Our Readers Respond

Thank you for reading and adding to our web site. We are publishing some of your comments so that the community, including the authors of the site, can enjoy your contributions.

Dear Students at Genet School, I read about your web site in the Times Union and looked it up today! It's wonderful. You should be very proud of your hard work. I went to Columbia High School in the 70's and missed going to Genet. My class was the first class to go all four years at the new Columbia (we graduated in 1977). I still have fond memories of Genet though. Even though there was a new high school, the high school music concerts were all held at Genet--I guess the sound was better there. I remember the old choir room that was up in the tower. On weekends, there would be roller skating parties held at in the Genet gym which many high schoolers attended. So even though I never attended a class in your building, I still have many good memories. Congratulations on your hard work!
Dawn (Laymond) Kolakoski, Class of '77

Hello, My name is Jeff Genet. I am the sixth great grandson of Citizen Genet. I have been doing family research for the last two years and came across your web site. I must say it is very impressive. I enjoyed very much touring the various pages. As you know Edmond Genet came to America in 1792 as Ambassador from the then new French Republic and wa recalled within the year because of his recruitment for the French cause on the European continent. During his short stay as Ambassador, he had a great effect upon the foreign policy of the new United States. His effect can be seen in George Washington's farewell address concerning foreign entanglements. Luckily he was allowed to stay in this country as he would have been guillotined by the Jacobins in France who had obtained power shortly after his arrival in this country. His first wife, Cornelia Tappan Clinton ( my six great grandmother), come from English royalty, supporters of William the Conqueror. I feel great pride in having my ancestor's memory honored in this way. Good Job! Yours, Jeff Genet

I and my dad just read the web site. We really enjoyed it. My dad said to add more pictures of me. Sincerely, Hayley

My name is Mark Buckbee and I am a 1970 graduate of Columbia High School. I currently live in Coos Bay/North Bend,Oregon where I am a Natural Resource Manager for the US Dept of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. My parents, Ruth and Luther Buckbee of Grafton, NY informed me of your web site. I congratulate you and your students for a fun and informative web site. I was hoping to attend a 30th reunion of my graduation class this year but to the best of my knowledge, none has been planned. I missed the 10th and 20th as I was indisposed by work and travels. Your web site takes a bit of the sting out of missing another opportunity to reunite with my high school friends. thanks. I hope that you continue to build on this site.

Hello!
Hope my letters to Sarah and Megan were OK! Not sure if they knew they were writing to someone as old as me and that my experiences are so different from what is now at Genet!

Will write to Matt and Harshil tomorrow. I have to think a bit as again my school days were so different and my idea of "technology" is a bit different also Wonder if there are others participating? Will we be able to see what they put on the Web Page?

Thanks! Henry

Sylvie, Can you answer a question? I see reference to "Green Meadow
School". I can only assume it to be in East Schodack as the most
logical. All the other schools I have seen driving by!

There were several subjects I could expand upon while they are fresh in my mind. Are you interested and should I send them to the "gaggle"address for a future class to use?

