SCHOOLS
Second Hillside Academy – The new and grander Hillside Academy opened in mid-September of 1901, built by John W. Lancaster (1846-1930) for $11,000. Two years of high school were added, so sometimes the institution was called Frenchtown High School.
Built on an acre beween 5 and 13 Everittstown Road, it was at the top of a precipice overlooking Fourth Street.
The school was two stories high, with six classrooms, and two identical facades – on the north side where girls would congregate and enter, and on the south side for boys, with each gender having its own playground. In those days you had to choose a side.
The accompanying photo was apparently taken on the boys' side, possibly because of its southern exposure and stronger lighting.
The new school came with city water, much-improved ventilation, and the promise of 70-degree temperatures on the coldest day. Bridge Street merchant Charles B. Higgins would be the first janitor.
Frenchtown students who wanted a high school diploma had to commute by train to Lambertville High School for their junior and senior years. In September of 1923, there were 18 such students. They shared the train with teens from Milford, Holland, Alexandria and Kingwood.
Student discipline was on the agenda in spring of 1915. “While teachers are not permitted to inflict corporal punishment, neither do they have to stand the insults given by the pupils. There are ways to give unruly students to understand that they must obey their superiors.” The board reluctantly decided that “unless this ceases, someone will be brought before a judge for commitment to a reform school, as the law requires.” The pronouncements in the Star did not define “this,” but it must have been reprehensible.
On March 20, 1923, the Hillside Academy burned down. The Star reported:
At about 7 a.m. yesterday fire was discovered in the Frenchtown School Building by Janitor Hawk when he entered the door. It had just got a fair start in the room over the basement heater, burning along the walls. He at once made a desperate effort to extinguish it, but it had too much headway, so that he was driven from the building.
An alarm was turned in, and as the siren whistle could not be blowed on account of not enough steam up at the light plant, the bell on the town hall was rang vigorously. This was responded to by the firemen when they got wise to the old time alarm.
The hose truck was first run up the hill and connected with a fire plug; but as the descent of water from the reservoir was not swift enough, a stream could only be thrown into the lower floors of the building. Soon the fire engine was run up the hill by E.C. White's truck. It was used to pump water up the hill. By this time the flames had become a roaring furnace, and the house occupied by Miss Fannie Park, some 25 yards northeast, was showered with water and prevented from catching fire.
The brisk wind fanned the flames and carried firebrands to farm land east, setting grass, etc., on fire. The heat was intense at a distance of 40 yards when at its greatest fury.
The building contained, besides valuable school furniture and books, a piano, two victrolas, and records, two libraries, roll top desk, a costly microscope, etc., all of which were consumed.
The large brick chimney and stone foundations remain.
Lessons resumed April 2 in makeshift classrooms: kindergarten and first grade in the Methodist Church, grades 2-5 in the Presbyterian Church, grades 6 and 7 in the Presbyterian Church, and grades 8-10 in Borough Hall.
Teachers and students had to make do until the new combined elementary and high school on Harrison Street opened in September of 1926.
From "Rick's Frenchtown Encyclopedia"
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