Ellenville High School - Shawangan Yearbook (Ellenville, NY)

Page 9 text:

FEEEEEEEHEEEEEEEEE A Centur of Progress in Education By E. C. Hocmer, Supt. - The- flrst schoolhouse in this district was built in 1830, at the corner of Warren and Market Streets. This was known as the brick schoolhouse. Nine years later a lot was pur.hased at 52 Canal Street upon which was built a frame schoolhouse. By November 1864 these buildings were considered unfit for use and the trustees were directed to se-ll them and to construct a new building on the corner of Main and Warren Streets. This new building was completed during the following summer. With the opening of the new building the trustees were requested to employ a married man as teacher. The Iirst men employed were W. S.l Northrop and John H. Van Wageneu, the latter of whom continued ln educational circles for many years. ln 1853 a stock company acquired a site on the northerly side of Maple Avenue and erected thereon a Private Academy, of which John H. Van Wagenen was Principal. He was later succeeded by S. A. Post, who in 1859 purchased the property, reorganized the School and subsequently incorporated The Ulster Female Seminary. The Semin- ary had a prosperous career until the death of Mr. P-ost in 1873. Ten years later the property was purchased for a High School as will hereafter appear. At a special district meeting February 15, 1866 it was voted to organize a Union Free School. The annual meeting -on October 9, 1866 authorized the purchase of a site on the east side of Canal Street and in July of the following year a schoolhouse known as No. 2, was erected upon this site. At the annual meeting in 1878 a sum of S625 was appropriated for the purchase of a lot and the erection of a building at Cantonville. In 1883 the district authorized the purthase of the Post property and the expenditure of 31,000.00 to repair the building. Ira H. Lawton became Principal on January 1, 1884, and served the district for several years. Thus was inaugurated a new educational system which had been gradually expanding until now twelve teachers were employed. EEEEEEHH 55 5555 55555555

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EE5SEEEEE ' The district, having oomplied with the requirements ot the State Education De- partment, application was made in 1887 tor the school to become a Union School under the jurisdiction of the Regents. In 1887 an addition was made to the Academy build- ing and ln 1890 another room was added to School No. 2. The tlrst Music and Drawing teacher was engaged in 1892. In 1894 the Teachers Training Class was organized, with Miss Elsie J. Roat instructor which position she filled with exceptional skill and suc- cess for several years. In May 1895 the district appropriated funds for the erection of another addition to the academy and for the ins allation of a- heating plant. The Can- t-onville Schoolhouse and grounds were sold in 1895. In Jaruary 1899 the Ellenvllle Union School became Ellenvllle High School It was in 1906 that the Commercial De- partment was established and has been maintained as a valuable addition to the High School Step by step gradually expanding in scope and usefulness, the Ellenvllle School System devel-oped until its restricted facilities were quite inadequate. On May 23 1913 the voters of the district voted an approprlatlcn of S55 000 for the purpose of building a new Central High School and repairing S h901 No 2 Wpork was begun on the new building in April 1914 and the building dedicated in January 1915. It ls believed to be one of the best and most economical buildings of its kind to be found ln the State 'of New York It will be seen from the foregoxng that many changes have been brought about and much progress made since the flrst school was organized The school system of today consists of a Superintendent of Schools a high school department of ten teachers, teachers eleven grade teachers a kmdergarden teacher special teachers of Music, of Public Speaking of Drawing and of Physiclal Training There are also employed a registered nurse and a dental hygienls It may be of interest to add that the present enrollment is over eight hundred and that there are two hundred sixty-one pupils in the high school department of which number one hundred forty-five are non-residents. The amount of State aid depends upon the average daily attendance and the num- ber of non resident pupils This year the dlstrict received over S45 000 from sources other than taxation This financial help from the State has made it possible for the Board of Education to engage better teachers and to otherwise promote the usefulness of our schools to the end that all puplls may receive a training iltting them to become more useful members of our Community - fl . teach of whom has had special training in her departmentjg four junior high school EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE