Title: The Beverly Trade School Records
Creator: Beverly (MA) Public Schools
Date: 1909 – 1995
Size: 3 linear feet
Language: English
Repository: Beverly High School Library (Beverly, MA)
Extent: The collection pertains to the establishment and operation of the Beverly trade schools reflecting several changes to names of the schools; also curriculum variations. Included are the trustee minutes, annual reports, curriculum journals, correspondence, photographs and ephemera including programs and calendars.
Historical statement: The Beverly Independent Industrial School opened in 1909 for the purpose of providing occupational training to selected students not attending the Town High School. Steps to establish a liaison with the United Shoe Machine Corporation were started in 1909. Housed in the noted industrial concrete building designed by Ernest L. Ransome, the Company needed skilled workers for making its product-the shoe lasts or wooden form over which shoes were constructed. Complying with the state mandate of the Douglas Commission Report of 1906 (Mass. General Laws, Ch 505), the Beverly Cooperative Trade School (1925 – ca 1980) was founded with the leadership of George Hervey Vose, a machinist, teacher and director of machine shops, and Robert Orange Small, superintendent of schools. Curricula included auto repair, cabinetmaking, printing, pattern making and machine shop. In 1968 the Claude H. Patten Trade School opened at the new Beverly High School but was changed in 1970 to the Claude H. Patten (noted teacher and trade school director between 1926 – 1962) Vocational High School, staying in operation until 1995.
Subjects: Beverly (MA) – History Trade schools Industrial schools Shoe Industry – Massachusetts Douglas Commission Report – Massachusetts
Named persons: Patten, Claude H. Ransome, Ernest L. Small, Robert Orange Vose, George Hervey
Named Corporation: United Shoe Machine Corporation (Beverly, MA).
Geographic: Massachusetts – Industry – Shoe Massachusetts – Education – Industrial
Genre: Annual reports Genre: Minutes Genre: Journals – Curriculum Genre: Photographs
Organization of collection: By document type and chronological.
Finding aid: Database summary of documents, subjects and location.
Survey completed: May 2002
Surveyed by: Margaret M. Cornell, Archivist, by a grant from the Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System (NMRLS).
Claude Patten was my great uncle, whom I remember quite well. I was hoping to learn more about him as all of his siblings have died, and my mother who was his niece died in 1994.
Went to Beverly Trade School back in the late 50’s. Mr. Patten was the director back then. I was in the print shop with Mr Coults, whom I took over for when he got sick in the early 70’s . When you went to Beverly Trade it was very hard to attend sports and extra things because we were in class till 3:20 every day. The school was run very strict Mr. Patton stood for no B-S and his Secretary Mrs.York would add more discipline when he got through with us. One night after school was till 4:45/5:00; 5 nights was a good number but that could double very easily when Mrs. Yourk got through with you , you had to sit in a chair out side the office sit up straight and look straight ahead and when time was up you would find out from Mrs. York if it counted. Don’t think students could handle this today but we had a super education in our trade . We had some great times at this school we had a very tough group of students but the teachers were very good to us . I ended up working in the printing trade for 15 years in Boston and then went to college and was a printing teacher just like Mr Coults for 36+ years. Wish I could start it all over again what a great time we all had at BTS. “He who hath a trade has an estate” school moto. Think Mr. Patton lived on Grover st way up back ,back then it was dirt . At times we though we were in hell but now I see why it was run that way . Old school is gone now just the memories last
now!!!! G. Morrison