My Old School | Inside the Abandoned Woonsocket Middle School
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ต.ค. 2024
- A behind the scenes look at My Old School, a documentary film tracing the history of New England's largest abandoned school.
Director: Jason Allard
Executive Producer: Scott Gabrielson
Music: Randy Laskowski and Paul Bouley
Edited by Jason Allard
My Old School site: www.OldSchoolWoonsocket.com
Jason Allard's site: www.UncomSenseM...
Follow on Instagram: / uncomsense
Camera: Canon 80D, 18 - 135mm
Mic: Rode Shotgun Mic
Drone: DJI Spark Fly More Combo
Editing: Final Cut Pro X
Additional filming by Eric Jarret, Cameron Richer, Suthi Seneth, Scott Gabrielson, Tim O'Brien.
Jason Allard produces a range of digital products for corporate and small business clients, including digital shorts, music videos and feature-length documentaries. In 2014, Rhode Island PBS broadcast his documentary “My Old School” to more than 40,000 households.
When we found out that the school we both attended in our hometown was closed for good, we knew something had to be done to preserve its history and memories. Constructed in 1914, the Woonsocket High School housed the minds of several generations that went off and changed the world.
In 1973, after numerous additions to the building, the school was converted into the largest junior high school in New England, housing students in grades 7 through 9. In 1987, it became a middle school for students in grades 6 - 8. In 2009 its doors closed for good when a new school was built just down the street. Since the school was being added to with limited space, it made for strange hallways, doorways to nowhere, and nooks and crannies all over the building. It has one of the most confusing layouts of any school.
Our film crew was granted exclusive access to the abandoned school, which was left virtually untouched since the doors closed on its last day in December 2009. We spent over 30 hours inside the school capturing the beauty of the building we once called home. When we went into the school to film, we mapped out each location and had to set up a "base camp" in the old auditorium. This place is that big.
We gathered numerous interviews with former faculty, staff, students, and city officials discussing everything from the building itself to the cultural revolutions it endured.
Uncommon Sense Media
Abandoned Rhode Island
Abandoned School
New England
Abandoned from Above
Urban Exploration
Jason Allard
Scott Gabrielson
Exploring With Josh (a TH-camr with more than 3 million subscribers) also went to school here!
Just learned about this location tonight! I was delivering a DoorDash order to someone in the neighborhood. The building was enormous and looked incredible in the dark. Did a little googling to see what it was, figuring it was a school. Then I found your video when I did more searching. Makes me want to go in and explore for myself that much more!
Just love these old buildings, the history, the architecture and the characters. Wow, what stories could places like these tell.😀
I used to go to the school as a 6th grader, and sadly only half of 7th when they had created the new middle schools. The most creepiest part, where I refused to go to was the I believe it was junior gym. (junior gym was where the blocked off spiral stair case was), I had saw a dark shadow in the office right before you had reached the girls locker room, before the stairs to the showers and bathroom. The annex gym you had to go through the lunch room, down a tiny hallway, through another hallway, to go through a random door to get too.
ironically, all the names on the white board at 11:34, are the kids from my class. I know all of them. wow, this is insane, I wonder if my name was on there😭
I lived in Woonsocket for 3 years and never had one problem with anybody. Great city full of diversity and wonderful people.
Sadly it's not so cheery anymore
@@temtime oh I don't doubt it. All of RI is a democratic shithole dump. I heard they're renumbering the highway exits again lol the people are stupid enough to reelect the dems too. I'm happy in Florida now far away from all that retardation.
I lived in Woonsocket for 20 years... It's a dump
This is super cool. I actually live in one of the old schools turnd into lofts right here in woonsocket. Glad I found this.
@Nebula Vortex nope but i know the owner of that building. Lots of beautiful mills and schools turned into living spaces
Was it Bernon Street School? I lived across the street for 20 years
I remember that school. It was my whole life until I went to highschool. So different now. Alot of memories school dance and everything 😔
Yes the school dances were fun very memorable
Thanks for unlocking that remarkable time capsule. What an incredible nostalgic for you both. I could only imagine the thoughts that came running back.
I went here in 1970......wow....what memories....thank you
My father was a Gym teacher here, man how time flys
Jason - you did a beautiful job!! I'm sure Scott is proud of you! I am looking forward to viewing more of your videos. And yes, I was great to see him again! - Kerri
Thank you Kerri!
I went to this middle school in the early 2000s, i remember being on the 8th grade side in 6th grade math class being alerted to a attack on the world trade center stopping class to watching it live on the tv counted on the wall.. this was when everyone stood for the national anthem...
God yes the good ol days for us.
This comment just made me feel old and younger (again)at the same time
I was in the 9th grade when that happened. Just 3 months earlier graduated from WMS.
