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Lafayette High School (Buffalo, New York)

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. 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

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.

Notable alumni

  • 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.
  • 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.].
  • Charles Reidpath Olympic gold medalist
  • Bobby Militello jazz saxophonist
  • Jack Smart (class of 1922), a Broadway and radio actor known for “The Fat Man” program and later an artist

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.

Former principals

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

  • Arthur Detmers–1903-1906 (unknown, named Instructor of The Hill School)
  • Calvert King Mellen–1906-1934 (Math teacher - Buffalo Central High School, retired)
  • Frank Gott–1934-1955 (Vice Principal - Lafayette High School, retired)
  • Abraham Axelrod–1955-1958 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, died)
  • Robert C. McGowan–1958-1968 (Assistant Principal - East High School, retired)
  • Gerald S. Hare–1968-1972 (Assistant Principal - East High School, transferred to Buffalo Public Schools District Offices)
  • Frederick D. Ganter–1972-1997 (Assistant Principal - East High School, retired)
  • Sharon A. Lanza–1997-2004 (Assistant Principal - Lafayette High School, retired)
  • Jacquelyn M. Baldwin–2004-2008 (Assistant Principal - City Honors School, transferred to Office Of School Performance)
  • Phyllis F. Morrell–2008-2011 (Principal on Assignment - McKinley Vocational High School, named Principal of Dr. Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence)
  • Naomi R. Cerre–2011-2015 (Assistant Principal - McKinley High School, returned to McKinley)
  • Denise E. Clarke–2015-2017 (Principal - Riverside Institute of Technology, retired)
  • Michael J. Mogavero–2017-2018 (Principal - Academy School 131, named Principal of Math, Science, Technology Preparatory School @ 39)

Selected former administrators

Gallery

References