Structural History of Staples High School
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Generation One: 1884-1937
The first incarcination of Staples was the original three-story brick building on Riverside Avenue, built by Horace Staples himself with his own funds. The building contained the original stone "Staples High School" sign, nine classrooms, a Library and a Gymnasium in the attic. What was notable about the Gym there was that users had to dodge the pillars when playing.
The original Staples hall continued to be used even after the school was expanded, called the "Old Staples Hall". Complaints occured however that the two structures were not uniform and that the second floor on each was not aligned. Additionally, the structure was showing its age and was in disrepair, however Adam Staples, a descendant of the founder Horace Staples who was alive at the time protested against its demolition, as it would forfeit the trust funds associated with it. But demolition had to press on, for the Auditorium in its place needed to be built there.
The structure was finally demolished in 1967, nine years into Bedford Junior High School's reign. It was replaced by the Auditorium that stands there today. The original cornerstone and the stone sign were kept however, and the sign placed at the beginning of the driveway into Staples.
Generation Two: 1937-1958
Staples was expaned in 1937 to include the familiar two-story structure that still exists today, occupied by Saugatuck Elementary School. Initally, the structure was criticized for having just classrooms and lacked a Cafeteria entirely; however in 1947 the addition was further added on to to include a Cafeteria and Gymnasium.
However, overcrowding became an issue by the 1950's, and the expanding community warranted the campus to move to North Avenue in 1958. The building was turned into Bedford Junior High School, which later became Bedford Middle School. In 2001, Bedford Middle School moved to a new facility adjacent to Staples currently, and the building here was renovated, and in 2002 reopened as Saugatuck Elementary School.
It contained the letters "S T A P L E S H I G H S C H O O L" on the front, which were changed to a similar design for "Bedford Middle School" when it took over the site. When Bedford left and Saugatuck Elementary School was created, the school name was spelled out on the front, although this time in gold-chrome flat letters.
Rumor has it that a pool existed in the basement of this building, as told numerous times even decades after Staples had left the site. It had gained wide knowledge by Bedford Middle School students until it moved out of the site in 2001. However, by the knowledge of former long-time BMS principal Glenn Hightower, there was simply just a sewer pipe that ran through it and that there was no usage of a pool in any way.
Generation Three: 1958-1981
The school moved to North Avenue over the summer of 1958. The original campus contained eight cinderblock buildings (seven if you counted the Cafeteria and Gymnasium buildings together, as they were). They were labeled One through Eight, and were all seperated, necessating students to walk outside to go between buildings. The "seperate building" design was employed due in part of the Californian descent of the building's architect and for the intention of saving money on heating costs.
Despite the seperate buildings, students and teachers enjoyed many new features over the Riverside Avenue campus. The biggest addition of all was the Auditorium, quite impressive for the time.
Six years into the campus, a two-story ninth building was constructed at the south end, as the campus was no longer big enough to house the rapid influx of students.
Generation Four: 1980-2006
Modernization brought the campus to Generation Four, where the seperate buildings were connected and unified into an all-in-one building. Everything that was there before remained, although the campus's look changed dramatically, with the cinderblock being replaced with tan and brick. Additionally, several new structures were in place, including the Fieldhouse and a greately expanded Libary. Additionally, the North Courtyard was fitted with an elevated area beside the new Cafeteria. Additionally, carpeting was installed in many of the hallways.
Despite the expansions, much of the interior of Staples was not touched. All of the old clocks, furniture and equipment remained.
Generation Five: 2005
See New building
