Last week Herricks High School opened its doors to students for the 50th consecutive year. This year, 1461 entered the school, with a senior class of 348.

In 1958, the very first opening day at Herricks High School, only one class, then juniors, entered, with a total class count of 288. The first principal was Thomas B. Langley.

Herricks High School was built in answer to the rapidly growing population of high school-aged children during (what was later to be called) the post WWII "Baby Boom." Prior to its construction Herricks students completed grades kindergarten through nine at the Herricks School (now the Herricks Community Center) and then attended Mineola and Hempstead High Schools. In answer to the growing population on Long Island, many districts constructed their own high schools during this period.

The Herricks district was established as one of the original nine public school districts on Long Island in 1813, almost 200 years ago. For most of that period instruction was delivered in a one-room schoolhouse to the children of area farmers.

It was not until after WW I that a four-room schoolhouse was built. That building still stands next to the Community Center and was, for years, the District Administration Building. Today it is used for the Shelter Rock Academy and partially leased to Nassau BOCES for use as an alternative school.

Celebratory events are being planned for this year through 2010, which will mark the 50th anniversary of the HHS Class of 1960, the first graduating class. The first event will be this fall's High School Homecoming which is scheduled for Sept. 27 with a parade and football game.

Herricks High School alumni are encouraged to register for the Alumni ListServe at www.herricks.org to receive e-mails of the anniversary events.