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Lafayette High School (Buffalo)
Encyclopedia
Lafayette High School is the oldest public school in Buffalo
that remains in its original building; a stone, brick and terra-cotta structure in the French Renaissance Revival style, by architects August Esenwein and James A. Johnson
. Although classes began off-site during construction of the school, the building was completed, and graduated its first class, in 1903. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1980.
Shanks (1927) and Lewin (1953), and all the art students in between were influenced by the remarkable Miss Elizabeth Weiffenbach
, who taught art at the school for over forty years. These included Jack Smart
(class of 1922), an artist who also played The Fat Man
on 1940's radio; and Irving Jeremiah
Goodman (class of 1939), a contemporary artist specializing in room still lifes. Turner rowed for the U.S. in the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, was executive editor of The Buffalo Courier-Express, and is a member of the exclusive Gridiron Club in Washington, D.C.
The public school is supported by the private Lafayette High School Alumni Association, remarkable in its size and ability to sponsor school causes. In 1999, the association restored the building's landmark lantern or "cupola", which had deteriorated and been demolished for safety reasons in the 1970s. In May 2003, the association sponsored and ran a 100th Anniversary Celebration, attended by over 1,700 alumni and their guests, raising $30,000 for the school. The funds will establish the Ramsi P. Tick media room in memory of entrepreneur Tick, an LHS alumnus and philanthropist. The association also awards several annual grants and scholarships for worthy causes and students.
As their logos, the school and the Association use the LHS Triangle (Lafayette High School; Loyalty, Honor, Service) , and the Lafayette Angel.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
that remains in its original building; a stone, brick and terra-cotta structure in the French Renaissance Revival style, by architects August Esenwein and James A. Johnson
James A. Johnson (architect)
James Addison Johnson was a Buffalo, New York architect known for his design of various architectural landmarks and his use of decorative work that many consider a foreshadowing of art deco design....
. Although classes began off-site during construction of the school, the building was completed, and graduated its first class, in 1903. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1980.
History
LaFayette High School was the third high school built in Buffalo, New York. It has fallen into recent struggles with academics and has been placed on New York State's Watch List of Persistently Underperforming Schools. After the 2010-2011 school year, the school closed and re-opened as a multicultural school with a new administration. The school also began housing seventh and eighth graders from nearby International School 45.Former principals
Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses- Mr. Arthur Detmers–1903-1906 (unknown, resigned)
- Mr. Calvert King Mellen–1906-1934 (unknown, retired)
- Mr. Frank Gott–1934-1955 (Vice Principal - Lafayette High School, retired)
- Mr. Abraham Axelrod–1955-1958 (unknown, passed away)
- Mr. Robert C. McGowan–1958-1968 (Assistant Principal - East High SchoolEast High School (Buffalo, New York)East High School is a comprehensive high school located in the East Side of Buffalo, New York. It serves 610 students from Grades 9-12. The current principal is Dr. Casey Young Welch, and the current assistant principals are Ms. Irene Gelber and Mr. Benjamin Willis.- History :East High School was...
, retired) - Mr. Gerald S. Hare–1968-1972 (Assistant Principal - East High School, transferred to Buffalo Public Schools District Offices)
- Mr. Frederick D. Ganter–1972-1997 (Assistant Principal - East High School, retired)
- Ms. Sharon A. Lanza–1997-2004 (Assistant Principal - Lafayette High School, retired)
- Dr. Jacquelyn M. Baldwin–2004-2008 (Assistant Principal - City Honors SchoolCity Honors SchoolCity Honors School at Fosdick-Masten Park, known colloquially as City Honors, or CHS, is a college preparatory school in Buffalo, New York. City Honors is part of the Buffalo Public Schools system. The school was founded in 1975 by three faculty members from Bennett High School and Clinton Junior...
, transferred to Office Of School Performance) - Dr. Phyllis F. Morrell–2008-2011 (Principal on Assignment - McKinley Vocational High SchoolMcKinley Vocational High SchoolMcKinley Vocational High School is a public high school in Buffalo, New York.Mckinley Vocational High School is located in Buffalo, NY and is one of 57 schools in Buffalo City School District...
