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Lafayette High School (Buffalo, New York)

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Coordinates: 42°55′15″N 78°53′5″W / 42.92083°N 78.88472°W / 42.92083; -78.88472
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Lafayette High School
Lafayette High School, Buffalo NY, April 2011
Lafayette High School (Buffalo, New York) is located in New York
Lafayette High School (Buffalo, New York)
Lafayette High School (Buffalo, New York) is located in the United States
Lafayette High School (Buffalo, New York)
Location370 Lafayette Ave., Buffalo, New York
Coordinates42°55′15″N 78°53′5″W / 42.92083°N 78.88472°W / 42.92083; -78.88472
Built1901
ArchitectEsenwein & Johnson
Architectural styleBeaux Arts
NRHP reference No.80002608 [1]
Added to NRHPDecember 3, 1980
Lafayette High School
Address
Map
370 Lafayette Avenue

West Side

Buffalo
,
Erie
,
New York
14213

United States
Information
MottoLoyalty, Honor, Service
Established1901
School districtBuffalo Public Schools
School number204
Grades9-12
Color(s)Violet and White    
Team nameViolets
NewspaperThe Triangle
YearbookThe Oracle

Lafayette High School was a public high school in Buffalo, New York. It was the oldest public school in Buffalo that remained 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.[1] It is located in Buffalo's Upper West Side at 370 Lafayette Avenue.

The name 'Lafayette High School' was phased out beginning in 2015, graduating its final class in 2018, and was replaced by the name Lafayette International High School and Newcomers Academy. Classes continue to be held in the historic building.

History

[edit]

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 re-opened as a multicultural school with a new principal. The school also began housing seventh and eighth graders from nearby International School 45. This arrangement continued until 2015.

Former principals

[edit]

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

  • Mr. Arthur Detmers–1903-1906 (unknown, named Instructor of The Hill School)
  • Mr. Calvert King Mellen–1906-1934 (Math teacher - Buffalo Central High School, retired)
  • Mr. Frank Gott–1934-1955 (Vice Principal - Lafayette High School, retired)
  • Mr. Abraham Axelrod–1955-1958 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, died)
  • Mr. Robert C. McGowan–1958-1968 (Assistant Principal - East High School, 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[2])
  • Ms. Sharon A. Lanza–1997-2004 (Assistant Principal - Lafayette High School, retired)
  • Mrs. Jacquelyn M. Baldwin–2004-2008 (Assistant Principal - City Honors School,[3] transferred to Office Of School Performance[4])
  • Dr. Phyllis F. Morrell–2008-2011 (Principal on Assignment - McKinley Vocational High School,[4] named Principal of Dr. Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence[5])
  • Mrs. Naomi R. Cerre–2011-2015 (Assistant Principal - McKinley High School, returned to McKinley)
  • Mrs. Denise E. Clarke–2015-2017 (Principal - Riverside Institute of Technology, retired)
  • Mr. Michael J. Mogavero–2017-2018 (Principal - Academy School 131, named Principal of Math, Science, Technology Preparatory School @ 39)

Selected former assistant principals

[edit]

