Summer is coming to an end... it's time to hit the books! Take a look at these photographs of kids in the past doing just that.

The Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, better known as Bed-Stuy, has a long and rich history. Many historic buildings occupy the neighborhood, reminding residents and visitors of a not-so-distant past. Take a walk back through time and explore some of the historic buildings and sites in Bed-Stuy.

Throwing around the pig-skin is an all-American pastime. See what the early history of football looked like in New York City.

Boys High School, undated postcard. Rendered in a stately Richardsonian Romanesque Revival style, Boys High School was the work of Brooklyn Superintendent of School Buildings, James Naughton (who designed ALL of Brooklyn's schools for nearly two decades). This ornate architecture style of complex massing, repetitive arches, and soaring towers was popular in Brooklyn at the time. The main post office and fire house, social clubs, and private residences were all Richardsonian, though Boys High School is considered the epitome of the style in the city. Fully enrolled by the time it opened in 1892, the school had a number additions in the early 20th century. Famous alum of the school include Norman Mailer, Isaac Asimov, Aaron Copland, Man Ray, and architect Morris Lapidus. Boys and Girls High Schools were combined in 1975 in a new building and this one was left to deteriorate. Through the advocacy of the community and a landmark designation (in 1975) the building was kept from what might have been a likely demolition and eventually restored once again for use. Today it is home to charter schools and recently made a guest appearance as Knickerbocker Hospital in the TV show "The Knick."

The Bedford-Stuyvesant community in northwest Brooklyn is a residential area, home to ornate rows of brownstones, early middle-class apartment buildings and several institutional structures. Bedford-Stuyvesant is characterized by its wide, tree-covered avenues and low-scale residences; generally only church spires and school towers rise taller than four stories. The majority of the buildings were constructed on speculation to house New York’s growing middle class, generally between 1870 and 1920. As late as 1869, Bedford-Stuyvesant was largely rural, with only some country houses and frame dwellings. In 1872 masonry rowhouses appeared when developer Curtis L. North commissioned 23 Italianate style rowhouses. From this point until the 1890s, development proceeded with many speculative builders and investors employing local architects to build residences; schools, churches and other institutions also appeared to serve the growing community. The Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883, followed by the elevated line along Bedford-Stuyvesant’s commercial artery, Fulton Street, in 1888. Easier access to downtown Brooklyn and Manhattan greatly increased real estate values in the neighborhood. By the 1890s, speculative apartment houses debuted in Bedford-Stuyvesant, officially marking the change from a suburban to an urban area. The opening of the Williamsburg Bridge in 1903 bolstered this urbanization, and Bedford-Stuyvesant was densely built up by the end of the 1920s. The 1930s marked a population shift for Bedford-Stuyvesant as it became an increasingly African-American neighborhood. When the IND transit lines connecting the area to Harlem opened in 1936, Harlem residents were eager to leave cramped quarters for newer, more spacious options in Bedford-Stuyvesant. By 1950 the area was 90% black, and it remains a thriving African- and Caribbean-American neighborhood today. Bedford-Stuyvesant is an aesthetic gem of elegant residences. Many houses have yards with plantings surrounded by original cast-iron fences. Rowhouses are set back from the street and possess their original stoops and railings. The architectural style of buildings followed the trends popular during the area’s development, including Italianate, Neo-Grec, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, and, at the turn of the 20th century, Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Georgian appeared. The materials of the buildings also give an idea of their age; older buildings were constructed of brick and brownstone, while light-colored brick, terra-cotta and limestone became increasingly popular toward the turn of the 20th century. Stuyvesant Heights in Bedford-Stuyvesant was designated a New York City historic district in 1975, and a large extension of its boundaries had a public hearing in 2011. Residents in other areas of Bedford-Stuyvesant, including Bedford Corners, Stuyvesant North and Stuyvesant East, are also advocating for the landmarking of their neighborhoods. The low-scale buildings on tree-lined streets share architects, styles and details, together making Bedford-Stuyvesant a distinctive piece of New York City.

The Boy's High School 832 Marcy Avenue Designed by James W. Naughton, 1891–92 The monumental Boys’ School was designed in the Romanesque Revival style and features quintessential design elements, such as rounded-arch windows and doors, dormer windows, gables, terra-cotta ornament, smooth brick façades and a rough-cut ashlar stone foundation. The imposing corner towers create a picturesque silhouette between this massive structure and the sky. Along with the Girls’ High School, it was the first public secondary school in New York City, and both were designated New York City landmarks in 1983.

Boy’s High School, Brooklyn Located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn and built in 1891-92, this Romanesque Revival building is one of former Superintendent of Buildings for the Board of Education of the City of Brooklyn, James W. Naughton’s masterpieces. Considered to be the one of the most important public schools in Brooklyn, the building was designed to be an architectural statement, richly adorned with terracotta and accented by a round corner tower, gables and dormers. Landmarked in 1975 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, Boy’s High School remains “one of Brooklyn’s finest buildings”.