High School reunion uncovers medals

During the last weekend of April I was in NYC to attend the homecoming weekend activities at my high school - Brooklyn Tech.

I go back to the homecomings each year to put together a history display of items of the school which now make up the archives of the alumni association. Much of the archives include textbooks, photographs, varsity letters, certificates, diplomas and lapel pins. Fortunately there are some school medals!. They were won by students for sports - swimming, football and track; others were won for excelling in German or Spanish; and still others for being the best in the Electrical or Graphics department. The All-Tech medal (in the design of the school seal) was awarded to the best all-around student.

The New York City Public High School system has at the top rung the three specialized High Schools - Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech and Bronx High School of Science. Then there are additional specialized high schools such as Art and Design, Automotive and Aviation; finally there are the neighborhood High Schools (and the thus the major sports rivalaries) with Carnise, Bay Ridge, Jamaica, Flushing, Grover Cleveland, Bryant, Long Island City, DeWitt Clinton, Erasmus Hall, Boys High, Madison, Bowne and many others.

In the 1890s-1950s many of these schools issued nicely designed medals and they make up a nice review of a large education system.

George