, named Principal of Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence)
Selected former assistant principals
Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses- Mr. Charles E. Rhodes–1918-1925 (English Teacher - Lafayette High School, named Principal of Bennett High School)
- Mr. Frank Gott–1925-1934 (unknown, named Principal of Lafayette High School)
- Mr. Irvin H. Himmele–1934-1941 (unknown, placed on military leave)
- Mr. Carl S. Walz–1941-1948 (unknown, named Assistant Principal of East High School)
- Mr. Frank J. Kelly–1948-1957 (unknown, named Principal of Kensington High SchoolKensington High SchoolKensington High School is a former high school located in Buffalo, New York. The building, located at 319 Suffolk Streetin Buffalo, currently serves home to Frederick Law Olmstead Academy.- History :...
) - Mr. Salvatore J. Scamacca–1969-1990 (Instrumental music instructor - Lafayette High School, retired)
- Ms. Mary Elizabeth Dougherty (Guidance Counselor - Lafayette High School, named Director of Business Education for Buffalo Public Schools)
- Mr. Thomas P. Kopera–?-1990 (Teacher - Buffalo Public Schools, named Principal of Burgard Vocational High SchoolBurgard Vocational High SchoolBurgard Vocational High School is a vocational high school located in Buffalo, New York, USA. It holds about 800 students from Grades 9 - 12 and teaches according to the Board of Regents. The current Principal is Mr. Brian Wiesinger, and the current Assistant Principals are Mr. Andre Thomas and Ms...
) - Mr. Elzie B. Fisher–1990-1995 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High SchoolKensington High SchoolKensington High School is a former high school located in Buffalo, New York. The building, located at 319 Suffolk Streetin Buffalo, currently serves home to Frederick Law Olmstead Academy.- History :...
, named Principal of Buffalo Alternative High School) - Ms. Patricia C. Kormash–?-1994 (unknown, named Assistant Principal of North Tonawanda High SchoolNorth Tonawanda High SchoolNorth Tonawanda High School or N.T.H.S., is a public high school located in North Tonawanda, New York. N.T.H.S. is the high school for the North Tonawanda City School District.-Spirit Week:...
) - Ms. Sharon A. Lanza–1994-1997 (Assistant Principal - Grover Cleveland High SchoolGrover Cleveland High School (Buffalo, New York)Grover Cleveland High School was a high school located in Buffalo, New York, USA. It generally housed 274 students from Grades 9 - 12 and teaches according to the Board of Regents...
, named Principal of Lafayette High School) - Mr. Thomas N. Kalenik–1995-2005 (unknown, retired)
- Ms. Lisa K. Robinson–1997-2006 (Computer teacher - Hutchinson Central Technical High SchoolHutchinson Central Technical High SchoolHutchinson Central Technical High School, informally known as Hutch-Tech, is a high school in the City of Buffalo, New York. Its founding on September 14, 1904 under the name Mechanics Arts High School marked the beginning of technical education on the secondary level in the city of...
, named Assistant Principal of Herman Badillo Bilingual Center) - Mr. Gregory K. Pigeon–2004-2005 (Business Teacher - Riverside Institute of Technology, named Assistant Principal of Erie 1 BOCES - Harkness Center)
- Mr. Philip M. Martin–2005-2006 (Assistant Principal - Hutchinson Central Technical School, resigned)
- Mrs. Denise E. Clarke–2006-2009 (Acting Assistant Principal - City Honors SchoolCity Honors SchoolCity Honors School at Fosdick-Masten Park, known colloquially as City Honors, or CHS, is a college preparatory school in Buffalo, New York. City Honors is part of the Buffalo Public Schools system. The school was founded in 1975 by three faculty members from Bennett High School and Clinton Junior...
, named Assistant Principal Of Riverside Institute of TechnologyRiverside Institute of TechnologyRiverside Institute of Technology is a high school located in Buffalo, New York. It serves Grades 9 - 12 and teaches according to the Board of Regents. The current Principal is Mrs. Denise Clarke, and the current assistant principals are Mrs. Aarin Pellitieri, Mr. Jason Madden, and Mrs...
