This is the original Central School, built in 1883 for $18,000 and located at 1114 S Altheimer (then S G St), now the area of Bates Technical College. It was modeled after the Euclid Avenue School of Cleveland, Ohio, by architect Joseph Sherwin of Portland. It stood out along the Tacoma skyline with its 90-foot bell tower visible for miles. The school contained twelve rooms and was considered a showplace for the city. Rapid growth made the enrollment climb to 964 by 1886, taught by a staff of 18 teachers. Remodeling and additions to the school occurred before the school moved its 1000 elementary students to a new Central School located at So. 8th & Tacoma Ave. So. in 1913. The new Central School cost $165,000, almost ten times the cost of the original school. The old Central School was demolished in 1914 and served as a hobo shelter for a few months prior to its demolition. (Olsen: For the Record, p. 47-48-various photographs) King 009, TPL 1103.

Back of photo:
Central school, S.W. corner of S.W. and G. St now the Bates Vocational School Tacoma, Wash.

Jefferson Grade School music teachers.

Education - Schools - School Buildings - Public Schools - Elementary Schools - Jefferson Elementary School

Portable building at Brookdale Elementary School. Brookdale Elementary is part of the Franklin Pierce School District and located in the Parkland area at 611 - 132nd St. So. It was built in 1957. Several years later, the Douglas Fir Plywood Association assisted in building a new portable for the school to handle the growing enrollment. The classroom would fulfill the need for remedial instruction and music class space. The portable could easily be moved and would accommodate 30 students. View of newly completed portable taken on February 16, 1962, shows extensive use of wood in contrast to original brick school in the rear. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (TNT 11-22-61, p. 12)

Brookdale Elementary School (Parkland); Public schools--Parkland--1960-1970;

Cheerful wooden cut-outs of children playing greet the pupils of Brookdale Elementary School who attend classes in the new portable building on February 16, 1962. Wide wooden steps with hand railings lead to the classroom door. Brookdale Elementary is in the Franklin Pierce School District and located at 611 - 132nd St. So. in Parkland. The new portable is situated close to the original brick buildings and next to the school playground. It was built with the assistance of Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A portable classroom was constructed about the same time at James Sales Elementary; the units were built with different methods and time and motion studies taken to compare scientifically. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (TNT 11-22-61, p. 12)

Brookdale Elementary School (Parkland); Public schools--Parkland--1960-1970;

View of new portable classroom at Brookdale Elementary School, taken on February 16, 1962. The new structure, to the farthest right, is built extensively out of wood. It includes an overhang to provide shade on one side of the portable. Brookdale Elementary, located in the Franklin Pierce School District, was built in 1957, primarily out of brick. Douglas Fir Plywood Association helped in the building of the portable for Brookdale as well as one for James Sales Elementary. The units could hold 30 students and could be used until permanent structures could be built. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (TNT 11-22-61, p. 12)

Brookdale Elementary School (Parkland); Public schools--Parkland--1960-1970;

Side-and-rear view of new portable classroom at Brookdale Elementary School on February 16, 1962. Small shrubs have been planted at the corners of the classroom which is located next to the school's fenced playground. The portable, in contrast to the original 1957 school buildings, is made extensively of wood. There is no concrete foundation and the overall look is very contemporary and sleek. A wooden overhang guards the classroom from too-bright sunshine, and some of the windows are louvered. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (TNT 11-22-61, p. 12)

Brookdale Elementary School (Parkland); Public schools--Parkland--1960-1970;

This Brookdale Elementary School teacher appears to have called upon one little longhaired girl for her response to the "Bossy R" lesson in this Valentine Day, 1962, photograph. Children in this classroom were seated in the new portable building built extensively out of wood. Brookdale Elementary was built for the Franklin Pierce School District in 1957; classrooms could be added at a reasonable cost using wooden portables that were both modern and appealing to the eye. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Brookdale Elementary School (Parkland); Public schools--Parkland--1960-1970; Classrooms--Parkland; School children--Parkland--1960-1970; Teachers--Parkland;

A Brookdale Elementary School teacher happily accepts a bouquet of posies from a young student at the doorway of a new portable classroom in August, 1962. Two buzz-cut boys holding books await their turn to greet the teacher. The portable building is colorfully decorated in bright, vibrant shades of blue and pink with brown cutouts of children playing on the school walls. Portable buildings were a welcome addition to schools coping with growing populations.