I went here in 97/98, I'd love to go back and check it out
Glad you had an opportunity to do something as cool as this Jason! Great video! 😃
this school is outstanding!! i really like this video a lot. id love to go in there someday :)
R.I.P. Gabriel..
A very well put together video.. Just goes to show the history within the walls..
Thanks for taking us along..
My older brother went to the old middle school and I just found out about this video today from my mom; rest in peace Scott
I miss this school. It's so sad it had to close down. I literally cried. I loved this school. I had to blast here. 💕
that shot with the basketball court and spiral staircase is very cool! great stuff
Wow, I went to this school in 1990.
This video brought me to tears, it was so beautiful. I went to this middle school over 20 years ago. Some of the best years of my life. But, none of this looks familar to me....😥
i’m currently in the new middle schools and when we have to evaluate we have to go in the back of the old middle school
I was there 3 years and I also was on that roof with 2 friends when I was 13 we went up by the fire escapes...we were also arrested lol..love the video alot of memories.
I use to go to that school in 2003 with that guy I remember him
My middle school and stomping grounds in 1995-1996. It was a old building but this is just sad to see. So sad to see what it looks like now.
Mine too
I went there in the late 80’s , it was great
The memories! Those lockers and railing used to be blue. You could peel the paint off of them. I was there in the mid 90s. So crazy to see this video. I can still smell that place.
Me too. 94-96
That building looks like it was completely usable before it was abandoned. What a waste of a perfectly good building. Those desks may be old fashioned but they are perfectly usable as well. Even now if they replaced the floors in the gyms it would be good enough to use. There are way worse schools in Detroit. People are way too fussy. How do they live?
I think it would have cost more to get rid of the asbestos than it was to build a new school. Literally every inch of paint had asbestos. I remember being able to peel the paint off the railings. In the video the lockers are white but they used to be blue. So they had already but tons of money into trying to repair it but in the end it was just to much. I will say seeing all the desks and books is a total waste though. So crazy! Although Woonsocket has never been known to make good choices. They kept all the paint and wool blanket factories next to each other and eventually one caught fire and it turned into a massive fire! Just 3 streets away from this school. I remember watching the fire from the roof of the apartment buildings across the bridge from the school. And that fire was before the school officially closed.
@@MissMary821 I remember sitting across the river watching the fire as well. It’s an image you can’t forget
Super late it was a great school but there was many problems with the school health problems and stuff that would cost so much money that it is not even worth it but to this day the newer schools near it use it as a evacuation place
I remember being in class and watching a rat run a cross the floor,lol. The basement was like a dungeon too.creepy old school
Makes me miss my time there as a kid
I find it funny that two explorers you and Josh went to the same school.
Like Scott, I was also there in 1972 (end of 8th grade, start of 9th grade).
Wish they would make the available to download. there is no DVD player in my house. Try to get it on Amazon Prime of NetFlix would ne nice. I know Amazon loves these budget doc's.
I went to this school in the mid 70"s. Wish they could renovate the building, maybe condos? It's still standing and the building will just end up being demolished if nothing is done.
I went in 72-73
thanks for another high quality explore! I had the chance to explore my abandoned high school and didn't. Very envious!
The writing on the walls behind the lockers....what a find!
Great job, mes amis!
I went to this school in the 90's right when they first starting have 9 th graders start going to the high school. I remember the art teacher Mrs. Morin. Bought a 10 bag of clay and made my own creations. Also making crepes in one of the classes.
@@joshparadis297 lol hey big brother 👋🏼
Outstanding video !
I went here too! And thank you for making this awesome video!
damn this school is BIG.
I remember when the place got shut down for months because they had asbestos in the windows we had no school for at least 2months for them to try to fix it back in like 94-95
@@justforfun-oh3dh then after that they had the circles all over the windows lol
Thanks.
I use to play basket ball on Saturdays there in the 90s I won my first championship there
My brother's class was the last who attended 6th grade there. After Xmas break they went to the new school down the hill!!
I havent been in that building since '75
They should restore the original high school part
I went here from 96-98, it was pretty rough for a kid. When I first went in 1996 that September, we immediately had classes canceled because of the asbestos and didn't come back for like 2 weeks.
I used to go to school there. Back in 2001. To 2002
Why isn't this on Prime? I don't have a DVD player and haven't had one for years
Nowadays youtube is bigger than tv, more ppl looking at there phones from anywhere then watching tv it's insane. I remember before youtube was big omg, geez I remember before I even had a phone or video game lol
I would’ve liked going to that middle school tbh
This was my middle school wow!
I went to this school from 1994-96.
