Franklin K Lane Franklin K. Lane started out in 1923 as a combined Junior-Senior High School. In 1926, the school was split, with the Junior High becoming Halsey Junior High School. The High School used the old P.S. 85 on Evergreen Avenue prior to moving into the building we know today in 1937. The property was originally part of Thomas Bett's farmland, and subsequent uses are pictured below. Famous graduates include Sam Levenson, Earl Hyman, Red Holzman and Richie Havens. Thanks to Tim O'Reilly for the scan of his 1973 orientation book which provided much of this information. Franklin K. Lane was Secretary of the Interior during the Wilson administration.
In December 2007 the city announced it would close Franklin K. Lane High School. The school was phased out over 3 years, and now hosts 5 charter schools; The Academy of Innovative Technology, The Brooklyn Lab School, Cypress Hill Prep Academy, The Urban Assembly School for Collaborative Healthcare, and Multicultural High School.

	Going to the Trot Maker: Currier&Ives Dated: 1869 Currier and Ives did 2 lithographs of this location in 1869. "Going to the Trot" was an idealized view of this location featuring trotting fans heading to Union Race Course in what is now Woodhaven. The hotel was no longer known as Snedekers by 1869 but it was the most well known roadhouse in those times. The second lithograph, "Coming From the Trot", featured Hiram Woodruff's stables next door. The original lithographs are worth thousands.
	Snedeker's Roadhouse Maker: Brooklyn Eagle Undated Status: Own: (BG) Snedeker's roadhouse, a combination tavern, restaurant and hotel, was very popular in its day. Run by John R. Snedeker since 1812, then by his son John I., it was a popular destination for 'sleighing parties'. It was said that the Brooklyn/Queens border ran right through the barroom. I found a New York Times reference to the famous racetrack Union Course being refered to as 'Snediker's Union Course' back in 1854.
	Old Truant Home Maker:American News Co. Co. Dated:1911 Status: Own(RG) The city bought the roadhouse in 1869, and these is some conflicting stories about the demise of the roadhouse. Some sources say the roadhouse came down in 1870 after the city built this brick structure. But a story in Harper's from 1880 describes a visit to the home that includes a description of Snedeker's as an adjunct building for the school. The brick structure was built in 1870. Some interesting details; the address is given as Long Island. The border in those days tended to shift around a bit. Note no presence of the el, which was not extended along Jamaica Ave until 1918. It is also a color card, rare for those days. The structure was badly damaged in a fire on Dec. 1, 1924 leading to its replacement by the school. Although I am grateful for the great photo, who sends postcards of Truant Homes?
		Evergreen Ave., Looking North from Covert and P.S. 85, Brooklyn Maker: Shinske Dated: 1909 Status: Own(BG) This is not East New York, but Bushwick. In 1923, P.S. 85 was designated Franklin K. Lane Junior-Senior High School. Eventually the Junior High School was moved to another building, and the High School remained here until construction of the building on Jamaica Ave. On the right, an ad from the 1937 yearbook, the last year the High School used this building.
		Roberta Beary shares her mother's 1938 honors certificate.
		Class Night, December 16, 1938 Peter Stango's mother finished her senior year in the new building. The senior class gave this performance on December 16, 1938; these are the first two pages of the program.
		Class Night, December 16, 1938 The invitation, and a sheet of Lane's songs. Anyone have an MP3?
		Yearbook, 1939 Peter Stango sent over some shots from his mother's (Christina DeStefano) 1939 yearbook. I didn't include the cover because it is exactly the same as the 1950 cover pictured below.
		Diploma, 1939 Peter Stango sent over his mother's 1939 diploma. On the right, the senior dance invitation.
		Club 308 Dance, 1940 Nancy (Noe) Mitchell, daughter of George Noe (pictured on left), sent in shots from the 1940 yearbook and this dance program. We thought "Club 308" referred to the number of seniors but Nancy confirms there were over 400 so we need a new theory. Although George was in the class of 1940, he did not graduate; a sort of romantic story that Nancy provides.
		From that 1940 yearbook, the class "celebrities".
		Glen Gochal sent in his mother's diplomas from both Halsey Junior High in 1938 and F.K. Lane in 1941. Note in the Halsey Diploma the reference to P.S. 85 at the bottom. I assume when they split the schools, the junior high remained in the building at Evergreen Ave.
		Graduation Program, 1941 Glen also sent over his mother's graduation program from 1941.
		F.K. Lane Baby Day, 1948 I'm curious to see what is the oldest "Baby Day" picture we can find. Joann Montgomery supplied these shots from 1948. She even supplied names; " My Aunt, Rose Signorello Right Front Seat. Next to her is Virginia Fasolino. The other names are Portia Mugnolo,Rose DePasquale,Bernice Levine....The second pic is my Aunt Rose with 2 of her friends - don't know the names. My Grandmother made the dresses for the girls - I understand they were bright pink."
		F.K. Lane play "Katrinka", 1947 Joann supplied this Franklin K. Lane play program from 1947.
		Echoes Yearbook, 1950 I found this 1950 yearbook on EBay, and scanned this collage of many interior scenes.
		Echoes Yearbook, 1950 A shot of the school in 1950 from the inside jacket cover, and an ad from the local ice cream parlor across the street.
		Rizzuto, 1950 One mini-mystery to investigate. The name "Rizzuto" appears in the graduates. Phil Rizzuto, Yankee legend, attended Richmond Hill High School in the late 1930's. I couldn't help but notice the reference to the Yankees in her notes; could this be a sibling or other relative?
