East High School (Buffalo, New York)

East High School was a comprehensive high school located in the East Side of Buffalo, New York. It operated from 1927 until 1977, reopened in 2005 and closed again in 2018 due to low academic performance. East High began phasing out in 2015 and was replaced by East Community High School and Pathways Academy, which are both housed in the building.

East High School
East High in Spring 2012
Address
820 Northampton Street

Buffalo, NY

Humboldt Park

Buffalo
,
Erie County
,
New York
14211

United States
Information
TypePublic, Coeducational
Opened1927
Closed2018
School districtBuffalo Public Schools
School number307
Grades9-12
Color(s)Black and Gold          
Team nameEast High Panthers
YearbookThe Orient

History

East High School (originally known as "East Side High School") was constructed in 1926 and opened in 1927. The building was a neighborhood school that served the Lower East Side families. The building became a symbol of rising demographic changes in the East Side when increasing numbers of African-Americans joined the student enrollment. In 1954, as part of a large redistricting initiative by the Buffalo Board of Education, East High's boundaries were redrawn so that it became "Buffalo's Negro high school".[1]

In 1977, the school was closed due to a federal desegregation order[2] and became Buffalo Vocational Technical Center, where students took vocational and career-oriented classes in addition to the core academics at their regular high school. This also allowed the school to become an annex to Kensington, Riverside, and Emerson High Schools.[2] The school was close to being closed and transformed into an elementary/middle school campus in 1999, but that decision was revoked by the Buffalo Board of Education due to mounting public pressure.[3] In 2002, the Vocational center was ultimately closed,[4] and the building re-opened in 2005 once again as East High School.[5]

In the spring of 2011, it was proposed that the current principal be replaced and the school would become an all-male school. Although the principal was placed on assignment within the district offices, no student demographic changes occurred. Beginning in 2015, the East High School program began to phase out due to low test scores and graduation rates. The program was replaced by a student credit recovery alternative education program known as Pathways Academy, and a new high school known as East Community High School.

Former principals

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

  • Mr. Charles J. Costello1927-1948 (Vice Principal - Hutchinson Central Technical High School, retired)
  • Mr. Victor J. Kless1948-1952 (Vice Principal - East High School, died)
  • Mr. William H. Davenport1952-1961 (Vice Principal - Kensington High School, retired)
  • Dr. Robert J. Rentz1961-1969 (Vice Principal - East High School, retired[6])
  • Mr. Alonzo W. Thompson1969-1975 (Principal - Clinton Junior High School, named Director of Buffalo Public Schools' Office of Affirmative Action[7])
  • Mr. William D. Bennett1975-1977 (Director of Student Activities - East High School, named Principal of Buffalo Vocational Technical Center[8])
  • Ms. Geraldine Horton2005-2011 (Principal - Buffalo Traditional School, named Supervising Principal of Buffalo Public Schools)
  • Dr. Casey M. Young-Welch2011-2015 (Principal - Academy School @ 44, placed on leave[9])
  • Ms. Janice M. Bowden [interim]2015-2016 (Assistant Principal - East High School, named Assistant Principal of Academy School @ 4)
  • Ms. Rose M. Schneider2016-2018 (Instructional Specialist - East High School, named Principal of North Park Middle Academy)

