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;

This is the original Annie Wright Seminary designed by architects Boone & Meeker as it appeared circa 1886. The private school for girls opened two years before in September of 1884, thanks to its benefactor, Charles B. Wright. The building's foundation came from Wilkeson stone and brick. Its sharp gables and turrets added to the impressive ediface. A gymnasium was added in 1899 and was the sole remaining building left when the school was razed in 1924. Due to growing enrollment, a new campus arose at 827 Tacoma Ave. N. the same year.

ca. 1890. This copy of an old lantern slide shows the original Annie Wright Seminary at 611 Division Avenue as it appeared around 1890. The large building, with its tall vertical proportions, steeply pitched roofs, towers and decorative shingles, appears to be in the Queen Anne style of architecture. The school, named in honor of the daughter of its benefactor, Charles Barstow Wright, opened on September 3, 1884, with a student body of 93 girls from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and one from Alaska. In 1924, a new school was built on a ten-acre campus a few miles west on Tacoma Avenue, and this building was dismantled. The site where it stood is home to Stadium Thriftway and the Chevrolet dealership recently purchased by Bruce Titus. ( Date of original glass plate may have been about 1890; copy made on October 3, 1958.)

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

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. 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. 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. 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. 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;

These Native American girls were taking a sewing class at the Cushman Indian School on the Puyallup Reservation in June of 1918. The goal of Native American education from 1880-1920 was to assimilate the children into the dominant European culture, removing them from traditional Indian ways. One method was to remove them from their families and enroll them in government run boarding schools. By 1910, the Puyallup Indian School had become the Cushman Indian School, a large industrial boarding school, hosting over 350 students from the Northwest and Alaska. The school's focus was training the students for a place as a laborer in an industrialized America. During WWI the Red Cross entered into a partnership with schools to produce needed goods for the war torn countries. The girls in this photograph are probably sewing for the Red Cross. The boarding school closed in 1920. G39.1-163; TPL-2822

Cushman Indian School (Tacoma); Boarding schools--Puyallup Reservation; Sewing--1910-1920; Sewing machines--1910-1920;

ca. 1919. Park Lodge School's "Primary Grade" in 1919; copy of Cooke photograph made in April of 1923. Park Lodge School was located in Lakewood at 10020 Gravelly Lake Dr. S.W. These youngsters may have been in the kindergarten or first grade. TPL-4410

Park Lodge School (Lakewood); Public schools--Lakewood--1920-1930; School children--Lakewood--1920-1930;

Senior play at Annie Wright Seminary. Wearing makeup and garbed in costume, these twelve Annie Wright seniors are posed on June 22, 1919, on the school grounds in preparation for their senior class play. Since Annie Wright had an all-female population in 1919, all roles were played by girls including the male parts. The private school was located at that time in modified Queen Anne buildings at 611 Division Avenue. G64.1-054

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1910-1920; Private schools--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1910-1920; Actresses; Theatrical productions--Tacoma;

Despite appearances, all the actors in this June 22, 1919, photograph are girls. Annie Wright seniors were practicing their senior class play on the school grounds at 611 Division Avenue. Since Annie Wright at that time was an all-female academy, all roles in theatrical productions were played by girls, including the male parts. Costumes and mannerisms indicate that this may have been a play occurring during Elizabethan times. G64.1-055

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1910-1920; Private schools--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1910-1920; Actresses; Theatrical productions--Tacoma;

A group of children and adults line up for an Epworth Bible School Parade. They are lining up next to a building at 2802 Sixth Ave. Photo taken at So. Anderson and 6th Ave. looking south. TPL-7071

Epworth Bible School (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Epworth Bible School parade on 6th Ave. Photograph was taken in front of the building at 2501-2509 6th Ave., between Prospect & Fife. Building at 2407-11 6th Ave. can be seen in the background. TPL-7072

Epworth Bible School (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1920-1930; A. Grumbling & Co. (Tacoma);

Epworth Bible School parade on 6th Ave. Photograph taken looking east on 6th Ave. toward building at 2511-2519 6th Ave. Photo also shows houses at 605, 607 and 611 No. Fife. Can also see the 6th Ave. streetcar. TPL-7073

Epworth Bible School (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Children from Grant (Elementary) School were dressed in a variety of costumes depicting other nations in late April of 1922. Some of the clothing was undoubtedly retrieved from the children's own homes, perhaps relics from older generations. It is believed that the children, numbering 40, had sung and danced in a musical play, "A Meeting of Nations," before the Grant P.T.A. on April 28, 1922. The Grant P.T.A. had its biggest meeting of the year to support the 30-10 initiative which sought to equalize school funding. Grant School is located at 1018 North Prospect and was named for former President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 4-30-22, D-7-article)