Brookdale Elementary School (Parkland); Public schools--Parkland; School children--Parkland; Teachers--Parkland;

On April 20, 1943, Simone Bland (right) tied Bennie Deschington's apron so that he could help prepare lunch for Miss Mildred Vaught's first grade class at Central School, 601 So. 8th St.. Miss Vaught was teaching her students basic cooking skills and nutrition in a unit based on the theme "Helping to win the war by keeping well." (T.Times 4/24/1943 p.5)

Elementary schools--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Central School (Tacoma); Children cooking--Tacoma--1940-1950; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bland, Simone; Deschington, Bennie;

Central School. 1B Class. (T.Times) [Also dated 04-17-1943]

Elementary schools--Tacoma; Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Central School (Tacoma); Children cooking--Tacoma--1940-1950; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The first grade students in Miss Mildred Vaught's class at Central School gather at a table to study their cookbooks during the lesson on "Winning the war by keeping well." The children studied cooking and nutrition, while also practicing reading, writing, math, hygiene and good manners. (T. Times 4/24/1943, pg. 5)

Elementary schools--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Central School (Tacoma); Children cooking--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The students of Central School's first grade, led by their teacher Miss Mildred Vaught, are learning to cook on April 20, 1943. With so many mothers involved in the war effort, many kids were caring for themselves and siblings at younger ages. The lesson was geared to teaching them to prepare nutritious meals and included exercises in reading, math and hygiene. The students are lined up to get supplies for the day with Billie McDonald dispensing the supplies. (T. Times 4/24/1943, pg. 5)

Elementary schools--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Central School (Tacoma); Children cooking--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In 1943, Miss Mildred Vaught's first grade pupils at Central School abandoned the usual Easter festivities in favor of learning about preparing nutritious foods. The children, using materials and cookbooks provided by the Washington Dairy Council, studied a unit entitled "Helping to Win the War by Keeping Well." As many mothers left home to work in defense plants, filling shifts as needed, children were required to care for and feed themselves at younger ages. The children are lined up to receive supplies from Billie McDonald for their cooking lesson, which incorporated lessons in reading, writing, math and hygiene. From left to right: Kay Francis, Verle Wagner, Don Clarkson, Billy York, Rose Marie Guillaume, Bennie Deschington and Jack Heath. (T. Times 4/24/1943, pg. 5)

Elementary schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Central School (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Children cooking--Tacoma--1940-1950; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Simone Bland (far left), Kay Francis, and Rose Marie Guillaume sit down to enjoy the fruits of the labors of Mildred Vaught's first grade students. In April of 1943 the first grade students at Central School learned about the complexities of cooking. Working with equipment and materials provided by the Washington Dairy Council, the students prepared their own lunch, and learned how cooking depends on the skills of reading, arithmetic, writing and hygiene. (T.Times 4/24/1943 p.5)

Elementary schools--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Central School (Tacoma); Children cooking--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Instead of dyeing Easter eggs in April of 1943, Central School's first grade class learns to cook while the country is at war. Barbara Johnson points to the recipe on the blackboard which indicates the amount of hot water needed to make hot cocoa. Allyn Pollock and Roland Morris are attentive to her instructions and are ready to proceed with preparing the meal. (T.Times, 4/24/1943, p.5)

Elementary schools--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Central School (Tacoma); Children cooking--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The lunch room at Central School, April of 1943. The first graders are studying a unit on making good choices for nutrition and also on preparing nutritious foods. (t. Times 4/24/1943, pg. 5)

Elementary schools--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Central School (Tacoma);

Central School 1B Class. First graders learn to cook. Two unidentified boys measure carefully the ingredients to their hot cocoa. They are learning to cook in a program, partially sponsored by the Dairy Council, entitled "Winning the war by keeping well." They are studying food preparation, as well as nutrition, while practicing their math and reading. (T.Times, 4/24/1943, p. 5)

Elementary schools--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Children--Tacoma; Central School (Tacoma); Children cooking--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Midland School, general view of complex. Main building by Hill and Mock, Architects, 1926. Complex remodeled 1943. Date of June First is likely wrong, as there is snow on the ground. (T. Times)

Elementary Schools--Midland; Midland School (Midland);

Midland School, close up of main building by Hill and Mock, Architects, 1926. Complex remodeled 1943. Date of June First is likely wrong, as there is snow on the ground. Midland was once the half way point on the Puyallup to Tacoma street car line. (T. Times)

Elementary Schools--Midland; Midland School (Midland);

Midland School, view of gymnasium. Original school by Hill and Mock, Architects, 1926. Complex remodeled 1943. (T. Times)

Elementary Schools--Midland; Midland School (Midland);

Midland School, rear of main building by Hill and Mock, Architects, 1926. Complex remodeled 1943. (T. Times)

Elementary Schools--Midland; Midland School (Midland);

