Other Notes from a local...

• Manatasquott is the Native American name for Blue Point.

• Blue Point School only went to 8th grade. Students then went to Patchogue High until sometime between 1936 and 1942, when they started going to Bayport High.

• Yearbooks prior to 1945 were called "The Inkwell" and were dittoed (copied) publications. In 1945, "The Stepping Stone" came into being.

Also note - in the early part of the 20th century, school districts did not exist as they do now.

Community Survey

(You can copy/paste the below to share with family members, neighbors, etc to get as many answers from the community!)

We have created a Google Form to collect information from BBP community members about the origins of the name "The Phantoms." Many origin stories of this name are floating around, but which is the truth? Help our 2022-2023 journalism class get to the bottom of this mystery! All answers will be reviewed by Mrs. Eberhard and/or Ms. Gustafson before being shared with our class. Thank you for your assistance!

If you prefer to send in your answers, you can print this form. If you are printing this form out and mailing it in, you can send it to BBPHS Librarian, 200 Snedecor Ave, Bayport, NY 11705

https://forms.gle/xfRbm1eRUCJmYFaV6

Thank you for your assistance! Follow IG / Twitter: @BBPLibraryGuff for updates on our findings!

-Mrs. Eberhard & Ms. Gustafson

Bayport-Blue Point High School

200 Snedecor Ave, Bayport, NY 11705

IG / Twitter: @BBPLibraryGuff

Interview with 1953 graduate, Robert Sheppard

Phantoms Interview in October, 2022

Name : Bob Sheppard

Interviewer: Cara Dietz

Year of Graduation from BBP: 1953

Q: Where do you believe the Phantom's name came from?

   A: Charles Bogle who owned property on what is Paulanna Avenue today had graduated in the 1930s. He had said that each graduating class when the school first opened filled the basketball team with 6 to 10 boys. When they would graduate, the team would be completely replaced since they graduate leaving the term “Phantom”. They would fade away and come back with a completely new team. The common cheer from the crowd was a "Wooooo" sound like a ghost, an homage to the mascot.

Q: Were there any stories or events that happened in the bell tower while you were in high school?

   A: There was actually no such thing as a bell tower story early in BBP history. He had been up there in 7th grade with a few friends (1949) and had reported that there was nothing special there. “Only a rug and maybe a chair. Nothing special” he stated.  If there were to be an incident in the bell tower it would be after he had graduated and after the name was chosen. It is very unlikely the story has any relevance to the name of the mascot.

Q:  Is there any explanation as to why the basketball team was the White Phantoms in 1953?

   A: No. The basketball team was by far the team that got the most attention in the early 50s, followed by soccer and baseball. There was no football team as the board didn’t allow it due to how violent the board thought it was. They were called the “White Phantoms” as a common theory is that another town had used the name which is very much possible. 

Confirmation of graduate class: https://sites.google.com/g.bbpschools.org/bbpphantomsoriginstory/yearbook-research#h.vh07orwdu5b6