Mrs. Lou Miller, principal and track coach of Ruston (grade) School, raises her gun to start her three students off running. The boys were practicing for the April, 1928 county grade school meet at Spanaway. Richard Andeson, farthest left, was entering his first meet. Donald Nevers (also spelled Neuens in the News Tribune article) and John Slavich were high point winners of their respective classes last year. Boys were divided into three classes according to weight, height and age. Ruston School planned to enter various dashes, baseball throws and relay races. The school fielded boy and girl track athletes; girls would also enter the Spanaway meet. Mrs. Miller had been coaching for several years with her charges performing admirably in their athletic endeavors. (TNT 4-18-28, p. 14)

ca. 1945. Thrift is a community south of Orting in rural Pierce County. Charles & Minnie Thrift began farming in the area about 1893. The Thrift School District later consolidated with the Kapowsin district. It is now part of the Bethel School District, which was created in 1949. This class photo was taken by photographer Chapin Bowen about 1945.

In 1922, small children lined up by wooden school desks to participate in a flag salute at an unidentified Eatonville grade school. This may have been a first or second grade class. School had only been in session since the beginning part of September so these small pupils could still have been learning school routines. G46.1-053

School children--Eatonville; Elementary schools--Eatonville; Public schools--Eatonville; Flags--United States; Flag salutes--Eatonville; Saluting--Eatonville;

Seven small children stand in front of the massive Roosevelt Elementary School, 3550 E. Roosevelt Ave., on January 12, 1928. This was the second building on this site as the original structure, built in 1904, was sold and removed upon the construction of a new brick building in 1921. Roosevelt Elementary was named in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt. The second Roosevelt Elementary would be subsequently remodeled and added onto in later years. BU-11341

Roosevelt Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930;

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

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

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;

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;

The exterior of A.V. Fawcett Elementary School that opened in 1950. The eight-room school was named for Angelo Vance Fawcett. He was elected Mayor of Tacoma five times and served longer than any other mayor. He was also a state senator and a Pierce County Commissioner. Ordered by Washington Stove Works, Everett, Washington. (For the Record, Winnifred L. Olsen)

Fawcett Elementary School (Tacoma)--Buildings; Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Washington Stove Works (Everett);

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;

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;

Construction of DeLong School. DeLong was planned and named in 1949 after Arctic explorer George Washington DeLong. The school opened in February of 1954 and students from the overcrowded Franklin and Jefferson schools moved into the new glass and brick school. The school accommodated about 60 children from Jefferson and 100 from Franklin. Parents protested that some of these students would have to walk over one mile through brush, bushes, a swamp and a completely undeveloped area without the benefit and safety of sidewalks.The school opened despite the lack of promised streets and sidewalks in the undeveloped area. The school was enlarged in 1959. Photo ordered by St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. ("For the Record," by Winnifred Olsen, TNT 8/27/1953, pg. B-2 & TNT 8/28/1953, pg. 1)

DeLong Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Progress photographs--1950-1960;

Progress photographs of DeLong School, for DFPA. DeLong, unlike the other new schools built at this time, featured a unique sloping roof of aluminum coated mineral build up with an aluminum continuous skylight that provided natural light to the school. Additional lighting was fluorescent. Warter Constructions served as general contractor. The school was at the center of controversy, since some students would be transferred from their closest school Jefferson to DeLong. The walk to DeLong would be over one mile through rough undeveloped terrain where students would walk in the streets because there were no sidewalks on So. 12th. (TNT 8-9-1953, pg. C-12. TNT 8/27/1953, pg. B-2 & TNT 8/28/1953, pg. 1)

DeLong Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Progress photographs--1950-1960;

Idlewild Elementary School was located in Lakewood at 10806 Idlewild Rd. S.W. , a part of the Clover Park School District. James E. Rediske was listed as principal in the 1958 Tacoma Suburban Directory. The school's buildings were clustered together; they all seemed to be of modern style and one-story in nature. The largest building with a steep roof shown in this March 4, 1958, photograph appeared to be the auditorium. Idlewild followed the new trend in wood framing and glue-lam beams for school construction. 70,000 feet of fir plywood was used for roof decking. Donald Burr was the architect for the project; Strom Construction was the contractor. Photograph ordered by Penman Neil, Inc. (TNT 2-9-58, A-19)

Idlewild Elementary School (Lakewood); Public schools--Lakewood;

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;

Back of Photo:
Students who live in Puyallup's South Hill area are riding their school bus to the South Hill school called Woodland Elementary.
Bruce Kellman/Photo

Stanley Grade School under construction in September of 1925 at South 17th and Grant Avenue. At the end of November of 1925, 300 students from southend schools, Lincoln, Longfellow and Irving, moved into the spacious new school built to accomodate 480. The school, designed by architect G.W. Bullard, had twelve classrooms and was built for approximately $90,000. It was two stories with a basement and built solidly of brick. The school was named after George A. Stanley, Central School principal for 27 years and one of the Northwest's leading educators. In June of 1983, the main part of the school was declared unsafe in case of an earthquake and the school was officially closed. (WSHS- negative A855-0) (TNT 9/3/1925, pg. 17; TNT 11/27/1925, pg. 13)

Stanley Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;

School is almost out for these eighth graders at Bryant School in June of 1924. The elementary school, located at 708 South Ainsworth Avenue, was named after poet and journalist William Cullen Bryant. It would close in 1961. G46.1-063

Bryant Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; School children--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This is Miss Anna B. Quigley's 6A class standing in front of the entrance to Lowell School, 1210 North Yakima Avenue, in June of 1924. Two girls in the front row hold a scroll indicating that the class was a "Savings Banner Room." The scroll was given by the Education Thrift Service headquartered in New York. Each Tuesday was banking day at Tacoma Public Schools and each week Miss Quigley's class had the greatest percentage of depositors at Lowell. Her class were perennial winners. TPL-2331; G46.1-105 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 6-15-24, 4-A)

Lowell Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; School children--Tacoma--1920-1930; Teachers--Tacoma--1920-1930; Quigley, Anna B.;