The first High School to be built in the City of Camden stood at 450 Haddon Avenue, the corner of Haddon and Newton Avenues in Camden, and was known as the Manual Training & High School. The school was built during the term of Mayor Cooper B. Hatch, one of Camden's leading citizens in the late 19th and early 20th century. Born in the then farmhouse that now houses the Camden County Historical Society, Hatch became involved in politics early in life. He served on the Board of freeholders and on City Council, finally being elected mayor of the City of Camden in 1898. During his term, which ended in 1902, the Manual Training and High was built, at the corner of Haddon Avenue and Newton Avenue. This building would serve as Camden's high school until the completion of the current Camden High School at Park and Baird Boulevards in time for the 1919 graduations. The school was renamed Junior High School No. 1. One of the first principals of the Camden Manual Training and High School was Clara S. Burrough.

Camden's unforeseen population explosion in the 1900s and 1910s caused the Manual Training and High School to become overcrowded within a few years of its opening. A new high school was needed, and the present-day Camden High School opened in 1918. The Manual Training and High School was renamed Junior High School Number 1. In June of 1933, upon the retirement of Miss Burrough, Junior High School Number 1 was again renamed, and in recognition of her long service to Camden's children the school became the Clara S. Burrough Junior High School, and remained open in that capacity as late as 1956. By 1959 the school had closed, replaced by the then-new Pyne Point Junior High School. The building was eventually razed. The the site now is occupied in part by the I-676 Interstate Highway. 

Although outside of Joseph E. Nowrey Jr., son of the former mayor, no member of the Class of 1910 immediately comes to mind, as of this writing, as having come to my attention over the last 7 years that I have been researching and writing about Camden, many came from families that were quite significant over the years. Names such as Barto, Homan, Childrey, Varbalow, Truscott, Supplee, Denny, Obus, Sherk, Chew, Sharp, and Rickenbach are represented. 

If you have any comments or questions, please e-mail me.

Phil Cohen
May 29, 2009