Thank you!
Henry

Hello! I'm sorry that my responses are not as quick as they might be. I sent you a list of teachers a few days ago and I am very sorry that it is very incomplete. Some time back about two or three years ago I tried to put together the list from memory, a few yearbooks and the kind help of Miss Alice Bennett ( no relation to Tom Bennett) and Miss E Helen Gardner who were teachers back in the early days of Columbia High. They were kind to edit and review the lists and did supply some added data on what some of them taught. No one else seemed interested from my class so I ended the quest short of arranging the names in a proper order with their specialty and my list covers only those who taught from the opening of the school until I left, with maybe a few exceptions. It is (was) a lost cause as who cared ? I have the data here and maybe if the Lord gives me a while longer and boosts my interest I will complete the project. I do have a listing of the addresses of a few of the living and a few reside in the Albany area. Principals from my era were Fred Appleton; Donald Benedict; Bill Hendron and Carlton Colvin was the guidance director. I think there were others, but our memories fail. As I mentioned in my second letter to Sarah and Megan there are lists of the people involved in the planning and construction of the school in the lobby ( foyer?) of the school. As I pointed out my father was involved in the specifications and supply of most of the electrical equipment installed by F W Newman and Son, the electrical contractor. On my visits to the school in 1988 and 1998 I took photos of them. There was also a listing of the students who served in WWII that I felt should have been moved to the new high school. Guess it is good it remained as long as it did considering all that has has happened over there. One thing I was very upset about was the ADA actions that closed the music room and made it into a store room no doubt full of "junk". That was the center of activity for us who were band and orchestra members not to forget the music appreciation classes we had under F Arden Burt in 7th and 8th grades. The girls' glee club met in the auditorium. Some problem in the early days caused the permanent cancellation of the male equivalent much to my dissatisfaction, as I sang in the 7th and 8th grade chorus and would have enjoyed continuing. I saw the article in The Roe Jan Independent of May 15 and see the scope of the project has expanded from using the E-Mail approach. I did not know Mr Tom Bennett or Mr John Obermayer from my school days and the name Art Carkner is also not known to me as he left the year before I entered Columbia building. I was thinking of other information like the bus system, and the sports we had at Columbia both organized teams and in gym classes as well as intra mural activities. Maybe others have commented on that. The Class of 1948 was to have a reunion picnic on June 10th, but the plans may have fallen through as I have heard nothing since the letter sent to us back in March. Oh well, hadn't intended to attend anyway. Enough. Hope this ties up a few loose ends I left. Henry

Sylvie, Yes! I know Mary Corr quite well. I visited the Corr's several summers in the late 1980's just prior to Doc, as we called him, passing away from cancer about ten years ago. I have tried to keep in touch with her and the news that she came to the school is good news! Their son Daniel Joseph "Joe" is a teacher in the EGCS system, but not sure just where he is --- Columbia?. I saw him and his family and their two daughters, in my visit Joe has written several letters stumping for two candidates for school board that were published in the Independent.. We discussed how much the area has changed and how little is left of open space! At least the athletic field is still there. Seems it took the whole gym period to get out there and back again. We used to run around the perimeter five times as a part of our gym program and we were timed. Was it a total of one mile? Again memory fails Thanks! Henry

Sylvie, I looked at the site last eve, but did only a quick look. What I see looks great and I will get back to you with a few comments when I have a bit of time to do so. Also want to print some of it. The youngsters did a great job. I liked the photos. Lots of things came to mind as I looked at the contributions of others. Sixty years does give you a dimmer view of it!!! Take care until I get back to you. Sincerely, Henry

What a great job you did with the web. I started teaching with Tom Bennett at CHS in 1956. I have fond memories. "Doc" Corr of course was one of the most beloved and memorable high school science teachers, who worked at Columbia for years. In his later years long after retirement he told me: "I knew the man the school was named after." "Goff?" I asked, "Noooo," he answered, "Genet." Fran Rodgers

I am very pleased the web site and proud to have had a small part of the input. The students and staff did a wonderful job. Keep up the good work.

Mrs.Schweig, My name is Amy and i was in Mrs. Turners class. I think the web site that Mrs.Sages class did is very good. You did a nice job helping them on it. Amy