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, 1948-1951 (Social Studies teacher - Lafayette High School, placed on military leave)
  • Mr. Carl S. Walz–1941-1948 (Math teacher - Lafayette High School, named Assistant Principal of East High School)
  • Mr. Frank J. Kelly–1951-1955 (Assistant Principal - South Park High Annex, named Assistant Principal of Kensington High School)
  • Dr. J. Norman Hayes–1955-1958 (Assistant Principal - School 87, named Principal of South Park High School)
  • Mr. Martin J. O'Donnell–1958-1962 (Acting Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, named Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
  • Ms. Margaret V. Lombardi–1962-1966 (Guidance Counselor - School 72, named Principal of Woodlawn Junior High School)
  • Ms. Mary Elizabeth Dougherty–1966-1970 (Guidance Counselor - Lafayette High School, named Director of Business Education for Buffalo Public Schools)
  • Mr. Chester J. Kryszczuk–1966-1969 (Assistant Principal - School 59, named Principal of School 80)
  • Mr. Salvatore J. Scamacca–1969-1990 (Instrumental Music teacher - Lafayette High School, retired)
  • Mr. Gerald H. Hesson–1972-1974 (Social Studies teacher - South Park High School, named Principal of Fillmore Middle School)
  • Dr. Daniel M. Kublitz–1974-1982 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, retired)
  • Mr. Charles G. Erickson–1983-1987 (Coordinator of Student Affairs - Kensington High School, retired)
  • Mr. Thomas P. Kopera–1987-1990 (Business teacher - Lafayette High School, named Principal of Burgard Vocational High School)
  • Mr. Elzie B. Fisher–1990-1995 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, named Principal of Buffalo Alternative High School)
  • Ms. Patricia C. Kormash–1990-1994 (French teacher - Lafayette High School, named Assistant Principal of North Tonawanda High School)
  • Ms. Sharon Lanza–1994-1997 (Assistant Principal - Grover Cleveland High School, named Principal of Lafayette High School)
  • Mr. Thomas M. Kalenik–1995-2004 (Social Studies teacher - Buffalo Public Schools, retired)
  • Ms. Lisa K. Robinson–1997-2006 (Computer Science teacher - Hutchinson Central Technical High School, named Assistant Principal of Opportunity Center at 331[6])
  • Mr. Gregory K. Pigeon–2004-2005 (Business teacher - Riverside Institute of Technology,[3] named Assistant Principal of Erie 1 BOCES - Harkness Center)
  • Mr. Philip M. Martin–2005-2006 (Assistant Principal - Hutchinson Central Technical School,[7] named Associate Principal of Shenendehowa High School[8])
  • Mrs. Denise Clarke–2006-2009 (Acting Assistant Principal - City Honors School,[6] named Assistant Principal Of Riverside Institute of Technology[9])
  • Mr. Gregory D. Mott–2006 (Assistant Principal - Opportunity School at 331,[6] named Principal of Academy School 131 @ 44[10])
  • Mr. John E. Evert–2006-2008 (Business teacher - Burgard Vocational High School,[11] named Vice Principal of Lewiston-Porter High School)
  • Mrs. Julie L Horn–2008-2014 (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, named Assistant Principal of Newcomers Academy @ Lafayette)
  • Mr. Craig M. Brodnicki–2008-2016 (Assistant Principal - Campus West School, named Assistant Principal of McKinley Vocational High School)
  • Ms. Yuldonna M. Middleton–2011-2015 (Assistant Principal - International School, retired)
  • Mr. Rafael A. Mercado–2016-2017 (Assistant Principal - Emerson School of Hospitality, named Assistant Principal of D'Youville Porter Campus School)
  • Mr. Daniel J. Bass–2015-2018 (Assistant Principal - McKinley Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of The New Buffalo School of Culinary Art & Hospitality Management)

