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Go Fund Me helps keep The Historians on WMHT 89.1FM Albany Public Radio
Historians Podcast is carried on RISE the radio service for the blind, Monday at 11:30 a.m. and Wednesday at 11:00 a.m.
Monday, April 25, 2022- The story behind the story podcast-and serve it with loyal devotion "Eight Minutes"
And serve it with loyal devotion
By Bob Cudmore
Theodore Roosevelt Junior High in Amsterdam was where many students encountered different ethnic groups for the first time and came to the realization that there was more to life than what was found in their individual neighborhoods.
Roosevelt Junior High, which included grades seven through nine, was built in 1924 on Guy Park Avenue east of Wall Street and was dedicated the following year. The old high school behind it, constructed in 1904, was attached to the junior high when the new Wilbur H. Lynch High School was built in 1930 on Brandt Place.
Roosevelt Junior High even had a school song. Yvonne Nadler Bean posted on social media, “Every time I hear (John Philip Sousa’s) ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’, I break into ‘So let us remember this day when we leave Junior High School forever.’”
Here are the words from the school song: “Other students may think their school’s the best and serve it with loyal devotion. But the school that is dear to you and me is this school of ours with colors blue and silver.
“Then cheer for our school, Junior High, may it live as our standard forever. The school that we'll love 'til we die. The guardian of our youth.
“So let us remember this day when we leave Junior High school forever. And sing as we go on our way. Oh, Junior High, we pledge to thee our best endeavor!”
Some say the song is a generic ode to junior high. A former faculty member said the words were written by longtime principal Fritz Heil. One alumna said a student named Barbara Casey wrote the words as part of a school contest.
One of the most popular and effective educators at Roosevelt was art teacher Alfonzo Henderson. Henderson was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in the Army Reserves, retiring as a colonel. An African American, Henderson passed away in 2019 at age 89.
Many tributes to him were posted on his online obituary including this from Amsterdam natives Jennifer and Bill Ziskin calling Henderson “a true icon and everyone's favorite teacher!” Bill Ziskin has also passed away. For many years he was a drama teacher at Schenectady High School.
I once drew a floor plan for Al Henderson’s class, going overboard with the size of the garage. His only comment was, “The garage is the biggest room in the house.”
New York City public television personality Tom Stewart noted some years ago, “My Guy Park Avenue Elementary School sixth grade class was held in a room in the old high school, part of the junior high building. We had to report directly to that room, and were not allowed to mix with the older kids. Finally making it to seventh grade with a homeroom and passing classes - now that was cool!”
Some still remember the bullies. One man posted on social media. “I remember the bullies beating up on kids in the locker rooms and the teachers slapping students in study hall for talking to their neighbor. Ironic that Roosevelt used to say ‘bully, bully’”!
Moving up day ceremonies were held when each class went on to high school. The programs featured music, student speeches, pomp and circumstance. The last class to attend Roosevelt Junior High moved up to Lynch High School in 1977. The junior high was demolished for the Theodore Roosevelt Apartments.
Lynch is today a middle school, Lynch Literacy Academy, named for a longtime school superintendent who served for a time as Amsterdam mayor. Amsterdam High School today is on Saratoga Avenue in the town of Amsterdam.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 26, 2022- From the Archives of the Daily Gazette-Healey’s Park in Perth
In 1924 Amsterdam barber Thomas A. Healey and his wife Edith bought land in Perth where silver foxes had been raised for fur. P. Sefton’s Web site Lost Landmarks reported that the Healeys then “hired a farmer...
Wednesday, April 27, 2022-From the Archives-Episode 117, June 24. 2016-Bob Cudmore covers the 2016 American Revolution in the Mohawk Valley Conference. Edward Lengel is author of “First Entrepreneur: How George Washington Built His and the Nation’s Prosperity,” J. L. Bell is author of “The Road to Concord, How Four Stolen Cannons Ignited the Revolutionary War” and Don Hagist explains the online Journal of the American Revolution.
Thursday, April 28, 2022- From the Archives of the Daily Gazette-Top Ten Amsterdam broadcasters
Historian Michael Cinquanti has started a collection of top ten lists for Amsterdam and asked me to come up with an honor roll of the top broadcasters.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Monday, April 25, 2022
Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Southeast wind 7 to 15 mph.
Tonight
A chance of showers, mainly after 2am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 47. Southeast wind 7 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tuesday
Showers likely, mainly before 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible
Mohawk Valley News Headlines, Monday, April 25, 2022
Daily Gazette
Regaining local control over large-scale solar decisions priority for Montgomery County exec in 2022
FONDA — The disproportionate siting of large-scale solar projects locally to support the state’s renewable energy goals is “alarming,” according…
FONDA — The disproportionate siting of large-scale solar projects locally to support the state’s renewable energy goals is “alarming,” according…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Picture: The Recorder
Montgomery County starting renovation of former Recorder building for DSS offices
ERICA MILLER/THE RECORDER The former Recorder offices at 1 Venner Road in Amsterdam on Friday. The...
