Curtis High School ca. 1905 Curtis High School (1902-1904) was the first public building constructed on the Island after consolidation. The school was sited on a hill with Harbor views and was designed in the neo-Gothic style by Superintendent of School Buildings C.B.J. Snyder. The school was named after Staten Island resident George William Curtis, the editor of Putnam’s Magazine and Harper’s Weekly, and a colleague and friend of landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Andrew Jackson Downing.

Curtis High School Hamilton Avenue & St. Mark’s Place, Staten Island 1904 As part of a plan to build a high school in each of the outlaying boroughs, Curtis High School was designed by C.B.J Snyder and built between 1902 and 1904. As the first high school on Staten Island, it is named in honor of prominent writer George W. Curtis, who settled on Staten Island circa 1850. The building is of buff colored brick, terra cotta, and limestone and its center square tower is an impressive example of neo-Gothic architecture. A notable alumnus is Amy Vanderbilt, author of the bests selling Complete Book of Etiquette (1952). Curtis High School was designated a New York City Landmark in 1982.

C.B.J. Snyder was an architect and mechanical engineer who served as Superintendent of School Buildings for the New York City Board of Education between 1891 and 1923. During his tenure he was responsible for the design and construction of more than 350 elementary, middle, and high schools in the five boroughs. Snyder is know for innovating the design and construction process. The resulting schools have been praised for their high quality, longevity, and architectural beauty. Snyder worked in a number of styles, favoring Beaux Arts, English Collegiate Gothic, and Renaissance Revival. Another feature of his buildings were their mid-block location, preferring to keep these places of education away from the busy, noisy, and (perceived) pollution of the avenues. He believed that schools were civic monuments that were necessary for a better society and he focused on health and safety issues, improving the fire protection, ventilation, lighting, and classroom size.

Each month the Landmarks Conservancy celebrates New York City’s extraordinarily rich architectural heritage by featuring a different building style or function. So, in September, as the new academic year begins, we’ll explore New York’s historic public schools designed by the prolific architect C.B.J. Snyder. With more than 1,500 schools and 1.1 million students, the New York City Board of Education is the nation’s largest public school system and one of the oldest. Snyder served as Superintendent of School Buildings for the Board of Education between 1891 and 1923. As Superintendent, he is credited with the design of more than 400 structural projects — including more than 140 elementary schools. Snyder worked in several styles, including Beaux-Arts, English Collegiate Gothic, Jacobean, and Dutch Colonial. He preferred mid-block locations away from busy and polluted avenues. One of his signature motifs was to design spaces for learning that would offer a respite from noisy streets and poverty.

The C.B.J. Snyder-designed Curtis High School was completed in 1904 and was the first high school on the island, as well as the first civic building completed after Staten Island became part of the consolidated New York City in 1898. Famous alumni include children's book author Lois Lowry (The Giver) and Wu-Tang Clan member RZA who referenced the school in the song "Sunshower"-- "Old Earth got nervous, walked me to Shaolin, sent me to Curtis."