1999-2002
--These pages are part of the Schuyler co., NY Genweb page. Not for
commercial use.
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Schuyler Co., NY
Photo Album
Cook Academy Postcard,
as the Academy looked about 1892/93
Montour Falls, Schuyler co., NY
(contributed by Dee Watt)
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The Cook Academy (originally People's College) was started by Charles
Cook around Sept. 1858, when the cornerstone was laid at a large ceremony.
The building was completed in Oct. of 1862. It was originally
going to be developed in to a fine university, but the government funds
ended up going to build Cornell University. After Charles Cook died
in 1866 it was closed for a few years. Then it was purchased by the
Masons, and used as an orphanage & school (Masons NY State Orphanage),
with the academic department opening in 1868. In 1870 the school
was purchased by Col. Elbert W. Cook (brother of original owner Charles)
& opened again in 1873. For a number of years it was a
private boarding high school until 1943, then later was a Catholic seminary
(St. John's Seminary of Atonement) for high school boys , and is currently
the Fire Academy of Sciences run by New York State.
See Article
on Havana, NY for more details & names of faculty c. 1894.