Amherst Steele High School - Amherstonian Yearbook (Amherst, OH)

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QW-Hmmm isisicss '11 Avon Lake . Avon Lake was for many years a part of Avon Township. The advent of the automobile and the building of the Lake road from Cleveland to Lorain, together with the splendid beaches along the shore of Lake Erie made this section a most desirable residence section. People began to come. Allotments were laid out and in a few years the Lake Shore began to take on the aspects of village life. The people were progressive and forward-looking. Finally, the nothern portion of Avon Township was in- corporated into a village to be called Avon Lake. This territory supported three one-room schools and one two-room school. By 1920 these schools were filled to overflowing-more room was needed. The people of Avon Lake were desirious that their schools should keep pace with the times. Early in that year the board of education began working upon the propo- sition of a centralized school and in August, 1921, submitted the proposi- tion to the voters. It was approved by a good majority. The board im- mediately began the construction of a modern, fire-proof building on a fine site of several acres. In September, 1922, while the new building was under construction the first beginnings were made in organizing a high school. Mr. Donald Sinclair was the first principal. The new building, costing with its site and equipment, approximately 35140,000, was completed and occupied in September, 1923. The standards of the school are high, its patrons are loyal and its teachers exceptionally well qualified for their work. Avon The oldest records we have of the Avon public schools are dated April 18, 1853, with ten school districts. At this time Avon and Avon Lake were one township. Some of the buildings were of frame, but were re- placed by brick ones later on. The first class was graduated in 1906, when Avon had a 3rd grade high school. Mr. N. L. Eaton was the first princi- pal. All the pupils are now housed in one building, which was erected in 1924 at a cost of S110,000. The 1925 class is the largest class to grad- uate and numbers eight students. The Avon public schools rank high in school standards. All the high school teachers are college graduates and three hold life certificates The courses of study compare favorably with those of any other first grade school in the state An Avon student Archie Chester 'won the North- eastern Ohio championship in Oratory at Kent in 1923 lhe school was given a first grade charter bv the state two years ago The chief event of the present school year came the last day of the first semester when school mos ed from the two old buildings into the fine new structure It inaugurated a fine new life for Avon children teachers and community 'lhe Senior class and Dramatic club took inspiration ,nd bought a beautiful curtain for the stage and the athletic association bought apparatus and equipment for the gymnasium and playground ll .W . li .. ll il I 9 l J . . ' , 9 Ig' 1 -4Hl 'l3 7 Y Milf' ml V 31'-a rgl. , E4 N ine

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.j.-gIp-elllgalogIlIII' 5 In Q 5 S -lIIll'Glf'?JIII2' b' il 3 'i .I n I ' Amherst in A child asked to write on the subject The Manners and Customs of l S' I India, wrote as follows: They ain't got no manners and they don't wear lgfl 1 no customs. We might dispose of the history of the Amherst school build- lgi ' n 4 ing in as brief a way. The first building erected upon the present site was if destroyed by fire. A second building built of stone, was also devoured by flames. A new stone building was immediately begun and was completed in 1908. This building is an excellent one of the type common at that 'il ,Q period. While it was a modern school plant it did not provide all the Q facilities for the modern school curricula. After much planning we de- I if cided to build an addition to the building erected in 1908 rather than a A separate plant. The building pictured here shows the present school plant U1 T 1 containing 30 rooms, including a gym, manual training, domestic science, ,ff art and music rooms. All of these departments are available for all the lil children--a condition which would not have been true had the new build- U' ing been erected as a separate plant. We are working under a plan similar to that used in Gary, Indiana, which enables us to offer the special activities at no increase in cost. if We have enrolled 830 pupils and find there is room for growth. ,. l l 1 ' South Amherst I ' , l '4 ll W Back of South Amherst's present excellent educational system is an in- ill teresting history of expansion from humble beginnings. The first school house was a two-story frame structure erected on the lot just east of the ' Congregational church. Shakespeare Boynton was one of the first teachers gg in this school. In 1887 this building was moved to the corner at Main and Lake Streets and is now occupied by the Atlantic and Pacific store. On lil the old site was erected a one-story building of sandstone. In 1896 an additional room was built on the rear of this building for grades 5-8. p This was known throughout the community as the high school. In 1891 ,A another stone building was erected at Wyatt's corners. 4-l In 1910 a large plot of ground was purchased from Thomas Swan lil in and a substantial eight room sandstone structure was constructed at a cost of 325,000 In 1920 the Village of South Amherst was incorporated it 213' and the South Amherst Village School District was the result. In 1922 an addition to the central building was completed at a cost E of 370,000.00 It was constructed of sandstone quarried in the village. vi .ti The new school plant is one of which the people of South Amherst may lp Q? be justly proud, as it answers the demands of the modern school adrnir- I ably. V ' E10-ven