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

It appears that the entire student body and teaching staff of this public school in Eatonville has assembled outdoors to patriotically salute the flag on this September day in 1922. The three-story wood framed school had a recessed porch and cupola. It was set on a deep wide fenced lot with plenty of room for small children to play. This was the third school building built by the Eatonville School District on Mashell Ave. in Eatonville. It first served as a grade school and a high school before a separate high school was built in 1916. The grade school building was replaced in 1926. The low fence was to keep the cows out. TPL-5798; G7.1-036 (print has deteriorated) (Additional information provided by a reader)

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

View of Eatonville's Public School from across the street on September 22, 1922. See B6626 for another view of school. Judging from the small children amassed in the schoolyard, this was an elementary or grade school in the small Pierce County town southeast of Tacoma. All the students plus the teaching staff are saluting the American flag. G7.1-035 (print has deteriorated) TPL-10106

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

Grade school class in Eatonville in 1922. These children appear to be portraying Native Americans with their feathered headdresses, bows and arrows, and with a tepee in the rear of the classroom. There is even a large goose standing on a wooden chair. G46.1-058

Public schools--Eatonville; School children--Eatonville;

These McKinley School students dressed as Native Americans posed at the school, 3702 McKinley Avenue, in early November of 1922. All the children wore headdresses and fringed outfits made of burlap. The 25 pupils participated in the school's annual carnival that closed on November 10th and featured on that date a dramatization of Longfellow's "Hiawatha." McKinley Elementary School was built in 1908 and named in honor of President William McKinley. In 2008 the school celebrated its 100th year anniversary. TPL-8015; G2.1-113; G20.1-017 (TDL 11-11-22, p. 2-article on school carnival; TNT 11-10-22, p. 14- photograph & names of children listed)

School children--Tacoma--1920-1930; McKinley School (Tacoma);

Most of the children seated in this first grade classroom at Rogers (Elementary) School stare solemnly at the photographer on January 19, 1923. Their teacher stands in the back of the room. Blackboards for reading, writing and arithmetic stretch along at least two sides of the room. Rogers School was built in 1907 and was the first concrete school building in Tacoma. It was named in honor of Gov. John R. Rogers. Rogers School was closed in 2002. G46.1-052

Rogers School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma; School children--Tacoma--1920-1930; Teachers--Tacoma--1920-1930; Classrooms--Tacoma--1920-1930;

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;

St. Edward's Hall, Marymount. Later more commonly known as Marymount Military Academy, the boarding school for boys under 14 was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1923, with the Right Reverend Bishop O'Dea of Seattle officiating. St. Edward's Hall was the two-story fireproof central building built in the Lombardine mission style. Classrooms, living room, library, dining hall, kitchen, and reception area were all located on the spacious first floor. The second floor contained sleeping quarters and bathrooms for the boys. There was a chapel in one wing. A well-equipped gym was located 200 feet west of the main building complete with swimming pool. The school even had its own infirmary about 150 feet south of the main unit. Set in a grove of treees in what is now Spanaway, the school was run by Dominican nuns who also set high academic standards. It was the only military school for boys in the State of Washington. Marymount would close in 1976, a victim of lessening enrollment. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 5-13-23, E-5-article with alternate photographs) TPL-1507; BU11, 450

Marymount Military Academy (Spanaway); Private schools--Spanaway; Military education--Spanaway;

ca. 1924. Group of young people being served by uniformed woman. (WSHS- negative A631-0)

Students--Tacoma--1920-1930; Servants--Tacoma--1920-1930; Women domestics;

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;

Pupils at Washington School posed for a group portrait on May 18, 1924, in front of the school doors. These boys and girls appear to be among the oldest in the elementary school. G46.1-151

School children--Tacoma--1920-1930; Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington School (Tacoma);

More than forty little faces would greet the teacher of this Sherman (Elementary) School class in 1924. The children are seated quietly in furniture common to the times - desks connected to the wooden seats in front of them. Several hats hang on pegs fastened to the classroom door.

Sherman School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; School children--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Picture Day at Sherman (Elementary) School in Tacoma's North End meant that the school children dressed in neat and tidy clothing - including ties for some of the boys -to have their classroom photograph taken on May 21, 1924. This class had about 40 pupils which was probably not uncommon during this time.

Sherman School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; School children--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Many of these youngsters look stoically at the camera during classroom picture day at Sherman Elementary in May of 1924. Sherman School, named after Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman, was located in the city's North End. To ease overcrowding, a new Sherman Elementary would be built in 1954 and the old school demolished. G46.1-145

Sherman School (Tacoma)--Group portraits--1920-1930; Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; School children--Tacoma--1920-1930;