Stone ’88 in front; stone “00” lying down; Central School in back on April 21, 2023.
There are two big stones in the yard at Central School in Albany. They sit there without any explanation. The only clues are their cryptic inscriptions.
The school ground is fenced, and lately the gates have been locked. But one afternoon last week after school, one gate was open (some ballplayers were having a practice on the field) and I rode in on the bike to take a look.
The stones are east of the school building, between Central’s playground and the sidewalk on Ninth Avenue. One stands upright, and on the top it says ’88. The other is lying down, and on its side there are two zeros: 00.
Why are those stones there, and what do their inscriptions mean?
Dick Olsen has an idea. (That’s Dr. Richard Olsen, the longtime former member of the Albany City Council and a Central neighborhood resident since 1966. His Ph.D. is in chemical engineering, and he’s retired from the Albany Research Center of the former U.S. Bureau of Mines.)
Dick points out that the stones are near what was once the front entrance of the Albany Collegiate Institute. The college was built there in 1867. Later, as Albany College, the institute moved to Queen Avenue near Broadway Street, and later still to Portland as Lewis and Clark.
At the end of the 19th century, the college was where the Central School playground is now. You can still see the concrete apron that led to the front door from what now is Ninth Avenue.
Dick’s best guess is that the stones were placed there by the graduates of the institute, one for the class of 1888 and the other for the class of 1900. That’s a plausible explanation.
The photo collection of the late Bob Potts is available online from the Albany Regional Museum. The collection includes this photo of Albany College dated from circa 1915:
You can see the upright stone just where it remains today. In case you can’t, here’s a cropped version of the same photo:
Now, on weekend mornings during the school year, the fourth- and fifth-graders of Central School run around those stones during recess. Or maybe they sit on the one lying down.
It might be interesting to today’s young students — or not — that they are following in the footsteps of scholars who trod the same ground more than a century ago. (hh)
One of the stones is lying down on what may have been the front walk into Albany College.
Hasso, I agree with Dick Olsen that the stones are remnants of Albany College Class gifts of 1888 and 1900. As an Albany historian, I feel more research is needed to confirm the accuracy of our speculation. Albany College annuals are available at the Albany Regional Museum reference room. More clues to the mystery may be found there. To me the other mystery about the stones, is why the City of Albany has not provided a historical marker and protection of these stones that are over 100 years old.
Well said, Bill.
Hasso, after doing a little research in the June 5, 1888 issue of the Albany Democrat newspaper, I found an article about the commencement exercise of the Albany Collegiate Institute. There was reference to the Class of 1888 gifting an elm tree and a stone with an inscription of ’88
Great job, Bill. Nice to know the Class of 1973 helped solve the mystery left from the Class of 1888 and maybe the Class of 1900.
Tom, thanks to you for telling me about the stones a few years ago. Like many people, I was not aware of the stones or their story. There is a great deal of Albany history right under our noses that gets overlooked.But, once discovered it opens a book of more Albany history.
Very interesting HH. I love hearing/reading about history.
Thank you for sharing
The irony of a nice story about a historic school and the picture of the smiling face next to it of the guy who wants to close Central.
I attended Central School in the 70’s. The rumor on the playground was that there were bodies buried under the stones. Happy to know the real story!
Thank you, Hasso, for the pictures and article on Albany College and Central School. Also, thank you, Bill Maddy, for the research. My aunt attended Albany College…my mother’s oldest sibling. A while back I had a hard time convincing my aunt’s granddaughter that Albany College became Lewis and Clark. The granddaughter has lived in Portland all her life.
I agree that the City of Albany should have put up an historical marker about the stones. But, Albany is too busy with their storied messes.
The Albany College stones and story will be featured during my Albany Trolley History Tour May 20. The tour theme this year is humorous and unusual Albany history stories. The stones are just one of those unique stories. Contact the Albany Regional Museum, 541-967-7122, to hop on board the trolley to hear some of Albany’s great history stories.
Here’s a further note to your stone story. I’ve lived near Central for 55 years and have walked my kids and several dogs many times to the schoolyard to play on the equipment or with other dogs.
One day several years ago I took my good dog Carl over to Central. I’d always wondered about the stones. One stood up and had numerals on top and the other lay on its side with no markings I could find. On that particular day, the horizontal stone was GONE! As I looked at the imprint where it had lain, I saw the numerals 00. Carl and I went into the school and found Principal Jay Thompson and told him the stone was gone. I asked him to come out and take a look at the imprint.
Jay said a maintenance crew had been cleaning up the remains of a large elm tree that had recently died ( probably the one mentioned by Bill Maddy) and they must have taken the stone also. “I’ll have to get that back” he shouted. Jay got the stone back and we can now see the numerals.
As I drive out and turn the corner of 9th and Broadalbin St. at lunch or recess times, I enjoy seeing the grade-school kids playing on the stones. I also visualize the spirits of the classes of 1888 and 1900 smiling down and remembering their good old times at Albany Collegiate Institute.
Thanks Hasso and you too. Bill, for reenforcing my theory that these stones are monumental remains of Albany Collegiate Institute. Some kind of notification would be a nice touch.
Thanks Hasso great story about Albany College. I’d like to see you add more historical Info about Albanys lost history.