		F. K. Lane Prom, 1953 Joann Montgomery sent in this 1953 picture from the prom held at the Hotel Commodore. From Joann; "Couples from left to right- 1) Pat & Joan 2) Augie DiRenzo & Ann 3) Dom Chiarmella & Rose Troisi 4) Anthony Signorello & Joan Barish 5) Dennis & Eleanor"
		Senior Day, class of 1954 Shelly (Wall) McNamara sends over a "Baby Day" picture featuring Shelly McNamara, Carol Skolnick & Dolores Kaplan.
		End of Term Dance, 1954 Elsie Anzalone sends over 2 shots heralding the end of the year; the end of term dance and a graduation day shot with future husband Marty.
		Senior Day, Oct 1954 June Marmo sent over some shots of "Senior Day" a few months ago and now Annette Brayman sent over an entire series of sharp photos so its time for an upgrade! Ron Rosenbaum and Tim O'Reilly have both tried to explain "Baby Day" to me, a tradition that Tim notes was around in the 1940s and ended in the late 70s with a new principal who replaced it with a 50's dance.
		Senior Day, Oct 1954 set 2 With apologies to Elsie Anzalone who long ago identified the folks on the left; the ladies are Marcia Beckerman, Elsie, and Greta Silber. Behind them are Stanley Scharf and Karl Strier. On the right, Elsie IDs Victor Greco, next to him Barbara Zuckerman and behind Barbara, with the glasses is Frances D'Anna.
		Senior Day, Oct 1954 set 3 The shot on the left is in the girl's gym.
		FK Lane 50th Reunion The group in those Baby Day pictures had a 50th reunion in 2005 and Annette Brayman also sent a photo of that as well!
		Baby Day, Circa 1951 Ironically, when I checked with my mother about Baby Day, she produced two photos of her friend "Friday" (my mother did not attend Lane). These were taken in 1951 we believe.
		Auditorium, 1955 Marilyn (Rosen) Cantor sent over this 1955 shot of her with her cello in the auditorium.
		Lane Reporter, 1963 Tom Hammond provides a few 1964 senior year mementos; a 1963 Lane reporter and the graduation invitation.
		"The Classmates", 1966 talent show Joe DeBlasi sent in these pix taken at the 1966 talent show. The group consisted of Tony Conigliaro, Paul Sheptuck, Joe DeBlasi, Bronco, Nick Timpone. They won the contest with a version of "Gloria" by Vito and the Salutations. For those unfamiliar with the song, I found a version on YouTube. Bronco recalled the group also performed as "The Decades".
		Fencing Team, 1970 Courtesy of Anthony Cuschieri, this cool shot of the 1970 fencing team. From Tony; "In the back hands on hips, Donald Rogers - Second row lunging Dominick Vasaturo, Charles Elliot in front of him - Front row: Conrad Groves lunging, Douglas Arena parrying the lunge - Not shown: Ned Byrd - The team in 1970 took 2nd place over all in NYC. Conrad Groves took first place overall as best individual fencer in NYC. Steve Goldman was the Coach." .
		Spring Festival, 1970 Kurt Eger supplies the 1970 Spring Festival program
		Spring Festival, 1970 Remainder of program- Thanks to Kurt Eger for the scans!
		Yearbook, 1971 Elise (Avella) Feiner sent in shots from the 1971 yearbook; she should have a copy, she was the Editor-in-Chief!
		Yearbook, 1971 From the same yearbook, a shot of the courts and of course, a Baby Day photo!
		Baby Day, 1971 From Tony Cuschieri, some Baby Day photos. In the small group he identifies "Susan Alexander, Pat Tromba, Linda Gebhart & Myself Anthony Cuschieri "
		Franklin K Lane ID and schedule, 1974 A giant leap forward in time; my cousin John Cornell coughs up his ID and schedule from 1974. Peter Stango sent over this yearbook shot of the security staff in 1978.
		1976 Yearbook Thanks to Nancy Wilkens for sending over the 1976 yearbook cover (great illustration!)
		Franklin K Lane, 1976 Felix Orengo sent in this picture of himself with his dad in front of Lane in 1976. On the right, from Richard Woitowitz, a shot of the field in 1976.
		Franklin K Lane, Panoramic view Richard Woitowitz also supplied this cool homemade panoramic view, shot from Cypress Cemetery in the mid 1970s.
		Franklin K Lane, 1979 Felix Orengo also sent in some scans from the 1979 yearbook.
	Principal Tewel, 1979 Also from Felix Orengo and the 1979 yearbook, I included this because in Kenneth Tewel's message he makes reference to the class of 1979 as being the first class to spend all their years at the "new" Lane. Yvonne Temann helped me out on this one; in 1975 Lane attempted a transformation, changing the curriculum, hiring new teachers and rezoning. There was no freshman class in 1975 to smooth the change. Technically the first four year class would have been 1980, so we are trying to clear that up.
		Franklin K Lane, 1990 Tim O'Reilly sent over these shots taken back in 1990; the first view is from Jamaica Ave. and the second from Dexter Court.
		F. K Lane, 2005 The Aerial view shows the artificial turf fields now in front of the school.
	F. K Lane from rear, 2006 I included this shot sent by Neil Sullivan because it reminded me of a comment from my aunt;she was part of the first graduating class to attend all 4 years in the new building. She remembered how some classes overlooked the cemetery and offered a grim reminder to her everyday about "what to look forward to".

Franklin K Lane