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
High schools: Fonda-Fultonville boys’ track and field wins invitational
https://www.leaderherald.com/
View all episodes
By Bob CudmoreGo Fund Me helps keep The Historians on WMHT 89.1FM Albany Public Radio
Historians Podcast is carried on RISE the radio service for the blind, Monday at 11:30 a.m. and Wednesday at 11:00 a.m.
Monday, April 25, 2022- The story behind the story podcast-and serve it with loyal devotion "Eight Minutes"
And serve it with loyal devotion
By Bob Cudmore
Theodore Roosevelt Junior High in Amsterdam was where many students encountered different ethnic groups for the first time and came to the realization that there was more to life than what was found in their individual neighborhoods.
Roosevelt Junior High, which included grades seven through nine, was built in 1924 on Guy Park Avenue east of Wall Street and was dedicated the following year. The old high school behind it, constructed in 1904, was attached to the junior high when the new Wilbur H. Lynch High School was built in 1930 on Brandt Place.
Roosevelt Junior High even had a school song. Yvonne Nadler Bean posted on social media, “Every time I hear (John Philip Sousa’s) ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’, I break into ‘So let us remember this day when we leave Junior High School forever.’”
Here are the words from the school song: “Other students may think their school’s the best and serve it with loyal devotion. But the school that is dear to you and me is this school of ours with colors blue and silver.
“Then cheer for our school, Junior High, may it live as our standard forever. The school that we'll love 'til we die. The guardian of our youth.
“So let us remember this day when we leave Junior High school forever. And sing as we go on our way. Oh, Junior High, we pledge to thee our best endeavor!”
Some say the song is a generic ode to junior high. A former faculty member said the words were written by longtime principal Fritz Heil. One alumna said a student named Barbara Casey wrote the words as part of a school contest.
One of the most popular and effective educators at Roosevelt was art teacher Alfonzo Henderson. Henderson was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in the Army Reserves, retiring as a colonel. An African American, Henderson passed away in 2019 at age 89.
Many tributes to him were posted on his online obituary including this from Amsterdam natives Jennifer and Bill Ziskin calling Henderson “a true icon and everyone's favorite teacher!” Bill Ziskin has also passed away. For many years he was a drama teacher at Schenectady High School.
I once drew a floor plan for Al Henderson’s class, going overboard with the size of the garage. His only comment was, “The garage is the biggest room in the house.”
New York City public television personality Tom Stewart noted some years ago, “My Guy Park Avenue Elementary School sixth grade class was held in a room in the old high school, part of the junior high building. We had to report directly to that room, and were not allowed to mix with the older kids. Finally making it to seventh grade with a homeroom and passing classes - now that was cool!”
Some still remember the bullies. One man posted on social media. “I remember the bullies beating up on kids in the locker rooms and the teachers slapping students in study hall for talking to their neighbor. Ironic that Roosevelt used to say ‘bully, bully’”!
Moving up day ceremonies were held when each class went on to high school. The programs featured music, student speeches, pomp and circumstance. The last class to attend Roosevelt Junior High moved up to Lynch High School in 1977. The junior high was demolished for the Theodore Roosevelt Apartments.
Lynch is today a middle school, Lynch Literacy Academy, named for a longtime school superintendent who served for a time as Amsterdam mayor. Amsterdam High School today is on Saratoga Avenue in the town of Amsterdam.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 26, 2022- From the Archives of the Daily Gazette-Healey’s Park in Perth
In 1924 Amsterdam barber Thomas A. Healey and his wife Edith bought land in Perth where silver foxes had been raised for fur. P. Sefton’s Web site Lost Landmarks reported that the Healeys then “hired a farmer...
Wednesday, April 27, 2022-From the Archives-Episode 117, June 24. 2016-Bob Cudmore covers the 2016 American Revolution in the Mohawk Valley Conference. Edward Lengel is author of “First Entrepreneur: How George Washington Built His and the Nation’s Prosperity,” J. L. Bell is author of “The Road to Concord, How Four Stolen Cannons Ignited the Revolutionary War” and Don Hagist explains the online Journal of the American Revolution.
Thursday, April 28, 2022- From the Archives of the Daily Gazette-Top Ten Amsterdam broadcasters
Historian Michael Cinquanti has started a collection of top ten lists for Amsterdam and asked me to come up with an honor roll of the top broadcasters.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Monday, April 25, 2022
Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Southeast wind 7 to 15 mph.
Tonight
A chance of showers, mainly after 2am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 47. Southeast wind 7 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tuesday
Showers likely, mainly before 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible
Mohawk Valley News Headlines, Monday, April 25, 2022
Daily Gazette
Regaining local control over large-scale solar decisions priority for Montgomery County exec in 2022
FONDA — The disproportionate siting of large-scale solar projects locally to support the state’s renewable energy goals is “alarming,” according…
FONDA — The disproportionate siting of large-scale solar projects locally to support the state’s renewable energy goals is “alarming,” according…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Picture: The Recorder
Montgomery County starting renovation of former Recorder building for DSS offices
ERICA MILLER/THE RECORDER The former Recorder offices at 1 Venner Road in Amsterdam on Friday. The...
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
High schools: Fonda-Fultonville boys’ track and field wins invitational
https://www.leaderherald.com/