One of my daughters, who lives in Virginia, forwarded your Genet web page to me. Let's see - I started at Columbia (not East Greenbush Central Schools - that was meant for the entire district - Genet was called Columbia) the first year it opened and was in the third grade. I graduated in 1950. I was president of my graduating class (we just had our 50th reunion last September with 42 class members present). I was a full-time sub teacher (mostly for languages) from 1965 until 1971 when we were transferred to Pittsburgh (airline people, you know). Memorable people of Columbia should include former long-time principal Mr. Howard Goff (the middle school is named after him). His son, Terry, graduated with me. Mr. Rodney Chipp was history teacher there (and department head) until he retired. His son, Robert, was to graduate with us but died two weeks before graduation. Ernie Stautner did not attend any East Greenbush school - he went to Albany Academy. His family were friends of my family for many, many years. Anything you need to know about Ernie, I can probably tell you. We had another person graduate with us by the name of Al Pechanik - although he did not stay in touch with anyone in our class, he was the original founder of Godiva Chocolates. After graduation, he returned to Long Island (his original home) & started Godiva in the garage in Garden City, Long Island. After becoming a multi-millionaire, he sold it to a Belgium company. Let's see - John O'Brien (called Jack) graduated in 1948 or 49 (not sure which). He became a lawyer & went to work for NASA. He handled the law suits that came out of the Challenger explosion. Alan Beals, Class of 1950, was a lobbyist in DC for many years. Our 1950 class has held a reunion every 5 years (except one) since we graduated. We are extremely close. Art Carkner was also a member of our class. I have the complete class list & would be only too happy to forward same to you. I am also in touch with Henry Schultz (Class of 1948). Hank has the lists for 1948 and 1949. Our class was quite remarkable - we had teachers, lawyers, engineers, farmers, housewives. One of our graduates had 11 children - 30 grandchildren - 6 great-grandchildren. I know that all 11 off-springs attended East Greenbush schools. I lived in Prospect Heights, Clinton Heights & Luther, growing up. I live in East Greenbush while teaching at Columbia. If you have any questions what-so-ever, please contact me. I still consider East Greenbush my home and always shall. One of my brothers, Clement, attended Columbia & quit school to join the Marines. He was killed on Siapan in the Pacific at the age of 18-1/2. Regards and congratulations on a job well done!! Eleanor (Willett) Mannion

What a great web site! One of my mother's friends told us about it. He lives
in San Diego! He must have searched for this one! I love the old photos! I
find myself wanting to add to some stories. Like the Edgewood dance hall
story. Do you know some people kept dancing? Even though the place was on
fire! I love history of East Greenbush. I was born and raised here. I'm 34
and I live in Hampton Manor with my husband & 3 year old son. Thanks for
creating such a web site, I'll tell all my friends. Sincerely, April Speed

While searching for information on Citizen Genet on the Internet, I came across this very nice web site. While I am a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky, and thus far from East Greenbush, I do enjoy reading about history, especially about our early USA years. We took our 11 year old daughter to Williamsburg, Virginia last month and I have been reading the new John Adams biography. So the information and pictures about Citizen Genet prepared by Alex, Hayley, Rachel and Efrain was very much appreciated.

I should also add that many years ago I actually attended Columbia High School. How nice to learn the history about how and why the school was renamed. Thanks so much for your efforts to keep this site active. I hope this leads to a lifelong interest in history. And the art work is also most impressive. Thanks again. With very best wishes.

Arno F. Spatola

Louisville, Kentucky
August 18, 2001

The object of my request is a picture of Citizen Edmond Genet’s mansion at Prospect Hill, East Greenbush, which I have seen on a page of the Genet School website signed by Alex, Hayley, Rachel and Efrain. This picture, which is the first of the Gent house that I ever came across, interests me very much because I have just completed a book in French on the life of Citizen Genet to be published this spring in France and I ‘d love to be able to include it among the illustrations.

Incidentally, I was briefly in East Greenbush this last October while I was at Harvard U. I passed by the Genet School and the cemetery where his tomb is. But it was on a Sunday and I could not get in touch with anybody. I would be very grateful for whatever progress you could help me make.

Claude MOISY
January 2007

I very much enjoyed reading the history projects on Genet! What a great project and the children must have worked quite hard since there was so much information. My father graduated from Columbia High School when it was in the Genet building, about 55 years ago. He grew up in Hampton Manor. I also graduated from Columbia in it's current building 30 years ago, as did my son 1 year ago! I love seeing pictures of East Greenbush history. (Brueggars has some on their wall). Great Great job kids and their mentors! Keep up the good work. Cathy - East Greenbush, NY
May 30, 2007