Manitou School Baseball Team. The Manitou team won the grade school baseball championship for the southern division. Team members, L-R, were: seated; Jim Larsen, Judd Dockeray, Ron Schermerhorn, and Ron Christensen; kneeling; Bob Wasser, Loyd Norris, Michael Howell, Bob Naylor, and LeRoy Herzog; standing; Dave Wiksten, Paul Lemley, Tryg Blix (coach), Ray McGallison (captain), Mark Gordon and John Sisul. (T.Times, 6/6/1947, p.15)

Manitou Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Blix, Tryg;

Manitou School group. A group portrait of one of the school classes at Manitou School. There are nine girls and ten boys. The girls all are wearing dresses or skirts and blouses. Members of the Manitou Improvement Club began petitioning the School Board in 1910 to locate a school in their neighborhood in the southwest area of the city. Instead, the Board moved a one-story building from Tacoma to District 38 and furnished transportation for students to attend there. (For the Record, a History of Tacoma Public Schools, 1869-1984, by Winnifred L. Olsen) Format 5" x 8"

Manitou Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Manitou School group. A group portrait of one of the school classes at Manitou School. There are thirteen girls and sixteen boys.The School Board was faced with tough questions in 1911. How to provide for a school population that was increasing at the rate of nearly 1,000 new students per year? Voters approved a special levy on May 6, 1911, for several new elementary schools and a new high school. A portable was secured for the Manitou neighborhood and in September, Sara Cochrane began teaching the first three grades in the one-room building. (For the Record, a History of Tacoma Public Schools, 1869-1984, by Winnifred L. Olsen) Format 5" x 8"

Manitou Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Manitou School group. A group portrait of one of the school classes at Manitou School. There are thirteen girls and sixteen boys. In 1912, land was purchased in the Manitou Grove Addition as a new site for the school. But, when parents asked that portables be added on the park site, they were told students could attend Edison or Oakland schools. Transportation was furnished for fourth and fifth grade students to the schools. More portables were added in 1913. (For the Record, a History of Tacoma Public Schools, 1869-1984, by Winnifred L. Olsen) Format 5" x 8"

Manitou Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Manitou School group. A group portrait of the third grade class at Manitou School in 1948. There are seven girls and fifteen boys. Economic pressures of World War I caused building of a new school in the Manitou neighborhood to be postponed. After approval of a bond issue a four-room tile structure was erected in 1919 at the new Manitou site. Additions and remodeling were done in 1924 and 1957. (For the Record, a History of Tacoma Public Schools, 1869-1984, by Winnifred L. Olsen) Format 5" x 8" TPL-9843

Manitou Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Philharmonic at Tacoma Schools. Students sit two to a seat listening to recorded music as a preview to the second young people's concert of the season that was held February 16, 1949, at Temple Theater. Pupils from 4th through 9th grades in public and parochial schools attended. Ann Deyo, a fifth grader in Miss Hilda Meisner's class at Lowell School is about to play a recording of "Die Fledermaus" overture by Johann Strauss which they would hear performed at the matinee concert sponsored by the Tacoma Philharmonic and Meadowsweet Dairies, Inc. (TNT, 2/14/1949, p.2)

Lowell Elementary School (Tacoma); School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Deyo, Ann; Classrooms--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pianos; Music education--Tacoma--1940-1950; Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Philharmonic Association (Tacoma);

Two workmen standing on scaffolding are removing plywood forms from a ceiling at Lowell School. A new building was necessary since the older school had been declared unsafe after the April 1949 earthquake. This was the second disaster survived by the school. The log cabin school at the corner of North 28th and Starr streets burned in a mysterious fire in 1875. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association, Mr. McCallum. (For the Record, Winnifred L Olsen)

Lowell Elementary School (Tacoma)--Buildings; Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Plywood; Scaffolding--Tacoma; Construction workers--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Progress photograph at Lowell School. With its roots in Old Tacoma Lowell Elementary School is the Tacoma School District's oldest school. It was originally known as the First Ward School serving families living west of Division Street. Classes opened in 1869 in a log cabin built at the corner of North 28th and Starr streets. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (For the Record, Winnifred L. Olsen)

Lowell Elementary School (Tacoma)--Buildings; Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Plywood; Scaffolding--Tacoma; Construction workers--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior picture of completed Lowell Elementary, 810 No. 13th. Established in Old Tacoma in 1869, Lowell holds the distinction of being the district's oldest school. It was originally known as the First Ward School and served families living west of Division Avenue. After several locations, it was renamed Lowell School and was located at No. 12th & Yakima. When Tacoma's earthquake hit at noon on April 13, 1949, Lowell student Marvin Klegman was killed by falling chimney bricks when leaving his classroom to take his post as a patrol boy. Two other Lowell students were hurt and the school was condemned. Students finished out the year at Grant, Bryant and Jason Lee until they moved into their new classrooms on No.13th St. in November of 1950. Construction on the school was completed in February of 1951.

Lowell Elementary School (Tacoma)--Buildings; Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960;