Our education system has evolved greatly since the first teaching certificate was issued in 1854 to Celestia King. At that time learning was accomplished through a series of one room school houses.
In 1859, an academy opened at Port Byron that offered common education (3 R's readin', 'ritin', and 'rithmetic) free for pupils within the village with a tuition base for those outside the village. The academy offered secondary education and was one of the few places in our area to offer advanced education classes. It was known as the Port Byron Free and Academy (1859-1898) and was located on Church Street (same site as the old Central School).
Toward the close of the Civil War, the State Legislature created the Regents Examination System. It provided public testing at the close of each academic term, which allowed the pupil holding such certificate admission into an academy without the need of any additional testing. The first pupil to be awarded a regents certificate was Miss Laura "Augusta" Dickinson in 1867. She lived the remainder of her life in the Port Byron community and became the wife of Oscar Gutchess.
The Port Byron Free and Academy produced its first organized graduation class in 1872 which consisted of a single graduate Louis Brown Root.
In 1878, the regents program was expanded to included examinations to mark end-of-course proficiency at the end of high school. The exams included algebra, Latin, American History, natural philosophy and natural geography. The first advanced regents diploma was issued that same year to Joseph Ferris Sweet, who continued his education under scholarship at Cornell University, Class of '86. Professor Sweet received a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy and taught at North West/Tuley High School in Chicago, Illinois.
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| The Syracuse Morning Standard Tuesday July 20, 1880 |
An article from 1880 shows they met at the Cayuga Lake Hotel.
Other popular locations would be the Howard House and Opera Hall in Port Byron.
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| Weekly News and Democrat Thursday July 11, 1889 |
The earliest evidence of an Alumni Association dates back to the days of the Port Byron Free and Academy. The exact year the association was formed is difficult to determine because they adopted the same anniversary as the graduation classes. However, this article from 1889 clearly shows they existed at that time. Here they are listed as Associate Alumni but some articles into the 1890's also refer to them as the alumni association.
A fire in 1898 would require the construction of a replacement school at the same location, known as the Port Byron High School (1899-1935). This period would provide us with our school Alma mater "Hail to Port Byron" which was composed by the districts first music educator Elvin Freeman. We also have several Alumni Hall of Fame inductees from this particular period of our school's history.
Another fire would bring the end of our school, resulting in the construction of the Port Byron Central School in 1937. This would phase out the one room school houses resulting in the district we are familiar with today, joining students from the Towns of Mentz, Conquest, Throop, Montezuma and the village of Port Byron.
With the ever growing needs of the district, the Arthur A. Gates Elementary School was added. In addition, the old Central School was replaced with a new complex, moving all educational facilities together at the same location on Maple Ave.
As the district has grown, so has the role of the Alumni Association. One of the most profound commitments of the association is the offering of annual scholarships to our graduates.
The Alumni Hall of Fame inducted its first honorees in 1999.
Another fire would bring the end of our school, resulting in the construction of the Port Byron Central School in 1937. This would phase out the one room school houses resulting in the district we are familiar with today, joining students from the Towns of Mentz, Conquest, Throop, Montezuma and the village of Port Byron.
With the ever growing needs of the district, the Arthur A. Gates Elementary School was added. In addition, the old Central School was replaced with a new complex, moving all educational facilities together at the same location on Maple Ave.
As the district has grown, so has the role of the Alumni Association. One of the most profound commitments of the association is the offering of annual scholarships to our graduates.
The Alumni Hall of Fame inducted its first honorees in 1999.