Lafayette High School (Buffalo, New York) Explained

Lafayette High School
Location:	370 Lafayette Ave., Buffalo, New York
Coordinates:	42.9208°N -78.8847°W
Built:	1901
Architect:	Esenwein & Johnson
Architecture:	Beaux Arts
Added:	December 3, 1980
Refnum:	80002608

Lafayette High School
Streetaddress:	370 Lafayette Avenue
Region:	West Side
City:	Buffalo
State:	New York
County:	Erie
Zipcode:	14213
Country:	US
Schoolnumber:	204
District:	Buffalo Public Schools
Grades:	9-12
Motto:	Loyalty, Honor, Service
Team Name:	Violets
Colors:	Violet and White
Yearbook:	The Oracle
Newspaper:	The Triangle
Established:	1901

Lafayette High School was a public high school in Buffalo, New York. It was the oldest public school in Buffalo that remained in its original building, a stone, brick and terra-cotta structure in the French Renaissance Revival style by architects August Esenwein and James A. Johnson. Although classes began off-site during construction of the school, the building was completed and graduated its first class in 1903. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is located in Buffalo's Upper West Side at 370 Lafayette Avenue.

The name 'Lafayette High School' was phased out beginning in 2015, graduating its final class in 2018, and was replaced by the name Lafayette International High School and Newcomers Academy. Classes continue to be held in the historic building.

History

Lafayette High School was the third high school built in Buffalo, New York. It has fallen into recent struggles with academics and has been placed on New York State's Watch List of Persistently Underperforming Schools. After the 2010–2011 school year, the school re-opened as a multicultural school with a new principal. The school also began housing seventh and eighth graders from nearby International School 45. This arrangement continued until 2015.

Former principals

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

Mr. Arthur Detmers - 1903-1906 (unknown, named Instructor of The Hill School)
Mr. Calvert King Mellen - 1906-1934 (Math teacher - Buffalo Central High School, retired)
Mr. Frank Gott - 1934-1955 (Vice Principal - Lafayette High School, retired)
Mr. Abraham Axelrod - 1955-1958 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, died)
Mr. Robert C. McGowan - 1958-1968 (Assistant Principal - East High School, retired)
Mr. Gerald S. Hare - 1968-1972 (Assistant Principal - East High School, transferred to Buffalo Public Schools District Offices)
Mr. Frederick D. Ganter - 1972-1997 (Assistant Principal - East High School, retired^[1])
Ms. Sharon A. Lanza - 1997-2004 (Assistant Principal - Lafayette High School, retired)
Mrs. Jacquelyn M. Baldwin - 2004-2008 (Assistant Principal - City Honors School,^[2] transferred to Office Of School Performance^[3])
Dr. Phyllis F. Morrell - 2008-2011 (Principal on Assignment - McKinley Vocational High School,^[3] named Principal of Dr. Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence^[4])
Mrs. Naomi R. Cerre - 2011-2015 (Assistant Principal - McKinley High School, returned to McKinley)
Mrs. Denise E. Clarke - 2015-2017 (Principal - Riverside Institute of Technology, retired)
Mr. Michael J. Mogavero - 2017-2018 (Principal - Academy School 131, named Principal of Math, Science, Technology Preparatory School @ 39)

