Warrensburg High School - Hackensack Yearbook (Warrensburg, NY)

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THE HI-ROCK Page 21 On December 7, 1897, Warrensburg Free School be- came a high school under the Regents. The trustees, being a progressive group, determined to maintain a thoroughly up- to-date first-class school, and increased the number of teachers employed to eleven. About this time the old Free School and Academy building proved too small to care for the ever in- creasing number ot children, so after much heated debating and voting it was finally decided to build the stone structure we now occupy. The frame part of the old building was sold and the stone part was torn down. While the present building was being built, classes were held in the Woodward block on the third floor for the inter- mediate grades. Morning sessions were held for the seventh and eighth grades and high school classes on the second floor of the Rist block, while the primary grades had afternoon sessions in the same room. The tirst grade was excused from classes entirely during this time. On March 5, 1900, the present school was opened. All classes including the first grade reported. Every child, pareri and teacher felt very proud. Everyone from far and near looked at the building and called it a beautiful structure. This building sufficed until about the time the districts were cen- tralized in 1938, although much thought had been given to erecting a new building for several years. When the schools were centralized all the rural schools of Warrensburg, two of Thurman and one of Caldwell were closed. Since then three more rural schools have closed. Pupils are transported by bus from each of these rural school districts to the Central school. Grades one through six are still taught in some rural schools and one teacher is in charge of each school. All of these schools are under the jurisdiction of the Warrensburg Central School. When pupils reach the seventh grade, they come to Warrensburg and enter Junior High School. Very soon after centralization, changes were made from the 8-4 plan to 6-3-3. This means that students graduate from Junior high at the end of the ninth year instead of the eighth grade or grammar school as heretofore, although preliminary certificates are still sent out from Albany upon the com- pletion of the eighth grade. The teaching staff has grown from eight in the eight grades and four in the high school to nine in the first six grades and sixteen in the junior-senior high school. Five teachers are also employed in the rural schools and belong to this school system. Thus has the staff grown in the last twenty years. In the early history of the high school, one had to earn an academic diploma in order to graduate. There was no choice of subjects offered except for a course in drawing and one in bookkeeping. There have been many changes in the last few years. Physical Education played a prominent place in our curricu- lum during World War I and for several years after. During that time a full time instructor was hired. As time passed by, less attention was given since we did not have the facilities to carry on and there was no place to care for the larger groups of children. This of course has been a great handicap since extra-curricular activities always help to build good school spirit. In the year 1930 a commercial department was added to our school. This has been worth all the extra cost, and the town folk as well as the students consider it a most worth while course. Music has always afforded pleasure to many students. In the Union school days Miss Lila Herrick gave instruction in song singing, and a few learned to sing by note as it was called at that time. Music has been taught each year to some extent. In recent years the music department was divided into instrumental and vocal sections. However, one teacher had charge of both for several years. A few years ago a band class was organized under the direction of R. R. Price. Under his skillful teaching, they made great progress and quite a name for themselves. Band mem- bers change from time to time but this grand work is being continued from year to year. An orchestra was also organized several years ago. Both of these have a large following. Nearly every child with musical talent has joined one or the other. A few belong to both. The vocal music classes are divided into a Boys Glee Club and a Girls Glee Club. Many boys and girls avail them- selves of the opportunity to spend a period each week in music class learning new songs. Some of these songs are sung at Commencement and at other public gatherings. In 1936 an Industrial Arts Instructor was hired. This course is compulsory for the junior high school boys. How- ever, in senior high school the course is optional. This has been a very popular as well as a practical study. In 1939 a Home Economics department was added to the curriculum. This course was made compulsory for junior high school girls. The senior high girls were allowed to choose their subjects. Again this course has given much pleasure, yet at the same time has taught the girls many lessons that can be used in their daily lives long years after their school days are over. Meantime all the old academic courses are taught. Many still prefer these, especially those who plan to enter college. Surely opportunities are much greater for boys and girls 'oc.'ay than they were in the early school days. Warrensburg Central School has gone a long way since 1900. Due to the crowded conditions in