Freeport High School - Voyageur Yearbook (Freeport, NY)

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19 2 7 THE YEAR BOOK 19 2 7 Freeport High School Its Progress and Achievement 1893 - 1927 Although the building which stands at the Corner of Grove and Pine Streets, and which is known as the old high school, was formally opened on March 9th, 1894, it was not until the following year that a full four year’s course of academic work was required for graduation. This requirement was not fully recognized by the Board of Regents until October 11th, 1899, when the school was formally raised to the grade of a High School. The first class was graduated in 1901. The first High School occupied the room on the second floor known to most of us as the old Junior Home room. The enrollment increased so rapidly, however, that it was soon moved to two adjoining rooms in the wing on Grove Street. From this place it was moved tc the Assembly room in September, 1906. From this time on expansion was so rapid that in a short time all the grades were taken out of the original building and placed in the addition on the Grove Street end. From 1904 to 1910 the enrollment more than doubled. During this period, the work taken up by the pupils was of a purely academic nature, with the possible exception of commercial subjects. It was considered at that time that a boy or girl attended school solely to acquire knowledge in certain subjects which someone had decided were essential to the education of an individual. This information was given to the individual without any regard for his future needs. Beginning with the years 1911 and 1912, ideas of education began to change and Freeport High School was not long in accepting this improvement. Domestic science and manual arts were introduced into the curriculum, thus giving the students a chance to learn how to use their hands as well as their minds, and also to do some of those things which they would have to do later on. The need for a new high school was increasingly felt and several sites were considered but nothing further was done, partly because of the World War, and because a site could not be agreed upon. Finally in 1921 the need became so acute that the old Freeport Cemetery, adjoining the High School grounds, was chosen as the site of a new school. For some time, the break between the elementary school and the high school had been considered so great that the freshman practically entered a new world without proper preparation for it. Consequently, in the designing of the new building this was taken into consideration and plans were made for a combined Junior and Senior High School, thus providing a gradual transition from the elementary to the high school. School opened in the new building September, 1925, the 7th and 8th grades from all the elementary schools together, with the freshmen occupying the first floor as a Junior High School, and the Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors occupying the second floor as a Senior High School. The ground floor is occupied by domestic science, shop, cafeteria, school nurse, and dental rooms. Space was allotted for a sheet metal and electrical shop which was equipped and put in use in September. 1926.

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19 2 7 THE YEAR BOOK I) 19 2 7

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1 927 THE YEAR BOOK 19 2 7 This building was expected to take care of at least five years’ growth, but the better conditions, the added facilities and the addition to the curriculum of those subjects which are more suitable to the pupils needs have brought about a desire on the part of the pupils to remain longer in school. Consequently in the near future there will probably be another readjustment, another step forward. The commercial work was made a part of the course of study early in the organization of the high school, but as the classes were small and the work not considered as important as some of the other subjects, it was carried on for the most part in rather cramped quarters until the opening of the new high school. At this time, three full sized classrooms, separated by glass partitions, were alot-ted to the commercial department. The typewriting room which is shown here is equipped with Underwood and L. C. Smith machines. This room is in constant use and at any time during the day,the clicking of typewriters may be heard. Besides this, shorthand, commercial arithmetic, commercial law, bookkeeping, and business English make up a complete commercial course, so that a student completing this course is as well prepared for business as though he attended a business school. Until 1906 science was taught without much regard to experimental work but a physics laboratory was now equipped in the east end of the old High School. Here all the science classes were taught and a little later a small, poorly lighted and ventilated room in the basement, was fitted up for a chemistry laboratory. With these conditions it is not to be wondered that the interest in science was at a very low ebb. The opening of the present suite of science rooms, consisting of TYPEWRITING ROOM