Selected former assistant principals

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

Mr. Charles E. Rhodes - 1918-1925 (English Teacher - Lafayette High School, named Principal of Bennett High School)
Mr. Frank Gott - 1925-1934 (unknown, named Principal of Lafayette High School)
Mr. Irvin H. Himmele - 1934-1941, 1948-1951 (Social Studies teacher - Lafayette High School, placed on military leave)
Mr. Carl S. Walz - 1941-1948 (Math teacher - Lafayette High School, named Assistant Principal of East High School)
Mr. Frank J. Kelly - 1951-1955 (Assistant Principal - South Park High Annex, named Assistant Principal of Kensington High School)
Dr. J. Norman Hayes - 1955-1958 (Assistant Principal - School 87, named Principal of South Park High School)
Mr. Martin J. O'Donnell - 1958-1962 (Acting Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, named Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
Ms. Margaret V. Lombardi - 1962-1966 (Guidance Counselor - School 72, named Principal of Woodlawn Junior High School)
Ms. Mary Elizabeth Dougherty - 1966-1970 (Guidance Counselor - Lafayette High School, named Director of Business Education for Buffalo Public Schools)
Mr. Chester J. Kryszczuk - 1966-1969 (Assistant Principal - School 59, named Principal of School 80)
Mr. Salvatore J. Scamacca - 1969-1990 (Instrumental Music teacher - Lafayette High School, retired)
Mr. Gerald H. Hesson - 1972-1974 (Social Studies teacher - South Park High School, named Principal of Fillmore Middle School)
Dr. Daniel M. Kublitz - 1974-1982 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, retired)
Mr. Charles G. Erickson - 1983-1987 (Coordinator of Student Affairs - Kensington High School, retired)
Mr. Thomas P. Kopera - 1987-1990 (Business teacher - Lafayette High School, named Principal of Burgard Vocational High School)
Mr. Elzie B. Fisher - 1990-1995 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, named Principal of Buffalo Alternative High School)
Ms. Patricia C. Kormash - 1990-1994 (French teacher - Lafayette High School, named Assistant Principal of North Tonawanda High School)
Ms. Sharon Lanza - 1994-1997 (Assistant Principal - Grover Cleveland High School, named Principal of Lafayette High School)
Mr. Thomas M. Kalenik - 1995-2004 (Social Studies teacher - Buffalo Public Schools, retired)
Ms. Lisa K. Robinson - 1997-2006 (Computer Science teacher - Hutchinson Central Technical High School, named Assistant Principal of Opportunity Center at 331^[5])
Mr. Gregory K. Pigeon - 2004-2005 (Business teacher - Riverside Institute of Technology,^[2] named Assistant Principal of Erie 1 BOCES - Harkness Center)
Mr. Philip M. Martin - 2005-2006 (Assistant Principal - Hutchinson Central Technical School,^[6] named Associate Principal of Shenendehowa High School^[7])
Mrs. Denise Clarke - 2006-2009 (Acting Assistant Principal - City Honors School,^[5] named Assistant Principal Of Riverside Institute of Technology^[8])
Mr. Gregory D. Mott - 2006 (Assistant Principal - Opportunity School at 331,^[5] named Principal of Academy School 131 @ 44^[9])
Mr. John E. Evert - 2006-2008 (Business teacher - Burgard Vocational High School,^[10] named Vice Principal of Lewiston-Porter High School)
Mrs. Julie L Horn - 2008-2014 (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, named Assistant Principal of Newcomers Academy @ Lafayette)
Mr. Craig M. Brodnicki - 2008-2016 (Assistant Principal - Campus West School, named Assistant Principal of McKinley Vocational High School)
Ms. Yuldonna M. Middleton - 2011-2015 (Assistant Principal - International School, retired)
Mr. Rafael A. Mercado - 2016-2017 (Assistant Principal - Emerson School of Hospitality, named Assistant Principal of D'Youville Porter Campus School)
Mr. Daniel J. Bass - 2015-2018 (Assistant Principal - McKinley Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of The New Buffalo School of Culinary Art & Hospitality Management)

