By 1922, the “new” Albany High School on Lake Avenue, which had only opened in September 1913 at a cost of a million dollars, was already “taxed beyond its capacity so that ‘double sessions’ are necessary,” according to the Chamber of Commerce’s helpful report on “Education in Albany.” At that time, four new elementary schools were being planned, and one was under construction. “These are of the most modern type and will cost approximately one and one-quarter million. The high school is crowded beyond its capacity and plans are under way for relieving it by constructing two junior high schools at a cost of approximately another million and a quarter. In the near future two and one-half millions will be spent for public school improvements.”
(Some of these had changed from a similar inventory that was done in 1894.)
Education has changed a lot in the past 90 years, but many of these old schools remain. The high school remains as part of the SUNY downtown campus, as many folks know. But how many of these other buildings are still remembered as schools?
Girls Vocational School, in the High School Building. This school had an enrollment of 68 and offered “Elementary and first two years academic; Cooking; Millinery; Dressmaking.”
Boys Vocational School, 196 Morton Ave. This school had an enrollment of 74 and offered “elementary and first two years academic; Printing; Woodworking; Drawing; Machine Shop Practice.” The building is still in use as apartments today.
Part-Time School, Broadway and N. Lawrence Street. This school, of which no trace remains, had an enrollment of 894, and offered courses in “Bookwork; Household Arts; Industrial Arts; Electrical Work; Sheet Metal Work; Commercial Subjects; Dressmaking; Printing.” Today: no matter which side of N. Lawrence it was on, it’s a parking lot today.
Ungraded School, In School No. 11, 409 Madison Avenue. This was an elementary school with an enrollment of 43, inside School 11. Today, it’s a lovely condominium building.
School No. 1, Bassett Street, corner Franklin Street. A primary school with enrollment of 414. The building still stands.
School No. 2, 29 Chestnut Street. A grammar school with enrollment of 363. It was mid-block between S. Swan and S. Hawk, on the part of Chestnut Street eliminated by the Empire State Plaza and now under the Legislative Office Building.
School No. 3, Watervliet Avenue, corner Hunter Avenue. This was a primary school with enrollment of 337. This is now the Henry Johnson Charter School.
School No. 4, Madison Avenue and Ontario Street (northeast corner). A grammar school with enrollment of 166; the booklet notes it as “(Burned).” This was replaced by another School No. 4, shown below, which suffered a roof collapse in 1968 and was then demolished entirely. It’s now just an open park across from the Vincentian Institute.
School No. 5, 206 N. Pearl Street. This was a grammar school with 405 students. The building, from 1882, still stands as the Quackenbush condominiums.
School No. 6, 105 Second St. A grammar school with 632 students. The building is gone, the site is now occupied by the Metropolitan Baptist Church.
School No. 7, 165 Clinton Avenue. A primary school with 253 students. The building still stands, home to New Covenant Christian Fellowship.
School No. 8, 157 Madison Ave., a primary school with 323 students. The building is gone, a parking lot between Madison and Van Zandt.
School No. 9, 333 Sheridan Avenue, a primary school with 218 students. This building still stands, home to Albany Community Action Partnership.
School No. 10, N. Lake Ave., corner of Central Avenue, a primary school with 226 students. Still there, still a school: Brighter Choice Charter School.
School No. 11, 409 Madison Ave., a grammar school of 336 students. As mentioned above, there was another school within this one. Today, it’s a lovely condominium building.
School No. 12, Robin Street at Western Avenue, a grammar school of 496. Recently converted into lovely apartments.
School No. 13. Just kidding! Of course there was no School No. 13. Even in the 21st century, I worked in a building that skipped numbering the 13th floor.
Its exclusion from this listing may mean that the old P.S. 13 was closed by then; originally it was in the old State Arsenal building at Broadway and Lawrence streets, which dated to 1799.
School No. 14, 69 Trinity Place, a grammar school of 998 students. This incredibly beautiful building still stands as the Schuyler Apartments.
School No. 15, Herkimer Street, corner of Franklin Street. This was a primary school with an enrollment of 565. Today this appears to be nothing but park space on one of the pretty streets of the Pastures.
School No. 16, 41 N. Allen Street, a grammar school of 686. This is now the site of the Pine Hills Elementary School; I don’t know if any of the original building elements were retained in the reconstruction that took place in 2005.
School No. 17, Second Avenue and Stephen Street, a grammar school of 466 students. This building still stands, sadly derelict.
School No. 18, Bertha and Hurlbut Streets, a grammar school of 578. This lovely old structure was recently replaced by a thoroughly modern school building for the Delaware Community School. I understand why, the interior was almost completely unsuited to contemporary schooling. But I’m kicking myself for having lived directly across the street from it and never having taken a picture.
School No. 19, New Scotland Avenue, a primary school with 254 students. This building remains in use as an Albany City School, the New Scotland Elementary School.
School No. 20, N. Pearl and N. Second Streets, a grammar school of 446 students. Still in use as a city school, the North Albany Academy.
School No. 21, 666 Clinton Avenue, a grammar school of 739 students. (Apparently, while “13” is an unacceptable number for a school, “666” is a perfectly acceptable address.)
Built in 1875, when that area was still not annexed into Albany, but was built to meet the demands of New York Central railroad workers; their children had been going to school in a shack near the tracks owned by the railroad. It was expanded in 1886, and was apparently open at least through 1974.
The site would appear to be a vacant lot today.
School No. 22, 292 Second Street, a primary school of 312 students. Sadly, another decaying hulk.
School No. 23, Whitehall Road, a primary school of 264. Still a city school, home to the Albany School of Humanities.
School No. 24, Delaware and Dana avenues, a grammar school of 379. The building is gone; today the site is occupied by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Albany.
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