Once receiving permission to use the Hills Family Legacy for Alvirne School, plans were immediately made and construction of a 400-pupil high school on Hills estate began in October 1949 utilizing up to $350,000 from the estates of Alfred K. Hills and Mary F. Creutzborg, the mother of Ida Virginia Hills. Alvirne was opened September 1950 as a combined junior and senior high school. Courses of study included college preparatory, commercial, domestic science, shop and agricultural courses.

The vision of Dr. Hills, which began in the 1920s, became a reality in November 1950 when Alvirne High School was dedicated and the keys presented by the chairman of the building committee, Eugene Leslie, to Dr. John Quigley, chairman of the Hudson School Board. During an open house, more than 1,000 people toured the new school. As a part of these ceremonies, a scroll of appreciation was presented to Jesse Norwell Hills by members of the school board for her invaluable service in helping to make possible the wishes of Dr. Hills and Mrs. Creutzborg. Jesse was a Nashua native and the widow of Dr. Hills.

On June 14, 1951, the auditorium of Alvirne was filled with friends and family of 25 seniors, the first graduating class of Alvirne High School. They entered to the processional, “Pomp and Circumstance,” wearing the traditional maroon cap and gown. The diplomas were presented alphabetically by Henry Hastings, superintendent of schools. So, the very first diploma issued from Alvirne High School was presented to George W. Abbott. These diplomas were a metal certificate mounted onto a wooden board. On behalf of the senior class, John Simo presented a corsage to Jesse Norwell Hills.

During this first year, many gifts were made to Alvirne. Among them, the framed and lighted picture of Dr. Hills for the school lobby, presented by his widow, Jesse Norwell Hills. The school board noted in its annual report that the per student cost to the taxpayer to send a student to Alvirne was $200 vs. the tuition cost of $253 to Nashua. That year, there were 764 students enrolled in Hudson schools; 308 of these attending junior-senior high school at Alvirne.

In the next few years, continuous improvements were made to the programs and curriculum at Alvirne, particularly in the area of vocational agriculture (voc-ag). The trustees set aside money to help with the farm. To assist the school board with opportunities arising from operating of a farm, an advisory committee of local farmers, Earnest Chalifoux, Robert Jasper, Albert Kashulines and Henry Smith was put in place. One of their recommendations was to change from a beef herd to a dairy herd. The beef critters were sold, and equipment changed to the needs of a dairy herd. A milking parlor and milk room were added. A fine herd of milkers was put in place and a silo added to the barn. By 1957, Alvirne was accepted as an area vocational agricultural school.

As the educational opportunities at Alvirne increased, so did the enrollment. This increase was due to the population increase in Hudson, as well as neighboring towns who did not have their own high school and opted to send their students to Alvirne on a tuition basis. At the school district meeting of 1958, voters agreed to proceed with an eight-room addition to Alvirne. The firm of Irving W. Hersey Associates was again hired as architects. This addition was added to the south end of the building with a new combination cafeteria/auditorium in the basement. Plans also included the construction of a standalone voc-ag building between the north end of the existing building and to the farm. The expenditure of $182,850 for the school addition and $33,150 for the voc-ag building were approved at the school meeting in March 1959. Based upon enrollments, this addition would be needed by September 1960 and was expected to meet student needs for the next five years. Sepalla & Aho Construction Co. was contracted for this project. and the new addition available September 1960.

By the school year ending in 1963, the student population of Hudson continued to grow, as did the population in neighboring towns, including Pelham, Windham, Londonderry and Litchfield. Alvirne was accepting tuition students from each of these towns. It became apparent that additional high school space would again be needed by September 1965.

At the 1964 school district meeting, the school broad was authorized to negotiate a long-term contract with Pelham for their tuition students. At the same meeting, voters approved the design, construction and equipment of a 16-room addition to Alvirne. Final approval of this $500,000 addition came at a special meeting in July 1964. The addition was to the north end of then existing building.

In order to alleviate overcrowding at Alvirne, a quarterly program was suggested by then-Principal Chester Steckeviczl, thus using the school facilities year-round. This plan was put into place by the school year 1970-71. The community was saddened in June 1972 when just days before the graduation, Cheste Steckevicz passed away of a heart attack after serving as principal of Alvirne for 15 years. Robert Bettencourt, then principal at Memorial School, filled the vacancy.

1973 was a banner year for Alvirne. A new greenhouse for the vo-ag was completed. Alvirne was evaluated under the quarter plan and granted full re-accreditation. There were 223 seniors graduating, and we had a championship soccer team!

However, in September 1974, the school year began in tragedy when, just two days after the beginning of the school year, Alvirne was 80% destroyed by fire. Upon arrival at the high school, Deputy Fire Chief Robert Buxton saw that the gymnasium-auditorium and the center of the school were totally engulfed in flames. Help from other towns under mutual aid arrived within minutes. A mile of hose was used to connect to the nearest hydrant. In addition, six pieces of apparatus were used to relay and pump water. The farm pond as well as the cistern located on the hill across the street were drained of well over 23,000 gallons of water. Alvirne was destroyed, and 1,200 students were displaced by the fire. After investigating, Fire Chief Frank Nutting disclosed that the blaze had been set.

Within a few days and for the next year what resulted was a huge effort on the part of the school board and many, many volunteers within town. To continue the class requirements, the then-empty St. Francis Xavier school building in Nashua was leased for the year, and students for grades four and five were bused to Nashua, where they were taught by their regular teachers. Dual sessions were held at Memorial for grades seven through 12. This all occurred within a two-week period. Volunteers worked to salvage books, desks, etc. Other items were borrowed from neighboring school districts.

At a special school district meeting in November 1974, the school district voted to rebuild Alvirne at a cost of $4.3 million or $28.16 per square foot. Cost was covered by the insurance money, money from Alvirne trustees and a $2 million bond issue. By Sept. 9, 1975, one year and one day after the fire, Alvirne was again in session in a new building located at the old historic site.

Note to my readers: Telegraph writer Dean Shalhoup in the Sept. 13, 2020, edition provided a summary of the Alvirne fire as covered by the Nashua Telegraph in September 1974.

Ruth Parker is a lifelong resident of Hudson with family ties that date back to the colonial days. Her work, shared via the Hudson Historical Society, will be featured bi-weekly in The Sunday Telegraph.

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