Alice Murphy
Born in New Haven November 21, 1879, Alice Murphy was the third child and first daughter of Alice Button and John Murphy, a carriage manufacturer. After graduating from Hillhouse High School, Alice entered Smith College in 1899 to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. Her rigorous college program included economics, Greek, Latin, German, math, philosophy, physics, and Bible in addition to the more predictable art, elocution, English, music, and history-standard fare for young ladies at the tum of the century.
Alice's connection with Branford had begun in early childhood, when her family summered at Killam's Point, founded by and named for her grandfather, Henry Killam, also a carriage builder. The year-round house was completed by 1892; and when Alice graduated from Smith in 1903, Branford was the logical place for her to begin her teaching career. She was indeed hired and taught not only English but also Latin and history. Her students recall to this day "You learned English from Miss Murphy." She inspired in her students a love of the classics-Dante, Plutarch, Sophocles, and Shakespeare, especially Shakespeare! Thanks to her bonus system (extra credit for memorizing key speeches or soliloquies) many Branford seniors can still recite Portia's speech from The Merchant a/ Venice or Hamlet's famous soliloquy.
Ahead of her time in celebrating diversity, Alice Murphy capitalized on the uniqueness of her students. Fellow Hall of Famer Ingeborg Hallden recalls that when she handed in the draft of her senior honors paper, Miss Murphy passed it back with the directive to change the topic to holiday celebrations in Sweden. Definitely a no-nonsense teacher with the reputation for being a disciplinarian who could wither with a word or a glare, she also clearly was fond of her students. She invited them to Killam's Point for picnics in the summertime and had some of the Granite Bay students for hot chocolate parties in the winter. Long-time residents recall her doggedly hiking from Killam 's Point to the high school (then on Eades Street) in her heavy sweaters and sturdy shoes, accompanied by an entourage from Granite Bay. Her students' affection for her is attested to in the words opposite her picture in the 1927 Milestone: "As a token of the appreciation which we feel toward Miss Murphy for her long and meritorious term of service under conditions which would have forced most teachers to retire, we dedicate this, our class book, to Miss Alice K. Murphy."
In addition to directing a number of plays, for many years Miss Murphy was faculty advisor to the school newspaper, The Banner, and the yearbook. In the 1929 Milestone she was voted favorite teacher, and an acknowledgement in the 1940 edition reads "To Miss Alice Murphy for her untiring effort to make this book the best ever."
Having no children of her own, Alice was very fond of her brother's son and daughter. Her nephew, Alexander Murphy, and his family also lived in the old family house, which had been turned into a four-family dwelling. Alice inherited the house after her mother's death in 1938 and rented two of the apartments to other families. In real life as in the classroom, Alice Murphy brooked no obstacles. On Easter weekend in 1941-as if there were not enough going on-Alice determined that Alexander's family had outgrown their third-floor; and in accordance with her wishes, all four families were shifted around that weekend to give the young family the roomier first-floor.
Throughout her long career at Branford High School, Alice Murphy earned the reputation of being a tough and demanding teacher; she also earned the respect and admiration of her students and colleagues. She continued teaching until the time of her death from cancer on June 28, 1942, and had the longest record of service of any faculty member at the time.
Alice's connection with Branford had begun in early childhood, when her family summered at Killam's Point, founded by and named for her grandfather, Henry Killam, also a carriage builder. The year-round house was completed by 1892; and when Alice graduated from Smith in 1903, Branford was the logical place for her to begin her teaching career. She was indeed hired and taught not only English but also Latin and history. Her students recall to this day "You learned English from Miss Murphy." She inspired in her students a love of the classics-Dante, Plutarch, Sophocles, and Shakespeare, especially Shakespeare! Thanks to her bonus system (extra credit for memorizing key speeches or soliloquies) many Branford seniors can still recite Portia's speech from The Merchant a/ Venice or Hamlet's famous soliloquy.
Ahead of her time in celebrating diversity, Alice Murphy capitalized on the uniqueness of her students. Fellow Hall of Famer Ingeborg Hallden recalls that when she handed in the draft of her senior honors paper, Miss Murphy passed it back with the directive to change the topic to holiday celebrations in Sweden. Definitely a no-nonsense teacher with the reputation for being a disciplinarian who could wither with a word or a glare, she also clearly was fond of her students. She invited them to Killam's Point for picnics in the summertime and had some of the Granite Bay students for hot chocolate parties in the winter. Long-time residents recall her doggedly hiking from Killam 's Point to the high school (then on Eades Street) in her heavy sweaters and sturdy shoes, accompanied by an entourage from Granite Bay. Her students' affection for her is attested to in the words opposite her picture in the 1927 Milestone: "As a token of the appreciation which we feel toward Miss Murphy for her long and meritorious term of service under conditions which would have forced most teachers to retire, we dedicate this, our class book, to Miss Alice K. Murphy."
In addition to directing a number of plays, for many years Miss Murphy was faculty advisor to the school newspaper, The Banner, and the yearbook. In the 1929 Milestone she was voted favorite teacher, and an acknowledgement in the 1940 edition reads "To Miss Alice Murphy for her untiring effort to make this book the best ever."
Having no children of her own, Alice was very fond of her brother's son and daughter. Her nephew, Alexander Murphy, and his family also lived in the old family house, which had been turned into a four-family dwelling. Alice inherited the house after her mother's death in 1938 and rented two of the apartments to other families. In real life as in the classroom, Alice Murphy brooked no obstacles. On Easter weekend in 1941-as if there were not enough going on-Alice determined that Alexander's family had outgrown their third-floor; and in accordance with her wishes, all four families were shifted around that weekend to give the young family the roomier first-floor.
Throughout her long career at Branford High School, Alice Murphy earned the reputation of being a tough and demanding teacher; she also earned the respect and admiration of her students and colleagues. She continued teaching until the time of her death from cancer on June 28, 1942, and had the longest record of service of any faculty member at the time.