Page 112 - 2020 LP Yearbook

History of Buildings of the Lake Placid and North Elba School District

Bob Lepak 20 April 2020

The first known schoolhouse, likely one room, was erected between 1800 and 1810 in
Averyville and Fanny Dart was the first teacher. In 1888, the building was sold to Frank Alford
and used on his farm as a shop, with a replacement, likely one room, built in the same place. It
had a bell tower and is known locally as the “old school.” The last teacher there was Winifred
Ryan. It was closed in 1932 and auctioned to the Otis family in 1936. Another one room
school, the “Little Red Schoolhouse”, was built in 1848 on the corner of Sentinel road and
Summer Street in Lake Placid. One of the first teachers was Henry Markham. It was closed in
1915, sold in 1921, and moved to Johnson Avenue in Lake Placid.

In the 1850s, a log schoolhouse, likely one room, was built across from the Loj Road on what
became Route 73. It was torn down in 1866 and replaced by a frame building. An addition was
added in 1920. The last teacher was Katherine O’Rourke. The school was closed in 1936 and
sold to Walter and Gertrude Hare. A one room schoolhouse was built by 1876 in Ray Brook
along Old Ray Brook road, Route 32. Eventually, the building burned down or was torn down.
Another school with a bell tower was built in Cascadeville in 1879 on Route 73 near the intersection
of what became Bob Run road. It was closed in 1940 and sold to Able Goff and is still there. A multiple room
school with a bell tower was built on Old Ray Brook road from 1903 to 1905. It was primarily used for children of
employees of the Ray Brook State Hospital at the time. The school eventually closed, became a community center,
and was sold to a private family. The building is still there.
In 1888, a one room schoolhouse was built in Lake Placid in front of the present school building
along Main Street. It served children up to 16 years of age. William Barker was the first teacher.
Due to the increasing population, an addition was built about 1895. William Almon Andrews
was the principal from 1895 to 1899. C. M. Strock was principal from 1899 to 1900. More space became
necessary so a large two story addition was added to the north end in 1900. Lake Placid school became a Union
Free School in 1901. This meant that the district could combine the various smaller school districts and was free of
the restrictions barring them from operating a high school. Lake Placid became chartered as a high school in 1901.
William Almon Andrews was principal from 1901 to 1903. The first two graduates, one of them Ida (Billings)
Lockwood, graduated in 1901 without a ceremony. The population continued to grow in the next several years. A
large two story addition was added to the south end in 1902. Later, a second story and balcony were added to the
original one room central section. The first graduation ceremony took place in 1902 in North Elba town hall with
three graduates: A. Burton Davis, Roseanna Merrill, and Abe Feinberg. Graduation ceremonies continued at the
town hall for many years.

Once again, due to an increasing population, the school board realized the need for more space.
In the spring of 1916, they decided to build a new school. After much public discussion and work with
landowners, a public vote was held regarding 6 different sites, including the current one, on March 27 of the same
year. The results showed there to be no clear winner. Additional votes were held for two of the sites and both were
again defeated. This resulted in the hill top site being selected, behind the large wooden school, which meant there
was no need to buy land. Due to World War I, several years passed before construction began. The final year for
the large wooden school along Main Street began on September 6, 1921, with 174 pupils at the start and about 30
more entering later. The final graduation was June 26, 1922, in the Happy Hour Theater (the Wanda building)
downtown with 10 graduates. On the following day, a banquet was held for the graduates at the Lakeside Inn,
where they set up the Lake Placid Alumni Association, which still exists today.

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