Adapted from Newburgh: A History of the City, the Town, and New Windsor
by Patricia A. Tompkins Favata
(Newburgh Board of Education, 1992)
A patent issued to the people of Newburgh in 1752 was for the building of a school and the hiring of a schoolmaster. The first public school in Newburgh was called the Glebe School which children of elementary school age could attend free of charge.
In 1796 an "Academy" paid for by private citizens was built on Montgomery Street on the land where the Horizons-on-the-Hudson Magnet School now stands. This Academy charged a small tuition for students who were educated in the "higher subjects."
In 1852 the New York State Free School Act was passed. It stated that in all the cities and towns in New York State, children could attend school without paying tuition. This made it possible for the schools in the city of Newburgh to become "free schools." The Academy became the free high school. The elementary schools were the Glebe, Grand Street, Washington Street, and South Street. No child in any school had to pay for an education.
In 1887 the old wooden Academy was replaced by the new brick Academy which was built on the Academy site and contained 21 classrooms. At this time work was also finished on a new Grand Street School, a manual training school, Liberty Street School, and the first part of West Street School (which was modernized later in 1927).
In 1916 the Newburgh Board of Education realized that the Academy was becoming overcrowded. World War I postponed the building of a new school, but in 1926 the present high school was built on Fullerton Avenue. The first class to graduate from the new Newburgh Free Academy was the class of 1928.
In 1926 a school reorganization took place, and it was decided that a building for students in grades 7, 8, and 9 was needed. Since the country was in the Depression, there was very little money to build a new school building. But in 1935 the Public Works Administration agreed to help the people of Newburgh build not one but two new schools. One was called South Junior High School. The other became North Junior High School.
During the 1950s Fostertown, Balmville, Union Grove, and Gardnertown Schools were built or enlarged in the Town of Newburgh. In New Windsor, Vails Gate Elementary School was constructed and New Windsor School was expanded. In the city of Newburgh, elementary schools had also been growing. New School buildings were constructed on Montgomery Street, Washington Street, and Gidney Avenue.
In 1963 the voters agreed to consolidate the schools in the Town of Newburgh and New Windsor with those in the city of Newburgh into one school district. This vote created the Enlarged Newburgh City School District.
In 1970 two new schools were opened due to increased population in the Towns of Newburgh and New Windsor. One school, built in the Town of Newburgh, was called Meadow Hill School; the other, called Temple Hill School, was built in New Windsor. In the 1980s additions to Vails Gate, Fostertown, Gadnertown, and Gidney Avenue Schools were built. The two junior high schools were expanded. In the mid-90s a third junior high school, called Heritage Junior High, was built from the former Epiphany Seminary building in New Windsor.
In 1796 an "Academy" paid for by private citizens was built on Montgomery Street on the land where the Horizons-on-the-Hudson Magnet School now stands. This Academy charged a small tuition for students who were educated in the "higher subjects."
In 1852 the New York State Free School Act was passed. It stated that in all the cities and towns in New York State, children could attend school without paying tuition. This made it possible for the schools in the city of Newburgh to become "free schools." The Academy became the free high school. The elementary schools were the Glebe, Grand Street, Washington Street, and South Street. No child in any school had to pay for an education.
In 1887 the old wooden Academy was replaced by the new brick Academy which was built on the Academy site and contained 21 classrooms. At this time work was also finished on a new Grand Street School, a manual training school, Liberty Street School, and the first part of West Street School (which was modernized later in 1927).
In 1916 the Newburgh Board of Education realized that the Academy was becoming overcrowded. World War I postponed the building of a new school, but in 1926 the present high school was built on Fullerton Avenue. The first class to graduate from the new Newburgh Free Academy was the class of 1928.
In 1926 a school reorganization took place, and it was decided that a building for students in grades 7, 8, and 9 was needed. Since the country was in the Depression, there was very little money to build a new school building. But in 1935 the Public Works Administration agreed to help the people of Newburgh build not one but two new schools. One was called South Junior High School. The other became North Junior High School.
During the 1950s Fostertown, Balmville, Union Grove, and Gardnertown Schools were built or enlarged in the Town of Newburgh. In New Windsor, Vails Gate Elementary School was constructed and New Windsor School was expanded. In the city of Newburgh, elementary schools had also been growing. New School buildings were constructed on Montgomery Street, Washington Street, and Gidney Avenue.
In 1963 the voters agreed to consolidate the schools in the Town of Newburgh and New Windsor with those in the city of Newburgh into one school district. This vote created the Enlarged Newburgh City School District.
In 1970 two new schools were opened due to increased population in the Towns of Newburgh and New Windsor. One school, built in the Town of Newburgh, was called Meadow Hill School; the other, called Temple Hill School, was built in New Windsor. In the 1980s additions to Vails Gate, Fostertown, Gadnertown, and Gidney Avenue Schools were built. The two junior high schools were expanded. In the mid-90s a third junior high school, called Heritage Junior High, was built from the former Epiphany Seminary building in New Windsor.
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