By Eric O’Connell/Zip06.com • 10/29/2020 12:22 p.m. EST • Last Updated 10/29/2020 12:23 p.m.
The last week of October was a bittersweet for members of the Clinton community who graduated or worked at the Old Morgan School. The week signaled the beginning of the demolition of the school building and the true start of the property’s transformation into the Indian River Landing development.
Since it first opened its doors in 1951 and until the last class crossed the stage on graduation 65 years later in June 2016, thousands of students have passed through the halls of the former location of the Morgan School at 27 Killingworth Turnpike. The old school had been a familiar sight for generations of Clinton families through good times and bad as the town saw its population expand enormously, the Clinton Crossing outlets arrive across the street, and the Unilever headquarters down the road eventually close its doors.
The old building will soon be a distant memory as the demolition of the property began during the last week of October. At press time much of the building still stands but soon the building will be completely gone as the site’s current owner, Greylock Property Group, begins construction on the Indian River Landing mixed use development.
The demolition of the old Morgan School is something that has been on the radar since 2012 when residents narrowly approved the town’s purchase of land on Route 81 to begin building the current Morgan School.
Originally the old school was set to be demolished in the summer of 2016, however that step was delayed and then in August 2017 the original buyer of the property terminated his purchase agreement with the town due to problems with finances and obtaining permits.
In late 2018 the town announced that after a long vetting process Greylock had been selected as the new potential buyer of the property. Clinton residents then approved the conditional $2.2 million sale to Greylock in December 2018 and the sale was officially closed on Oct. 5, 2020 after nearly two years of due diligence and obtaining needed permits by the developer.
While there has been palpable excitement amongst residents over the budding development ever since the town announced the sale of the old school property to Greylock was official, some educators and former graduates of The Morgan School were still sad to see the old building go.
Superintendent of School Maryann O’Donnell called the situation “bittersweet” and added, “For me, I am happy to see the progress in development for the town, even though driving by and seeing the work beginning definitely generates a sense of sadness and fondness for the many shared memories, events, and celebrations that occurred in that building over the years.”
Attendees of the old school were known to make fun of some of the ways the building showed its age, such as its notoriously leaky roof or the confusing layout thanks to several new expansions over the years. Still, there are plenty people who can recall the charm of the building despite its flaws.
Jane Scully Welch is a graduate of The Morgan School Class of 1965 and is currently the president of the Morgan Alumni Association. Through a quirk of fate she actually spent six years in The Morgan School because the town’s middle school was still under construction. The extra years in the building led to her having many lasting memories of the school from her early teens until graduation day, whether it be of the new additions built to the school or of her time spent playing field hockey on the field that now hosts the construction equipment needed for demolition.
“Most of my memories are of the teachers, McKiernan, Dowie, Mr. Drew, Joanne Labbadia, Mrs. Petrini, Mr. Joel, Benny Brown, and of course my classmates. We were a great group, no shining stars, just good people,” said Scully Welch.
Scully Welch said she is proud to be a graduate of The Morgan School as well as its history, but she said she understood the need to build the current Morgan School and is excited about the new development.
“I think a new school was needed, my Morgan was showing its age, but gosh I have grand memories of it. I would love one of the streets within the development to be called The Morgan Way. And I just want something there, to remind everyone that once, a wonderful schoolhouse stood there,” Scully Welch said.
Perhaps the person with the best view of the changes occurring on the property is Morgan Class of 2005 graduate Sarah Borgnis-Tobin, the Adult Programing Coordinator at Henry Carter Hull Library. Contacted on Oct. 27, by the Harbor News, Borgnis-Tobin mentioned that her desk faces the school where she could see active demolition work occurring.
Like others familiar with the building, Borgnis-Tobin also had mixed feelings about seeing the building torn into.
“As I watch the demolition, I feel a mixture of excitement and nostalgia, as I imagine many other graduates of the old Morgan School do. We’re all witnesses to an important part of Clinton’s story. I also feel grateful to see the town moving forward and making progress, thanks to past and present leadership,” Borgnis-Tobin said.
Borgnis-Tobin told the Harbor News she was specifically able to see the construction crews starting their demolition on the auditorium of the old school, which was something that stuck a chord with her.
“Seeing the auditorium demo in particular stirs up memories of plays, concerts, awards ceremonies, assemblies. It’s the heart of a school and a place we all remember. Lots of proud parents watched their kids overcome stage fright and find life-long passions in that room thanks to our educators, and in particular teachers of the arts. I’m thrilled that the new school has such a beautiful facility for hosting similar events, and hopeful that we’ll all be able to gather there again soon,” said Borgnis-Tobin.
The demolition of the old school signals the true start of construction of Indian River Landing. When built to completion, the 38-acre property will where the former school stood school will be filled with multiple buildings that will consist of retail, restaurants, and a hotel in addition to an already announced Big Y and Starbucks. The development will also include walking trails and a park area for recreation uses. A portion of the development is estimated to be open by the end of 2021.
Though the old school will soon be gone for good, for a lucky few a physical reminder of the old school will still live on even after the new development is open. As a favor to the graduates of the old school, on Oct. 13 the town announced that 250 bricks from the old school were available to residents for free as keepsakes. On Oct. 16, the town announced that all 250 bricks were already claimed.
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