Selected former administrators


Year	Superintendent	Principal	Assistant Principal
1903-1904	Henry Emerson	Art Detmers
1904-1905	Henry Emerson	Art Detmers
1905-1906	Henry Emerson	Art Detmers
1906-1907	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1907-1908	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1908-1909	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1909-1910	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1910-1911	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1911-1912	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1912-1913	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1913-1914	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1914-1915	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1915-1916	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1916-1917	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1917-1918	Henry Emerson	Cap Mellen
1918-1919	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Charlie Rhodes
1919-1920	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Charlie Rhodes
1920-1921	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Charlie Rhodes
1921-1922	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Charlie Rhodes
1922-1923	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Charlie Rhodes
1923-1924	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Charlie Rhodes
1924-1925	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Charlie Rhodes
1925-1926	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Frank Gott
1926-1927	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Frank Gott
1927-1928	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Frank Gott
1928-1929	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Frank Gott
1929-1930	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Frank Gott
1930-1931	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Frank Gott
1931-1932	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Frank Gott
1932-1933	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Frank Gott
1933-1934	Ernst Hartwell	Cap Mellen	Frank Gott
1934-1935	Ernst Hartwell	Frank Gott	Irvin Himmele
1935-1936	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Irvin Himmele
1936-1937	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Irvin Himmele
1937-1938	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Irvin Himmele
1938-1939	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Irvin Himmele
1939-1940	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Irvin Himmele
1940-1941	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Irvin Himmele
1941-1942	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Carl Walz
1942-1943	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Carl Walz
1943-1944	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Carl Walz
1944-1945	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Carl Walz
1945-1946	Robert Pabst	Frank Gott	Carl Walz
1946-1947	Robert Bapst	Frank Gott	Carl Walz
1947-1948	Robert Bapst	Frank Gott	Carl Walz
1948-1949	Robert Bapst	Frank Gott	Irvin Himmele
1949-1950	Robert Bapst	Frank Gott	Irvin Himmele
1950-1951	Ben Willis	Frank Gott	Irvin Himmele
1951-1952	Ben Willis	Frank Gott	Frank Kelly
1952-1953	Parmer Ewing	Frank Gott	Frank Kelly
1953-1954	Parmer Ewing	Frank Gott	Frank Kelly
1954-1955	Parmer Ewing	Frank Gott	Frank Kelly
1955-1956	Parmer Ewing	Abe Axelrod	Norman Hayes
1956-1957	Parmer Ewing	Abe Axelrod	Norman Hayes
1957-1958	Joe Manch	Abe Axelrod	Norman Hayes
1958-1959	Joe Manch	Rob McGowan	Martin O'Donnell
1959-1960	Joe Manch	Rob McGowan	Martin O'Donnell
1960-1961	Joe Manch	Rob McGowan	Martin O'Donnell
1961-1962	Joe Manch	Rob McGowan	Martin O'Donnell
1962-1963	Joe Manch	Rob McGowan	Margaret Lombardi