Selected former assistant principals

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

  • Mr. Charles A. Kennedy1927-1931 (Principal - School 63, named Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
  • Mr. Victor Kless1931-1948 (Classics teacher - East High School, named Principal of East High School)
  • Mr. Carl S. Walz1948-1952 (Vice Principal - Lafayette High School, named Vice Principal of Bennett High School)
  • Mr. Lloyd A. Miller1952-1956 (Vice Principal - Riverside High School, named Vice Principal of Bennett High School)
  • Dr. Louis T. Gitlin1953-1954 (Assistant Principal - Hutchinson Central Technical High School, named Assistant Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
  • Mr. Edwin F. Rundell1955-1956 (Guidance Counselor - South Park High School, died)
  • Mr. Robert Rentz1956-1961 (Guidance Counselor - Lafayette High School, named Principal of East High School[6])
  • Mr. Robert C. McGowan1956-1959 (Vice Principal - Riverside High School, named Principal of Lafayette High School)
  • Dr. John A. Demerly1960-1964 (Assistant Principal - School 82, named Assistant Principal of South Park High School)
  • Mr. William F. Blomberg1961-1963 (Social Studies teacher - Riverside High School, named Assistant Principal of Kensington High School)
  • Mr. Gerald S. Hare1963-1968 (Guidance Counselor - Lafayette High School, named Interim Principal of Lafayette High School)
  • Mr. James F. Harmon1963-1968 (Social Studies teacher - McKinley Vocational High School, named Principal of Woodlawn Junior High School)
  • Mr. Joseph M. Tomasulo1966-1969 (Art teacher - Lafayette High School, named Principal of Wellsville Central High School)
  • Mr. John J. Mattimore1968-1971 (Assistant Principal - School 35, named Assistant Principal of South Park High School[10])
  • Mr. Alfred H. Rasp1968-1971 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, returned to Kensington)
  • Mr. Thomas A. Giordano
  • Mr. J. Nelson Scott?-1971 (Industrial Arts teacher - Clinton Junior High School, named Assistant Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
  • Mr. Frederick D. Ganter1969-1972 (Social Studies teacher - Woodlawn Junior High School, named Principal of Lafayette High School)
  • Mr. Michael J. Anelli1970-1971 (Assistant Principal - Riverside High School, named Principal of Riverside High School)
  • Dr. Wayne K. Broman?-1977 (Administrative Intern - Cheektowaga Central School District, named Assistant Principal of Buffalo Vocational Technical Center)
  • Mr. Thomas A. Cosgrove?-1977 (Math teacher - Burgard Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of Kensington High School)
  • Mr. Larry J. Hunley2005 (Assistant Principal - Buffalo Traditional School, retired)
  • Mr. Gary M. Tydus2005-2006 (Assistant Principal - McKinley Vocational High School, returned to McKinley)
  • Ms. Ilene J. Gelber2005-2014 (Assistant Principal - Buffalo Traditional School, retired)
  • Mrs. Naomi R. Cerre2006-2010 (Assistant Principal - Grover Cleveland High School, named Assistant Principal of McKinley Vocational High School)
  • Mr. Alvion Johnson2007-2009 (Principal On Assignment - Harvey Austin School, assigned to Office of School Performance)
  • Mr. Benjamin F. Willis2010-2013 (Dean of Students - Westminster Community Charter School, named Assistant Principal of Tapestry Charter High School)
  • Ms. Maria M. Conrad2014-2015 (Special Education teacher - East High School, named Assistant Principal of Pathways Academy)
  • Ms. Janice Bowden2015-2016 (Business teacher- East High School, named Acting Principal of East High School)
  • Dr. Unseld Robinson [acting]2016 (Principal - Roosevelt Children's Academy Charter School, named Assistant Principal of Research Laboratory High School)
  • Mr. Moustafa Khalil2016-2018 (Math teacher - Hutchinson Central Technical High School, named Assistant Principal of East Community High School)

