History of SMS
History of Stacy Middle School
The portion of the present Stacy complex which fronts School Street was originally built as Milford High School. Designed by Robert Allen Cook, it was built of Milford pink granite by Dillon Brothers at a cost of $60,000. Although the school opened in September 1901, furnishings and laboratories were not provided until November.
The next building was the original Stacy School, located just south of the high school facing Spruce Street. Designed by Walter L. Collins and Wendell T. Phillips, it too was built by Dillon Brothers with the stone furnished by the Webb Pink Granite Co. The town appropriated $83,000 for the building and land.
It was planned with a view to house the seventh, eighth and ninth grades. The building contained fifteen rooms, treated along simple lines and finished in brown ash. The floors were maple and it featured wide corridors extending the length of the building, commodious wardrobes and four large exits from the first floor. It opened in March 1917 and served the town honorably until June 1981 at which time its doors were closed.
In 1926 the school committee, having faced serious overcrowding for a number of years, considered a plan by architects Cook and Phillips. It called for a modern high school unit to be connected with Stacy School by an enclosed portico at an estimated cost of $350,000. However, it would take almost 70 years and approximately $13 million dollars for a plan of this type to become reality.
Educationally the great event of 1936 was the completion and occupation of the addition to the high school. Designed by Cook and Phillips, it was built with WPA. funds at a cost of $265,000. This ended 14 years of double sessions and it was considered one of the most impressive high schools in the state, adequate for years to come, with improved science and library equipment and an auditorium gymnasium with lockers and showers.
The joy, however, was short‑lived as just seven months later, on March 31,1937, a devastating fire destroyed the roof and third story of the original building. This brought back double sessions. It would be later rebuilt with Milford pink granite in the same style as the lower portion and in harmony with the addition.
The building remained a high school until the present Milford High School, located on West Fountain Street, was constructed in 1973. It became known as Middle School West and housed, at various times, grades six, seven and eight. Its connection with the original Stacy School, completed in 1995, has given birth to a, second generation Stacy Middle School, truly modern and state of the art with renovated classrooms, full size gymnasium, auditorium and library.
George Edward Stacy
1834-1926
Few men have so interwoven their lives and ideals with those of a large community. Few men have so won the general esteem of their fellow citizens.
For years, no crusade in Milford for more or better schools was complete without George E. Stacy. He was greatly interested in the education of youth to enable them to take part in public affairs with personal success and no loss of character. For decades, his addresses to high school graduates inspired an appeal to use life their opportunities for education so they and all about would be better therefore.
He was from boyhood associated with his father in the printing business. For more than 50 years, Mr. Stacy served as a member of the School Committee and was Chairman for a quarter century until his death.
The original Stacy School was built in 1916 and named in his honor. It stands as a lasting memorial to his exemplary life, character and devoted service to the Town of Milford.