ca. 1934. General view of Jason Lee Intermediate School, circa 1934, with trolley wire in foreground. The Gothic Revival school designed by Roland Borhek opened in 1924. It was the first and largest of six new intermediate schools built from the proceeds of a 1923 bond issue. As more education became essential, the high schools were overcrowded. In 1920, the 6-3-3 elementary, intermediate, high school plan was designed to relieve overcrowding and a 2.4 million bond issue passed to build the 6 new schools. Originally named West Intermediate school, the name was soon changed to Jason Lee to honor an early Northwest missionary pioneer. The school is built on the site of the old College of Puget Sound campus at Sixth and No. Sprague. In 1928, the name was changed to Jason Lee Junior High, and later to middle school. ("For the record" by Winnifred L. Olsen)

Public Schools--Tacoma; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. Boy from Jason Lee Orchestra playing bassoon in front of school. The boy is probably Bruce Allen, a noted juvenile bassoonist, who would have been around 9 years old at the time of this picture. The bassoon is one of the most difficult wood instruments and is usually not attempted by such young players. By 1938, Bruce had been studying for over 2 years and played in the Tacoma Times Jr. Concert Band (formerly known as the Mickey Mouse Band.) He was placed first chair by the conductor of the Junior Orchestra at the 1938 high school music festival in St. Louis. (T. Times 1/8/1937, pg. 7; T. Times 5/20/1938)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Bassoons; Wind instruments; Allen, Bruce;

Jason Lee Junior High School 9A class in June of 1932. Group of students with sports equipment. (filed with Argentum)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma)--Group portraits--1930-1940; School children--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Jason Lee School 9A class. The ninth grade class poses in the school gymnasium under a basketball hoop with a torn net. Jason Lee opened in 1924, the first and biggest of the six intermediate schools built with proceeds from a $2.4 million bond issue passed in 1923. By the end of its first year, the school was already overcrowded with 1600 students in a school built to accomodate 1200. It was added on to in 1968 and remodeled in 1966 and 1972. The school reopened in 2002 after extensive remodeling.

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; School children--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1926. General view of Jason Lee Intermediate School, circa 1926. Jason Lee was built in 1924 from a design by architect Roland Borhek. The school was the first and largest of six new "intermediate" schools built after the 1923 bond issue. It was originally named West Intermediate, but the name was changed to honor Northwest missionary Jason Lee. (filed with Argentum)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On November 2, 1939, the 39-member Jason Lee junior orchestra posed with instructor R.E. Fussell at the junior high school located at 602 North Sprague Avenue. First row (l-r): Betty Garvik, Betty Thatcher, Paul Grimes, Bob Smythe, David Johnson, Eddie Nelson, Neal Miller, Ted Lyon, Chester Ryan, Bob Axlund, Dick Brewster, Jewell Windh, twins Fern Tschan and Fay Tschan. 2nd row (l-r): Rose Manweiler, Ronald Swanson, Harold Prescot, Gloria Burkhart, Jean Vergowe, Arthur Gerlach, Bob Austin, Larry Allen, Darrell Marshall, David Keffler, Shirley Morgan, Melford Carnes, Mr. Fussell. 3rd row (l-r): David Hurlow, Geraldine Massie, Dick Milton, Virginia Karponi, Shirley Jensen, Herbert Rudolph, Randall Anderson, Robert Nixon, Billy Ellis, Harry Frazier, Roy Edwardson, Lewis Perkin, David Turenne. Some of these budding symphonists continued their musical training at Stadium High School. (T.Times 11-3-39, p. 20-alternate photograph & article)

Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Children playing musical instruments--Tacoma; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Orchestras--Tacoma--1930-1940; Brass instruments; Wind instruments;

Boys Glee Club in 1939 Christmas program at Jason Lee School. 34 boys on stage in pants, shirts, and jackets, half on either side of an altar with cross. (filed with Argentum)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Choirs (Music); School children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Music education--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Girls Glee Club for 1939 Christmas program at Jason Lee. About 50 girls in long choir robes and director, half on each side altar with cross. (filed with Argentum)

Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Choirs (Music)--1930-1940; School children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Music education--Tacoma--1930-1940;

General exterior view of Jason Lee Intermediate School taken in January of 1940. The school designed by Roland Borhek, Architect, opened for classes in September of 1924. (T. Times) (filed with Argentum)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma;

This photograph of the Jason Lee Intermediate School (Middle School) at 602 North Sprague was taken several months after the school was officially dedicated. Designed by Roland E. Borhek, the gothic revival style school opened for classes in September of 1924. Originally named West Intermediate school, the name was soon changed to Jason Lee to honor an early Northwest missionary and pioneer of that name. The school, which recently underwent a $27 million restoration, is built on the site of the old College of Puget Sound campus at Sixth and No. Sprague. ("For the record" by Winnifred L. Olsen)