When the school closed my son and 2 of his friends , age 13 at the time, got the brilliant idea to sneak in and look for "snacks" in the cafeteria....of course they got busted, my son spent 3 days in Juvenile detention Center for it... I can see our house in the video...glad you guys made it out okay...lol
they got permisson from city hall
It’s crazy to think I used to walk those hallways.
so sick bro!
Does it still smell like it used to? That scent is burned into my nose forever
I have to get the full documentary and watch it! so cool i went to this school in uh 1989 or did i start in 1990... i dunno im old LOL
That actually use to be the old high school before they built the one on Cass Ave. All 3 of my brothers went to that school. I didnt. I am the oldest and went to Cumberland Middle before we moved to Woonsocket
I went to woonsocket High school in 1972-1973 and when the ladies showers were still functional
That's crazy
I go over there for evacuation drills
I lived down the hill from there my sister and aunt an uncle's went there an cousin
Last year I was at the new middle school down the street from there now I’m in the new highschool aswell
My brother went there while I went the the new middle school's. My brother was attending school when the school actually closed.
i went there for 9th grade. it was Woonsocket Jr High then. i want to say it was 1985-1986 ish.
The gym floors waved and buckling up from expansion damage but they were worse when they were brand new (87 or 88 reno).. shortly after they were installed there was a storm and water got in. It looked like a skate park…. Wait. I wrote this before you said it in the clip.. crazy
I went to that school in 93
I think their coolest thing is fat you guys got go inside of the school FYI if I live right across from the old middle school were you 1st come into the white building says faith hope and wisdom I've been living here since 2017 the end of 2017 and I just saw you guys is very O I'm not from here I am from New Mexico and I moved here back in 2017 From Vermont long story but I do like your video that's pretty cool I like watching stuff like that history of a building what what was it used for and for how long on a very curious person of this type of stuff you guys rock
I went to this school back in 1994
I git a great pic with my class in front of that school
hello I’ve been growing interest in this building it really is a symbol of a lost area how can I watch
Lol wonder if Suthi remembers the green automatic yoyo I got for him when we were in high school.
I went there last year an it just sitting there going to waste
Dominos and dime bags for lunch
My mother went to school with you!
After just watching this video i remembered that i have pictures and yearbooks from 1913-15 of the high school as well as other information. if you or anyone you could think of would be interested please comment back
Is it still possible to ask for permission to go in? I would love to take some pictures of the place!
It's worth a try - I know the alarms are still active here so you would need permission either way
my old high school....
I live in Woonsocket (20 years ago) I never went to Woonsocket schools... I heard some kids set fire to part of the old middle school.....
He looks like the gym teacher at hamlet middle
Went there from 1999-2001
My dad was a student there
They should donate all the supplies and furniture to schools in impoverished countries
They could use that space as a homeless shelter or a shelter for homeless pets.
Ive been trying to find the 2014 documentary. I keep being led to this (really cool) behind the scenes video. Anyone know where it can be found online?
Yeah, me too. Link to the film?
I caught a felony going in there they put locks now
I built the deck on the roof for the satellite dish in 1992
Are some of those desks up for donation or sale?
Apparently as of July 27th 2023 someone's the Woonsocket middle school is being turned into an apartment complex. It should be ready sometime in late 2025 or 2026 as far as I know
I revisited the school a few months ago and created a video about it that includes an interview with the new owner. We filmed the whole building top to bottom. You can watch it on my channel.
I have a Business Plan, that I would like to ask for an abandon building that would enable to produce films and television series. Inclusions: life teachings that exceed Tyler Perry, theses films are our stories, our journeys our down falls. One destruction, 4 Hebrew Leaders, First Heir, and Transformed from a dad to a Hero.
Contact me at jenniferkeegan598@gmail.com
Is this the actual whole documentary ??
What was in the fallout shelter
Is there a way I can get in there?
I always recommend the same way we did - get permission from city council. There are alarm systems throughout the school and police will show up.
@@JasonAllard I would like to spend one night in there
Where’s the actual documentary. I’m extremely confused by this. I just want to see the whole documentary
This is a behind the scenes look into the making of the documentary and its release. You can order a copy of the full documentary on the website oldschoolwoonsocket.com
I want to go there, I live in EP. Btw Woonsocket boys finna get knocked out. Jk
The EADB Clan yooo I’m from ep to I just went to this school it’s creepy as shit
@@maggiemxn What hs you go to, EP? I'm going to EP this year
The EADB Clan Lasalle
at least ... you pissed in the principal's office ?
LIKE from Italy ;)
I think you misheard a part because that def didn't happen!
@@JasonAllard I would have done it ... in defiance!
@Nebula Vortex o e year Later......
I Missed you😁
tax dollars at work folks what a waste
Sadly its going to get basterize into apartments
😳😳😳😳😳