the main building sev- eral years ago the Board of Education hired the Odd Fellows Hall for school purposes. Six of the primary and intermediate classes are now held there. If one should visit these class rooms and note the conditions, poor lighting, poor ventilation, etc., they would readily understand why people in 1938 after many discussions pro and con finally decided to build a new school house. Under the careful guidance of Mr. Nathan Gifford, Supervising Principal, the new building is nearing completion, although many priorities had to be obtained to do so. This new building is built of brick and is outstanding in appearance. It is sure to place Warrensburg among the pro- gressive villages of this section. From the early days of the Warrensburg Union School until the present day, school has opened at 8:45. Two bells, fifteen minutes apart, have called students and teachers to their duties. This ringing will be missed by many, since the bell system will not follow us to our new building. Mr. Nathan Gifford will be the first Supervising Princi- pal of the new school. He has proved himself a very capable administrator in the past, so we look forward to the same guidance in the future. I am wishing him, his staff of teachers, and the students much happiness and prosperity in our new building. Now, we are about to say Good-bye to the many good times and happy days we had in what we shall call the old stone school house on School Street. Some of us will carry happy memories which we will always cherish. Others will leave without a thought. May Warrensburg Central School make a name for it- self in the history of the future. This is the wish of one who holds all of you as most dear friends. Anna W. Frost

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Page 20 THE HI-ROCK HISTORY OF WARRENSBURG SCHOOLS Although this region was covered with a thick pine forest broken only by lakes, streams and Indian trails, early settlers were attracted to come here because of the invigorating climate and the good drinking water. The first settler in this region was William Bond, who moved here in I 786 and settled on a tract of land bordering on Echo Lake, formerly called Bond's Pond. He passed away before the present town was formed. The immigration of Mr. Bond was quickly followed by the coming of other pioneers. Many of them came from the New England section to start life anew in this unpeopled wilderness. These early settlers had no sooner become located in their humble homes than they set about providing means for the education of their children. The school houses were built of logs taken from the forest. They were one room buildings having rough unpainted desks and a large wood stove in the center of the room. These schools often had fifty or sixty boys and girls in attendance during the winter months. The boys had to help with the farm work so the spring and fall terms had a much smaller enrollment. Under the most discouraging cir- cumstances in pioneer schools of this type were laid the founda- tions of education and character which enabled the growing youth to battle with life. During the years that followed, better school houses were erected about the township as soon as the people could afford them. These school houses in many instances sufficed also for some years as places for religious worship. In 1800 in the upper part of the present village there was but one building-—an old school house. This being the only school house within a radius of a number of miles, it was well attended. Select schools, as they were called, were maintained from early times. The parents of the children who attended these schools paid the teacher who was usually chosen because of his or her ability to teach the three R's. Next came the formation of the district school. One of these was built in the upper part of the village and at present is the house occupied by Earl Southwick. Pupils as far south as School Street attended this school. Another one was located across the river where Hugh Owens now lives. Pupils from the lower part of the village and those living on the south side of the river attended this one. Both schools were largely attended. In the fall of 1854 a portion of the academy was built at a cost of $4500. This was a two story structure built of stone. In order to finance the school a stock company was organized which became incorporated about 1857. The enroll- ment was from seventy-five to one hundred sixty pupils. However the district schools continued in session, as only those who were able to pay tuition could afford an Academy education. The first principal was Rev. Robert Clapp of Ches- tertown. The Academy did not. however, pay the Stock Com- pany too well, so in 1888 the Warrensburg Union Free School and Academy was organized by the consolidation of all the schools in the village. Fred N. Moulton was the first principal of this school. The school attendance increased so rapidly that they found it necessary to build an addition. This was built of wood on the south side of the main building. After the addi- tion of the wing the whole building boasted three class rooms on the main floor and four on the second floor. There were from thirty to fifty students registered in each of the first seven grades. The eighth grade and high school together en- rolled about sixty. Non-resident students came here from far and near, especially from the north and west of us. A small tuition was charged and this helped to defray expenses. There were few changes for the next few years.

