Our Story
1919
Brooklyn Continuation School opened at P.S. 69 at 155 Ryerson Street with 8 classes and a total of approximately 800 students. The courses offered were woodworking, electrical wiring, mechanical drawing, blueprint reading, millinery, sewing, dressmaking, and homemaking.
——“Continuation School Opens” from Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 23, 1919
1925
The school moved to 11 Bond Street (which also housed the Brooklyn YMCA) and the name was changed to the Brooklyn Continuation School. It led by principal Cohen. The females remained at P.S. 69. Auto mechanics, printing, and machine shop progras were added. A 1920s school aim statement said, “The purpose of the school is to give a general education to apprentices and teach the related trade knowledge.” The intent was to prepare students to be future Navy Yard specialists and to work sin outside industrial enterprises.
——Old Bond Street Building, 190?, Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History
1934
The school had expanded to two floors at 11 Bond Street and the name was changed to the Brooklyn Boys Vocational High School. It offered 2-year courses, both part-time and full-time.
——Open Week, Beginning Today, Centres Attention on Work at Brooklyn Boys’ Vocational School” from Brooklyn Times Union, 5 November 1934
1935
The School moved to 49 Flatbush Extension, where it occupied 6 floors. Part of the school moved into P.S. 5 (current location). The building at P.S. 5 included 21 shops, 2 laboratories, and 29 classrooms, as well as a library, a cafeteria, a gymnasium, and a school play yard. In 1937, the school name changed to The Brooklyn High School for Specialty Trades and it employed 93 teachers. Some of the trades included airplane and automobile mechanics, plumbing, dental mechanics, radio mechanics, jewelry making, electrical trades, barbers, shoe repair, sign painting, watch and clock repair, optical mechanics, and other trade courses, including commercial courses and salesmanship.
——P.S. 5 Brooklyn, 190? Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History
1941 - 1945
Over 3,000 students at the school trained to serve in the military during World War II. Many more served in war industries, likely at the Navy Yard. In Memory of Former Students, 1948
——Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History
1947
The school became George Westinghouse Vocational High School after the renowned inventor, George Westinghouse. Eight new courses were added to academic study.
——Watchmaking class at Westinghouse Vocational High School, 1950
Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History
1953
The beloved principal, Dr. I. David Cohen passed away. This year, over 500 students graduated and entered the workforce earning $1.00 to $1.75 an hour.
——“Dr. I. David Cohen, 69, Dies; Principal of High School” from Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 25 May 1953
1960
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the new George Westinghouse Vocational and “Technical” High School. The school building as we know it reopened after construction in 1963.
——“Westinghouse High School Gets Praise from Students” from Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Feb 1, 1963
1977
Karen Artemus, Secretary of Student Government, Tom Phillips, President of Student Government, Ray Turner, Vice-president of Student Government, 1977
Students in Dental Lab Course, 1978
1978
Young women re-entered the student population in the fall of 1975. During the 1970s, Westinghouse boasted a great basketball team as well as cross country, track and field, baseball, bowling, handball, and soccer. In 1977, the first 3 women graduated from George Westinghouse Vocational High school. Many famous people, including Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, visited.
——Images courtesy of George Westinghouse High School yearbooks; The Torch 1977 and The Torch 1978, respectively.
1990s
Metrotech Plaza construction began, along with the area surrounding George Westinghouse Vocational and Technical High School. The tech programs offered included pre-engineering, Computer Tech A+, Computer Tech Cisco, Drafting, TV Studio, Business Equipment, Electrical Installation, Cabinetmaking, Jewelry Making, and Optical Technology.
——Image courtesy of Newspapers.com accessed through the Brooklyn Public Library
2009
In 2009, our school became a campus with City Polytechnic High School moving in. Later, in 2012. MS8 (now MS915) shared the space within our building. Today, our school boasts CTE courses of Computer Systems Support, Computer Science, Electrical Installation, Culinary Arts, and a STEAM Center partnership with the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
——Image courtesy of George Westinghouse CTE High School