Room 206- Albany High: The Door to More

Room 206 - Albany High

The Door To More 
by Ann Kennedy

In early February, I saw that The Historic Albany Foundation had acquired the doors from “The Old Albany High School,” which, to me, meant that they now had the doors from the place I had my first teaching job in:  Philip Schuyler Elementary School.  So nostalgic!

I scrolled through the pictures of the doors, and while I did, all the memories came back-the way the doors squeaked when you opened them, the smell of the wood, the glass rattling if they were slammed…“Wonder if they have my door..”, I thought to myself.  Well, that was not the only question I had at that point-I could not remember the number of the door to my first classroom!  This posed a problem for me…I called in the troops-Barbara and Carol, who were my neighbors on either side of that first classroom I taught in.  It wasn’t easy for them to remember their classroom numbers either.  However, after some back and forth, we determined with somewhat certainty that my classroom was Room 206.  A quick call to Earl, at The Historic Albany Foundation, confirmed that my door, 206, was still there.  I put it on hold to purchase.  Unable to pinpoint exactly why, I felt such joy to have a piece of the building that I began my career in.  I was going to have a piece of that building forever.

I have my former principal, Jerry Spicer, to thank for the job at Philip Schuyler Elementary School-he had faith in me, and offered a start to my career.  The physical building was HUGE.  We had 1000 students!  And in Room 206, about 20 of them were under the care of Barbara McKenna, and me. 
And why am I telling you all of this? 

The answer is that this is the story of the door to Room 206.  That door opened to hundreds of smiling faces on the first days of school over the years.  It opened and you heard the buzz of new learning.  Opening that door meant you were walking into the lives of the students sitting there.  Truly into their lives-you became their family, their nurse, their counselor, their confidant, their everything.  And I was so proud to be there for them.

The truth is that this is so much more than just a door.  For me, it represents not only the beginning of a career that I am now 28 years into, but also lifelong friendships established at Philip Schuyler Elementary School.  Personally, the door is symbolic of commitment, determination, respect and hard work. These characteristics also describe the faculty and staff I was fortunate enough to work there with.  This door fondly reminds me of them. And of course, the kids.  I wonder how many little hands opened this door over the years…

I’ve always had the memories.  The people, the successes, the challenges, the camaraderie, the growth, the learning.  Now I have a concrete momento.  The door to Room 206 is mine again.