A classroom full of children at Roosevelt Elementary School watch attentively as an adult male, possibly the teacher, conducts a lesson on pedestrian safety in April of 1925. He is holding up a large illustration of two boys who have apparently hitched a ride on the back of a wagon and are in the process of leaping off, right in the path of an oncoming train or trolley. Photograph taken on behalf of the Tacoma Railway & Power Co.

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

Construction continues on the James P. Stewart Intermediate School, 5010 Pacific Avenue, in May of 1925. Scaffolding surrounds the multi-storied structure which cost over $400,000. Tacoma's school population had been increasing and six intermediate schools were planned to alleviate overcrowding. Stewart Intermediate was the second to be completed, after Jason Lee. The school, designed by architect Roland Borhek and built by John Biehn & Co., contractors, was originally called the South Central Intermediate School. By the time the school was opened in September of 1928, the name had been changed to honor Tacoma's first school teacher, James P. Stewart. The school is still being used today with a slight name change to the James P. Stewart Middle School. G47.1-082; BU-11,440 (TNT 5-16-25, p. 20)

Stewart Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930; Progress photographs;

This is the Dash Point School located at 6546 Dash Point Blvd N.E. as pictured on December 18, 1926. Residents had finally after many years succeeded in having a permanent school built in 1924 at this location. It was a two-room stucco and tile building with a large basement and playroom for its elementary school children. A five-room addition was dedicated in November of 1958. In 1973-74 the school closed due to declining enrollment. Four years later it was reopened and remained open until 1993. It was added to the State Register on December 2, 1996. G46.1-071, TPL-3760, BU-12106 (Olsen: For the Record, p. 109-alt. photograph)

Dash Point School (Dash Point); Public schools--Dash Point;

1926 exterior view of the Allen C. Mason Intermediate School. Named after a Tacoma pioneer, lawyer, real estate developer and former school principal, Mason Intermediate (later renamed Mason Junior High and Mason Middle School) opened for classes on February 1, 1926. It was also the opening day for the new Captain Robert Gray and Franklin B. Gault Intermediate Schools. Mason Intermediate was the fifth of the six intermediate schools built with funds from a 1923 bond issue. Students were drawn from several north end elementary schools including Washington, Jefferson, Lowell and Point Defiance. Portables were deemed necessary within four years of the school's opening due to the burgeoning enrollment. The school underwent additions and improvements over the years until a new Mason School was constructed in 2003 at 3901 N. 28th. G47.1-055; BU-11, 426 (Olsen: For The Record, p. 133-34)

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

1926 exterior of the Morton M. McCarver Intermediate School. McCarver was Tacoma's third intermediate school and opened its doors to 600 students in late 1925. It was named for Tacoma founder and one of the school district's first directors, General Morton Matthew McCarver. The Gothic-style building was designed by architects Hill & Mock who also designed the Allen C. Mason Intermediate School. It was renamed McCarver Junior High in 1928 and added elementary school classes in 1938 when Lincoln Elementary School closed. In 1968 McCarver became an elementary school entirely when the junior high classes were eliminated. G47.1-060; BU-11, 428 (Olsen: For The Record, p. 127-28) TPL-10454

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

Grant School. Overcrowded almost as soon as it opened, the wood framed Grant School, 1018 North Prospect, opened in 1900. It was named in honor of Ulysses S. Grant, Civil War general and President of the United States. In 1920 a brick building was erected at the same site with the intention of removing the 1900 portion. It was not until 1955, when the present Grant School was constructed, that the oldest section of the school was removed. (Olsen: For the Record, p. 79-80)

Grant School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The track team from Stewart Junior High (labeled Intermediate on the photograph) School took 2nd place in City Track for the 1929 season. The boys are posed here on June 7, 1929, at the school located at 5010 Pacific Avenue, in Tacoma's south end. Teacher S.S. Todd stands in the back row behind his pupils. G46.1-018

Stewart Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Track athletics--Tacoma; Todd, Seymour S.;

Fife School as viewed in June of 1936. TPL-7107 This building was constructed in 1930 to serve as the high school in the Fife S.D. The "new" high school was completed in 1950. This building in this photo became the junior high and served as such until Surprise Lake Middle School opened in the fall of 1971. This structure now houses the high school's administrative offices. This photo is looking towards the northwest. This would have been the back section of the early high school and junior high school. Visible is the old boiler room chimney which notably swayed in the earthquake of April 1965. This building was renovated, and this back section now contains the main entrance to the administrative offices for the high school.