) - Mr. Gregory D. Mott–2006 (Assistant Principal - Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence, named Principal of Academy School 131)
- Mr. John E. Evert–2006-2008 (Social Studies teacher - Burgard Vocational High School, named Vice Principal of Lewiston-Porter High School)
Selected former administrators
| Year | Superintendent | Principal | Asst. Principal | Asst. Principal | Asst. Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1903-1904 | Art Detmers | ||||
| 1904-1905 | Art Detmers | ||||
| 1905-1906 | Art Detmers | ||||
| 1906-1907 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1907-1908 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1908-1909 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1909-1910 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1910-1911 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1911-1912 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1912-1913 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1913-1914 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1914-1915 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1915-1916 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1916-1917 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1917-1918 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1918-1919 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1919-1920 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1920-1921 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1921-1922 | Cap Mellen | Charlie Rhodes | |||
| 1922-1923 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1923-1924 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1924-1925 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1925-1926 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1926-1927 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1927-1928 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1928-1929 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1929-1930 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1930-1931 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1931-1932 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1932-1933 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1933-1934 | Cap Mellen | ||||
| 1934-1935 | Frank Gott | Irvin Himmele | |||
| 1935-1936 | Frank Gott | Irvin Himmele | |||
| 1936-1937 | Frank Gott | Irvin Himmele | |||
| 1937-1938 | Frank Gott | Irvin Himmele | |||
| 1938-1939 | Frank Gott | Irvin Himmele | |||
| 1939-1940 | Frank Gott | Irvin Himmele | |||
| 1940-1941 | Frank Gott | Irvin Himmele | |||
| 1941-1942 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1942-1943 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1943-1944 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1944-1945 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1945-1946 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1946-1947 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1947-1948 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1948-1949 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1949-1950 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1950-1951 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1951-1952 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1952-1953 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1953-1954 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1954-1955 | Frank Gott | ||||
| 1955-1956 | Abe Axelrod | ||||
| 1956-1957 | Abe Axelrod | ||||
| 1957-1958 | Abe Axelrod | ||||
| 1958-1959 | Rob McGowan | ||||
| 1959-1960 | Rob McGowan | ||||
| 1960-1961 | Rob McGowan | ||||
| 1961-1962 | Rob McGowan | ||||
| 1962-1963 | Rob McGowan | ||||
| 1963-1964 | Rob McGowan | ||||
| 1964-1965 | Rob McGowan | ||||
| 1965-1966 | Rob McGowan | ||||
| 1966-1967 | Rob McGowan | ||||
| 1967-1968 | Rob McGowan | ||||
| 1968-1969 | Gerald Hare | ||||
| 1969-1970 | Gerald Hare | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1970-1971 | Gerald Hare | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1971-1972 | Gerald Hare | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1972-1973 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1973-1974 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1974-1975 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1965-1976 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1976-1977 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1977-1978 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1978-1979 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1979-1980 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1980-1981 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1981-1982 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1982-1983 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1983-1984 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1984-1985 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1985-1986 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1986-1987 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1987-1988 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1988-1989 | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | |||