Selected former administrators

[edit]
Year Superintendent Principal Assistant Principal
1903-1904 Henry Emerson Art Detmers
1904-1905 Henry Emerson Art Detmers
1905-1906 Henry Emerson Art Detmers
1906-1907 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1907-1908 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1908-1909 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1909-1910 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1910-1911 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1911-1912 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1912-1913 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1913-1914 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1914-1915 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1915-1916 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1916-1917 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1917-1918 Henry Emerson Cap Mellen
1918-1919 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Charlie Rhodes
1919-1920 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Charlie Rhodes
1920-1921 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Charlie Rhodes
1921-1922 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Charlie Rhodes
1922-1923 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Charlie Rhodes
1923-1924 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Charlie Rhodes
1924-1925 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Charlie Rhodes
1925-1926 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Frank Gott
1926-1927 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Frank Gott
1927-1928 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Frank Gott
1928-1929 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Frank Gott
1929-1930 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Frank Gott
1930-1931 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Frank Gott
1931-1932 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Frank Gott
1932-1933 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Frank Gott
1933-1934 Ernst Hartwell Cap Mellen Frank Gott
1934-1935 Ernst Hartwell Frank Gott Irvin Himmele
1935-1936 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Irvin Himmele
1936-1937 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Irvin Himmele
1937-1938 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Irvin Himmele
1938-1939 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Irvin Himmele
1939-1940 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Irvin Himmele
1940-1941 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Irvin Himmele
1941-1942 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Carl Walz
1942-1943 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Carl Walz
1943-1944 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Carl Walz
1944-1945 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Carl Walz
1945-1946 Robert Pabst Frank Gott Carl Walz
1946-1947 Robert Bapst Frank Gott Carl Walz
1947-1948 Robert Bapst Frank Gott Carl Walz
1948-1949 Robert Bapst Frank Gott Irvin Himmele
1949-1950 Robert Bapst Frank Gott Irvin Himmele
1950-1951 Ben Willis Frank Gott Irvin Himmele
1951-1952 Ben Willis Frank Gott Frank Kelly
1952-1953 Parmer Ewing Frank Gott Frank Kelly
1953-1954 Parmer Ewing Frank Gott Frank Kelly
1954-1955 Parmer Ewing Frank Gott Frank Kelly
1955-1956 Parmer Ewing Abe Axelrod Norman Hayes
1956-1957 Parmer Ewing Abe Axelrod Norman Hayes
1957-1958 Joe Manch Abe Axelrod Norman Hayes
1958-1959 Joe Manch Rob McGowan Martin O'Donnell
1959-1960 Joe Manch Rob McGowan Martin O'Donnell
1960-1961 Joe Manch Rob McGowan Martin O'Donnell
1961-1962 Joe Manch Rob McGowan Martin O'Donnell
1962-1963 Joe Manch Rob McGowan Margaret Lombardi
1963-1964 Joe Manch Rob McGowan Margaret Lombardi
1964-1965 Joe Manch Rob McGowan Margaret Lombardi
1965-1966 Joe Manch Rob McGowan Margaret Lombardi
1966-1967 Joe Manch Rob McGowan Chester Kryszczuk Mary Dougherty
1967-1968 Joe Manch Rob McGowan Chester Kryszczuk Mary Dougherty
1968-1969 Joe Manch Gerald Hare Chester Kryszczuk Mary Dougherty
1969-1970 Joe Manch Gerald Hare Sal Scamacca Mary Dougherty
1970-1971 Joe Manch Gerald Hare Sal Scamacca Gerald Hesson
1971-1972 Joe Manch Gerald Hare Sal Scamacca Gerald Hesson
1972-1973 Joe Manch Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Gerald Hesson
1973-1974 Joe Manch Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Gerald Hesson
1974-1975 Joe Manch Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Dan Kublitz
1975-1976 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Dan Kublitz
1976-1977 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Dan Kublitz
1977-1978 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Dan Kublitz
1978-1979 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Dan Kublitz
1979-1980 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Dan Kublitz
1980-1981 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Dan Kublitz
1981-1982 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Dan Kublitz
1982-1983 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Dan Kublitz
1983-1984 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Charles Erickson
1984-1985 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Charles Erickson
1985-1986 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Charles Erickson
1986-1987 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Charles Erickson
1987-1988 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Tom Kopera
1988-1989 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Tom Kopera
1989-1990 Eugene Reville Rick Ganter Sal Scamacca Tom Kopera
1990-1991 Albert Thompson Rick Ganter Elzie Fisher Pat Kormash
1991-1992 Albert Thompson Rick Ganter Elzie Fisher Pat Kormash
1992-1993 Albert Thompson Rick Ganter Elzie Fisher Pat Kormash
1993-1994 Albert Thompson Rick Ganter Elzie Fisher Pat Kormash
1994-1995 Albert Thompson Rick Ganter Elzie Fisher Sharon Lanza
1995-1996 Albert Thompson Rick Ganter Tom Kalenik Sharon Lanza
1996-1997 Jim Harris Rick Ganter Tom Kalenik Sharon Lanza
1997-1998 Jim Harris Sharon Lanza Tom Kalenik Lisa Robinson
1998-1999 Jim Harris Sharon Lanza Tom Kalenik Lisa Robinson
1999-2000 Jim Harris Sharon Lanza Tom Kalenik Lisa Robinson
2000-2001 Marion Canedo Sharon Lanza Tom Kalenik Lisa Robinson
2001-2002 Marion Canedo Sharon Lanza Tom Kalenik Lisa Robinson
2002-2003 Marion Canedo Sharon Lanza Tom Kalenik Lisa Robinson
2003-2004 Marion Canedo Sharon Lanza Tom Kalenik Lisa Robinson
2004-2005 Yvonne Hargrave* Jackie Baldwin Greg Pigeon Lisa Robinson
2005-2006 James Williams Jackie Baldwin Philip Martin Lisa Robinson
2006-2007 James Williams Jackie Baldwin Denise Clarke Mott/Evert
2007-2008 James Williams Jackie Baldwin Denise Clarke John Evert
2008-2009 James Williams Fatima Morrell Denise Clarke Craig Brodnicki
2009-2010 James Williams Fatima Morrell Julie Horn Craig Brodnicki
2010-2011 James Williams Fatima Morrell Julie Horn Craig Brodnicki
2011-2012 Amber Dixon* Naomi Cerre* Julie Horn Craig Brodnicki Yuldonna Middleton
2012-2013 Pam Brown Naomi Cerre Julie Horn Craig Brodnicki Yuldonna Middleton
2013-2014 Pam Brown Naomi Cerre Julie Horn Craig Brodnicki Yuldonna Middleton
2014-2015 Don Ogilivie* Naomi Cerre Julie Horn Craig Brodnicki Yuldonna Middleton
2015-2016 Kriner Cash Denise Clarke Dan Bass Craig Brodnicki
2016-2017 Kriner Cash Denise Clarke Dan Bass Rafael Mercado
2017-2018 Kriner Cash Mike Mogavero Dan Bass

Academics

[edit]

Lafayette High School currently serves as home to many Buffalo high school students learning English as a second language.