Selected former administrators

Year Superintendent Principal Assistant Principal(s)
1927-1928Ernest HartwellCharlie CostelloCharlie Kennedy
1928-1929Ernest HartwellCharlie CostelloCharlie Kennedy
1929-1930Ernest HartwellCharlie CostelloCharlie Kennedy
1930-1931Ernest HartwellCharlie CostelloCharlie Kennedy
1931-1932Ernest HartwellCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1932-1933Ernest HartwellCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1933-1934Ernest HartwellCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1934-1935Ernest HartwellCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1935-1936Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1936-1937Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1937-1938Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1938-1939Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1939-1940Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1940-1941Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1941-1942Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1942-1943Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1943-1944Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1944-1945Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1945-1946Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1946-1947Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1947-1948Robert PabstCharlie CostelloVictor Kless
1948-1949Robert PabstVictor KlessCarl Walz
1949-1950Robert PabstVictor KlessCarl Walz
1950-1951Ben WillisVictor KlessCarl Walz
1951-1952Ben WillisVictor KlessCarl Walz
1952-1953Ben WillisBill DavenportLloyd Miller
1953-1954Parmer EwingBill DavenportLloyd MillerLou Gitlin
1954-1955Parmer EwingBill DavenportLloyd Miller
1955-1956Parmer EwingBill DavenportLloyd MillerEdwin Rundell
1956-1957Parmer EwingBill DavenportBob RentzRundell/McGowan
1957-1958Joe ManchBill DavenportBob RentzBob McGowan
1958-1959Joe ManchBill DavenportBob RentzBob McGowan
1959-1960Joe ManchBill DavenportBob Rentz
1960-1961Joe ManchBill DavenportJohn Demerly
1961-1962Joe ManchBob RentzJohn DemerlyBill Blomberg
1962-1963Joe ManchBob RentzJohn DemerlyBill Blomberg
1963-1964Joe ManchBob RentzGerald HareJim Harmon
1964-1965Joe ManchBob RentzGerald HareJim Harmon
1965-1966Joe ManchBob RentzGerald HareJim Harmon
1966-1967Joe ManchBob RentzGerald HareJim HarmonJoe Tomasulo
1967-1968Joe ManchBob RentzGerald HareJim HarmonJoe Tomasulo
1968-1969Joe ManchBob RentzJohn MattimoreAlfred RaspJoe Tomasulo
1969-1970Joe ManchAlonzo ThompsonJohn MattimoreAlfred RaspRick Ganter
1970-1971Joe ManchAlonzo ThompsonJohn MattimoreAlfred RaspRick Ganter
1971-1972Joe ManchAlonzo ThompsonNelson ScottAlfred RaspRick Ganter
1972-1973Joe ManchAlonzo Thompson
1973-1974Joe ManchAlonzo Thompson
1974-1975Joe ManchAlonzo Thompson
1975-1976Gene RevilleBill BennettWayne BromanTom Cosgrove
1976-1977Gene RevilleBill BennettWayne BromanTom Cosgrove
1977-1978Gene RevilleBill Bennett
1978-1979Gene RevilleBill Bennett
2004-2005Yvonne Hargrave*Geraldine HortonLarry Hunley
2005-2006James WilliamsGeraldine HortonGary TydusIlene Gelber
2006-2007James WilliamsGeraldine HortonNaomi CerreIlene Gelber
2007-2008James WilliamsGeraldine HortonNaomi CerreIlene Gelber
2008-2009James WilliamsGeraldine HortonNaomi CerreIlene GelberAlvion Johnson
2009-2010James WilliamsGeraldine HortonNaomi CerreIlene GelberAlvion Johnson
2010-2011James WilliamsGeraldine HortonBen WillisIlene Gelber
2011-2012Amber Dixon*Casey YoungBen WillisIlene Gelber
2012-2013Pamela BrownCasey YoungBen WillisIlene Gelber
2013-2014Pamela BrownCasey YoungBen WillisIlene Gelber
2014-2015Don Ogilvie*Casey YoungMaria Conrad
2015-2016Kriner CashYoung/Bowden*Bowden/Robinson*
2016-2017Kriner CashRose SchneiderMoustafa Khalil
2017-2018Kriner CashRose SchneiderMoustafa Khalil

*Denotes interim appointment

Famous alumni

  • Al Cervi - Former NBA player/coach
  • Matt Urban - Medal of Honor recipient, World War II
  • Grover Washington, Jr. - American jazz saxophonist

References

  1. Goldman, M. (2007). City on the Edge: Buffalo, New York [Kindle iPad version].
  2. Weed, G. M. (2001). School days of yesterday: Buffalo public schools history. (p. 29). Buffalo: Buffalo Standard Printing.
  3. Campagna, D. (2000, January 25). Rare allies may save vocational center. The Buffalo News, p. B5.
  4. Cardinale, A. (2002, April 16). Few parents at hearing on school closings. The Buffalo News, p. B3.
  5. Simon, P. (2005, January 18). East High, Emerson Middle transform in contrasting ways. The Buffalo News, p. B1.
  6. Robert J. Rentz, retired educator, lecturer. (1994, May 25). The Buffalo News, p. B6.
  7. Alonzo W. Thompson Sr. dies. (2003, March 19). The Buffalo News, p. D7.
  8. Brady, K. (1999, April 13). Bill Bennett, educator, coach, athlete, mentor to young - people, dies at 61. The Buffalo News, p. E10.
  9. Jay Rey, B. (2018, Nov 11). Principal wins arbitration on falsifying graduations. Buffalo News, The (NY), p. 1.. Retrieved from https://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/16FA053224F5D290?p=AWNB
  10. John J. Mattimore, principal in Buffalo schools. (2001, May 2). The Buffalo News, p. B4.

42.907469°N 78.836818°W / 42.907469; -78.836818

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