THEN The Clarkson Academy, then and now. Area residents are invited to an Open House Wednesday, August 1 to tour the building and to help honor Don Lage who spearheaded the renovation project. Provided photosIn the beginning, there were people with a dream. The focus of that dream was to save the 1853 Clarkson Academy building next to the Clarkson Community Church at Clarkson Corners, the intersection of Routes 19 and 104.
Academies such as these throughout New York state provided the next level of education beyond the mandatory grammar school level that everyone attended. The Academies were structured to provide an advanced education for the young people of the areas who would soon become teachers, lawyers, engineers, mathematicians, doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs and political leaders of our nation. On August 1, the Clarkson Historical Society will celebrate the completion of renovations to the Clarkson Academy and the efforts of member and president Don Lage to bring the project to a successful close.
Historical Society members say the number of people and the hours they put into this project and the monies that they and others contributed is documented and is available to see. The community effort succeeded in rescuing and delivering this 1853 building that was dedicated to advanced education. It stands here as an inspiration for the present and future generations of this area.
On August 1, both the completion of the Academy and the work of Donald Lage, will be recognized. It is over a decade since the first attempts were undertaken to save the building, according to Society members. It was soon evident that only a major engineering effort financed by a major funding effort would save the building. It was at this point that Don Lage agreed to see what he could do to help. Overnight, he became the project manager, the works manager, the contract negotiator, the inspector general, the financial manager and, later, the president of the Clarkson Historical Society, all of these titles at the same time.
NOWOn Wednesday, August 1 from 7 to 9 p.m. the Clarkson Historical Society is hosting an Open House at the Academy, 8343 Ridge Road, to celebrate the completion of the major restoration activities and to honor Don Lage for his continuing inspiration, leadership, dedication and hard work during the restoration of the Academy. Everyone in the community and area can stop in to see the restoration of this beautiful old building and greet Don Lage. There will be light refreshments and a chance to view the transformation from this once ‘near-to-condemned’ building to the asset that it has become to the communities of this area.
