earliest wealthy families to help provide funds for the new school. It became a public institution shortly before the start of the 20th century, and the large stone building grew steadily to take up nearly a full city block.

“It looks like a castle,” says Erasmus graduate and Ohio State junior Curtis Samuel. “You definitely won’t miss it.”

Samuel is a bit out of place himself, a Brooklyn kid playing football at a blueblood program like Ohio State. New York City is far from the traditional beaten path on the recruiting trail, but that’s where Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer has found a seemingly perfect fit for his versatile, difficult-to-defend H-back position.

Samuel leads the potent Ohio State offense with 15 touchdowns this season -- eight as a runner and seven assports to compete as the Erasmus High Dutchmen) and give a flavor of its impressive past. Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand sang in the Erasmus choir together in the 1950s. Before then, fellow alum Mae West was making waves in Hollywood. Moe from the Three Stooges made it through two months there before dropping out of school.

In the sports world, Al Davis got his start in football as a student at Erasmus. Chicago Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, world chess champion Bobby Fischer and boxing promoter Bob Arum each attended the school as well. The list goes on. Samuel and his high school teammates played their games at Sid Luckman Field, named for the former NFL MVP and Chicago Bears champion from the 1940s.

“The history is