Oyster Bay High School
Encyclopedia
Oyster Bay High School is a high school located in Oyster Bay, New York. The school is a part of the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District
. A more comprehensive history may be found on the school's website.
It is no mistake that a street on the hill near St. Dominic’s Church is called School Street; it’s named changed from Petticoat Lane when a much larger public schoolhouse was built on the corner of Weeks Avenue in 1872. By the 1890s it too had become overcrowded forcing some classes to meet in the dank basement and even in private homes. This led to the construction of Oyster Bay’s first high school completed in 1901 on Anstice Street.
The present high school building was built to replace the older one, and was completed in 1929. Though this school has been primarily used as a high school it was originally built to house grades K through 12. This imposing brick and stone building with its Art Deco styling, has some interesting details in the original facade. See if you can find the gargoyle-like eagles and the letters “B” and “G”. These letters indicate separate doors for the girls and boys to enter the building. In February 1929, the children did just that, carrying their books and personal belongings from the old school building to this one. The new school had many modern features, including classroom loudspeakers, an auditorium with a balcony and projection booth, a central vacuuming system, and one of the most modern gymnasiums in Nassau County.
In 1986, after many years of being an "open campus" (students allowed to leave during free periods), Oyster Bay began to phase into being a "closed campus" (students not permitted to leave during free periods). Sidney Freund, the superintendent, said that the district was responsible for students while they were in school, so they needed to stay in school. 9th graders, who came in from the eighth grade, were not allowed to leave. Then each subsequent grade would be not allowed to leave. Therefore "open campus" was being grandfathered out. Freund said that, in this manner, the new students did not feel that they had lost a privilege, since they never had it.
Though it was modern in its day after over 70 years the gym had become outdated; in fact it was the oldest in Nassau County when it was replaced in 2000 with a new state of the art gymnasium, dedicated to Dr. Howard Imhof. The 2000 additions also included a new library-media center with 18 computer stations, ushering their handsome Deco building into the new century.
Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District
Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District is a school district headquartered in Oyster Bay hamlet in the town of Oyster Bay, New York, United States.The district covers areas in Long Island.-Schools:...
. A more comprehensive history may be found on the school's website.
History
The first schoolhouse in Oyster Bay was built before the Revolutionary War by Thomas Youngs, a short distance up Cove Hill from his homestead in Oyster Bay Cove. It was replaced in 1802 by the Oyster Bay Academy on East Main Street, led by the Reverend Marmaduke Earle. The first public school began in 1845, in a small wood building on South Street where State Bank is currently located.It is no mistake that a street on the hill near St. Dominic’s Church is called School Street; it’s named changed from Petticoat Lane when a much larger public schoolhouse was built on the corner of Weeks Avenue in 1872. By the 1890s it too had become overcrowded forcing some classes to meet in the dank basement and even in private homes. This led to the construction of Oyster Bay’s first high school completed in 1901 on Anstice Street.
The present high school building was built to replace the older one, and was completed in 1929. Though this school has been primarily used as a high school it was originally built to house grades K through 12. This imposing brick and stone building with its Art Deco styling, has some interesting details in the original facade. See if you can find the gargoyle-like eagles and the letters “B” and “G”. These letters indicate separate doors for the girls and boys to enter the building. In February 1929, the children did just that, carrying their books and personal belongings from the old school building to this one. The new school had many modern features, including classroom loudspeakers, an auditorium with a balcony and projection booth, a central vacuuming system, and one of the most modern gymnasiums in Nassau County.
In 1986, after many years of being an "open campus" (students allowed to leave during free periods), Oyster Bay began to phase into being a "closed campus" (students not permitted to leave during free periods). Sidney Freund, the superintendent, said that the district was responsible for students while they were in school, so they needed to stay in school. 9th graders, who came in from the eighth grade, were not allowed to leave. Then each subsequent grade would be not allowed to leave. Therefore "open campus" was being grandfathered out. Freund said that, in this manner, the new students did not feel that they had lost a privilege, since they never had it.
Though it was modern in its day after over 70 years the gym had become outdated; in fact it was the oldest in Nassau County when it was replaced in 2000 with a new state of the art gymnasium, dedicated to Dr. Howard Imhof. The 2000 additions also included a new library-media center with 18 computer stations, ushering their handsome Deco building into the new century.
See also
- Oyster Bay History WalkOyster Bay History WalkThe Oyster Bay History Walk is a path through downtown Oyster Bay, New York that leads the walker to 30 historic sites. It is a 1 mile loop and is the first certified American Heart Association Start! Walking Path on Long Island.-Origins and Development:...
- List of Town of Oyster Bay Landmarks
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Nassau County, New York