1999-2002 --These pages are part of the Schuyler co., NY Genweb page.  Not for commercial use.
Photos cannot be used without the permission of the owner.

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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.