring that the depreciation would be less. The rink was finished in the winter of 1950-51.
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The Sumner Smith Rink was covered with a roof in 1958 that was donated as part of the Andover Program. The rink was reconditioned during the summer of 1980 and continues to play a vital role in the winter sports program.
For several years in the 1940 decade the student polls had placed a new gymnasium in first place as the Academy's greatest need; they backed up these words with serious money raising efforts. In a drive held on October 3, 1947, they were able to secure contributions of $582 from the undergraduates themselves for an electric basketball scoreboard. It was temporarily installed in Borden Gym until the new gym was completed. Two years later they raised $15,000 among themselves towards a new gym facility. Finally the plans for the War Memorial Gymnasium were approved by the Board of Trustees in February 1950. The Trustees took over the financial aspects of the building activity and found there was no need to have a special drive for the $1 million required for the effort. Voluntary gifts came in and the Trustees borrowed from the endowment for additional funds needed. They opted to tie the new facility to the old and blend it in rather than tear Borden Gym down --- it was still a useful building. The overall design was kept simple and practical by Eggers & Higgins, the architects.
The cornerstone laying was held on June 9, 1952. Steel shortages and priorities forced revision of the building schedule by chief contractor, Edmund J. Rappoli & Co., Inc. Construction took 496 work days and the final cost rolled in at $1,195,000. Work was finally completed in December 1952 and the dedication ceremony was held in February 1953 with the main speaker being Rear Admiral William F. Halsey, USN (Ret). The new gymnasium was dedicated in memory of the 144 Andover men killed in World War II and the Korean Conflict.
The main floor of the new complex contained the main gym, 102 feet by 165 feet, which contained three basketball courts having moveable partitions. A regulation varsity court of 50 feet by 90 feet could be superimposed lengthwise over two of the smaller courts. There were folding bleachers for 1140 spectators. The ceiling was 23 feet high and natural lighting was provided through prismatic brick glass windows starting 16 feet above the floor level. The main floor of the Borden Gym being at the same level it provided a natural extension and was used for the school Physical Education program and wrestling as well as proms and other non-athletic applications. A lobby was also provided on the main floor for ticket offices, information booths and display cases as well as administrative offices.
The lower level comprised a locker room of 676 lockers, a special varsity room with 140 lockers, equipment, supply and repair rooms, six visiting team rooms (in the Borden part of the complex), five squash courts with spectators galleries and a 100 by 72 foot area for wrestling, fencing and riflery. The swimming pool was remodeled to increase the deep end from eight to ten feet and the width from 30 feet to 42 feet to accommodate six lanes. The ceiling was raised to 23 feet and a three-meter diving board was added. At the far end of the pool a separate diving pool, 40 feet by 25 feet by 11 feet, was added and was equipped with one- and three-meter diving boards. There was permanent seating for 260 spectators in the swimming area as well as provision capabilities for 500 more.
Following the merger with Abbot Academy, extensive renovations were made to facilitate the presence of the girl's activities by adding the Abbot Wing. Starting in June 1979 the $2.9 million upgrade included a new building alongside the pool to accommodate a girl's locker room in the basement and an all-purpose room upstairs capable of being used for dances, wrestling, gymnastics and handball. The thoroughfare of Highland Road was terminated and a passageway/walking bridge between the main complex and the rink and cage was built. All plans were developed by the architectural firm of Johnson, Holvedt, DiNisco and Associates. Formal dedication was held on November 10, 1979.
During the year of their 50th reunion, the Class of 1922 united with Sumner Smith, Class of 1908, to fund the Class of 1922 Field House. Built during the summer of 1971 the building is a completely functional structure which contains two visiting team rooms, shelter and repair space for four major vehicles of the grounds crew and public toilets. The final finishing work and landscaping were completed in time for the formal dedication in June 1972. It is located in the southwest corner of the playing field area.
In the early 1960's expansion activities created a new campus east of Highland Road, north of Watson Avenue. This property extends beyond the Watson Barn and Forbes House to two Techbuilt design houses erected in 1962 --- Woolley House and Wisconsin House. The first residents of these houses were Mr. & Mrs. John B. Hawes and Mr. & Mrs. Alexander D. Gibson respectively. The open space between these houses and Highland Road was made into the Kevin Rafferty Playing Fields in 1963. Created at a cost of $93,000 they were dedicated on October 26, 1963, in memory of Kevin G. Rafferty, Class of 1934, who lost his life in World War II.
The two houses located on the south side of that portion of Highland Road which was made a "dead end" street, McCurdy House and Eastman House, have both been discussed in previous chapters. McCurdy House was the home of the SPA and then PLS Societies in the early 1900's after having been the residence of the Misses Phelps (1870's), Mrs. Paradise (1880's and early 90's) and Mr. William Terriil (1890's). Following the Secret Society use, this edifice was transitioned to faculty housing.
Eastman House was a boarding house in the 1890's and was taken over by the Trustees in 1906 as a dorm. It too reverted to use as a faculty residence.
The triangle between Main Street and the other portion of Highland Road that was "dead-ended" in 1979 was filled in and seeded in 1921 by AVIS (Andover Village Improvement Society). There are some references to the presence in the 1850 era of a small house on this plot of land or just north to the present site of Cooley House. It was the home of Hannah Rollins, the colored laundress for Phillips Academy and the Andover Theological Seminary. Unfortunately, neither more accurate definitions nor likeness representations have survived the years.
The various Secret Society houses located on Highland Road and Salem Street have been identified in Chapter IV.
The stately Victorian house on the northeast corner of Salem Street and Highland Road, known as the Smith House, was occupied for many years in the 19th and 20th centuries by Mrs. R. A. Carter and then her daughter Miss Mary Carter. It is now a dormitory. Further up Salem Street on the north side (#42) is the house recently dedicated as the Hearsey House --- in memory of Miss Marguerite C. Hearsey, Principal of Abbot Academy from 1936 to 1955. The Seminary House at 28 Salem Street, now a faculty apartment house, was a private dwelling before the 1940's. It was in the top floor apartment of this building that that author spent the first few years of his life.