School Names in Amsterdam

By Bob Cudmore

Gazette and Recorder

Sunday, September 14, 2025

Reader Sharon Carlisle wrote, “Today I'm an old lady who lives in Pennsylvania, but once upon a time I lived in Amsterdam, where I attended elementary school from approximately 1945 through 1951.

“I remember attending Chestnut Street School and Guy Park Avenue School -- and possibly one other. We lived on Lincoln Avenue, Division Street and Henrietta Boulevard before my father took a job elsewhere, causing us to relocate.

“Do you by any chance have an inventory of Amsterdam's schools during those years, and/or could you give me any information on what happened to my schools? Guy Park is now a museum?”

My reply: “Hi Sharon, I’m pretty old too but I grew up in Amsterdam on Reid Hill where our school was Vrooman Ave now apartments. Guy Park school did become the Elwood museum for awhile and is now converted into apartments. I don’t remember Chestnut School. Sending a copy to Amsterdam native, retired Fulton-Montgomery professor and historian Peter Betz who may know.”

Peter wrote. “Hi Bob. There was no "Chestnut Street School” as such, even though the school did occupy a whole block of Chestnut Street just above Arnold Ave. It was always called Arnold Avenue School although I have no idea why. I think it opened circa 1893. It was one of those old 3 floor monsters with a bell and tower and every time the bell was pulled the bats all flew out of it. I went there for kindergarten. It remained open until circa 1954. There's a playground now on part of the space. The 3rd floor had a basketball court and around the upper half was a bicycle track, not surprising since that was the era of bicycle fame. Even when I went there it was deemed unsafe so they didn't use the 3rd floor except to store stuff, but that didn't keep them from using the school part. I saw the third floor once. Several of the 1890's era schools had that recreation area top floor design.

“Amsterdam at one point had 10 grade schools. Best way to see photos of them is get one of the old Board of Trade books that show them. Hope this helps.”

Sharon replied, “You are absolutely right: It was indeed Arnold Avenue. I can still remember my first grade teacher there. “Just anecdotally, my dad was manager of the Beneficial Finance office in Amsterdam and active in Kiwanis, I believe.”

BROADCAST PIONEERS

Edythe Meserand, born in Philadelphia in 1908, began her broadcast career in 1926 in the press office of the National Broadcasting Company in New York City. By 1931 she was in promotions and on the air. She became assistant news director of New York’s WOR in 1937 and during World War II headed the station’s news department. She later produced television programs at WOR.

In 1951 she was one of the founders of American Women in Radio and Television. She retired from broadcasting in the 1950s and moved with her companion, Jane Barton, to Windy Hill, a Christmas tree farm on Esperance Road in the town of Charleston, where Meserand started an advertising agency.

Barton, born Jane Greenberg in New York City in 1918, was a journalist and public relations professional. She became an officer in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), the women's branch of the U.S. Navy in World War II. After retirement, Barton wrote for area newspapers and was upstate New York correspondent for Variety, the show business newspaper.

In the 1970s Meserand was town historian and founding chairman of the Charleston Historical Society.

Edythe Meserand died in1997. Jane Barton died in 2005.

You may reach Bob Cudmore at 518-346-6657 or bobcudmore@yahoo.com