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Page 22 THE HI-ROCK JLitrraij) Brpartmrnt A Battle's Experience The lour young men standing in the small foxhole sud- denly threw themselves face down. Immediately there arose the shrill whining sound of a descending shell. Louder and louder it grew; then with a dull thud exploded. The battlefield was strangely quiet. The only sound was a young bird chirping away upon a dead trunlt of a tree. Slowly a form covered with dirt arose from the foxhole, looked cautiously around, and extracted himself from the debris. To himself he exclaimed. Bill, old boy, you've got to hold the fort all by yourself.' Fortunately the machine gun had just been knocked over, so restoring it to its original position, Bill sat down to await the anticipated attacks. As he sat there his thoughts wandered back home. He remembered vividly the night he had gone to the movies with Mary. Now it looked as if he would not see Mary or the movies again. He remembered the last farewell of his mother and father. They had been so unhappy, yet to bolster up his hopes they had joked with him until he had gotten on the train. The shrill whine of a bullet cut short Bill's reminiscing. Here they come, he thought. As the first line of grey clad men topped the small rise, the machine gun spoke, a speech the Germans had come to respect. The wave broke, ebbed back, then came on again as new men arrived. After three un- successful. attempts to storm the pit, the Germans fell back, leaving the immediate vicinity in peace. Bill noted, however, that tne battle was still continuing. Gradually the sounds of it grew fainter and Bill, worn out. fell into a semi-doze. About midnight, Bill was awakened by the strange language of nearby men. He was about to hail them when he realized that the men were Germans. How did they dare to venture so close? Why were they talking so loudly near the Allied lines? Where were the Allied lines? These thoughts raced through Bill's mind as he watched the evident concern of the Germans. Why had they not killed him? Bitterly he cursed himself for falling asleep. Gradually the probable answer came into his mind. During the night the Germans must have attacked, forcing the line of battle far to his rear. Also they had evidently viewed the wreakage the shell had caused and turning over several dead bodies, supposed the others to be dead. Bill softly and quietly drew from his belt a grenade, pulled the pin, and threw it into the middle of the enemy. Then hastily, grabbing his rifle, he slipped out of the trench and began his journey back to his own lines. Now ordinarily a young man could have made the trip in twelve hours but with enemies all around it took Bill two days. During this time he slept in the day and continued his journey at night. On the evening of the second day he reached the battle line. Directly in his path was a group of Germans eating supper. As Bill lay watching them he noticed that the leader had a stack of papers on his desk which looked like maps and plans of battle. These, thought Bill, he must have. Cold steel silenced the sentry as Bill crept toward the camp. Suddenly a voice hailed him from the darkness, com- manding him to stop. The Germans were smart all right plac- ing two sentrys one behind the other. The wary sentry raised the alarm which turned the guard of the tents out. Bill picked up a rock, threw it into the brush a bit to his right and waited. The Germans advanced cautiously toward the sound. After the Germans left the camp Bill raced for the table. The papers— but no. the leader had taken them with him. What a spot! Suddenly from one of the largest tents a man walked buckling on his gun. Bill hugged the ground. The man passed and Bill crept to the tent door. Inside, evidently was a big meeting for much gold braid was in evidence. Bill, smiling drew out a grenade and stepped into the tent. Covering the occupants he seized the documents, released the grenade and ran. The entire tent blew up, but in crossing the level land Bill was hit by a German sniper. However, it was only a shoulder wound so without further ado, Bill honorably retreated to his own lines. —Nelson Meader The Chance of A Lifetime and How It Ended Stealthily Bobby opened his window and still more stealthily he climbed out. Down the ivy he started. Just what was Bobby Johnson doing climbing down the side of his house at 9:00 on a Saturday night in summer? Well. Bobby Johnson, a ten-year old boy, was about the most dissatisfied child I ve heard of. He lived in an old stone house on the Main Street in Homeville. a normal little Amer- ican town, with his mother, father and five sisters. So you see. he had a reason for being dissatisfied. What little boy with five sisters wouldn't be? He had nobody to play with. His mother didn't want him to play with those rough-necks'' down the street. If he played with his sisters, the fellows called him a sissy. The Johnson house had just been redecorated, so Bobby couldn t have any pets. He couldn t even have the fellows in for a bull-session'' once in a while. One day Bobby said to himself, If I can t do anything ai all that I want here. I m going to go some place that I can! He couldn't exactly decide what to do, but one night after he had gone to bed, at 8:00. he suddenly sat up straight and said aloud. I'm going to run away! He laid his plans carefully. He would take a little food each day and hide it. until he had enough to last a few days. Then, when he had enough, one dark night he would climb out his window and make his escape. And that is what we find him doing now. Each day he had followed his plan till he had quite a store of food. He had almost decided to leave the next night. Thursday, when he happened to think that he had no money. If he waited until Saturday, he would have his allowance anj this would give him a greater advantage.