Newtown High School - Elmhurst (Queens), New York
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Newtown High School

48-01 90th Street at 48th Avenue
Elmhurst (Queens), N.Y. 11373
http://www.newtownhighschool.org


Newtown High School in Elmhurst, New York is nestled among densely packed private houses. This palatial structure has stood for over one hundred years on 48th Avenue and 90th Street, the central point of the community. Solid, dignified and regal, the school looks as if it had been there always and will last forever.

At one time, its very existence was challenged and even before that, it was one man's dream. His name was Dr. James Darius Dillingham. It was his dream, his alone, that a palatial structure would dominate the suburban, rural landscape of Newtown. His dream was an academic high school in a farming town. Dr. Dillingham was raised on a farm in Massachusetts, educated as a lawyer, and ultimately decided to become an educator. He came to Queens when he was twenty-nine years old in 1894 to be the principal of the Corona school.

The school consisted of a small wooden building that housed every grade in the town. From the start, Dr. Dillingham wanted the school to grow and so in 1897, he got the local school board to allocate $75,000 to the construction of a new building that would tower over any existing structure in the area. It took three years to be completed. In June of 1900, Newtown held a graduation for one student, William Boyce. Because Dr. Dillingham had not forgotten his childhood, Newtown was the first academic school to offer courses in agriculture. The new curriculum boasted new science laboratories, a large foreign language department, and college preparatory math. He also enlisted known scholars, such as Professor George Kingsbury, to the staff. In 1910, Newtown dropped all lower grades and became solely a high school with 747 students. That year, Newtown graduated 14 students. In the same year, 1910, the city ordered Dr. Dillingham to close the school. "It was too small", they said, "and by the way, Elmhurst didn't even need a high school". If Newtown was too small, Dr. Dillingham would solve the problem. He badgered the board for more money for expansion of the school. Each year, the board asked him to close the school and each year, he got a one-year extension.

In 1920, the board allocated $1 million for an addition to the school. It would hold a large auditorium and have an inspiring tower. When the new addition opened, the large auditorium was dedicated in the name of the standing principal and would be called Dillingham Hall. Dr. Dillingham had the pleasure of walking into an auditorium with his own name on it for fifteen more years while he was principal. By then, Newtown would have two more additions, an athletic field and 8,500 students.

Newtown High School was designed in 1917-18 by architect C.B.J. Snyder, superintendent of School Buildings for the New York City Board of Education. Snyder employed the Flemish Revival style addition to the school, which featured stepped gables and a dramatic 169-foot, centrally-placed tower topped by a cupola and turrets. The start of construction was delayed until 1920 by the First World War, and the new wing opened in September 1921. Additions to the building were designed in 1930-31 by Walter C. Martin, and in 1956-58 by Maurice Salo & Associates.

Notable alumni of Newtown High School include:

  • Andreas Gerasimos Michalitsianos, NASA astronomer and astrophysicist
  • Estée Lauder, Estée Lauder Comestics Company
  • Omar Minaya, Major League Baseball General Manager
  • Carroll O'Connor, Actor
  • Smush Parker, NBA Player
  • Carlos Ramirez, Musician - Lakota, Hope Collapse, Black Army Jacket
  • Don Rickles, Comedian
  • Zoë Saldaña, Actress
  • Michael Selearis, Professional Arm Wrestler
  • Gene Simmons, Musician - Kiss (band)
  • Risë Stevens, Opera Singer
  • Charlie Villanueva, NBA Player
  • Ramiz Khoda, Architect
               

M. P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 4205 (1925)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 61 registers, 38 stops, 31 ranks


In January, 1925, the M.P. Möller Company was awarded a $48,000 contract to build four identical pipe organs for four high schools in New York City. The organs were installed in Evander Childs High School (Op. 4202) in the Bronx; Bushwick High School (Op. 4203) in Brooklyn; and Bryant High School (Op. 4204) and Newtown High School (Op. 4205) in Queens.

The organ in Newtown High School cost $11,850 and had a three-manual stop-key console of mahogany on a movable platform. Wind pressure for the entire organ was 5", except for the 16' Tuba, which was on 10" pressure.

Click here to view the Möller Factory Specifications for Opus 4202.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir
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
  * enclosed in Great or Choir swell box
 
     
 
     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt
73
4
   Gambette
73
8
  Open Diapason
73
2
   Flautino
73
8
  Stopped Flute
73
  Dolce Cornet III ranks [from 2' Flautino]
8
  Salicional
73
8
  Oboe
73
8
  Vox Celestis [TC]
61
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Aeoline
73
8
   Vox Humana *
61
4
   Rohr Flute
73
  * separate chest, box and tremulant
 
     
 
     
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed with Great
16
  Contra Dulciana
85
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
8
  Geigen Principal
73
2
  Piccolo [Harmonic]
61
8
  Concert Flute
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Dulciana [from 16']
—
8
   English Horn
73
8
   Viol Celeste
73
 
Concert Harp
49 bars
     
     
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
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'       Choir to Choir 16', 4'  
  Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'  
  Great to Pedal 8', 4'  
    Swell to Choir 8', 4'       Swell to Pedal 8', 4'  
    Great to Great 16', 4'       Choir to Pedal 8', 4'  
    Swell to Swell 16', 4'          
               
Piston Combinations
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 Operating on Swell Organ
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 Operating on Great Organ
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 Operating on Choir 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   Crescendo-Sforzando Pedal
    Balanced Choir & Great Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
               
Accessories
    Swell Tremulant   Electric Action Generator
    Choir Tremulant   Electric Motor & Rotary Blower
    Wind Indicator   (3) Indicator Lights for Pedal Pistons
    Crescendo Indicator   Organ Bench with Music Shelf

               
Sources:
     Dolkart, Andrew S. and Matthew A. Postal. Guide to New York City Landmarks (Third Edition). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004.
     Forgotten New York website: http://www.forgotten-ny.com
     Newtown High School website: http://www.newtownhighschool.org
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 4202 (1925).
     Trupiano, Larry. M.P. Möller Opus List.

Photos:
     Forgotten New York website: exterior with tower.