This past September, Saratoga Springs High School launched an elective class for seniors aimed at local history.
Named Saratoga/Adirondack Literature, the course covers both fiction and nonfiction works that feature the surrounding area to give locals a better sense of the rich history of the town they live in.
After learning about the class through her son who is taking it, Rilla Schulte, an employee of Bonacio Construction, Inc. thought it would be appropriate to have the class tour the new Park Place condominiums to view the original Grand Union Hotel chandelier that hangs in the Park Place Lobby today and see the view of Broadway from the top floor of the condos to see where the Grand Union once stood.
English teacher Kathryn Flanders said this opportunity went well with the curriculum as the students are currently reading Saratoga Trunk by Edna Ferber which partly takes place at the Grand Union Hotel.
"The students were excited to see the original connection to the past. This field trip fit in well with the curriculum, and I try to bring them to appropriate places so they can see history and relate it to what they are learning," Flanders said. "There is a lot of very interesting material particular to this region that we can cover in this class."
The chandelier dates back to the 1800's and hung in the Grand Union Hotel until the hotel was demolished in 1953. For 57 years, the crystal chandelier was housed at a doctor's home in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was brought back to Saratoga Springs by James Ackerman. Because the chandelier was so old, it was powered by gas, not electricity. In order to have the chandelier in working condition for the condominium's lobby, all 1,000 pieces of crystal were removed and the chandelier was completely rewired, Sonny Bonacio, President of Bonacio Construction, said.
When the students reached the sixth floor of the condominium complex, they were able to see just where the Grand Union Hotel stood and were able to see an original aerial-view photo of the hotel.
"Most of the students said this was a view of Saratoga that they had never seen," Schulte said. "When I heard about my son's class I knew this was something they should do."
Schulte said that during the field trip the students were able to learn about jobs in construction and had a discussion which is important for seniors who are beginning to explore the options for their futures.
Saratoga/Adirondack Literature is a half-year elective course and will be offered again next fall if interest is high enough, Flanders said.
After learning about the class through her son who is taking it, Rilla Schulte, an employee of Bonacio Construction, Inc. thought it would be appropriate to have the class tour the new Park Place condominiums to view the original Grand Union Hotel chandelier that hangs in the Park Place Lobby today and see the view of Broadway from the top floor of the condos to see where the Grand Union once stood.
English teacher Kathryn Flanders said this opportunity went well with the curriculum as the students are currently reading Saratoga Trunk by Edna Ferber which partly takes place at the Grand Union Hotel.
"The students were excited to see the original connection to the past. This field trip fit in well with the curriculum, and I try to bring them to appropriate places so they can see history and relate it to what they are learning," Flanders said. "There is a lot of very interesting material particular to this region that we can cover in this class."
The chandelier dates back to the 1800's and hung in the Grand Union Hotel until the hotel was demolished in 1953. For 57 years, the crystal chandelier was housed at a doctor's home in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was brought back to Saratoga Springs by James Ackerman. Because the chandelier was so old, it was powered by gas, not electricity. In order to have the chandelier in working condition for the condominium's lobby, all 1,000 pieces of crystal were removed and the chandelier was completely rewired, Sonny Bonacio, President of Bonacio Construction, said.
When the students reached the sixth floor of the condominium complex, they were able to see just where the Grand Union Hotel stood and were able to see an original aerial-view photo of the hotel.
"Most of the students said this was a view of Saratoga that they had never seen," Schulte said. "When I heard about my son's class I knew this was something they should do."
Schulte said that during the field trip the students were able to learn about jobs in construction and had a discussion which is important for seniors who are beginning to explore the options for their futures.
Saratoga/Adirondack Literature is a half-year elective course and will be offered again next fall if interest is high enough, Flanders said.
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Odd. They could have gone to the Saratoga Springs History Museum at the casino in Congress Park and seen a Grand Union chandelier. Why go to a commerical location when they could go to a museum and see three floors of Saratoga history ???