Wells High School
Encyclopedia
Wells High School is a public school located in Wells, Maine
. It has an enrollment of 432 students in grades 9 through 12. The school primarily serves students from Wells, as well as a small number of students from Ogunquit
, which was part of the town of Wells until 1980 and has never had its own high school. From 1968 until 2006, Wells High School also served students from the town of Acton
, which has also never had a high school of its own.
enacted the Free High School Act. The law gave towns the ability to establish public high school
s which would receive 50% of their funding from the state. Classes were held at the existing one-room school
s located throughout the town.
By the mid-1890s, it became clear that holding high school classes in several locations was not an optimal arrangement. In 1901, voters at the annual town meeting
were asked whether they wanted to build a standalone high school. The vote passed. Later that same year, constructed at a cost of $3,650, Wells High School opened its doors. The first class graduated in 1903, with all nine students — seven girls and two boys — receiving diplomas. The graduation ceremony was held at the Second Congregational Church (today known as the Wells Congregational Church, UCC
), in what was considered an extraordinarily special and historic event. The class motto was Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum — Latin for "no footsteps backward."
In 1909, Wells High School suffered an extensive fire. A new, larger building was immediately built on the same site. The high school would suffer yet another fire in 1922. Classes were held at the town hall while the building was repaired and enlarged. That building would serve as the high school until 1937 when a new, much larger high school was built a few hundred feet north, and the 1909 building was turned into an elementary school
. The 1937 building, located at 1470 Post Road (US-1
) across from Ocean View Cemetery, was the first school in Wells to be constructed out of brick, and cost $90,000 to build. In 1939, the 1909 building was completely destroyed by fire, and was not rebuilt.
The fourth (and current) Wells High School was constructed in 1977 at 200 Sanford Road (ME-109) at a cost of $2.9 million. The 1937 building became a junior high school
that same year. The 1977 building vaguely resembles the letter "W" when viewed from the air.
Wells High School celebrated its 100th graduating class in 2003 — which was also the 350th anniversary of the town's incorporation.
is the Warrior and the title of the yearbook
is Abenaki. Both names reflect the significance of Native Americans
in the history of Wells. The school colors are red, white, and black.
Wells, Maine
Wells is a town in York County, Maine, United States. Founded in 1643, it is the third-oldest town in Maine. The population was 9,400 at the 2000 census. Wells Beach is a popular summer destination.-History:...
. It has an enrollment of 432 students in grades 9 through 12. The school primarily serves students from Wells, as well as a small number of students from Ogunquit
Ogunquit, Maine
Ogunquit is a town in York County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census its population was 1,226. The popularity of the town as a summer resort is epitomized by its motto, "Beautiful Place by the Sea."...
, which was part of the town of Wells until 1980 and has never had its own high school. From 1968 until 2006, Wells High School also served students from the town of Acton
Acton, Maine
Acton is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Acton, Miller Corner and South Acton. The town is home to the Acton Fairground, which holds the Acton Fair every late summer...
, which has also never had a high school of its own.
History
Wells High School traces its origins back to 1873, when the state of MaineMaine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
enacted the Free High School Act. The law gave towns the ability to establish public high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s which would receive 50% of their funding from the state. Classes were held at the existing one-room school
One-room school
One-room schools were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland and Spain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In most rural and small town schools, all of the students met in a single room...
s located throughout the town.
By the mid-1890s, it became clear that holding high school classes in several locations was not an optimal arrangement. In 1901, voters at the annual town meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
were asked whether they wanted to build a standalone high school. The vote passed. Later that same year, constructed at a cost of $3,650, Wells High School opened its doors. The first class graduated in 1903, with all nine students — seven girls and two boys — receiving diplomas. The graduation ceremony was held at the Second Congregational Church (today known as the Wells Congregational Church, UCC
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
), in what was considered an extraordinarily special and historic event. The class motto was Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum — Latin for "no footsteps backward."
In 1909, Wells High School suffered an extensive fire. A new, larger building was immediately built on the same site. The high school would suffer yet another fire in 1922. Classes were held at the town hall while the building was repaired and enlarged. That building would serve as the high school until 1937 when a new, much larger high school was built a few hundred feet north, and the 1909 building was turned into an elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
. The 1937 building, located at 1470 Post Road (US-1
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
) across from Ocean View Cemetery, was the first school in Wells to be constructed out of brick, and cost $90,000 to build. In 1939, the 1909 building was completely destroyed by fire, and was not rebuilt.
The fourth (and current) Wells High School was constructed in 1977 at 200 Sanford Road (ME-109) at a cost of $2.9 million. The 1937 building became a junior high school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
that same year. The 1977 building vaguely resembles the letter "W" when viewed from the air.
Wells High School celebrated its 100th graduating class in 2003 — which was also the 350th anniversary of the town's incorporation.
Culture
The school mascotMascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is the Warrior and the title of the yearbook
Yearbook
A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
is Abenaki. Both names reflect the significance of Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in the history of Wells. The school colors are red, white, and black.
Notable alumni
- Kathleen Chase, state representative (Class of 1969)
- Nathan Dingle, NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
football player (Class of 1989) - Ryan PetersSposeRyan Michael Peters , better known by his stage name Spose, is an American rapper from Wells, Maine.-Music career:Spose began rhyming while he was in eighth grade with friend and rapper Cam Groves, and started to pursue his rapping career in 2004...
(stage name Spose), musician (Class of 2004)