Opus 2932-2938
Present Conditions
On June 9, 2005, Dave Schmauch and Phil Stimmel visited and photographed the condition of
three of these seven pipe organs. Following is a summary of the situation of them as
is known at this time.
| Jamaica
High School, Queens - Opus 2932 Great/Choir Chamber pipes present. No Swell pipes. (Prior observation by Dave Schmauch.) |
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Far
Rockaway High School, Queens - Opus 2933
Severe damage to pipework in both chambers, blower present in school basement.    |
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| Theodore
Roosevelt High School, Bronx - Opus 2934 Reportedly, the organ is no longer in existence. |
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James Monroe High School, Bronx - Opus 2935
The console is still
present in the auditorium, though boarded over. Pipework is
present in both chambers, though considerable damage.
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Dewitt
Clinton High School, Bronx - Opus 2936
No evidence of the
console and considerable damage
to pipes in the chambers.  |
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| New York Training School for Teachers,
Manhattan - Opus 2937 (Now A. Philip Randolph High School) Organ discarded in the 1970's
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| Richmond Hill High School, Queens - Opus
2938 No longer in existence, according to a custodian who remembered removing the organ to a dumpster a number of years ago. According to one source, the organ was playing as late as 1969. |
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The following photos give some idea of the conditions inside the organ chambers. In some cases,
the pipework is in like-new condition. In other cases there is evidence of water damage, or fallen ceiling plaster.
There is also clear evidence of student "activities" in the chambers, and whole sets of pipes are missing.
Since these organs were all identical instruments, there is, most likely, sufficient parts which would
allow the reconstruction of one complete instrument as a documentation of the work which Estey
put into these organs. While the original installations were much-heralded at the time, with budget
restraints and changing educational interests, it is unlikely that these instruments were seriously
used for more than a few years before being allowed to fall into disrepair.
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