Happy Birthday Hardy.
A century of great learning.
Hardy School Marks 100th Birthday
Last fall, Hardy marked its 100th birthday! The John D. Hardy School opened November 12, 1923, as the Fells School, replacing the crowded one-room schoolhouse across the street that now serves as the Fells Branch Library.
Today it receives a well-deserved honor. The Wellesley Celebrations Committee, a standing committee of the Select Board, Town of Wellesley honors Hardy School with its Special Recognition Award.
During the two-month delay in opening, classes were held in the old schoolhouse, on the grass outside, and in neighboring homes. The chair of the building committee, John D. Hardy, died in 1924; shortly afterward the new school was named after him to honor his many contributions to the town. Three more classrooms were added in 1925 to keep up with demand, with further expansions in the 1950s and 1990s.
The current Hardy – which has served continuously as a school longer than any building in the history of the town – is scheduled to be demolished this June, followed by the opening of the new 18-classroom Hardy School in August.
The Hardy students and staff marked the school’s 100th birthday with an all-school assembly. The second graders, as part of their “life long ago” learning, hosted the assembly and shared history about their school building and what school was like 100 years ago, Former principal Gayle Vonasek – who led Hardy from 1995-2008 – told the story of how the Hardy community came together to create the R.I.S.E. curriculum in 1995. Hardy students still follow the standards of: Respect for others, Inclusion of all, Showing, safe behavior, and Encouragement of all to participate and solve problems.
We look forward to the next century of learning at Hardy in its new building!