Do you remember when Andover had a high school? I grew up in Wilmot. At the end of the 8th grade we had to go somewhere else for high school. When I graduated we had a huge class, 10 students. Some went to New London High School and the remainder of us usually attended the former Andover High School.  My parents drove me back and forth from Wilmot to Andover every day for four years to go to school. There were no school buses from Wilmot to Andover. That was a commitment by my parents.

In the Andover High School there were 7th through 12th grades, with a total of 100 to 120 students more or less. Everyone looked after one another. We all knew each other. It was like one big family.

The now Andover Hub was the former Andover town hall, and that is where the school played basketball, held the mid winter carnival dance and the senior prom. 

There were very few sports back then.  Like there was girls and boys basketball, boys baseball, and cheerleading.  I was a cheerleader and it was oh so much fun. Have a smile as I remember one of the cheers:  Lean to the left, lean to the right, sit down, stand up and fight fight fight.

As for academics I remember Mrs. Childs who taught the science subjects, Mrs. Rayno who taught English, and Mrs. Lamothe who taught the Business subjects.  Mrs. Lamothe was a very positive teacher who said, “I can’t” was not in her vocabulary. To this day I have always carried that message with me.

Those were four great years of my life, and Andover should be proud of the high school that used to be.  Andover citizens should also be proud of, and no matter what circumstances that might arise ever think of giving up, the independence to control their elementary school. 

Louise Andrus
Salisbury