Outdoor Swimming Pool.xml
Media
Part of Marist College Land History: Outdoor Swimming Pool
content
Outdoor Swimming Pool
MaristLand
After the Brothers purchased the MacPherson and Bech properties, they swam in the
Hudson River, crossing the railroad tracks on foot. When the New York Central Railroad
took land from the Brothers in 1911 to widen from two to four tracks, it took steps to
prevent pedestrian or vehicle traffic across the tracks. It built a tunnel underpass, still
in use today, near the water works. It also provided two foot bridges, one for the
Juniors at the north section of the property, and one for the Novices and Student
Brothers at the southern division.
The students continued to use the Hudson River for their swimming activity.
This was a small lake near the MacPherson house, noted in Marist Brothers history as
the site of a radio controlled toy boat engineered by Brother Legontianus, for whom the
Leo Dormitory is named. He was an electric and radio genius, and the lake became hiss
toy playground.
In the mid 1930s the Brothers decided to change this lake into an outdoor swimming
pool. They removed the island, kept the general oval shape.
The pool had two diving boards: a standard one meter board and a three meter board
from a tower, supports for which are visible at the right hand of this photo.
The pool was located near the provincial house. this photo shows student brothers
walking to the house for their dinner. The house served as dormitory and dining room
and chapel for the student brothers. The hedges in the photo served as a primitive
fence.
This photo taken in 1955 shows the three meter diving board.
The pool was upgraded in the early 1960s with improved filtering systems. But it did
not meet the then current standards for public pools. The health department allowed it
to continue operation until the pool at the McCann Athletic Center was completed in
1978.
The oval design of the swimming pool made it a popular venue for
winter skating and
hockey
. The Juniorate for French speaking candidates to the Marist order supplied the
Poughkeepsie venue with many candidates of French Canadian origin. Besides the main
pool, another temporary pool was flooded in the area behind the Novitiate building on
the Bech property. Candidates from the New York area tended to be more proficient in
basketball, those from New England in hockey. One of my classmates, Paul Arthur
LaFleur (class of 1962) , was a member of the US Olympic hockey team in either 1956
or 1960, before professional players were admitted to the games.
The bulldozer is poised to break down the outdoor pool in 1979, after the McCann
Athletic center is complete. The building across the pool was a changing room.
to return to main program, press the left arrow key
<---
at the upper left of your screen.
photos from Marist archives. 1955 photo sent to the archives by Francis Backus, class of
1960.
most recent revision October 19, 2012
MaristLand
After the Brothers purchased the MacPherson and Bech properties, they swam in the
Hudson River, crossing the railroad tracks on foot. When the New York Central Railroad
took land from the Brothers in 1911 to widen from two to four tracks, it took steps to
prevent pedestrian or vehicle traffic across the tracks. It built a tunnel underpass, still
in use today, near the water works. It also provided two foot bridges, one for the
Juniors at the north section of the property, and one for the Novices and Student
Brothers at the southern division.
The students continued to use the Hudson River for their swimming activity.
This was a small lake near the MacPherson house, noted in Marist Brothers history as
the site of a radio controlled toy boat engineered by Brother Legontianus, for whom the
Leo Dormitory is named. He was an electric and radio genius, and the lake became hiss
toy playground.
In the mid 1930s the Brothers decided to change this lake into an outdoor swimming
pool. They removed the island, kept the general oval shape.
The pool had two diving boards: a standard one meter board and a three meter board
from a tower, supports for which are visible at the right hand of this photo.
The pool was located near the provincial house. this photo shows student brothers
walking to the house for their dinner. The house served as dormitory and dining room
and chapel for the student brothers. The hedges in the photo served as a primitive
fence.
This photo taken in 1955 shows the three meter diving board.
The pool was upgraded in the early 1960s with improved filtering systems. But it did
not meet the then current standards for public pools. The health department allowed it
to continue operation until the pool at the McCann Athletic Center was completed in
1978.
The oval design of the swimming pool made it a popular venue for
winter skating and
hockey
. The Juniorate for French speaking candidates to the Marist order supplied the
Poughkeepsie venue with many candidates of French Canadian origin. Besides the main
pool, another temporary pool was flooded in the area behind the Novitiate building on
the Bech property. Candidates from the New York area tended to be more proficient in
basketball, those from New England in hockey. One of my classmates, Paul Arthur
LaFleur (class of 1962) , was a member of the US Olympic hockey team in either 1956
or 1960, before professional players were admitted to the games.
The bulldozer is poised to break down the outdoor pool in 1979, after the McCann
Athletic center is complete. The building across the pool was a changing room.
to return to main program, press the left arrow key
<---
at the upper left of your screen.
photos from Marist archives. 1955 photo sent to the archives by Francis Backus, class of
1960.
most recent revision October 19, 2012
