Huntington High School Still Stands Proud
For many who lived through the period, it’s hard to believe that half a century has passed since construction began on the current Huntington High School building. After years of planning, the analysis of various sites around town and passionate meetings, school trustees and district residents decided to erect 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 pieces, developers moved in with the resulting construction of housing, the Big H Shopping Center and the high school, among other projects.
Today, the building operates at 99 percent of its functional capacity and is used to its maximum potential. According to a long range planning study conducted by Western Suffolk BOCES and released earlier this year, the high school program currently utilizes 84 spaces greater than 550 square feet, including 44 interchangeable rooms, 32 specialized rooms and eight core/common rooms, including the library, gyms, cafeterias, auditorium and School Heritage Museum.
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. “As the years have passed we have continued to modernize the high school facility, protecting the investment made by taxpayers and allowing for a comprehensive educational program for our students,” Mr. Finello said.
The high school is a two-story structure that includes a lower level consisting 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 have long been rumored to have once been designated as bomb shelters.
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a high school facility located on Main Street that was built in 1909-10 (with a 1929 addition), which had become badly outdated and in need of substantial repairs.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 annexed an adjacent building constructed in 1898 and named 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 houses town programs and 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 continued in operation 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 deal in the first round of balloting.)
The current 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 harbor and beaches. Residents did approve construction of a huge auditorium containing more than 1,800 seats rather than opt for a much smaller and intimate one. They were told the larger one could be used for community functions.
Today, Huntington High School is racing toward its 50th anniversary. With several years of renovations it seems poised to stand in service for at least another 50 years. Recent years have seen many improvements inside the building and on the grounds surrounding it.
The renovations have included an overhaul of science labs and various other rooms, 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 and extensive painting of instructional spaces. A student/staff elevator was also installed for those unable to climb stairs.
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.
Sidewalks, curbs and the parking field areas are slated to be reconstructed. 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.
Last fall another ambitious project got underway involving 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 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 more fans was erected.
The entire auditorium has been renovated, including refinished woodwork, new seat frames and chairs, new floor tile and carpeting and extensive painting. An art gallery has been carved out from a stage area 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. A spacious college counseling center has been created.
Today the building is utilized from early in the morning to late at night by students, faculty, community residents, clubs and teams. “It’s a building that gets little rest and that continues to serve the district well,” Mr. Finello said.
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