Mod-style alarm clocks in hues of purple, green, and red rang out as the sun began to rise in September 1973, signifying the end of summer. Girls took out their hair rollers and matched flared trousers with bright blouses, while boys paired turtleneck sweaters with cuffed jeans. David Bowie’s newly-popular “Space Oddity” blared on the radio as kids drove to their first day of school. This year, however, the freshmen weren’t the only ones making their high school debut. Joseph A. Foran High School opened its double doors 50 years ago, turning what was previously a smattering of trees into a close-knit school community.
Upon outset, Foran joined Jonathan Law and Milford High School (now the Parsons complex) in experimenting with an “open campus.” Former staff writer Julia Astram explains students were allowed to leave school at their leisure during free periods. Many who had cars chose to go home or get lunch.
“The smart kids used this free time to study and do their homework. I tended to use my free time socializing. Remember, we didn’t have cell phones, texting, email and social media back then, so if you wanted to communicate with your friends, you actually had to speak to them,” says Mr. Scott Willey, class of 1981 and current Foran tennis coach.
Some students even frequented the woods and would “sometimes do things they shouldn’t do,” which “led to some interesting conversations” in their following classes, according to Foran graduate and former principal Mr. Mike Cummings. Due to a number of off-campus car accidents, one being fatal, the open campus was ultimately replaced with study halls on behalf of students’ safety.
Additionally, Foran followed other policies in its first few years that have since faded out with time.
“Cigarette smoking on campus was legal then, so during passing time students and some staff would go outside for a quick four minute smoke,” Cummings recalls. This practice was abolished as more research was published on smoking’s harmful effects, raising major health concerns for adolescents.
Foran was built to cope with an overflow of high schoolers in the 70s and 80s. Previously, Milford High had instituted a “double day” system, where half the students attended school in the mornings while the other half followed suit in the afternoon.
Between the now three high schools within the district, Foran’s cross-town rival was originally Milford High.
Cummings explains, “It could get heated, particularly at basketball games.” The closing of Milford High has created a fierce rivalry between Foran and Law.
Although many students believe Foran was intended to be a prison, this rumor is simply untrue. However, geography greatly affected the school’s design.
“Swampy conditions required the building to be built on the hill, creating a unique design. Many rooms lack outside windows, making air conditioning necessary long before it was common in schools,” describes Mr. Frank Tupka, AP European History teacher, “Unlike most buildings, the first floor is smaller than the two floors above it because of this hill- all three of which have exterior entrances as a result. Only the fourth floor lacks a ground level entrance, and differs from the others by having classrooms on both sides of the hall.”
Despite the countless changes the school has undergone over the last five decades, a tradition that has stuck with students throughout the years is the annual rock painting. Since the beginning, seniors have gathered before the start of school to decorate the rock with spray paint or hand prints. This remains a constant in each senior class at Foran.
Former superintendent and our namesake Joseph A. Foran’s legacy is carried on through the Foran community’s commitment to improvement over the past 50 years.
