Huntington High School Nears Milestone
It’s just about time to celebrate Huntington High School’s golden anniversary. For many in the community it’s hard to believe that the school they saw erected before their very own eyes is nearly 50 years old.
After years of planning and debate about various sites around town and passionate meetings, school trustees and district residents decided to construct what would become in late November 1958, a replacement for the aging high school located on Main Street.
Huntington High School was built over parts of 1957-58 on 30 acres of land that once comprised the mammoth H. Bellas Hess estate. When the estate was broken up into several smaller parcels, developers moved in with the resulting construction of housing, the Big H Shopping Center and the high school, among other projects.
The high school is a two-story structure that includes a third lower level that consists of offices, classroom space, workshop areas and plant facilities. There are also basement areas that provide limited storage and crawl spaces. Some of these subterranean sections were once designated as bomb shelters and stocked with large quantities of water and non-perishable items. Today, they are exceedingly eerie.
The current building replaced a high school facility located on Main Street that was built in 1909-10 (with a 1929 addition), which had become badly outdated and in need of substantial repairs. In 1952 the old high school was enlarged through the annexation of an adjacent building that had been constructed in 1898 and was known up until then as the Main Street School. It housed students in kindergarten through eighth grade and still stands on the site. It was converted to high school use upon the opening of the Village Green School, which now is now owned by the Town of Huntington and provides space for senior citizen programs in addition to housing the Cinema Arts Centre.
After students moved to the new structure, located at the intersection of Oakwood and McKay Roads, the old building was closed and underwent a nearly three-year renovation before reopening in 1961 as Robert L. Simpson Junior High School. It was used through June 1976 when it was shuddered once and for all and eventually sold to the Town of Huntington for $1. (Residents voted down the sale the first time it was on the ballot before they were convinced that asbestos abatement would cost taxpayers millions.)
The current high school building is the result of decisions made when President Dwight D. Eisenhower was in office. For example, residents defeated a proposal to build a pool adjacent to the gymnasium, with more than one individual claiming it was a waste of money considering the building was located so close to the Huntington waterfront that students didn’t need it for swimming. Residents did approve construction of a huge auditorium containing more than 1,800 seats instead of opting for a much smaller and intimate one. They were told the larger one could be used for community functions, too.
In 1966 a large two-story addition was constructed to increase instructional space. The building also includes a ramp that leads to a garage located under the gym where driver education program cars were once parked.
“Huntington High School has always looked elegant and stately to me,” Principal Carmela Leonardi said. “Over the years, I have had occasion to talk to alumni who have come back for a special visit or for formal reunions. When I have taken them around and talked with them, I have witnessed firsthand the pleasure of recognizing hallways and special areas as well as the surprise of the additions, such as what everyone calls the new wing, and renovations. The new science rooms are always a big hit with all visitors as are the new field, the auditorium and the gymnasium. It is evident, by the way they linger in the Heritage Museum, that they are remembering faces of old friends and teachers as well as reminiscing about pep rallies and homecomings of days gone by.”
Recent years have seen many improvements inside the building and on the grounds surrounding it. The renovations have included an overhaul of existing science labs and construction of new ones, installation of new floor tiles in large areas of the building, replacement of the original gymnasium bleachers, modernization of the guidance and main office areas, heating and ventilation system improvements, a completely new roof over the gym and auditorium areas, new computer labs and extensive painting of instructional spaces. A student/staff elevator was also installed for those unable to navigate the stairways.
Huntington Superintendent of Schools John J. Finello, who graduated from the current high school in June 1968, said the building’s maintenance receives a great deal of attention. “Residents have made a commitment to keep the building in good shape,” Mr. Finello said. “We have modernized it to meet the needs of our educational program and the community.”
The original six-tennis court complex was excavated and replaced through a district-community partnership. The project included new fencing and spectator bleachers. Irrigation was installed on many of the athletic fields. Locker room areas were renovated, an athletic team meeting room and a lower level weight room was created.
Many of the high school bathrooms have also been renovated in recent years, pieces of new kitchen equipment have been installed, the original in-ground oil tank was removed and replaced and asbestos abatement was performed at various locations around the building. The rear masonry wall was reconstructed last summer after it was found to be separating from the steel structure.
Sidewalks, curbs and the parking field areas are slated to be reconstructed in the near future. Landscaping improvements have been made. Several years ago the building’s original exterior doors and windows were replaced with energy saving models. The original blinds have been replaced.
Another ambitious project involved the excavation of the original football/athletic field and running track. A synthetic all-weather surface was installed on the playing field above an elaborate drainage system. A new red colored track was also put in place. The scoreboard was removed and replaced with a huge new model. The original bleachers were demolished and a new structure capable of seating nearly 500 additional fans was erected, bringing the home side capacity to 1,300.
The entire auditorium has been renovated, including refinished woodwork, new seat frames and chairs, new floor tile and attractive carpeting and extensive painting. An art gallery has been carved out from an elevated space located in one of the cafeteria dining areas.
The building has also undergone extensive high-tech wiring and an intricate energy management system has been installed, along with more efficient lighting. Wi-Fi internet service is now available to faculty members in large areas of the building. A spacious college counseling center has been created and equipped with hundreds of volumes and high speed computers and staffed by a guidance counselor.
“Huntington High School continues to change and be modernized to reflect the changing educational requirements of the youth of today, but she will always remain versatile and loved,” Dr. Leonardi said.
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