There was a time when Morris Community High School (MCHS), originally known as Cooper School, was the only high school for senior students in the Bronx. It was the first school where boys and girls were educated together, and it served a student population of 4,000. However, those times are long gone, especially since the school ceased to exist after its closure in 2002. But in its place, the Morris Educational Campus was established, which houses four small high schools and is the true successor to the traditions of this illustrious educational institution. More about Morris Community High School (MCHS) can be found in the publication bronx1.one.
The History of Education in the United States and the Reasons for Creating a School in the Bronx
As reported by nytimes.com, the United States gained independence in 1776. Since then, the young American democracy has charted its own course of development, nurturing education and science among other things. The first attempts to establish a system of education in the state of New York date back to the late 18th century. In 1795, the state legislative council authorized the opening of public and common schools in populated areas and allocated funds for this purpose. Governor Daniel D. Tompkins, a proponent of public education, obtained legislative authority to create school districts with trusted individuals who would be responsible for managing them. In 1812, a school law was passed that provided state support and enlisted funds from local communities for schools. A position of general education inspector was also created. In the 1856 manual of the Bronx Board of Education, it was noted that there were five elementary schools in the area with 1,183 students and twenty-six teachers. At that time, all of Morrisania (a territory of land owned by the Morris family, which now makes up the Bronx) had about 8,000 residents, so the small number of students mentioned could have been accurate.
In 1846, the area where Morris High School (Bronx) now stands was incorporated into the towns of West Farms and Morrisania in 1864. This place was called Elton after the landowner at that time, Robert H. Elton, who acquired a portion of the land here. In 1872, the land was purchased by Thomas Rogersoms, a financier from Wall Street. In 1874, this territory became part of New York City.
At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, the Bronx experienced a rapid development. New businesses were opening up, starting with Mott’s metallurgical plant. Canals, railways, buildings, and subway lines were also being constructed. As a result, immigrants from Germany, Ireland, Italy, as well as Jews from different countries, came and settled here. Thus, the need for building a high school arose.
The history of the school
Morris Community High School (MCHS), founded in 1897, spanned 6 blocks south of its current location, where its nearly century-old building stood before its closure. The school began in a small brick building at the intersection of Third Avenue and 157th Street, known as the Mixed High School or the “Little Red Brick House,” as it taught boys and girls together. In 1900, the school was renamed in honor of Peter Cooper, a well-known inventor, industrialist and philanthropist from New York. However, the space was insufficient, prompting the need for specialized and expanded facilities. Talks of a new school began, and land was purchased for $112,637.40, where the current building stands today, and later, the backyard.
In 1901, residents of the Bronx began discussing the renaming of a school in honor of Governor Morris of New York and his family. At the time, no one wanted to diminish the role and importance of Peter Cooper, but the significance of Morris’ name (he signed the United States Constitution and created its preamble) was undeniable. Therefore, in 1903, the official name of the school became Morris High School (Bronx).
Educational institution in a new building
In 1904, the students were able to move from a cramped brick building to a spacious new school located at Boston Road and 166th Street. The school had almost 1600 students at that time, but it could accommodate up to 2735. This school was one of the five largest high schools in the city, each built in a different borough.
The school was actively developing under new conditions. After World War II, it was one of the racially integrated senior schools in the city. During those years, a well-known US statesman, Colin Luther Powell, studied here. By the way, he did not forget about the school and in 1991 he visited it to give a speech.
Building Architecture
The school building was constructed by Charles B. J. Snyder in the Collegiate Gothic style. It features high vaulted stained-glass windows, modern glass windows and monumental paintings (which were only completed in 1926). In the past and in our time, the school resembles a medieval castle due to its high ceilings, stained-glass windows, two sports halls, a dance hall and beautiful auditoriums.
The last days of school
This school and the entire South Bronx began to decline as early as the 1970s, but it was particularly noticeable in the 1990s. It is difficult to speak about the reasons for this phenomenon, but it was irreversible. The last principal of the school, Clarali Irobunda, said that it was a place that was difficult to control. Therefore, the city government, specifically the Department of Education, decided to close the school, which happened in 2004. But there was a fight before that. A fight that was started by the school’s students and alumni against the closure.
Among the children who wanted to study at Morris Community High School (MCHS) was 20-year-old Antolina Lopez. She said she hadn’t planned on finishing school, but when she got pregnant, she decided that her son deserved a better life than being poor. So she attended school on weekends and evenings and took private lessons. So just 10 days after giving birth, she was able to pass the exams required to receive her diploma. But many dropped out, says Antolina. Some got pregnant, others used drugs, stole things. There was no point in going to school. In 1991, a student shot his classmate on the staircase. In 1994, two students who skipped school were killed in a park. In 1997, another student carried a gun through a metal detector and accidentally killed his friend.
Morris Educational Campus
Today, the Morris Community High School (MCHS) is just a building, a shell of its former self. It now houses the Morris educational campus, comprising four small schools within its walls. Each school has its own floor, but they collectively utilize various large spaces such as sports halls, dining areas, libraries and some lecture halls. While the attendance in these new schools is lower than the city’s average, and safety concerns and the presence of metal detectors still raise alarm, the atmosphere within the school is calm. The modern, large windows allow an abundance of light and warmth to flow in, setting a hopeful tone for the future of education.
Therefore, Morris Community High School (MCHS) is an educational institution that emerged in the late 19th century when the Bronx was expanding and becoming a major borough of New York City. Today, the school no longer exists, but its building remains, where they continue to teach and educate with goodness and light.