| 1989-1990 | Eugene Reville | Rick Ganter | Sal Scamacca | Tom Kopera | |
| 1990-1991 | Albert Thompson | Rick Ganter | Elzie Fisher | ||
| 1991-1992 | Albert Thompson | Rick Ganter | Elzie Fisher | ||
| 1992-1993 | Albert Thompson | Rick Ganter | Elzie Fisher | ||
| 1993-1994 | Albert Thompson | Rick Ganter | Elzie Fisher | Sharon Lanza | |
| 1994-1995 | Albert Thompson | Rick Ganter | Elzie Fisher | Sharon Lanza | |
| 1995-1996 | Albert Thompson | Rick Ganter | Tom Kanelik | Sharon Lanza | |
| 1996-1997 | Jim Harris | Rick Ganter | Tom Kanelik | Sharon Lanza | |
| 1997-1998 | Jim Harris | Sharon Lanza | Tom Kanelik | Lisa Robinson | |
| 1998-1999 | Jim Harris | Sharon Lanza | Tom Kanelik | Lisa Robinson | |
| 1999-2000 | Marion Canedo | Sharon Lanza | Tom Kanelik | Lisa Robinson | |
| 2000-2001 | Marion Canedo | Sharon Lanza | Tom Kanelik | Lisa Robinson | |
| 2001-2002 | Marion Canedo | Sharon Lanza | Tom Kanelik | Lisa Robinson | |
| 2002-2003 | Marion Canedo | Sharon Lanza | Tom Kanelik | Lisa Robinson | |
| 2003-2004 | Marion Canedo | Sharon Lanza | Tom Kanelik | Lisa Robinson | |
| 2004-2005 | Yvonne Hargrave | Jackie Baldwin | Tom Kanelik | Lisa Robinson | Greg Pigeon |
| 2005-2006 | James Williams | Jackie Baldwin | Philip Martin | Lisa Robinson | |
| 2006-2007 | James Williams | Jackie Baldwin | Denise Clarke | Mott/Every | |
| 2007-2008 | James Williams | Jackie Baldwin | Denise Clarke | John Every | |
| 2008-2009 | James Williams | Fatima Morrell | Denise Clarke | John Every | |
| 2009-2010 | James Williams | Fatima Morrell | Craig Brodnicki | Julie Horn | |
| 2010-2011 | James Williams | Fatima Morrell | Craig Brodnicki | Julie Horn | |
| 2011-2012 | Amber Dixon* | Naomi Cerre | Craig Brodnicki | Julie Horn | Yulanda Middleton |
Notable alumni
- Barney LepperBarney LepperHoward Emmett Lepper was a professional football player, as well as the manager, for the Buffalo All-Americans. Aside from playing football in Buffalo, Lepper also helped start the team in 1917, when they were called the Buffalo All-Stars, Niagaras and Prospects. All of the early press...
(class of 1915), founder of the Buffalo All-Stars, which eventually became the city's first NFL team - Fran StrikerFran StrikerFran Striker was an American writer for radio and comics, best known for creating The Lone Ranger, The Green Hornet, and Sgt...
(class of 1922), author, creator of the radio serial The Lone Ranger. - Gary MallaberGary MallaberGary Mallaber is a Los Angeles session drummer, percussionist and singer. He got his start playing drums in a band from Buffalo, New York, known as Raven....
(class of (N/A)), Multiple platinum selling drummer and producer involved with acts such as The Steve Miller Band, Van Morrison and Eddie Money. - Bruce ShanksBruce ShanksBruce McKinley Shanks was the Buffalo Evening News editorial cartoonist, and won the 1958 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning with his cartoon "The Thinker," published on August 10, 1957...
(class of 1927), Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist. - Gordon BunshaftGordon BunshaftGordon Bunshaft was an architect educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1988, Gordon Bunshaft nominated himself for the Pritzker Prize and eventually won it.-Career:...
(class of 1928), noted twentieth-century architect. - Robert J. DonovanRobert J. DonovanRobert John Donovan was a Washington correspondent, author and presidential historian. Donovan attended Lafayette High School in Buffalo, New York, where he was Captain of the Hockey and Track Teams, won honors as the Champion Orator of Buffalo and was a member of the Alpha Beta Chapter of the...
(class of 1932), Washington Bureau Chief, New York Herald Tribune and Los Angeles Times. President, White House Correspondents' Association. Author of 12 books including PT-109. Only journalist to ever address a Joint Session of Congress. - Frank Kelly FreasFrank Kelly FreasFrank Kelly Freas , called the "Dean of Science Fiction Artists", was a science fiction and fantasy artist with a career spanning more than 50 years.-Early life, education, and personal life:...
(class of 1938), famed science-fiction cover artist. - Jeremiah GoodmanJeremiah GoodmanJeremiah Goodman is an American artist.Like many artists, he began drawing at an early age, when he was given a box of crayons to keep him occupied while convalescing from a childhood injury...
(class of 1939), artist, known simply as "Jeremiah", painter of interior still lifes of famous residences. - The ModernairesThe ModernairesThe Modernaires are an American vocal group, best known for performing in the 1940s alongside Glenn Miller- Career :The Modernaires began in 1935 as a trio of schoolmates from Lafayette High School in Buffalo, New York...