1963-1964	Joe Manch	Rob McGowan	Margaret Lombardi
1964-1965	Joe Manch	Rob McGowan	Margaret Lombardi
1965-1966	Joe Manch	Rob McGowan	Margaret Lombardi
1966-1967	Joe Manch	Rob McGowan	Chester Kryszczuk	Mary Dougherty
1967-1968	Joe Manch	Rob McGowan	Chester Kryszczuk	Mary Dougherty
1968-1969	Joe Manch	Gerald Hare	Chester Kryszczuk	Mary Dougherty
1969-1970	Joe Manch	Gerald Hare	Sal Scamacca	Mary Dougherty
1970-1971	Joe Manch	Gerald Hare	Sal Scamacca	Gerald Hesson
1971-1972	Joe Manch	Gerald Hare	Sal Scamacca	Gerald Hesson
1972-1973	Joe Manch	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Gerald Hesson
1973-1974	Joe Manch	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Gerald Hesson
1974-1975	Joe Manch	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Dan Kublitz
1975-1976	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Dan Kublitz
1976-1977	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Dan Kublitz
1977-1978	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Dan Kublitz
1978-1979	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Dan Kublitz
1979-1980	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Dan Kublitz
1980-1981	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Dan Kublitz
1981-1982	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Dan Kublitz
1982-1983	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Dan Kublitz
1983-1984	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Charles Erickson
1984-1985	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Charles Erickson
1985-1986	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Charles Erickson
1986-1987	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Charles Erickson
1987-1988	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Tom Kopera
1988-1989	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Tom Kopera
1989-1990	Eugene Reville	Rick Ganter	Sal Scamacca	Tom Kopera
1990-1991	Albert Thompson	Rick Ganter	Elzie Fisher	Pat Kormash
1991-1992	Albert Thompson	Rick Ganter	Elzie Fisher	Pat Kormash
1992-1993	Albert Thompson	Rick Ganter	Elzie Fisher	Pat Kormash
1993-1994	Albert Thompson	Rick Ganter	Elzie Fisher	Pat Kormash
1994-1995	Albert Thompson	Rick Ganter	Elzie Fisher	Sharon Lanza
1995-1996	Albert Thompson	Rick Ganter	Tom Kalenik	Sharon Lanza
1996-1997	Jim Harris	Rick Ganter	Tom Kalenik	Sharon Lanza
1997-1998	Jim Harris	Sharon Lanza	Tom Kalenik	Lisa Robinson
1998-1999	Jim Harris	Sharon Lanza	Tom Kalenik	Lisa Robinson
1999-2000	Jim Harris	Sharon Lanza	Tom Kalenik	Lisa Robinson
2000-2001	Marion Canedo	Sharon Lanza	Tom Kalenik	Lisa Robinson
2001-2002	Marion Canedo	Sharon Lanza	Tom Kalenik	Lisa Robinson
2002-2003	Marion Canedo	Sharon Lanza	Tom Kalenik	Lisa Robinson
2003-2004	Marion Canedo	Sharon Lanza	Tom Kalenik	Lisa Robinson
2004-2005	Yvonne Hargrave*	Jackie Baldwin	Greg Pigeon	Lisa Robinson
2005-2006	James Williams	Jackie Baldwin	Philip Martin	Lisa Robinson
2006-2007	James Williams	Jackie Baldwin	Denise Clarke	Mott/Evert
2007-2008	James Williams	Jackie Baldwin	Denise Clarke	John Evert
2008-2009	James Williams	Fatima Morrell	Denise Clarke	Craig Brodnicki
2009-2010	James Williams	Fatima Morrell	Julie Horn	Craig Brodnicki
2010-2011	James Williams	Fatima Morrell	Julie Horn	Craig Brodnicki
2011-2012	Amber Dixon*	Naomi Cerre*	Julie Horn	Craig Brodnicki	Yuldonna Middleton
2012-2013	Pam Brown	Naomi Cerre	Julie Horn	Craig Brodnicki	Yuldonna Middleton
2013-2014	Pam Brown	Naomi Cerre	Julie Horn	Craig Brodnicki	Yuldonna Middleton
2014-2015	Don Ogilivie*	Naomi Cerre	Julie Horn	Craig Brodnicki	Yuldonna Middleton
2015-2016	Kriner Cash	Denise Clarke	Dan Bass	Craig Brodnicki
2016-2017	Kriner Cash	Denise Clarke	Dan Bass	Rafael Mercado
2017-2018	Kriner Cash	Mike Mogavero	Dan Bass