Fife School (Fife); Public schools--Fife;

Front view of Annie Wright Seminary from across Tacoma Ave. No. looking north east. The private school, designed by the architectural firm of Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, opened at this location in September of 1924. TPL-7084

Private schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1920-1930;

View of back of Annie Wright Seminary taken from around No. 6th and Tacoma Ave. No. Two of the courts at the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club are in the foreground of the photograph. TPL-7085

Private schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1920-1930;

This is the Stewart Junior High School team who were the south side track champions in 1930. Teacher S.S. Todd is at the extreme right, back row. G46.1-019

Stewart Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Track athletics--Tacoma; Todd, Seymour S.;

A packed classroom of children gaze at a new radio at Central School on September 19, 1930. TPL-3232; G46.1-051

Central School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; School children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Radios;

1923 May Day Queen. Babbie Gilpin was crowned Queen of May at Annie Wright Seminary's annual Field Day held on May 12, 1923. She is pictured here along with her royal court. Ceremonies were held in the afternoon on the Seminary's lawn where Miss Gilpin passed through an aisle formed by students all wearing white. She was crowned by Miss Frances Clemmer, her maid of honor. G10.1-094 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 5-13-23, p. 4-A-article & alternate pictures of Miss Clemmer and Miss Gilpin)

Gilpin, Babbie; Clemmer, Frances; May Day--Tacoma; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1920-1930; Festivals--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1915. View of pond near entrance to Point Defiance Park as taken circa 1915. "Old" Ruston School and first tall ASARO smokestack in background This stack was replaced with a tall stack in 1917. Ruston Elementary School, 5227 No. Winnifred St., opened as Ruston School in 1902, before the area incorporated as Ruston. Large building to the far right is unidentified.

Ruston School (Ruston); Smokestacks--Tacoma; Lakes & ponds--Tacoma;

Three story school house, built 1888, demolished 1925 to make room for new brick building

Tacoma--Schools; Fern Hill;

McKinley School, 2nd grade class photo. These smiling children posed for their class picture near the end of the 1951 school year. Among them was Dorothy Mika, second row to the left, second seat back. Dorothy (later Dorothy Stewart) grew up to become a longtime staff member of the Tacoma Public Library.

McKinley School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; School children--Tacoma--1950-1960; Classrooms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Mika, Dorothy; Stewart, Dorothy;

ca. 1885. When this circa 1885 photograph was taken Annie Wright Seminary (now School) was so new that there were still tree stumps in the front yard at the photo's left. There was no staircase to the sidewalk built yet. Annie Wright opened on September 3, 1884, and was named in honor of the school's benefactor, railroad magnate Charles B. Wright. It was located near Wright Park at 611 Division Ave. The school's purpose was to educate the daughters of pioneers so that they could contribute to the "righteous upbringing of this great country." $350 a year was the school's first tuition and that included "board, furnished room, tuition in English branches and Latin, and laundry service." In 1924 the school moved to a new campus at 827 Tacoma Ave. No. which provided more space for growth. The old building, with foundation of Wilkeson stone, was razed. The only remaining building, the gymnasium, was leased to the Tacoma Drama League in 1925. (www.ag.org/about/history)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma); Private schools--Tacoma--1880-1890;

ca. 1895. Teacher, Miss Rice, and students on the steps of "old" Franklin School circa 1895. The original Franklin (Elementary) School was built in 1889 and named after the famous American inventor and statesman, Benjamin Franklin. The school started out with two teachers but rapidly growing enrollment added more faculty and necessitated the construction of a two-story addition in 1896. A new building replaced the old one in 1910 to handle overcrowding and the old building was sold for $250. Further additions were made in 1914 and 1953 but the school finally was demolished in September of 1997. A new Franklin School has been located at 1402 South Lawrence since 1998. (Olsen, For the Record, p. 59-article)

Franklin School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1890-1900; School children--Tacoma--1890-1900; Teachers--Tacoma--1890-1900;

ca. 1910. Graduating class Horace Mann School, 5234 So. J Street, circa 1910. Many of the students are wearing ribbons. Horace Mann School was built in 1901 and named in honor of the noted American educator. By 1910, the school had grown from a simple two story, four room building to adding additional classrooms. It would be demolished when increasing student population in the city's south end contributed to the erection of a new Mann Elementary at nearby South 52nd & "K" Sts. in 1953.

Horace Mann School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1910-1920; Students--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1935. School boy patrol at Central School, circa 1935. In a Tacoma school safety program initiated in 1929, responsible students were selected to assist their fellow students in safely crossing busy streets. The chest crossing belt and the hand held stop sign designated a student as a patrol member and were considered badges of honor. (Photograph courtesy of the collection of William T. Case)

