Glens Falls High School - Red and Black Yearbook (Glens Falls, NY)

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We 6446 2464! ' The first school built by the new Union Free School District was on the site of the present junior High School and was built as a grade school. This picture was presented to Mr, Miller by Miss Susan Lock- hart, and is assumed to be a Colum- bus Day celebration. This building was destroyed by fire December 9, 1902, and the students attended school in the Village Hall. Seventy-five years ago, the Glens Falls Union Free School District was formed, lagging a quarter of a century be- hind the trend of the day. At that time, the value of its buildings and practically non-existent equipment was placed at little more than 351,000 Today, our schools and educational program are among the best in the state and the replace- ment value of the buildings and equipment is 3S7,677,000, with the sites being valued at 3S15O,770. The District has been fortunate in three things. First, its three fine superintendents - Sherman Williams, 1883-98, Elbert W. Griffin, 1898-1927, and Alexander W. Miller, 1927 to the present time. Second, its long record of capable and dedicated Boards of Education, and third, the genuine interest taken by the people of Glens Falls when finally aroused to the needs of their children. Mr. Williams wrote, The men who guided our school interests in the early days of our work not only did well for the schools, but they did more for the general and permanent prosperity of the town than any, or all, other men in other positionsf' The first Board of Education in 1881 consisted of Jerome Lapham, President, Buel G. Streeter, Melville A. Sheldon, Daniel O'Leary, Jr., Daniel H. Cowles, Henry Crandall, Horace S. Crittenden, Austin W. Holden, M.D., and Samuel Pruyn. What is now the city of Glens Falls was settled by Qual-:ers and the community grew slowly up to the civil war. Abra- ham Wing was paid a slight amount to tutor a few children up to that time. Following the civil war, there was a movement to get some schools established to further the continuance of the democratic form of government. QCont1nued page Sn Academic or High School Students C. 1885-86 On Ground: Beecher Horton, Stella Scoville, Jessie Austin fMrs. William Cameronj. First row, seated: Martha Knight, Mrs. George Wetmore, Esther Silver, Belle Sisson, Superin- tendent Sherman Williams, Ida Lat- timore, Essie Cronin, Jessie Leavens CMrs. Austinl, Flora Harris fMrs. H. Hortonj. Second row, standing: Eda Scott, Harry Cheesebro, Lena Freeman fMrs. Bowmanj, Carrie Traphagen, Belle Faxon, Hattie Cronkhite, Bert Stoddard, Miss Nellie Farmer, Lady Principal, Mary DeLong fMrs. Charles Westl, Nellie Albro QMrs. Charles Scottj.

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This building, which is now part of the Junior High School, was the first to be planned as a high school, and was built on the same site as the building which had been destroyed. Its exterior was praised for its simple Renaissance style. It was opened for instruction in 1906 and pro- vided a gymnasium, a full suite of rooms for the department of science, and rooms for the scientific teaching of cooking and manual training. w W 4 we a 35 Yi-5 . s -A si' . ., 9,51 x lr' 'f lg S' Q' A if lf! Vi' P' ff ,A 1 'J:?j,,uin 'i'f,v1 was--se ids-ty' - In 1795, the New York State Legislature appropriated 5,000 pounds to be distributed among those who would start schools. In 1812, school districts were formed so that no child would have to walk more than a mile to school, and by 1815, there were fifteen in the Town of Queensbury. Glens Falls had five one-and two-room schools. -Q ff 3' if ' T' '1 .9 . s Qin Rates of 12V2 pennies to 139 pennies for several children were charged against the parents, many of whom took the pauper's oath to avoid payment. Business was done by trading and many parents did not possess more than 31.50 in cash during a year. The trustees hired the teachers, bought the sup- plies, such as stoves, pencils, books, and paper. Wood to keep the fire going was part of the tuition. It was the duty of the teacher to collect the rates in order to be paid. In 1795, ten citizens of this commu- nity hired a teacher named Seba Bement to teach school for three months at three pounds a month. In 1841, the Glens Falls Academy, a private school, was founded by wealthy people who were tired of sending their children out of the state for an education, and of the haphazard local educational pro- visions. fContinued page 61 1891 The first graduating class of Glens Falls High School First row: Edith W. Goodman, Annie DeLong. Second row: Lena P. Wait, Margaret M. Howard, Gertrude Ferguson. Third row: B. Ferriss Greens- let, W. W. Leavens, Albert W. Harris, Charles M. Russell. Not pictured: Augusta Silver.