Academics

Lafayette High School currently serves as home to many Buffalo high school students learning English as a second language.

Bell Schedule


Period Number/Activity	Beginning Bell	End Bell
Homeroom	8:25	8:33
Period 1	8:37	9:30
Period 2	9:21	10:01
Period 3	10:05	10:45
A Lunch	10:49	11:14
Period 4/5	10:49	11:29
Period 5/6	11:18	11:58
B Lunch	11:33	11:58
Period 6/7	11:33	12:13
Period 7/8	12:02	12:42
C Lunch	12:17	12:42
Period 8/9	12:46	1:25
Period 10	1:29	2:08
Period 11	2:12	2:30

Notable alumni

Nanette Gretchen Gordon [Nee Caplen] (class of 1940) Wife, mother and proud alumni of Lafayette high school as well as a volunteer at the VA hospital (300,000+ hours)in Buffalo, Nan Gordon single handedly put Lafayette HS on the National Register of Historic places in 1980.
Gordon Bunshaft (class of 1928), noted twentieth-century architect.
Robert J. Donovan (class of 1932), Washington Bureau Chief, New York Herald Tribune and Los Angeles Times. President, White House Correspondents' Association. Author of 12 books including PT-109. Only journalist to ever address a Joint Session of Congress.
Liz Dribben (class of 1954), first female news anchor on Buffalo television, copy writer at CBS News for Dan Rather, Walter Cronkite, and Charles Kuralt. Member of the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
Jeremiah Goodman (class of 1939), artist, known simply as "Jeremiah", painter of interior still lifes of famous residences.
Cecil de Blaquiere Howard (class of 1903), noted sculptor who lived in Paris, France from 1905 to 1940, and in New York until his death in 1956.
Barney Lepper (class of 1915), founder of the Buffalo All-Stars, which eventually became the city's first NFL team
Gary Mallaber (class of 1964), Multiple platinum selling drummer and producer involved with acts such as The Steve Miller Band, Van Morrison and Eddie Money.
Fran Striker (class of 1922), author, creator of the radio serial The Lone Ranger.
Bruce Shanks (class of 1927), Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist.
Winifred C. Stanley (class of 1927), attorney and first member of congress to introduce legislation prohibiting discrimination in pay on account of sex
Frank Kelly Freas (class of 1938), famed science-fiction cover artist.
The Modernaires (Hal Dickinson, Chuck Goldstein, and Bill Conway, late 1930s), the popular harmony group renowned for its performances on record and motion pictures with the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
Tedd Lewin (class of 1953), artist, author and illustrator of children's books.
Angelo Coniglio (class of 1954), first Civil Engineering graduate of the University at Buffalo, engineer, professor of engineering, genealogist, author of the historical novella The Lady of the Wheel and archivist of the American Football League.
Edward C. Lawson (class of 1964), Edward won a landmark Supreme Court victory over racism and arbitrary stop and seizure practices by California police by defending himself before the Supreme Court of the US. [Lawson v. Kolender, 658 F.2d 1362 (9th Cir. 1981) October 15, 1981 et seq.]. Few Lafayette graduates have ever shown such personal triumph over injustice.
Charles Reidpath Olympic gold medalist
Bobby Militello jazz saxophonist

Shanks (1927) and Lewin (1953), and all the art students in between were influenced by Elizabeth Weiffenbach, who taught art at the school for over forty years. These included Jack Smart (class of 1922), an artist who also played The Fat Man on 1940s radio; and Irving Jeremiah Goodman (class of 1939), a contemporary artist specializing in room still lifes. Turner rowed for the U.S. in the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, was executive editor of The Buffalo Courier-Express, and is a member of the exclusive Gridiron Club in Washington, D.C.

The public school is supported by the private Lafayette High School Alumni Association. In 1999, the association restored the building's landmark lantern or "cupola", which had deteriorated and been demolished for safety reasons in the 1970s. In May 2003, the association sponsored and ran a 100th Anniversary Celebration, attended by over 1,700 alumni and their guests, raising $30,000 for the school. The funds will establish the Ramsi P. Tick media room in memory of entrepreneur Tick, an LHS alumnus and philanthropist. The association also awards several annual grants and scholarships for worthy causes and students, and on Sunday, August 4, 2013 is holding a free All-Class Reunion to celebrate the school's one hundred and tenth year.

As their logos, the school and the Association use the LHS Triangle (Lafayette High School; Loyalty, Honor, Service), and the Lafayette Angel.

Notes and References

Heaney, J. (1997, June 23). Retirements, transfers may mean new principals for 10 city - schools. The Buffalo News, p. B4.
Buffalo Public Schools (2004, June 9). Meeting of the Board of Education: Principal Transfers .
Buffalo Public Schools (2008, August 13). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.
Buffalo Public Schools (2011, September 14). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.
Buffalo Public Schools (2006, February 22). Meeting of the Board of Education: Elementary Principal Appointments.
Buffalo Public Schools (2005, September 7). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.
Buffalo Public Schools (2006, January 11). Meeting of the Board of Education: Elementary Principal Appointments.
Buffalo Public Schools (2009, July 8). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.
Buffalo Public Schools (2006, October 23). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.
Buffalo Public Schools (2006, December 6). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.