Bell Schedule

[edit]
Period Number/Activity Beginning Bell End Bell
Homeroom 8:25 8:33
Period 1 8:37 9:30
Period 2 9:21 10:01
Period 3 10:05 10:45
A Lunch 10:49 11:14
Period 4/5 10:49 11:29
Period 5/6 11:18 11:58
B Lunch 11:33 11:58
Period 6/7 11:33 12:13
Period 7/8 12:02 12:42
C Lunch 12:17 12:42
Period 8/9 12:46 1:25
Period 10 1:29 2:08
Period 11 2:12 2:30

Notable alumni

[edit]
  • Nanette Gretchen Gordon [Nee Caplen] (class of 1940) Wife, mother and proud alumni of Lafayette high school as well as a volunteer at the VA hospital (300,000+ hours)in Buffalo, Nan Gordon single handedly put Lafayette HS on the National Register of Historic places in 1980.
  • Gordon Bunshaft (class of 1928), noted twentieth-century architect.
  • Robert J. Donovan (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.
  • Liz Dribben (class of 1954), first female news anchor on Buffalo television, copy writer at CBS News for Dan Rather, Walter Cronkite, and Charles Kuralt. Member of the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
  • Jeremiah Goodman (class of 1939), artist, known simply as "Jeremiah", painter of interior still lifes of famous residences.
  • Cecil de Blaquiere Howard (class of 1903), noted sculptor who lived in Paris, France from 1905 to 1940, and in New York until his death in 1956.
  • Barney Lepper (class of 1915), founder of the Buffalo All-Stars, which eventually became the city's first NFL team
  • Gary Mallaber (class of 1964), Multiple platinum selling drummer and producer involved with acts such as The Steve Miller Band, Van Morrison and Eddie Money.
  • Fran Striker (class of 1922), author, creator of the radio serial The Lone Ranger.
  • Bruce Shanks (class of 1927), Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist.
  • Winifred C. Stanley (class of 1927), attorney and first member of congress to introduce legislation prohibiting discrimination in pay on account of sex
  • Frank Kelly Freas (class of 1938), famed science-fiction cover artist.
  • The Modernaires (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 Orchestra.
  • Tedd Lewin (class of 1953), artist, author and illustrator of children's books.
  • Angelo Coniglio (class of 1954), first Civil Engineering graduate of the University at Buffalo, engineer, professor of engineering, genealogist, author of the historical novella The Lady of the Wheel and archivist of the American Football League.
  • Edward C. Lawson (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.
  • Charles Reidpath Olympic gold medalist
  • Bobby Militello jazz saxophonist

Shanks (1927) and Lewin (1953), and all the art students in between were influenced by 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 1940s 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. 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, and on Sunday, August 4, 2013 is holding a free All-Class Reunion to celebrate the school's one hundred and tenth year.

As their logos, the school and the Association use the LHS Triangle (Lafayette High School; Loyalty, Honor, Service), and the Lafayette Angel.

[edit]
  • Lafayette High School, ca. 1901
    Lafayette High School, ca. 1901
  • Lafayette High School, Entrance Detail, December 2009
    Lafayette High School, Entrance Detail, December 2009

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. ^ Heaney, J. (1997, June 23). Retirements, transfers may mean new principals for 10 city - schools. The Buffalo News, p. B4.
  3. ^ a b Buffalo Public Schools (2004, June 9). Meeting of the Board of Education: Principal Transfers Archived 2012-03-23 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ^ a b Buffalo Public Schools (2008, August 13). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments[permanent dead link].
  5. ^ Buffalo Public Schools (2011, September 14). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments[permanent dead link].
  6. ^ a b c Buffalo Public Schools (2006, February 22). Meeting of the Board of Education: Elementary Principal Appointments[permanent dead link].
  7. ^ Buffalo Public Schools (2005, September 7). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments[permanent dead link].
  8. ^ Buffalo Public Schools (2006, January 11). Meeting of the Board of Education: Elementary Principal Appointments[permanent dead link].
  9. ^ Buffalo Public Schools (2009, July 8). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments[permanent dead link].
  10. ^ Buffalo Public Schools (2006, October 23). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments[permanent dead link].
  11. ^ Buffalo Public Schools (2006, December 6). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments[permanent dead link].
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