By Brayden Haley ’25
After two years of yearning for an answer, we are still waiting to receive the lowdown about the situation concerning everyone’s favorite middle school, Briscoe. It feels like decades since the building has been in use, however it has only been since 2018 that this school has ceased operation due to the coming of a more modernized campus. I’m sure most current high school students have heard the lore from former students or teachers that include the paranormal activity involving closing doors and mysterious pianos, or the rats that scuttled through the hallways after hours. I have no clue whether all the stories I’ve been told are actually true, but I do know that the building itself certainly hasn’t aged well.
Built in 1923, Briscoe Middle School originally served as a high school, however in 1965 it was repurposed into a middle school following concerns regarding its physical condition. Throughout the years, its outward appearance has only gotten worse and the inside doesn’t really look any better. When I drive by Briscoe, it stands out as a pretty bland structure that always catches my eye, but not in a good way. The smokestack gives it an eerie abandoned factory vibe, and the overgrown grass just alludes to the thinning attention to the building. I probably speak for many when I say that Briscoe is now just an eyesore to everyone who looks at it.
The thing is, in late 2019 the school was put up for sale by the City of Beverly. Once purchased, it was stated that the school would be repurposed into a senior living community, confirming that the decaying structure would remain preserved and standing for everyone to see. This construction would include ninety-one residential units, a rehabilitation of the iconic theater now containing five hundred seats, and additional parking for 234 individuals. The city will keep the two-acre playing fields instead of removing them completely from the premises.
Although ensuing plans have been somewhat explained, we still have zero confirmed dates for actual repurposing of the building. However, once completed, this establishment will increase living capacity in our city and hopefully spruce up downtown. Yet, for the time being, this deserted academy is rotting away in a commonly passed downtown area, waiting for attention and transformation in the near future. I sure hope that it can be cleaned up as soon as possible so it can look presentable to the public.
Photo credit: Salem News / Jaime Campos (Staff Photos)