(Hal Dickinson, Chuck Goldstein, and Bill Conway, late 1930s), the popular harmony group renowned for its performances on record and motion pictures with the Glenn Miller OrchestraGlenn Miller OrchestraThe Glenn Miller Orchestra was originally formed in 1938 by Glenn Miller. It was arranged around a clarinet and tenor saxophone playing melody, while three other saxophones played the harmony...
. - Douglas L. Turner (class of 1949),Executive Editor, Buffalo Courier-Express, Washington Bureau Chief and columnist for the Buffalo News.
- Tedd LewinTed lewinTed Lewin is an author/illustrator of children's books. Lewin and his wife Betsy Reilly drew on their travels to exotic places such as the Amazon River, Botswana, Egypt, Lapland, the Sahara Desert, and India when collaborating on their many books...
(class of 1953), artist, author and illustrator of children's books. - Angelo Coniglio (class of 1954), first Civil Engineering graduate of the University of Buffalo, engineer, professor of engineering, author, archivist of the American Football LeagueAmerican Football LeagueThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
, genealogical author. - Elizabeth L. Dribben (class of 1954), first female news anchor on Buffalo television, copy writer at CBS NewsCBS NewsCBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
for Dan RatherDan RatherDaniel Irvin "Dan" Rather, Jr. is an American journalist and the former news anchor for the CBS Evening News. He is now managing editor and anchor of the television news magazine Dan Rather Reports on the cable channel HDNet. Rather was anchor of the CBS Evening News for 24 years, from March 9,...
, Walter CronkiteWalter CronkiteWalter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years . During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll...
, and Charles KuraltCharles KuraltCharles Kuralt was an American journalist. He was most widely known for his long career with CBS, first for his "On the Road" segments on The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite, and later as the first anchor of CBS News Sunday Morning, a position he held for fifteen years.Kuralt's "On the Road"...
. Member of the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
- Lawson, Edward (class of 1964), Edward won a landmark Supreme Court victory over racism and arbitrary stop and seizure practices by California police by defending himself before the Supreme Court of the US. [Lawson v. Kolender, 658 F.2d 1362 (9th Cir. 1981) October 15, 1981 et seq.]. Few Lafayette graduates have ever shown such personal triumph over injustice.
Shanks (1927) and Lewin (1953), and all the art students in between were influenced by the remarkable Miss Elizabeth Weiffenbach
Elizabeth Weiffenbach
Elizabeth Weiffenbach was an Art teacher at Lafayette High School in Buffalo, New York, from the school's opening in 1903 until her retirement in 1952. During that period, she influenced artists and architects who went on to local, national, and international renown...
, who taught art at the school for over forty years. These included Jack Smart
J. Scott Smart
J. Scott Smart, also known as Jack Smart , was an American radio, film and stage actor during the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s....
(class of 1922), an artist who also played The Fat Man
The Fat Man (radio)
The Fat Man, a popular radio show during the 1940s and early 1950s was a detective drama based on characters by Dashiell Hammett. It starred J...
on 1940's radio; and Irving Jeremiah
Jeremiah
Jeremiah Hebrew：יִרְמְיָה , Modern Hebrew:Yirməyāhū, IPA: jirməˈjaːhu, Tiberian:Yirmĭyahu, Greek:Ἰερεμίας), meaning "Yahweh exalts", or called the "Weeping prophet" was one of the main prophets of the Hebrew Bible...
Goodman (class of 1939), a contemporary artist specializing in room still lifes. Turner rowed for the U.S. in the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, was executive editor of The Buffalo Courier-Express, and is a member of the exclusive Gridiron Club in Washington, D.C.
The public school is supported by the private Lafayette High School Alumni Association, remarkable in its size and ability to sponsor school causes. In 1999, the association restored the building's landmark lantern or "cupola", which had deteriorated and been demolished for safety reasons in the 1970s. In May 2003, the association sponsored and ran a 100th Anniversary Celebration, attended by over 1,700 alumni and their guests, raising $30,000 for the school. The funds will establish the Ramsi P. Tick media room in memory of entrepreneur Tick, an LHS alumnus and philanthropist. The association also awards several annual grants and scholarships for worthy causes and students.
As their logos, the school and the Association use the LHS Triangle (Lafayette High School; Loyalty, Honor, Service) , and the Lafayette Angel.