A new history of the building, written by village historian Lou Pelletter quotes one of his predecessors, Marion Thomas: “In 1922 the splendid new High School building was completed, equipped to fully meet the needs of the modern boy and girl. In this fine building a whole new school life was possible, hitherto undreamed of.”

Pelletter wrote the history for the developers who intend to renovate the building into senior apartments. “It was kind of fun writing it,” he told the OBSERVER.

That’s in part because of a mystery, he continued: no one seems to be sure any longer what happened to the houses that were on the lot before the high school was built. Dating from the early 1800s, they were supposedly moved to Babcock Street, but Pelletter cannot find any proof of that actually happening.

The building was officially dedicated April 27, 1923, at a cost of about $266,000. That was a huge sum of money to spend then and naturally, the voters needed to be convinced of its necessity.

Pelletter provided a copy of the school district’s original handout to the taxpayers on the project, signed by the Board of Education of the day. “It will provide for the High School and the Junior High; it will provide needed grade rooms; it will provide adequate Library facilities; it will provide for Cooking and Sewing classes, and manual training in both Wood and Metal; it will provide for the Science courses; it will provide the needed Gymnasium; it will provide an ample Auditorium for all School and Public purposes,” the pamphlet states.

The handout also references a then-new state law mandating that all children remain in school until the age of 18. Noting an expected surge in attendance because of that, the pamphlet declares, “We have no room for any increase. Something must be done, and done at once.”

The school district officials also noted that since prices were rising, it would be better to build immediately, rather than delay new construction and pay more later.

Pelletter writes that the high school and the nearby Babcock Street Elementary School served as Silver Creek schools through the Depression and World War II. The elementary school was torn down and a new one was built across the street in 1950.

By the end of the Fifties, it was time for changes at the Main Street school, too.

“Silver Creek School Board was looking to build a new junior-senior high school,” Pelletter writes. “In (1959 it) was built on Dickinson Street and Bennett State Road.” The old high school became for students in grades three through six, and the Babcock Street school housed kindergartners and first- and second-graders.

This arrangement lasted about 20 years, Pelletter continues. A new elementary school was built near the Dickinson Street high school and started holding classes in the fall of 1979. The schools on Main and Babcock streets were retired and slated for redevelopment.

“In the 1980s, a developer made the Babcock Street school into apartments,” Pelletter concludes. “The same developer turned down the opportunity to make the Main Street school into apartments because of the third story. The Main Street school has been vacant since this time.”

Region Nine UAW Housing Corporation of New Jersey bought the school from the county for $1 last month, contingent upon tax credits, financing and permits. The company plans to convert the school into 47 affordable apartments for people 55 and older.