George Washington High School - New York City

 
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George Washington High School

549 Audubon Avenue at West 192nd Street
New York, N.Y. 10040




The former George Washington High School, originally an annex of Morris High School, was built on the hill site of the Revolutionary War battle for which the Washington Heights section of Manhattan was named. The first George Washington High School was built and opened in 1919, and then moved into the current building at 549 Audubon Avenue on Washington's Birthday, February 1, 1925.

In the school year of 1999-2000 the school was divided into four different academies:
  • The first floor is the High School for Media and Communications (M463)
  • The second floor houses the High School for International Business and Finance (M462)
  • The third floor houses the High School for Health Careers and Sciences (M468)
  • The fourth floor houses the High School for Law and Public Service (M467)
Notable alumni of George Washington High School school include: Harry Belafonte, actor and singer; Rod Carew, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer; Gene Colan, Marvel and DC Comics artist; Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve; Jacob Javits, senator and state attorney general; Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State, 1973 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize; Manny Ramírez, Major League Baseball player; Ron Perlman, actor; Victor De La Cruz, Minor League Baseball player.
                 

M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 4486 (1925)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 37 registers, 31 stops, 31 ranks


In January 1925, the M.P. Möller company received a contract to build seven identical organs for high schools in the boroughs of New York City. High Schools receiving the new organs included Julia Richman (Op. 4485) and George Washington (Op. 4486) in Manhattan; and Thomas Jefferson (Op. 4487), Girls' Commercial (Op. 4488), New Utrecht (Op. 4489), and James Madison (Op. 4491) in Brooklyn; and Flushing High School (Op. 4492) in Queens.

The Möller organ in the auditorium of George Washington High School was the second of the seven organs to be installed, and it had a three-manual mahogany stop-key console on a movable platform. Wind pressure for the organ was 5 inches, except for the 16' Tuba, which was on 10 inches. Following is the Factory Specification (Jan. 14, 1925). Unfortunately, the console was destroyed in student riots of 1970.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir except as noted
8
   Major Diapason *
73
8
   Clarabella
73
8
  English Diapason *
73
4
   Harmonic Flute
73
8
   Gamba
73
4
   Octave
73
8
   Gross Flute
73
8
   Tuba
73
8
   Dulciana
CH
    
* unenclosed
 
     
 
     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt
73
2
   Flautino
73
8
  Open Diapason
73
    Dolce Cornet III ranks
—
8
  Stopped Flute
73
         (derived from 2' Flautino)  
8
  Salicional
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
  Vox Celeste (TC)
61
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Aeoline
73
8
   Vox Humana (sep. box & trem.)
61
4
   Rohr Flute
73
     Tremulant
4
   Gambette
73
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed with Great
16
   Contra Dulciana
85
2
   Piccolo (harmonic)
61
8
   Geigen Principal
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Concert Flute
73
8
   English Horn
73
8
   Dulciana (fr. 16')
—
     Tremulant  
8
   Viol Celeste
73
8
  
Concert Harp
49 bars
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
        
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
  Resultant
—
8
   'Cello
32
16
  Open Diapason
32
8
   Flute (Gross Flute)
GT
16
   Bourdon
32
16
   Tromba (ext. GT)
12
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'       Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'  
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'       Great 16', 4'  
    Choir to Pedal 8', 4'       Swell 16', 4'  
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'       Choir 16', 4'  
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'          
               
Piston Combinations (Adjustable at Organ Bench and Moving Registers)
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 operating on Swell Organ
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 operating on Choir Organ
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 operating on Great Organ
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 operating on Pedal Organ
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-0 Three Pedal Pistons and Release adjustable to full organ combinations
               
   
When operating Pedal Pistons all stop action must automatically be cancelled (without affecting the position of the stop registers) thereby allowing the performer to prepare in advance while playing any combination desired which may be brought into operation at the desired moment by pressing Release Pistons.
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Choir and Great Pedal   Crescendo-Sforzando Pedal
               
Accessories
1.
   Swell Tremulant  
2.
   Choir Tremulant  
3.
   Wind Indicator  
4.
   Crescendo Indicator  
5.
   Electric Action Generator  
6.
   Electric Motor & Rotary Blower  
7.
}
    
8.
}
 Indicator Lights for Pedal Pistons  
9.
}
    
10.
   Organ Bench with Music Shelf  

                 

Sources:
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specification for M.P. Möller organ, Op. 4486, January 14, 1925.
     Wikipedia entry for George Washington High School: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_High_School_%28New_York_City%29"

Illustrations:
     High School for International Finance and Business website: http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/06/M462/default.htm: exterior.
     Peter Pappas Blog: http://peterpappas.blogs.com: exterior.

                 
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