The evening world., 1922-05-12
City's First "CO-Ed' High School
To Celebrate 25ih Anniversary
Morris High, Original Mixed High School,
Will Hold Notable Jollification
This Month.

When the FIRST high school for boys
and girls was opened in the old CITY
of New York twenty-five years sgG
the idea was 30 novel the education
authorities named the institution "the
Mixed High School," Later this was
changed to the High School for Girls
and Boys.
This month Morris High School,
which is the present name Of the old
mixed high school, will celebrate Its
twenty fifth birthday with three sep
arate exercises. Not only was
Morris the FIRST co-educational high
school in the old city, but with De
Witt Clinton and Wadleigh-then
known as the High Schol for Boys
and the High School for Girls, re-
spectively-was the first high school
In the city. Up to September, 1897,
students who wished higher education
attended either the City College OF
New York or the Normal (now Hunt.
err College.
the first time in the old sunken build
ing at 18TH Street and Third Avenue,
The Bronx. 400 students enrolled
under DR.. Edward ]. Goodwin and
the twenty teachers. The first grad
uating class numbered eight, includ-
ing one girl--May Elizabeth Brock
man, now n teacher In the Julia
Richman High School.
In February. 1904. under the name
Peter Cooper High School, the pupils
then numbering 900, moved to the
present building on the hill at 166th
Street and Boston Road. The people
OF the Bronx d. not like the name
and in Difference to their wishes the
school was renamed a third time, in
honor of the Morris family, prominent
In Revolutionary days. The property
had been bought bv several men. who
subsequently sold II to the city, from
the Morris family, with the intention
of founding a Prohibition colony on
the site.
DR.. Goodwin left, shortly after the
school was In its new building, to be-
come Assistant Commissioner of Ed
ucation and later President of Packer
Institute. Brooklyn. He was succeeded
by John H. Denbigh, who. in 1918,
left that position. again to succeed DR..
Goodwin. this time at Packer. Elmer
=. Bogart has been Principal since.
The chief contribution of DR.. Good
win is said to have been n standardiz-
Ing Of graduation requirements. It
was this work Which won recognition
by the State. and while at Albany he
standardized college education re-
Quirements for all the New York
schools. Mr.. Denbigh, In the new
large school, succeeded In establish
ing a flexible discipline which Mas ef-
fective without destroying the per-
Bonal relationship between teacher
and student Mr.. Bogart has been
faced with the task Of retaining both
discipline and intimacy. despite double
sessions.
Three high schools have been
formed formed out of Morris and two
more are in prospect. Evander
Childs In Fordham was the first,
George Washington in Upper Man
haitian the second and then Theodore
Roosevelt. in the old Mott Avenue
annex. Fvander and Theodore Roose-
welt also have annexes.
When C. B. j. Snyder drew the
plans OF the new building, many
persons objected to the tower. It
was ornamental, they admitted. but
too expensive Mr.. Snyder. however.
soon demonstrated that without the
tower the building would look Ike a
penitentiary. and the cost only $1S-
900 in total of more than $500, 900.