Boonton High School - Echoes Yearbook (Boonton, NJ)

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C:-l s:U -‘ or ■‘3 F.n‘ fix'--13'33 VSw June 0.(;J,()(K. Far led: The old School Street School was torn down in 1967 to make way for new modern 20 classroom building. Led: 1893 Graduation Program indicates class size had grown to 10 students. The growing number of male students in the 1906 graduating class, below, suggests the boys were being freed from local mill jobs to further their education. Bottom: Breaking through rear wall of old John Hill School provided one of the two entrances to new gym wing in 1959-60 construction of present day BHS. 1961 the conversion was made changing the former high school to the present day John Hill Elementary School. Boonton High has drawn students from many nearby districts since its creation. At one time or another, students have come from Denville, Mountain Lakes, Boonton Township, Parsip-pany, Montville Township and Lincoln Park. Our present day school population of 1393 is comprised of 621 students from Lincoln Park, 231 from Boonton Township, five from Montville Township and the remainder are local residents. This year’s graduating class consisted of 321 students; a far cry from the three in the first graduating class of 1876. What does the future hold for education in Boonton? Last fall discussions got underway by superintendents, board of education representatives and laymen from Boonton, Boonton Township, Lincoln Park and Mountain Lakes to consider the feasibility of a regional high school. This committee is to make a decision by January 1, 1976. Whatever the results of the committee findings may be, the improvement of education for area students will be kept uppermost in their minds.

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First Free Public Education in County In 1831 the New Jersey Iron Company rolled its first iron in Booneton Falls.” Education received its first boost then as the company provided a small unimpressive dwelling to serve as a school. This was the beginning, for a year later funds were provided to construct the first authentic school building. The corner of Cedar and Liberty Streets was selected for its location. Only the children of the mill workers benefit-ted from this advance. Until 1852 the enrollment remained limited. The last teacher employed by this school was Marcus W. Martin, who by 1852 was earning an annual salary of $350.00. The present School Street site marked the location of a new, two story brick schoolhouse in 1852. Originally built for Boonton children, it became the first and only free public school in Morris County. Two additions were annexed to accommodate the growing population. A program of higher education was initiated in 1875. The high school program at that time was completed in just two years. The percentage of students furthering their education was minute, and in 1876 the first graduating class consisted of only three girls. The Boonton Weekly Bulletin published a listing of the high school curriculum in the December 9, 1875 issue. Courses such as Algebra, completed; Geometry, four books of Euclid; Cooley's Natural Philosophy; Hutchinson's Physiology; Composition; Quackenbos’ Rhetoric; Monroe’s Readings; Caesar, four books; Ancient Geography and Spelling were offered. One hundred years later, hidden beneath the progression and modernization of time, our students find the nature of these courses basically the same. Ideas for the formation of a new combined elementary and high school building were developing, and the town voted to begin construction soon after. The chosen site was located adjacent to the previous schoolhouse, and in 1897 the doors opened welcoming students between the ages of seven and eighteen. The year 1922 marked the end of its function as the high school. High school enrollment was increasing rap- idly; and in 1922, a site on Lathrop Avenue was purchased for the location of another school. Constructed solely for higher education, it served as the area high school for the next thirty-nine years. The citizens decided to expand the John Hill Elementary School, located on Lathrop Avenue and Maple Street, to meet the requirements of the present day Boonton High School. Renovation and construction was completed, and in 2

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Landmarks of old Boonton were known the world over. Famous artists from near and far often captured the picturesque setting of the Arch Bridge or Boonton Falls on canvas. This map and all other historical information is part of the Boonton Historical Society Exhibit on the lower level of the Holmes Memorial Library. P historic; BOONTON 1867 4