S. S. Seward Institute
Encyclopedia
S. S. Seward Institute is the secondary school
in the Florida Union Free School District
in Orange County
, New York
, USA. It is located along Main Street (NY 17A
/94
) in the village of Florida
and referred to locally as just "Seward".
The student body consists of grades
6
-12
, drawn from Florida and surrounding portions of the towns of Chester
, Goshen
and Warwick.
The school gets its name from Samuel S. Seward, who settled in the region in the early 19th century and started the school with an endowment
of $20,000 after succeeding in various local business pursuits. One of his sons, William Henry Seward, attended one of the institute's predecessors for a time, and later began a career in public service that culminated in the purchase of Alaska
while Secretary of State
. A memorial
to him is located on Main Street in front of the school.
team in the fall. Despite this, the Spartans have had very successful sports teams over the years, winning state titles in baseball
(1999), boys basketball
(2003) and girls soccer (1987, 2007 and 2008), making Seward the smallest school in New York to win state titles in three different sports. In June of 2009, they won their first softball section title. In the fall of 2009 they created their first varsity volleyball team. The Cross Country team has also reached a high level of success capturing three straight boy's section titles (2008, 2009, and 2010) and won the section title for the Lady Spartans in (2009).
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
in the Florida Union Free School District
Florida Union Free School District
Florida Union Free School District is a school district in the village of Florida, in Orange County in the U.S. state of New York.The superintendent of schools is Douglas Burnside.-Board of education:...
in Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA. It is located along Main Street (NY 17A
New York State Route 17A
New York State Route 17A is a state highway in southern New York, United States, entirely within Orange County. Its western terminus is located at Goshen at a junction with NY 17, and its eastern terminus is at another intersection with NY 17 located in Southfields. It runs...
/94
New York State Route 94
New York State Route 94 is a state highway entirely within Orange County in southern New York. The western terminus is at the New York-New Jersey state line, where it continues as NJ 94 for another to Columbia, New Jersey. Its eastern terminus is located at U.S. Route 9W in New Windsor....
) in the village of Florida
Florida, Orange County, New York
Florida is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 2,757 at the 2007 census estimates. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
and referred to locally as just "Seward".
The student body consists of grades
Grade level
Often, people are educated through a series of educational stages, such as primary school and university. They vary around the world, and not every person will attend the same stages...
6
Sixth grade
Sixth grade is a year of education in the United States and some other nations. The sixth grade is the sixth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 11 – 12 years old...
-12
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
, drawn from Florida and surrounding portions of the towns of Chester
Chester (town), New York
Chester is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,140 at the 2000 census. The town is named after another city in Great Britain...
, Goshen
Goshen (town), New York
Goshen is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,913 at the 2000 census.The Town of Goshen contains a village also called Goshen, the county seat of Orange County. The town is centrally located in the county....
and Warwick.
The school gets its name from Samuel S. Seward, who settled in the region in the early 19th century and started the school with an endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
of $20,000 after succeeding in various local business pursuits. One of his sons, William Henry Seward, attended one of the institute's predecessors for a time, and later began a career in public service that culminated in the purchase of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
while Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
. A memorial
William Henry Seward Memorial
The William Henry Seward Memorial is located along Main Street in downtown Florida, New York, United States. It commemorates the life of Seward, a Florida native whose career in public service culminated with his tenure as Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln, in which capacity he negotiated...
to him is located on Main Street in front of the school.
Athletics
With the smallest population of any secondary school in Orange County, Seward is the rare American public high school that does not field a footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team in the fall. Despite this, the Spartans have had very successful sports teams over the years, winning state titles in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
(1999), boys basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
(2003) and girls soccer (1987, 2007 and 2008), making Seward the smallest school in New York to win state titles in three different sports. In June of 2009, they won their first softball section title. In the fall of 2009 they created their first varsity volleyball team. The Cross Country team has also reached a high level of success capturing three straight boy's section titles (2008, 2009, and 2010) and won the section title for the Lady Spartans in (2009).