I remember the 4 day a week schedule. If you went four years under that shedule you would lose almost a year of school...what were they thinking? Most school districts these days are looking at increasing the school year or time at school...these forward thinkers were reducing class time by 20%....just what we needed in the early 70's more high school kids unsupervised wandering the streets and beaches of the cape while their folks were at work...of course at the time I thought it was great!
--Sean Mullen
<mailto:sean.mullen@esa.sccgov.org>

I remember something even crazier. Middle School. Awful facilities. Remember the Osterville Annex for 6th grade? How about 7th and 8th grade being spent between 2 buildings in Hyannie (the old High School and the even older college building)? As I recall, we spent 1/3 of the year at the old college (now town hall) and 2/3 of the year at the old High School. It seemed that both buildings had portions of them condemned. I disctintly remember the 4th floor of the college being off limits to all students due to unsafe condidtions. Looking back, its a wonder our parents allowed us to go to school. But through all that, I still have fond memories of my time in the Barnstable school system.
--Rod Baker
<mailto:kmdbaker@comcast.net>

Yeah Rod I believe the 4th floor of that Junior High annex that is now Town Hall was shaped like a boat for maritime training. I never went up there. The old high school was a pit and I am sure was full of asbestos as we had classes down in the bowels of the building. I think we had very good teachers and they broke us up into groups or "phases" based on academics. In 7th grade they put me in the 2nd level academically and I came in with straight A's and then they moved me to a class with all of the brainiacs after the first report card. I liked the lower level with all of the jocks better. What sucked about Barnstable was with around 1200 kids enrolled making the hoop or hockey teams was a tall task. Some high schools have to beg for players to fill out rosters but at BHS there was an elite group that made the squads. But they routinely got their asses kicked so maybe they were not that good anyway. The bus every afternoon going from the Junior High to the High School on West Main was like a black lung as about 50% of the kids were smoking. Another thing that I dont think would fly today besides how would the punks afford smokes at $5 a pack!!!! Good memories guys....
--Scott Perkins
<mailto:umassjsp@gmail.com>

I remember the narrow hallway in the old High School building connecting the two halfs. They used to store supplies stacked high making it impossible to walk in both directions at the same time. I was once buried under piles of fallen boxes and had to be dug out. If that happened today there would have been a lawsuit and I would have been set for life. :-) Not to mention the walk from the old college building to the old high school for gym. These days that would have the parents marching on Town Hall.
--Tom
<mailto:twhite00@optonline.net>