Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 8.

There were then ‘thirty scholars, twenty-three at the examination; twenty average attendance.’ In 1851 the town began the erection of a more modern school building, upon the western slope of ‘Mystic Mount.’ The citizens of West Medford assisting by their contributions, the result was a larger and two-storied structure with some pretension to architectural style. While this was building, late in the afternoon of August 22, a destructive tornado or cyclone swept through a portion of the village, wrecking everything in its track. The old schoolhouse did not escape, but was completely destroyed and its floor, with the seats still fastened to it, was found upside down across Whitmore Brook. In its hasty flight it encountered a large horse chestnut tree. ‘Knowledge is power’; the tree was no match for the schoolhouse in the general shake — up of that fateful time, and was cut completely off. No scholars or teacher were injured, as it was vacation time, but school was to have begun three days later. In 1846 Miss Mary Gleason was the teacher, at an annual salary of $109.50. She still resides in old Medford, and is now known as Mrs. Otis Waterman; with her the writer had a pleasant interview recently. She at once recognized the scene of her early labors in the cause of education, when shown the original picture from which our illustration is copied. This, though not made on the spot by ‘our special artist’ in years agone, was made by a member of the Historical Society (himself a later Brooks school boy), as the result of information and details gathered from old residents and schoolboys of the '40s, by the writer. It has found a place in the library of the Brooks school of today in company with those of its successors.

The four are a commentary on the growth of the western section of Medford, and the progress made along educational lines.