Public Schools--Tacoma; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma);

All City Orchestra on stage at Jason Lee School. The All City Junior High School Orchestra represented six junior high schools as they prepared for the upcoming All City Music Festival to occur on May 3, 1940 at Jason Lee. The orchestra would be one of the major attractions of the festival which also included the All City Elementary School Orchestra and various glee and choral groups. Names of the young musicians in the Junior High Orchestra were listed in the Tacoma Times 5-3-1940 edition. (T.Times 5-3-1940, p. 11- alt. photo)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Stringed instruments; Musicians--Tacoma--1940-1950; Orchestras--Tacoma--1940-1950; Youth orchestras--Tacoma--1940-1950; All City Orchestra (Tacoma);

Performers in the spring music festival at Jason Lee. A series of gypsy, Spanish and Mexican musical numbers were performed under the title "Say It with Music," planned and staged by music teacher Kathryn Bruner. The concert included several hundred student performers from the boys and girls glee clubs, band, orchestra, choir and general music classes. Here the performers are attired in Mexican costumes. They performed folk and dance tunes from Mexico. (T. Times 5/10/1940, pg. 20)

Public schools--Tacoma; Music festivals--Tacoma--1940-1950; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Dancers--Tacoma; Costumes;

Spring Music Festival at Jason Lee Junior High. Many students in gypsy costumes on stage with covered wagon prop. The concert opened with a gypsy scene and continued with Spanish and Mexican sections, all woven together under the title "Say It With Music." (T. Times 5/10/1940, 20)

Public schools--Tacoma; Music festivals--Tacoma--1940-1950; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Dancers--Tacoma; Costumes;

ca. 1907. Established by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1888 as Puget Sound University and reorganized in 1903 as the University of Puget Sound, the university opened its first permanent campus at 602 North Sprague Ave. that year. Noted architect George W. Bullard designed the buildings. In 1924 the university moved to its present location at 1500 North Warner and the buildings were demolished. Jason Lee Intermediate (now Middle School) was built on the site of the former campus. From 1914-1959 U.P.S. was known as the College of Puget Sound before resuming its current name.

University of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1900-1910; Universities & colleges--Tacoma--1900-1910;

Jason Lee Intermediate School, Boys' Glee Club. Overhead view in October of 1940 of 42 uniformed boys in three columns of 14. The Glee Club is made of boys currently in vocal music classes and performs under the direction of Kathryn Bruner. They would be performing at the first fall concert for the St. Cecelia Club at the Hotel Winthrop. (T. Times 11/8/1940, pg. 13 boys' names in caption)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Choirs (Music); School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Music education--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Jason Lee Intermediate School, Boys' Glee Club. Forty-two boys in uniforms gathered around a piano in October of 1940. The Glee Club is made of boys currently in vocal music classes and performs under the direction of Kathryn Bruner. They would be performing at the first fall concert for the St. Cecelia Club at the Hotel Winthrop. (T. Times 11/8/1940, pg. 13 (names in caption); 11/1/1940, pg. 11)

Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Pianos; Choirs (Music); School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Music education--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Over 200 students took part in the vaudeville show produced at Jason Lee School on April 29th, 1941. The boys in the PE department participated in tumbling acts. Boys pictured on stage, two doing handstands, two pushups, the rest forming three human pyramids. (T. Times 4/21/1941, pg. 9)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Acrobatics--Tacoma; Gymnastics--Tacoma--1940-1950; School children--Tacoma; Boys--Tacoma; Children exercising;

Cast of vaudeville show at Jason Lee School. 14 young people on stage, five girls and nine boys, in Mexican costumes. Three boys are a band, one is a solo dancer, the rest are coupled with the girls for dancing. Over 200 students would take part in the Jason Lee vaudeville show. The show was sponsored by the Student Improvement club as a benefit for the visual education department. (T. Times)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); School children--Tacoma; Boys--Tacoma;

Students at Jason Lee Junior High School, 602 No. Sprague Ave., study in their school's new science lab on April 18, 1968. Spacious work tables with built-in sinks, bright lighting, wood flooring, and lots of storage capacity were part of the science facility. A PE/industrial arts addition was planned for the near future; this was part of a $264,000 remodeling project. This photograph was used in a News Tribune ad dated May 13, 1968, asking for school bond passage. If the bond passed, similar labs would be built at Stewart, Gray and Mason Junior Highs for $90,000. Photograph ordered by the Citizens Committee for School Support. (TNT ad 5-13-68, p. 6)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1960-1970; School children--Tacoma--1960-1970; Laboratories--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Crowd of voters at Jason Lee School, Times, Sam Angeloff. A man is entering a voting booth while a crowd of other adults wait their turn to vote. 1948 pitted Harry S. Truman against Thomas E. Dewey for President and Arthur B. Langlie against Mon C. Wallgren for Washington State Governor.

