Hamburg High School - Echoes Yearbook (Hamburg, NY)

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ADMINIJT HON' L...

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10 THE MONARCH 1928 seventyffive cents was appropriated for educational purposes. Thus out of their poverty did the sturdy pioneers provide for the things which they felt to be most important. The first school was built near the present site of the Catholic Church. A brick building replaced it in 1849 and this still may be seen back of Emerling's store on Main Street. In 1868 Hamburg Union School was built on the present site of the Grammer School and Hamburg Academy was organized. A number of Ham' burg people remember this first year in Hamburg Academy. Mrs. Lorinda Colvin, who now lives at her home on Lake Street, was among the first students in the new school. From Mrs. Colvin the Seniors have received much valuable information which has helped in the writing of this history. Some advantages of the first academy were strikingly pointed out by Mrs. Col- vin. On being told of our splendid library with its unusual collection of books, she said, In my day the school library was kept on the teacher's desk. It usually conf sisted of three books: the Bible, Webster's Dictionary and 'Pilgrims Progress' This was not a very big collection, but I challenge anyone today to show me a library in any school with a better selection of books. Another striking statement was, I hear about your new lockersgone for each pupil-with their secret combination locks and I remember with pride that we needed no lockers in the old days. I could have left any amount of money I might have had on top of my desk from opening day to closing day and no one would have touched it. Mrs. Colvin spoke with pride also of the scholarship of her day. Not many branches were taught but many fine scholars developed in that old school: lawyers, ministers and orators. Friday afternoon was set aside each week for declamations. Some fine speakers were among the students of that day. Hamburg Academy often challenged other nearby schools to debates and spelling contests, and seldom came out second best. In the center of the big room fthere was only one room in the academy used for secondary educationj at noon and at recess games were played after lunches had been eaten from the dinner pails brought from home. Usually the pupils all sang while they danced and played. And so our school passed through the various stages which brought it down to the present day. Hamburg High School was organized in 1897 and an addition build onto the old building. This is now used for the grammar grades. The pres- ent building, erected in 1925, is the last word in beauty and convenience. The rapid development of Hamburg since 1900 is in great contrast to its earlier growthg it took nearly one hundred years to secure 1000 inhabitants. Since 1900 the population has nearly tripled. What will the next twenty or fifty years bring forth? Probably as great a metamorphosis as old residents now behold when they return after spending some years away from our town. Elliott Fitzgerald '28 XJ

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12 THE MONARCH 1928 HENRY STRATEMIER FREDERICK MOFFITT Prvsidcnt of tlic Board ol' Education SvllPCI'lIll.k'l1LlCIlfOl-SCl100lm BOARD OF EDUCATION Standing-wLcft to right: Donald Sharp, Mrs. D. C. Pierce, Superintendent Moflitt, Mrs. Henry Sipprell, H. XV. Fitzgerald. Seated: William Allen, Charles Bradley, joseph Leach.