ca. 1901. Tacoma Business College at the corner of South 9th and Tacoma Avenue South circa 1901. The business college occupied the top floor(s) of the Lucerne Block which was later renamed the Midtown Bldg and the Hess Bldg. The school instructed its students in shorthand, bookkeeping, typewriting, commercial law and other business subjects. It had previously been located in the 1200 block of Tacoma Ave. So. before moving to the Lucerne Block. The Bennett New & Second Hand Furniture store (at 901 Tacoma Ave. So.) occupied part of the first floor. It was owned by Thomas Bennett and sold new and second hand furniture, stoves and carpets. Frank P. Fentress's Bicycles & Bicycle Sundries firm (at 903 Tacoma Ave. So.) was adjacent to Thomas Bennett's establishment. Both businesses had sale items on display under the building's large front awnings. (Arthur French Collection)
Tacoma Business College (Tacoma); Bennett New & Second Hand Furniture (Tacoma); Frank P. Fentress Bicycles (Tacoma);
ca. 1904. Students and teacher on the front steps of a school, probably Franklin School, 3210 So. 12th St., circa 1904. Class sizes in 1904 at Franklin averaged 48 children with one teacher. Franklin School (first named Pierce's Addition School and then renamed shortly after opening in honor of Benjamin Franklin) had the distinction of being older than Washington statehood. It opened in October of 1889 and Washington became the 42nd state in November of the same year. The original Franklin School would stand until 1910 when overcrowding forced the construction of a new school . The old school with gables and bell tower was sold for $250 and hauled away for scrap lumber. A new Franklin arose nearby at 3202 So. 12th St. where it would remain until its demolition in 1997. The third Franklin School was then built in 1998 at 1402 So. Lawrence St. (Olsen: For the Record, p. 59-article; TNT 4-10-97, SL3-article, various photos)
Public schools--Tacoma--1900-1910; School children--Tacoma--1900-1910; Teachers--Tacoma--1900-1910;
ca. 1901. Sepia photograph of a Lincoln Elementary School class in 1901. Standing on the steps of Lincoln Elementary are numerous students; in the third row, second from the left is reportedly Jeston Reed Foss. Originally named West School, construction began on the new school at 1610 South K Street (now MLK Way) in 1887. It was renamed in honor of President Abraham Lincoln in 1889. The school began as a two-room school with two grades; by 1890, it had four grades and five teachers. The school was closed and demolished in 1938. Most of the students and staff were transferred to McCarver Junior High where they joined students from Longfellow to form a new elementary school. Others were assigned to either Central or Stanley schools. (Olsen: For the Record, p. 57) (note: the same photograph is identified in Olsen's book as Hawthorne School)
Lincoln Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1900-1910; School children--Tacoma;
