National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet
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NFS Form 10-900 OMB No. 10024-0018 (Oct. 1990) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places RECEIVED 2280 Registration Form !20 This form is used for documenting multiple property groups relating to one or several historic contexts. >ee in itructions in How to Comple e the National Register of Historic Places registration Form (National Register Bulletin 16B). Complete each item by«iterini the requested information. For a< ditional space, use continuation sheets (NFS Form 10-900a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, 1 ....__.._. HISTORIC PLACES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE New Submission Amended Submission A. Name of Multiple Property Listing Public Schools in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee B. Associated Historic Contexts (Name each Associated Historic Context, identifying theme, geographical area, and chronological period for each>) Public Schools in Memphis, Tennessee 1918-1954 C. Form Prepared by name/title Judith Johnson/Mike Fleenor organization Division of Housing and Community Development/THC date January 1996 street & number 701 N. Main Street/2941 Lebanon Road__________ telephone 901-576-7310 city or town Memphis/Nashville state TN zip code 38107/37243- 0442 or 37214 D. Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this documentation form meets the National Register documentation standards and sets forth requirements for listing of related properties consistent with the National Register criteria. This submission meets the procedural and professional requirements set for in 36 CFR Part 60 and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation. (DSee continuation sheet for additional comments.) Signature of certifying official/Title ~^~ / 7 Date/ ' Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer, Tennessee Historical Commission____________ State or Federal agency and bureau I hereby certify that this multiple property documentation form has been approved by the National Register as a basis for evaluating related properties for listing in the National Register. Date of Action Pubiic Schools in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee_________ Tennessee Name of Multiple Property Listing State Table of Contents for Written Narrative Provide the following information on continuation sheets. Cite the letter and the title before each section of the narrative. Assign page numbers according to the instructions for continuation sheets in How to Complete the Multiple Property Documentation Form (National Register Bulletin 16B. Fill in page numbers for each section in the space below. Page Numbers E. Statement of Historic Contexts (If more than one historic context is documented, present them in sequential order.) Public Schools in Memphis, Tennessee, 1918 -1954 1 - 6 F. Associated Property Types (Provide description, significance, and registration requirements.) Public Schools, 1918 1954 7-9 G. Geographical Data 10 Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee H. Summary of Identification and Evaluation Methods 11 (Discuss the methods used in developing the multiple property listing.) I. Major Bibliographical References 12 (List major written works and primary location of additional documentation: State Historic Preservation Office, other State agency, Federal agency, local government, university, or other, specifying repository.) Primary location of additional data: E3 State Historic Preservation Office D Other State agency n Federal agency ISI Local Government D University D Other Name of repository: Memphis Division of Community Development and Housing Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listing. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 etseq.) Estimated Burden Statement: Pubiic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 120 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, P. O. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; and the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reductions Projects (1024-0018), Washington, DC 20303 NPS FORM 10-800-A OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Public Schools in Memphis, Shelby County, Section E Page 1 Tennessee-1918-1954 E. Statement of Historic Context E-l. Public School Buildings, 1918-1954 The public school buildings built between 1918 and 1954 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, are an important physical record of the growth, development, and changes in education in Memphis and reflect the changing styles of academic architecture from Academic Revival styles to Modern. Following the first World War and continuing through the 1920s, Memphis schools were experiencing a period of growth and expansion. With the crash of the stock market in 1929 and the subsequent economic downturn, school construction halted in the city until the federally funded Public Works Administration (PWA) school projects of the latter part of the 1930s. The United States entry into World War II halted further construction until after the war. The racial segregation of the "separate but equal" era is reflected in the inequality between white and African-American schools. A. History prior to 1918 From their beginnings in 1848, the free schools in Memphis encountered numerous problems that retarded their development. These problems included: municipal mismanagement of the 1850s, the Civil War in the 1860s, epidemics and municipal bankruptcy during the 1870s, a deficiency of public revenues during a period of rapid growth in both the African-American and white populations during the early 1900s, and racial segregation. The historic school buildings discussed here are a result of the determination of Memphis citizens to solve these problems and to establish and maintain a system of public education. The power to establish and regulate public education in Tennessee was historically vested by the constitution in the state legislature. Over the course of time and under successive changes in the statutes delegating powers, the management of Memphis schools passed from political control by the Mayor and the Board of Alderman to lay control by the Board of Education to professional control by employees of the Board of Education. Financing for local schools used a dual system of control. Raising revenue for the school system required a legislative act and could only be delegated to a county court of a chartered municipality. Although a school board corporation was designated to administer the public schools, the city council was the delegated authority to determine the amount of revenue the schools had to discharge. Classes were held in rented spaces until 1866 when the alderman agreed, for the first time, to purchase property and erect a building (Hilliard, 5). By 1868 the first brick school building, Peabody School (NR 9/17/82, Public Schools of Memphis 1902-1915), was constructed for white children in Memphis. Until the Civil War, only white children were educated in public schools. The social reforms that followed the Civil War forced the southern school system to educate African-American children at public expense. The State of Tennessee and the City of Memphis initiated early steps to carry out this social reform, but by means of a dual system of schools. NPS FORM 10-800-A OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Public Schools in Memphis, Shelby County, Section E Page 2 Tennessee -1918 -1954 The inception of schools for African-Americans in Memphis began with missionaries from the North during the Civil War. John Eaton, a former Union officer, began to organize these missionary schools under the Freedman's Bureau. The governor during Reconstruction, William Brownlow, appointed John Eaton as State Superintendent of Schools. Unfortunately, in a state ravaged and bankrupt by war, there was no money to carry out any new construction plans (CA, 5/23/96). In 1867, the Memphis Board of Education appointed J. H. Barnum, who had taught in one of the missionary schools, to Superintendent of Schools for African- American students. In the beginning, schools for African-Americans were only open for five months (ten months for white students) and were funded through a combination of money from the board and private philanthropists (Milliard, 41). In 1868, a new school board charter was enacted allocating some local tax funds to free schools for African- American students. At the close of the school year in 1869, twenty-three teachers were employed in African- American schools. This was also the first school year that African-American students attended class for a full ten months, identical to the white schools. By 1878, Reconstruction had come to an end. The majority of the missionary schools supported by the Freedman's Bureau were closed, causing a major decrease in school enrollment. The number