Gilman School front exterior, Waterville, 1983
Item 66372 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
The Gilman Street School was built in 1913 to house Waterville High School.
It became necessary to expand the site with two additions, one being constructed in 1936 and the other in 1939.
Gilman School, Kennebec Valley Vocational Technical Institute, Waterville, 1983
Item 66396 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
The last seniors graduated from Gilman in 1963 but this did not end the building’s role in the education of Waterville.
Gilman School rear, Kennebec Valley Vocational Technical Institute, Waterville, 1983
Item 66382 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Shortly after the High School relocated, the building served as the Junior High School.
Gilman School front side view, Waterville, 1983
Item 66407 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Eventually, the Junior High was also relocated.
This vacancy proved to be a great boon to what was then the Kennebec Valley Vocational Technical Institute.
KVVTI Students seated by main doors, Waterville, 1983
Item 66391 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
A number of issues had become more noticeable as enrollment at the Kennebec Valley Vocational Technical Institute (KVVTI) grew from a modest 35 students during the 1970-1971 school year to more than 120 during the 1974-1975 school year.
Gilman School students in hallway, Waterville, 1983
Item 66431 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
The space that KVVTI shared at Waterville High School quickly became inadequate.
Gilman School Business class, Waterville, 1983
Item 66420 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
The space-sharing agreement had limited the Institute both in the numbers it could enroll and in the hours during which it could operate.
Secretarial science class, Waterville, 1983
Item 66423 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Beyond these limitations, KVVTI suffered from an identity crisis.
Gilman School Cafe/Lounge, Waterville, 1983
Item 66422 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
It was increasingly confusing for both enrolled and potential students to differentiate the various programs run by Waterville High School, the Regional Technical Center, and KVVTI.
Gilman School's Bernard King in cafe, Waterville, 1983
Item 66424 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
When the opportunity to lease the recently vacated Waterville Junior High on Gilman Street became available in 1977, it seemed an obvious solution to the school’s various issues.
Gilman School gymnasium bleachers, Waterville, 1983
Item 66419 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Shortly after finalizing the lease with the City of Waterville, KVVTI began moving in.
Gilman School students playing volleyball, Waterville, 1983
Item 66421 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Initially only a few offices and classes were relocated.
The 1978-1979 academic year opened with a dual campus.
Gilman School LPN students in hallway, Waterville, 1983
Item 66426 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Two programs, Heavy Equipment Maintenance and Carpentry, had to remain at Waterville High for logistical reasons.
Gilman School's Janet Tarbuck in library, Waterville, 1983
Item 66429 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Ironically, Trades and Technology were among the programs tapped to help renovate the new campus.
Gilman School students in library, Waterville,1983
Item 66425 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
KVVTI could not afford all the necessary repairs and upgrades needed, so some of the work was incorporated into the hands-on components of the Trades and Technology courses.
Gilman School's Sherman Tracy with student, Waterville, 1983
Item 66430 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Faculty, staff, and students quickly settled in and even became attached to their new home.
Gilman School's Barbara Larsson in office, Waterville, 1983
Item 66427 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Between witnessing and, in some instances, directly participating in the development of the campus, many felt a personal stake in the school well beyond the courses they took and the diplomas or certificates they earned.
Gilman School's Lauren McReel at mail slots, Waterville, 1983
Item 66428 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Unfortunately, even as the Institute continued to renovate and expand its facilities, enrollment continued to outpace the available space.
The administration had to start looking for a larger location that would finally allow the school to reach its full potential.
Gilman School bulletin board, Waterville, 1983
Item 66880 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Shortly after purchasing the "Sheridan Property" in Fairfield, KVVTI began its second and final relocation.
The move did not occur all at once. It took nearly six years from the time of purchase to the official closing of Gilman Campus.
Gilman School renovation, Waterville, 2010
Item 66989 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
The site itself was never completely abandoned. Over the next few decades at least part of the building continued to serve a number of purposes both public and private and has now been redeveloped as low-cost housing.
Gilman Place Open House apartment viewing, Waterville, 2011
Item 66998 info
Kennebec Valley Community College Archive
Coastal Enterprises Inc. purchased the property in conjunction with a developers’ collaborative. The first residents moved in shortly before an open house for Gilman Place was held on May 11, 2011, marking the latest transformation of the 1913 school building.
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