School safety patrols--Tacoma--1930-1940; School children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Central School (Tacoma); Case, William L.;

ca. 1913. This is Hawthorne School shortly after opening in September of 1913. The entire population of the elementary school is lined up in front of the imposing building with Jessie Lithgow near the far right. Jessie's face has been circled and an arrow pointed toward the head. Hawthorne School was the first school in the Northwest with a German plan assembly hall. It had originated as East School in 1885 in temporary classrooms at a former store at South 24th & Pacific Ave. A new two-room building was constructed at East D & 31st streets in 1886 and classes were held with only one teacher. A six-room addition was authorized in 1889 by the school board and the school renamed Hawthorne after author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Enrollment grew with the admittance of Puyallup Indian Tribal children in 1896 and by 1904 Hawthorne was the school district's third largest school after Central and Lowell. When other schools were built in the eastern and southern parts of the city enrollment started to decline at Hawthorne in 1908. Nonetheless, a new Hawthorne School was built in 1913 at 28th & East F Sts. It held 438 students and four teachers, much smaller than Hawthorne in 1905 when enrollment reached 1,305 students. Hawthorne closed in 1963 and later the building housed early childhood education programs. For a few short years it was the Puyallup Indian Tribe's Chief Leschi School. The school was razed in June of 1981 to make way for the Tacoma Dome. (Olsen: For the Record, p. 53-54-article & various photographs)

Hawthorne School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1910-1920; School children--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1931. Second grade class, Spanaway School District 322, taken in 1931. The teacher is Miss Daisy Salmonson. Bottom row, left to right, Tweeden, Dotty B., Ruby Graber and Gladys Wilson. 2nd row: Phylis Bradshaw, Janet Anderson, Pearl Hoskins, Frank Zlock, Vivian Handy and Lorraine Ridout. 3rd row: Cecelia Niesen, ElmerTeale, Lavina Mae Nygard, Charles Martin, Thelma Williams, Junior Curry and Jeanne Lakey. 4th row: William Case, Marion Gunsons, Louis Phillips, Margaret Hermansen, Gordon Pirnie and Vivian Lawer. 5th row: Robert Reed, La Verne Manning, Edward Manning, Boby Edi, Manly Storlee, Mae Jhonson and Wilbur Schatly. (photograph and names courtesy of the William T. Case collection)

Spanaway School (Spanaway)--1930-1940; Students--Spanaway--1930-1940; Case, William L.;

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;

In April of 1924, the fifth grade students from Orting School were photographed in front of their school building. For a list of the names printed on the back of the photograph, see Series RUCSHNER Image 001B. Theresa Rucshner, front seated row 4th from left, was eleven years old in this photograph. (scanned copy only - no hard copy) Photograph donated by Shirley Frasl Sigafoos.

School children--Orting; Orting School--Group portraits; Rucshner, Theresa; Orting School (Orting); Public schools--Orting--1920-1930;

This information was written on the back of the April 11, 1924 group portrait of the fifth grade students at Orting School. The back listed the names of the majority of the children in the photo. To see the photograph itself, see Series RUCSHNER Image 001B. (scanned copy only - no hard copy) back of photograph donated by Shirley Frasl Sigafoos.

School children--Orting; Orting School (Orting); Public schools--Orting--1920-1930;

This aerial photograph of part of the northwest section of the Stadium District was taken in August of 1948. The large Tudor Gothic design building at the bottom is Annie Wright Seminary, 827 Tacoma Avenue North, which opened at this address in 1924. Immediately above Annie Wright are the courts and clubhouse of the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club, 502 Borough Road. The large area of trees to the left is the "top" end of Garfield Park. TPL-9494

Private schools--Tacoma; Neighborhoods--Tacoma; Aerial photographs; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--Buildings;

Lincoln High School's stadium, better known as Lincoln Bowl, took seven years to build. The building of the much needed athletic field began in March 1941 but the U.S. involvement in World War II limited the supplies and the workers and delayed the completion of this project. Construction was halted for more than six years. In 1947 building resumed and the bowl was completed in September 1948. TPL-8383

Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Athletic fields--Tacoma; Progress photographs; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Lincoln Bowl (Tacoma); Aerial photographs; Aerial views;

This aerial view shows part of Lincoln High School (upper left) and the Lincoln Bowl as they appeared in August of 1948. Built by filling in much of Lincoln gulch, the athletic amphitheater, located northwest of the school, took over seven years to build. WWII stopped most work on the Bowl, and after the war funds for further construction were limited. The new stadium was finally dedicated on September 24, 1948. TPL-9471

Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Athletic fields--Tacoma; Progress photographs; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Lincoln Bowl (Tacoma); Aerial photographs; Aerial views;

Stadium High School was built in 1891, it was built in the French Chateau style and originally designed by architect A. B. Hewitt, architect Frederick Heath remodeled the building and changed it into the school. Stadium Bowl was built in 1909, it has been remodeled many times because of mudslides and weather damage. Aerial view of Stadium High School and Stadium Bowl.

Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Waterfronts; Cities & towns--Tacoma; Aerial photographs; Aerial views; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

Stadium High School first opened as Tacoma High School in 1906, in 1913 the name was changed to Stadium. The building was originally intended to be a hotel, but it was never finished, after a bond was passed by Tacoma voters, money was appropriated for the completion of a new school in Tacoma. View of Stadium High School from east side of building.

Public schools--Tacoma; Cities & towns--Tacoma; Historic buildings--Tacoma; Aerial photographs; Aerial views; Stadium High School (Tacoma)--Buildings;