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Presidential elections--Tacoma--1940-1950; Political elections--Tacoma--1940-1950; Voting--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Philharmonic at Tacoma Schools. Miss Jean Winter's students at Jason Lee Junior High School listen to music on a phonograph player in preparation to attend the second young people's concert of the season sponsored by the Tacoma Philharmonic and Meadowsweet Dairies. (TNT, 2/14/1949, p.2)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Classrooms--Tacoma--1940-1950; Music education--Tacoma--1940-1950; Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Philharmonic Association (Tacoma);

Tacoma Philharmonic at Tacoma Schools. Miss Jean Winter's students at Jason Lee Junior High School sit two to a seat for voice class. Miss Winter plays the piano at the front of the classroom while one of the students directs.

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Classrooms--Tacoma--1940-1950; Singing--Tacoma; Music education--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Philharmonic Association (Tacoma);

Boy scout rally at Jason Lee Junior High. Superior Court Judge W.A. Richmond salutes the Cub Scouts during a Boy Scout rally of the Mt. Rainier Council at the Jason Lee auditorium, where he was the principal speaker. G. Kennard and Walter Stauffacher, both scout officials, stand behind Judge Richmond. A Court of Honor was held to recognize those scouts who passed scouting ranks since the first of the year. Names are listed in the newspaper account. Photo taken for Buzz, Tacoma Times. (T.Times, 2/9/1949, p.8)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Richmond, W.A.; Kennard, G.; Stauffacher, Walter; Cub Scouts (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Boys--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Four couples are seen square dancing in Jason Lee Junior High School's gym in February of 1949. Beginning at left and working around the wheel are: Sandra Burrows and Jay Grimstead, Sara Lovell and Bob Lang, Pat Holmes and Billy Redfield, and Shirley Boyle and Fred Thomas. They were dancing to the music of Bob Hager's records. Folk dancing gained wider interest among Tacoma's schools during the late 1940's. This followed a national trend and clubs formed among adults as well as school-age individuals. (T.Times 2/20/1949 p.29; T. Times 2-6-49, p. 19-article on square dancing interest)

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Square dancing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Teenagers--1940-1950; Students--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Jason Lee 1938 Orchestra posed in front of their school with their stringed instruments. The school had recently purchased violas and cellos, adding to the depth of the orchestra's sound. The three girls seated on the far right play the new violas. They are, left to right, Aura Russell, Marion Kittredge and Wanda Sanders. (T. Times 4/29/1938, pg. 8)

Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Children playing musical instruments--Tacoma; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Stringed instruments; Orchestras--Tacoma--1930-1940; Violoncellos;

Group of Jason Lee pupils pose in front of their school with basses and cellos. Photograph ordered as publicity for the upcoming Spring music festival sponsored by the public schools music department. The annual festival would begin April 27, 1938 and conclude May 12th and feature a series of nine concerts at area schools. Musicians would range from elementary school to advanced high school performers.

Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Children playing musical instruments--Tacoma; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma); Stringed instruments; Orchestras--Tacoma--1930-1940; Violoncellos;

Jason Lee Junior High School, Opening Day. Assembly in auditorium. Nearly 30,000 students registered as city and county schools opened for fall quarter on September 7, 1938. (T. Times 9/7/1938, p. 1).

Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma);

Jason Lee drummers. Rhythmic course developed by music supervisor Louis Wersen has students using snare drum and resilient wooden plaque to learn rhythm, time and value of notes . (T. Times, 1/20/1939, p. 11, names listed).

Education - Schools - Public Schools - Junior High and Middle Schools - Tacoma - Jason Lee Intermediate School - Music Education Musical Instruments - Percussion instruments - Drums

Jason Lee Junior High School, Roland Borhek, Architect; 1925. General view. (T.Times, Spring Editon)

Public Schools--Tacoma; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma);

The orchestra at Jason Lee Middle School boasted two sets of identical twins in 1940. Anthony and Albert Mazzuca, age 15, on clarinet, and Fay and Fern Tschan on Mellophone. Both sets of twins went on to Stadium High School. Anthony and Albert continued to play in the band, and graduated in 1943. Fay and Fern took up other pursuits including the Rifle Club; they were both on the senior honor roll when they graduated in 1945. (T. Times 2/2/1940 p.11)

Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Brass instruments; Wind instruments; Children playing musical instruments--Tacoma; Twins; Mazzuca, Anthony; Mazzuca, Albert; Tschan, Fay; Tschan, Fern; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma);