Hemlock High School History since 1958

The Hemlock High School was used by Hemlock, Livonia and Honeoye students.

On Monday, June 16, 1958, a referendum vote was held, calling for a decision on whether or not Hemlock School should become annexed to Livonia Central School. The final tally was 98 yes, 67 no, and 5 disqualified votes.

Ted Henry of Hemlock ran for the school board the same year as Hemlock first became part of the Livonia School District and received very strong backing from those in Hemlock who wanted a “Hemlock candidate to represent them on the board.”

Although the Hemlock School continued to be used uninterrupted by the Livonia School District until 1975, it was not a convenient or economically sound situation. Transportation costs began to increase, and children and faculty at the school were beginning to feel “cut off” from the main activity of the school. Since distance made sharing teachers and equipment impractical in most instances the duplication between the Hemlock and Livonia main building decreased efficiency of the school district.

Enrollment at Livonia Central School continued to climb, and the need for a new building to serve the Livonia School District became apparent.

In 1972, the Ralph J. Davis High School opened. Although the Hemlock building was still used even after the opening of the new high school, enrollment started to dip in the mid-70’s, slowly making room for those students in the Hemlock School. The decision to close the Hemlock School for use by Livonia Central School was mainly an economic one in a school that was striving to increase its efficiency in order to curb the rising tax rate.

In the mid-70’s Honeoye Central School was squeezed for space in their building. There was talk of a new addition. An architect had been hired, plans drawn, and public hearings held. The economy was taking a serious downturn in the early 70’s (economists were calling it a depression), and the school board decided to take a “straw vote” of the community concerning the new addition. A “vote” blank was sent out in the monthly newsletter. The results of the straw vote, which was approximately 60 against and 40 in favor (but with reservations, as indicated by their comments), led the board to put off a referendum of the building addition.

The school board knew they needed extra space even if they didn’t build, and discussed buying several portable classrooms. Finally, they heard Livonia no longer wanted to use the Hemlock School and looked into that.

The Honeoye Central Shool Board made an appointment to inspect the Hemlock School, and were impressed by the well-maintained building. It included enough classrooms to relieve the severely crowded Honeoye Central School, plus it had a small auditorium-gym. The board decided to rent the building for five years (more years added to the lease later) to see if the economic climate would improve in that time.

In Sept. 1975, Honeoye Central School moved the kindergarten and first grade into Hemlock School, at an estimated start-up cost of $73,000 including transportation and furniture. (The proposed Honeoye building addition had been #3.5 million, and the Hemlock School was rented for maintenance costs). The use of the Hemlock School was fought by some residents (especially from distant Bristol), who opposed the long ride for kinder-garteners and first graders. However, the move was generally accepted as a worthwhile alternative during hard economic times.

In the next few years, transportation costs increased dramatically due to increases in gas and oil prices,and Honeoye began to feel some of the same inconveniences and problems that Livonia had when Livonia used the Hemlock School.

The economic conditions improved, and enrollment dipped, allowing the proposed addition to be made smaller, although it included some much-needed “special” classroom spaces for science, chorus, band, and a gymnasium.

As of Sept. 1, 1982, Honeoye’s lease with the Livonia Central School will expire, and they have no plans to renew it, since they can now fit all their students into their Honeoye building.

Livonia, whose enrollment is also dropping, does not need the building either, and is finding it expensive to maintain.

Although it is assumed the school will be used for non-educational use since no schools have shown any interest thus far, and the Livonia School Board and Hemlock residents prefer not to let it remain idle. The hundreds of people who have attended that school as a Hemlock student, a Livonia Central student, or a Honeoye student will remember the school the way it used to be, filled with friends and teachers who shared a special experience there.