The Original East High School
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Between 1910 and 1925 the Erie School District’s biggest problem was keeping up with the growth of the city’s population. Students were also beginning to stay in school longer, which only added to the problems of overcrowding. In 1915 a bond was issued for the completion of Wayne, Remodeling of Central and construction of Lincoln and East to help eliminate the overcrowding (Anderson, 1976).
In 1916 the Erie City School Board and a nationally known architect began planning East High School. The plan was based upon the idea that school buildings should have sunlight, large windows and grand open spaces as well as art. “The great structure was magnificent in it’s glory form the hand-chiseled limestone urns and pedestals, the Henry Chapman Mercer tiles on the front of the building, the American Encaustic Tile Company’s water fountain splash backs, to the Tennessee marble molding, and the wrought iron stair railings. (Tom Tom, May4, 2003)” East High School’s shop wing was constructed in 1918 and opened as a Junior High in 1919 with C.W. McNary as the Principal. Architect William Butts Ittner, of St. Louis Missouri, designed the school. It was built by the Sutherland Building and Contracting Company, also of St. Louis, Missouri. The school cost the district a total of $1,420,000 to build, including $38,000 for the site, $1,205,500 for construction and $176,500 for the equipment. The main building was finished in 1920. On November 3, 1921 the dedication ceremony for East High School was held. |
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The New East High School |
Today’s East is a remarkable, one of a kind learning environment. The design of the school uses clustered classrooms and reflects philosophies and curricula to educate students for success in the global community. Together the GE College Bound Program and East High School have developed an academic program that is guiding students to lifelong learning with a focus on language, communications/media, global learning, and technology. The integration of art and education – a hallmark of the original school’s design – continues in the new East High School as well.
- The distinctive diamond-shaped brickwork on the exterior of the building symbolizes a premise of the school’s tutorial program that students are “diamonds in the rough” capable of shining through the opportunities that learning can provide
- The support of alumni, students and their families, community members, and others is evident in the brickwork of the main entrance hall
- The library which rises 2 stories to a cluster of 4 skylights in the roof, si equipped with both traditional and high technology resources and art glass to inspire students to lofty goals.
- The raku and stoneware ceramic mural traveling 150 linear feet across 3 walls in the upper reaches of the 2 story lobby capture 42 portraits representing the many different people integral to the success of a school
- The stained glass panels in the windows of the cafeteria depict undulating flags of the world reflecting the diverse cultures of generations of East High student s past, present, and future
- The hands of glass that greet those entering the main lobby is the result of many people working together, a theme carried throughout East High School and the education process
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Principals 1919 – present
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C.W. McNary |
1919 – 1921 |
John Watson Ray |
1921 – 1939 |
E. Edwin Coon |
1939 – 1946 |
Harold Leberman |
1946 – 1958 |
Edward R. Abramoski |
1959 – 1967 |
Henry M. Narducci |
1967 |
Viola E. Andrews |
1968 – 1982 |
John Danowski |
1982 – 1988 |
Rupert Stadtmiller |
1988 – 1989 |
John Danowski |
1989 – 1993 |
Helen Jackson |
1993 – 1999 |
Dr. John F. Linden |
1999 – 2000 |
Anthony LaRocco |
2000 – 2004 |
Carla Johnson |
2004 – 2005 |
Thomas James, Co-Principal |
2005 - 2006 |
Nancy Sadaly, Co-Principal |
2005 – 2007 |
Patrick DiPaolo, Co-Principal |
2006 - 2007 |
| Patrick DiPaolo, Principal |
2007 - 2009 |
| James Smith, Principal |
2009 - present |
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Fast Facts: a stroll through memories of East High School
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East High School has had a rich and varied history. In 1998 the Tom Tom staff and student Joshua Gaffney researched yearbooks and other sources to compile the following:
How East High School got its name: Several proposals for a suitable name were made by interested persons and groups. Since the shop wing had been used a s a junior high unit know as East Junior High School, it was requested by both faculty and students that the school be designated as East High School. The School Board granted this request. East’s first graduating class was in 1923. The first mid-year graduation was in 1928.
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The 1920’s
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The 1928 class play was Peg O’My Heart… the flapper look was in… the yearbook was dedicated to Henry F. Heck, teacher of commercial law and salesmanship … Come Out of the Kitchen was the 1926 senior play…the boy’s basketball team won city, Northwestern and Western PA championships with Gus Anderson as coach…the 1926 Debate Club topic was resolved: The Federal Government Should Own and Operate the Coal Mines… the first junior – senior prom was held in 1926… a 1927 Roth Cadillac was advertised in the yearbook for $2495 to $2685 |
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The 1930’s
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Finger waves were in … the boys varsity basketball team won the city championship in 1930… there were male cheerleaders at East… golf clubs cost $6.00…the varsity football team won the city championship in 1931…there was an ice delivery company for refrigeration…tenderloin steak at Chubb’s Restaurant cost $.60… football, basketball, water polo, swimming, and debate teams all won championships… there were tailoring and plumbing classes |
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The 1940’s
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The 1940-1941 water polo team was crowned city champions…the 1940 tennis team won the city championship for the first time in 14 years…the 1942 football, basketball, and swim teams won city championships in 1946…four boys on the cross country team competed in state finals in 1946…in the 1940’s a student cabinet was formed and raised money for an amphibious tank and 2 machine guns in the war effort |
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The 1950’s
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Most of the females in the Class of 1950 anticipated being nurses, secretaries, receptionists, florists, teachers, typists, or beauticians…the males were more interested in engineering or owning their own business… Hi Y Club promoted clean speech, clean habits, clean sports…in 1953 and 1958 the football team, coached by Duke Detzel, won the City Championships…in 1956 June Hunter, editor of the Sunrise yearbook, secured permission from Walt Disney to use his characters in the yearbook…in 1953 the wrestling team captured first place in the City Series race for the first time in 20 years… many more sports were offered to girls |
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The 1960’s
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The 1960 National Honor Society attended the play Julius Caesar in Edinboro…in 1969 Joyce A Savocchio (former Erie mayor) taught Geography and U.S. History…Miss. Andrews was the first female principal of East…the purpose of the Y-Teens, affiliated with the YWCA, was to help others |
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The 1970’s
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The class of 1970 had six sets of twins… the 1970 football team was the first in the history of the school, after 50 years, to win Number 1 in PA, fourth in the nation with head coach William Brabender…the 1970 junior high basketball team achieved a 14-0 record…Polish Club, French Club, Latin Club, and Spanish Club were all active…the 1978 senior class play was Prime Time Crime… the 1977 girls golf team went undefeated for the third year in a row, and won their third city championship in a row |
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The 1980’s
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The girls varsity tennis team won four straight city titles, 1984 – 1987…the 1987 girls track team won a state championship…the gils varsity basketball team had a 21-3 record…tin 1987 the boys track team athlete Andre McCloud became a state champion in the shot put competition…the boys basketball team, coached by Don Kolakowski, captured the AA championship with a 15-7 record…there were two Eastcapade shows during the 80’s…in 1984 pool and gym became one semester coursed and were held five days a week…the Kujawiaki Dancers performed at East |
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The 1990’s
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First Lady Hilary Clinton visited East in 1996…the marching band was undefeated in Class A competition…semester block scheduling was initiated in the 1997-1998 school year… the new school was dedicated in February 1999, with Governor Tom Ridge, NBC’s Al Roker, and Minnie Schutte, a 1923 graduate of East, in attendance |
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