THE HISTORY OF LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL
In 1891, a need for an educational system was recognized in the Five Towns; consequently, the Union Free School District #15 was established. A small wooden building containing fourteen rooms was built on Central Avenue, Lawrence, in which all district elementary and secondary school students attended classes.
The present structure of Lawrence High School shows a striking difference from Lawrence High School at the beginning of the twentieth century. The class of 1897, the first in Lawrence's history, consisted of only two students. This year there are approximately l200 enrolled. At first there were only four instructors teaching all subjects, but as the number of students grew, it became necessary to employ more instructors, eventually reaching the total of 130 who teach specialized subjects. A student at Lawrence High School in the early 1900'S could study such subjects as New York State history, physical geography, botany, zoology, hygiene, etc.
Because of a rising enrollment, an expansion of facilities was necessary. A larger brick building, formerly Public School No. 1, was constructed on Central Avenue, only to be superseded by the impressive edifice located on Broadway, Lawrence. Once again, a need for a larger physical plant was realized. The high school built on Broadway in 1936 was converted to Lawrence Middle School and a new high school was erected on a site north of Peninsula Boulevard in Cedarhurst.
In September 1960, the present Lawrence High School was officially opened for classes. The high school has accommodations for 2,000 students, provisions for their academic, cultural and physical development and specialized classrooms for science, fine arts, home economics and computer.
Our auditorium has a seating capacity of 818 and is available for use not only for scholastic purposes, but also for and by the community. A "Little Theatre" is in use for the showing of films and as a lecture hall. The dining room can seat upwards of 500 persons.
Other features include a music suite with facilities for instrumental and vocal music, a 4-station gym and a large complex for district recreation purposes. Outdoor facilities for physical education, athletics and recreation include baseball and softball fields, a beautiful quarter-mile track and a football field.
