The 1911 year in review

The end of every year is frequently a time of self-reflection; it is a time to look back at the year in review — as the Herald did last week. But from a historical perspective, a more interested question is what did the “year in review” look like for Oceanside one hundred years ago?

Much like today’s local issues, major events in Oceanside in 1911 involved the schools, municipal services, transportation and safety. 1911 began with the school district celebrating its new, modern-day school building. Later referred to as Central School No. 1, the new building was located behind a smaller and outdated structure on Foxhurst Road, between Long Beach and Oceanside Roads and held Oceanside’s first high school commencement. The older school structure was purchased by John Terrell at a public auction for $400 and moved to Davison Avenue where it was used as a social, civic,

religious and educational hall over the next 61 years.

Oceanside’s annual school district meeting in 1911 included two contested trustee elections. Four candidates vied to succeed trustees Henry Jackson and George Brackett, who were not seeking re-election. Charles Kessler and Samuel Terrell were both elected to the Board after receiving 80 votes a piece.

1911 was the start of a split of the school district. The construction of the Central School No. 1 caused a major schism between the Oceanside and Long Beach communities. In 1911, the Oceanside School District included Long Beach, as well as Island Park, Atlantic Beach, and Point Lookout. After the school district allocated $60,000 to build a branch school in Long Beach, Oceanside residents immediately questioned the wisdom in spending such a sum of money for approximately 15 pupils. As the School Board re-evaluated this expenditure, irate Long Beach residents started organizing a Board of Trade to address matters involving removing Long Beach from the Oceanside School District, establishing an election district and a volunteer fire department, incorporating into a village and constructing its own school building.

On the civic front, the Oceanside Board of Trade sponsored public meetings about incorporating as a village. Meetings were held at the old Columbia Engine Firehouse, conveniently located by trolley stop 102. It was eventually decided that it would be more beneficial for Oceanside to be annexed into the existing incorporated village of Rockville Centre. A committee met with the trustees of Rockville Centre to discuss this possibility.

In May, New York State allocated $20,000 to dredge Powell Creek in Oceanside. Eight public docks were to be built along its banks. It was believed that the navigable waterway created by this excavation would improve Oceanside’s chances of being annexed into Rockville Centre.

The Board of Trade also pushed the New York & Long Island Traction Company for increased trolley service through Oceanside. In the early 1900s, trolley service ran through the middle of Oceanside, bringing in people from all over Nassau and Queens Counties. After complaining to the State Public Service Commission, the Traction Company agreed to increase service during business hours and change the fare zones to make the trips to Oceanside less expensive.

1911 also saw the opening of “The Oaks” hotel in a renovated and updated structure near the Baldwin border on Parsonage Creek. The Oaks was advertised as a first-class facility — one of the finest and coolest places to spend a vacation.

Public safety was also of concern after two established families had homes burglarized. Townsend L. Southard’s home was robbed of about $100 in silverware, lace curtains, and cash while the family slept on April 27, 1911. About six months later, Sanford Story’s house on Skillman Avenue was burglarized after someone entered through a cellar window while nobody was home.

The end of 1911 also saw the untimely death of Anton Wettach, an Oceanside resident and farmer. Wettach was mortally injured when his buggy collided with a plumbing wagon. Wettach’s farm was later sold a public auction and eventually — about 40 years later — was purchased by the School District as the site of Oceanside’s current high school.

While the names in Oceanside may change one hundred years later, most of the issues remain the same. And as 2012 begins, the Oceanside Education Foundation wishes everyone a happy and healthy new year!

Seth J. Blau is Vice President of the Oceanside Education Foundation (OEF), a non-profit organization with goal of helping students of the Oceanside School District obtain a sense of local history by discovering, preserving and displaying the history of our community.