48 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • MAY 2021
Long IsLand Press Partner
German-American School:
An American Success Story
One door closes, another opens. In response to the pandemic, the school
started offering virtual classes for not only children but also adults. this
was a new offering for the school and it has been very successful!
the German American School was
founded in 1851 by refugees from
Germany fleeing political persecution
following the revolutions that swept
Europe in 1848. Their aim was to
teach German to the children of their
immigrant community as well as help to
maintain a link to the motherland. The
original German-American School taught
reading, writing, singing and German
history. Between 1859-1898, the school had
as many as 600 pupils who learned their
lessons in classrooms on Orchard Street.
The first President of the German
American School in 1892 was none other
than famed piano manufacturer William
Steinway, and the goal of the school at
the time was to offer free supplemental
education to gifted, but financially
disadvantaged immigrants. By 1910, it was
common for New York Public Schools to
offer German instruction, and enrollment
in the German American School declined.
In 1911, the German American School
was officially recognized by the New York
State Board of Regents, and to this day,
the School offers a “Regents” diploma
upon completion of the 10th Grade,
before continuing to Advanced Placement
classes.
The impact of World War I and World
War II led to a decline in German study,
but with the strong support of parents,
the German American School maintained
its presence in the city and even grew its
student body. The School started a lending
library, dropped the singing, and added
geography and the study of literature.
By 1985, the German American School
was ready to adjust its approach to serve
a broader population, and the focus
changed from the children of German
immigrants, to any student from First
Grade through 10th Grade eager to learn
German.
The School now reflects New York’s
amazing ethnic diversity and has a student
body who value the impact that being
bilingual will have on their growth and
economic future. This means that the
School uses English in the classroom when
necessary, especially in the lower grades.
German-American School has 200
children enrolled in its three locations:
Manhattan, Garden City and New Hyde
Park. In-person classes for all three
districts start the week of September 13,
2021 (classes are on Mondays, Tuesdays,
or Fridays).
Even with the current challenges of
COVID-19 the school is remaining true to
its original mission: to provide German
instruction at an affordable price for all.
To find out more information about
German-American School’s programs please
visit german-american-school.org or email
kidslearngerman@aol.com.
/german-american-school.org
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