A little history behind PAHS: The first high school built in Perth Amboy was School #1 with a graduating class of 6 students on Dec. 21, 1893. By 1896 there was 60 students enrolled and the high school was moved to School #4 with 11 rooms. By 1899 the City built the high school on State Street (now McGinnis School). It opened its doors in 1900 with 132 students. In 1911, the south wing was built to accommodate 410 students. In 1915 the rear portion was expanded to accommodate 562 students.

In 1929 the high school was deemed “defective” by the Institute of Educational Research (Div. of Field Studies, Columbia Univ.) In 1934, 140 students were sent to School#1 to alleviate the overcrowding (2,317 students). From 1938 – 52 the BOE was aware of the need for a new high school.

Note: The land that Chevron Oil now stands on was purchased with the intention of building a new high school. The need for jobs for returning Veterans from WWII superseded the need for a new high school, so the land was sold to Chevron.

In 1952, the City’s Master Plan called for a new high school. By 1959 the Citizen’s Advisory Committee’s advice to the Planning Board was for a new school “instead of maintenance and repair.” By 1960 a Fire Safety report stressed the need for a new school. In 1961 The State Dept. of Education cited Perth Amboy High School as overcrowded. In 1962 Rutgers Univ. recommended the construction of a building that will accommodate 1900 students.

In 1962 the Citizens School Study Committee urged the construction of a new high school building. In 1964 over a 1000 students signed a petition requesting a new high school to “enable us to compete with other high school students.” After a cost analysis, it was determined that expanding the old high school was not cost effective and a new building was recommended.

The recommended site was east of Francis Street (Eagle Avenue) so the BOE purchased the land from the City. This site was an old garbage dump which had a City park built on top of it, called City Field. In 1966 the BOE hired consultants and by November 1967 construction had begun on the new high school which opened its doors in 1972. The 3rd floor was never completed because of a possibility of the building sinking. The student capacity of the new high school was 1,813 students.

Note: time between need for new high school and actual completion: 43 years. History does repeat itself.

Presently, the City’s Master Plan (2003) states, “Every effort will be made to ensure that any relocation required by the siting of this facility will meet full needs of the residents involved.” (Master Plan, p.80.)

There as has been much discussion over the last 7 years or more on when, where, and how we will build a new state of the art high school. Perth Amboy needs it. The children of our town deserve it. Where are we going to build this school? We are running out of land. The Celotex property is a perfect location for a school. It’s by the water, so there could be an environmental learning center. There is room for baseball/softball fields, a gym with a basketball court, etc. There is room to build a school to accommodate today’s over 2500 students and students from years to come.

The Celotex property has been unused and going to waste for at least 10 years. The problem – the present administration wants rateable’s on the Celotex property. The Board of Education and the City should realize that it’s the right thing to do, to build a new high school on the Celotex property. We need to invest in our future, not in short term solutions. This is a perfect fit. Rateables are fine and dandy, but it’s time we invest long term in our future – not the immediate short term solution of a quick fix.

We have gone back and forth, bickering over the location of a new high school. The land is there; you have to take the opportunity when it presents itself. The time is now to build a new high school because all the rateables in the world won’t fix this problem until that golden shovel has dug its first hole in the groundbreaking of a new high school. The people of Perth Amboy have waited long enough. To quote Robin Williams in “Dead Poet’s Society” – Carpe Diem! – Seize the Day! It’s time.  K.M.