James Monroe High School - Bronx, New York
James Monroe High School - Bronx, New York (Photo: Estey Organ Company)
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James Monroe High School
(now Bronx Little School)

1300 Boynton Avenue
The Bronx, N.Y. 10472
               
Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 2935 (1931)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 49 registers, 31 stops, 31 ranks


In the Great Depression year of 1931, the Estey Organ Company received a welcome and very large contract for seven identical organs to be installed in New York City high schools. The $168,000 contract made the average cost of each organ $24,000. Each organ was equipped with a three-manual console that included ivory keys and an automatic roll-player.

These organs were installed in Jamaica High School (Op. 2932), Far Rockaway High School (Op. 2933), and Richmond Hill High School (Op. 2938) in Queens; Theodore Roosevelt High School (Op. 2934), James Monroe High School (Op. 2935), and DeWitt Clinton High School (Op. 2936) in The Bronx; and the New York Training School for Teachers (Op. 2937), later the High School of Musical Art, in Manhattan.

The Estey organ installed in James Monroe High School was extant in 2010, although the pipes in both chambers have considerable damage. The console in the auditorium is boarded over.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) –61 notes, enclosed with Choir (6" pressure)
8
  1st Open Diapason (Heavy)
73
2
  Fifteenth *
61
8
  2nd Open Diapason
73
1 1/3
  Nineteenth *
61
8
  Doppel Flute
73
  Mixture III ranks [draws * stops]
8
  Concert Flute
CH
16
  Tuba [10" pressure]
97
8
  Gamba
73
8
  Tromba (fr. 16')
8
  Dulciana
CH
4
  Clarion (fr. 16')
4
  Harmonic Flute
73
  Tremolo  
4
  Octave
73
8
 
Harp (TC)
2 2/3
  Twelfth *
61
4
 
Celesta
61 bars
 
     
 
     
Swell Organ (Manual III) –61 notes, enclosed (6" pressure)
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt
73
8
  Oboe (synthetic)
8
  Horn Diapason
73
16
  Waldhorn
85
8
  Stopped Flute
73
8
  Cornopean
8
  Viol d'Orchestra
73
4
  Clarion
8
  Viol Celeste
73
8
  Vox Humana [sep. trem. & box]
61
8
  Aeoline
73
  Tremolo  
4
  Traverse Flute
73
8
  Harp
GT
4
  Violino
73
4
  Celesta
GT
2
  Flautino
61
     
    Mixture III *
61
 
* 12th & 15th from Flautino; ind. Tierce
 
     
 
     
Choir Organ (Manual I) –61 notes, enclosed (6" pressure)
16
  Contra Dulciana
85
2
  Piccolo
61
8
  Geigen Principal
73
8
  Clarinet
73
8
  Concert Flute
73
8
  English Horn
73
8
  Dulciana (fr. 16')
  Tremolo  
8
  Unda Maris
73
8
  Harp
GT
4
  Harmonic Flute
GT
4
  Celesta
GT
               
Pedal Organ –32 notes
32
  Acoustic Bass
8
  Major Flute (fr. Op. Diap.)
16
  Open Diapason
44
8
  Flute (fr. Bourdon)
16
  Bourdon
44
8
  Dulciana
CH
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
16
  Trombone
GT
16
  Contra Dulciana
CH
8
  Tromba
GT
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Great 16', 4', Unison Off
    Choir to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell 16', 4', Unison Off
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir 16', 4' Unison Off
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Swell & Pedal Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb) *
Great & Pedal Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb) *
Choir & Pedal Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb) *
Pedal & its couplers Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb)
Full Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb & toe)
  * double-touch brings on Pedal stops
               
Reversibles
    Great to Pedal (hand and foot)   Choir to Pedal (hand and foot)
    Swell to Pedal (hand and foot)   All Swells to Swell
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Crescendo Pedal with indicator
    Balanced Great & Choir Pedal   Sforzando Pedal with indicator
               
Sources:
     Carnahan, John. Factory Shop Order for Estey Organ, Op. 2935 (1931).
     Estey Pipe Organ website: www.esteyorgan.com.

Illustration:
     The Estey Pipe Organ web site. Exterior.