310 class photos from 80 years of PS 99 in Queens NY

"The story of any community is mostly about its people, not its streets and buildings. The P.S. 99 class photographs taken over the years are one of the best records we have of the people who have grown up here over the past decades. There are links below to 310 class photos."

Kew Gardens was an immigrant neighborhood in Queens, New York which rapidly flled with European war refugees during the early 1940's. PS 99 was the one public school. Building construction had been halted due to the war efforts, so morning classes were given in the auditorium. Children wore ID tags like the one below "in case of a bombing."

Kew Gardens is now one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the US. The Kew Gardens History site is collecting class photos that show the evolution of this New York neighborhood.

• [adamnvillani]

  Was numbering instead of naming schools unique to New York City? Growing up in Southern California I’d always thought that the stories I’d read about kids in New York always made their school sound rather impersonal.

• [stuart kaufman]

  Actually, they had both a name and a number. I went to P.S. 79 in Whitestone, Queens. It was named after Francis Lewis.

• [Michael Leddy]

  Wow. Those signboards must’ve become standard issue. They’re in my class photos from P.S. 131, Brooklyn, starting with 1965-1966.

• [Anonymous]

  I’m hopeful you can help me out. My Mom went to ps99, she would have been in grade 1 in 1933 or 34. Her full name was Patricia Paton Hill birthdate January 28,1927. Would you have access to school lists or anything from around that time. I believe she was schooled at ps 99 until 1936 where she transferred to Canada. I would appreciate any info/pics etc.
  Thanking you in advance,
  Sharon Drew
  British Columbia, Canada [e-mail]

• [Anonymous]

  I recall that my Junior High they used to get a big Cirkut panagraphic photo of the graduating (9th grade) class every year. I still have mine.