Herrmann Photo Biography New York City

Bob Kosovsky
1999

The Hight School Years

DeWitt Clinton High School 

DeWitt Clinton High School
Built in 1903, this building was the DeWitt Clinton High School until 1928, when the school moved to the Bronx. Herrmann attended school in this building for at least two years. 

The building has been used for various kinds of public schools since 1928. In the 1980s, the interior was gutted and entirely renovated. Today it is one of the buildings of the John Jay College for Criminal Justice, a part of the City University of New York.

Cornerstone of DeWitt Clinton High School 

Cornerstone of DeWitt Clinton High School
Though the interior of Herrmann’s high school would be unrecognizable to him today, the cornerstone remains a vestige of what was the building’s original purpose.
Carnegie Hall 

Carnegie Hall
While attending DeWitt-Clinton High School on 59th Street and 10th Avenue, Herrmann would walk over to Carnegie Hall (at 57th Street and 7th Avenue) and sneak into rehearsals.
Joseph Patelson Music House, 160 West 56th Street 

Joseph Patelson Music House, 160 West 56th Street
While in attendance DeWitt Clinton High School on 10th Avenue and 59th Street, Bernard Herrmann would walk a few blocks east to sneak into Carnegie Hall, or to browse the music at the music store at 160 West 56th Street. 

Today the store is still a music store and is named after its long-time owner, Joseph Patelson. This photograph was taken in front of the stage door entrance to Carnegie Hall, which faces the store.

Charles Ives's house 

Charles Ives’s house
In the Autumn of 1924, Charles Ives and his wife moved into this building at 164 East 74th Street. Herrmann used to visit them at this location. 

Herrmann is the source for Ives’s comment concerning watching a woman violinist enter the Mannes School of Music (then located across the street at 157 East 74th Street), and how she will be less intellgent once she walks out of the building. Despite that comment, Ives presented a copy of his 114 Songs (published at his own expense) to the school library.

Herrmann Photo Biography – New York City
Bob Kosovsky • 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA