In 1926 when the Shatswell School was constructed on Green Street, several small schools were closed, including the Dennison School on Meeting House Green, the Cogswell School on Payne St., and the Wainwright school on Highland St near the intersection of Spring St.

Payne School buildings at Lords Square. The smaller building had originally been the schoolhouse in Ipswich Village near the Rowley town line. It was later moved again to be used as the gatehouse for Highland Cemetery. Its construction was identical to the Wainwright School still standing at 1 Highland Ave. The date of this photo is uncertain, probably before 1884.

The History of the Ipswich Public Schools states that the Wainwright School was constructed in 1890 at a cost of $7,700. Its construction was identical to the smaller of two schoolhouses seen in the above photo beside the Payne school still standing at Lord Square. That building was moved to serve as the gatehouse to Highland Cemetery. Its first location was as a schoolhouse on upper High Street in Ipswich Village. The building was altered since then and is no longer identical to the Wainwright School.

Closeup from the 1910 Ipswich map showing the Wainwright School on Highland Ave.

The 1889 Ipswich Town Report shows 11 children attending Wainwright School. Records show that the principal of the Wainwright School is 1891 was Myra B. Decatur. In 1921 the principal was Augusta Greenache.

Further reading

• History of the Ipswich Free Schools
• History of the Ipswich Public Schools, written in 2008 by William E. Waitt, Jr