Madison Avenue Elementary School was built in 1928 and classes began in January, 1929, and provided just over 90 years of service. I attended Madison Avenue from 1956 to 1962, and the building was torn down in the summer of 2019.
I am sure the new building constructed behind the grade school is wonderful — Riverview Elementary School, as well as the new one built on Concord-Hambden Road –Parkside Elementary School. But I will always have memories of Madison Avenue School. I took a tour of the building before the demolition began.
I remember the gymnasium being so large, the halls so wide, and the chairs just the right size. The gym also served as the lunchroom. The kitchen was just to the immediate left, and the lunch tables were stored in the far left door. The tables were folded up and rolled in and out of the storage area every day for the lunch hour. I think I brought the lunch my mother packed to school every day.
I remember the playground, especially the tether ball court, and the annual May Day pageantry, when we wound colored fabric around the flag pole in the front of the building while singing!
The desks and chairs in this photo are certainly new. I recall rows of wooden desks next to each other. You had to lift up the entire top of the desk to access the gray metal storage area below. And we had tiny wooden chairs made for first graders. That said, these chairs look pretty small as well.
I remember the first week of school in first grade — coming home and telling my mother I knew the letter “A” and it stood for “apple.” I also remember being very interested in the art supplies that were on the desk next to me — and the swift swat from Mrs. Dailey indicating I needed to pay attention to her and not the supplies.
I remember the maps and diagrams and charts stored on those large rollers and pulled down for viewing when the teachers needed them.
This was the coat closet (for jackets, boots, lunchboxes, scarves, gloves and whatever) in each classroom.
If you have memories of Madison Avenue Elementary, give us your comments. We have an alumna who is writing about Hale Road Elementary for our next edition.
If you have remembrances of one of the other closed elementary schools you want to share, please contact us.
So many years, so many memories. But all good things come to an end, and the building had to be torn down.
And then a beautiful building arose, a great learning opportunity for today’s children.
Again, we are looking for remembrances, both narrative and photographic, that you would like to share in these space. Let us know!
