History of Wichita Public School Buildings, C 1997
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Excerpts from “! History of Wichita Public Schools uildings” School Histories “! History of Wichita Public School uildings” – compiled in 1978 by Nina Davis, updated in 1996 by Sara Lomax. Copyright 1997 USD259. If you wish to review the full printed publication, contact the district’s Marketing and ommunications Office at (316) 973-4515. Basic updates were provided for each active school site following completion of 2000 Bond Issue improvements. Brief Table of Contents Elementary Schools – page 1 Middle Schools – page 56 K-8 Schools – page 67 High Schools – page 69 Special Programs and Schools – page 77 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Adams The original white frame county school house in the area, Cook Hill School, was located at what is now the northeast corner of Ninth and Oliver. The school had only one teacher and approximately 10 students. In 1924, the county replaced the white frame building with a four-room, red brick school house at the northwest corner of Ninth and Oliver. In 1927, the white frame county school was acquired from the county through condemnation and annexation to the city of Wichita. The school was renamed Samuel Adams Elementary School. Joy Steele, later Mrs. J.A. Hendrickson, was the first principal. Because in 1927 the Cook Hill Rural District had built a replacement just across Oliver Street to the east for the one annexed to Wichita, it became necessary to find a new name for the Wichita school. After considering many names, Samuel Adams was selected by the Board of Education in December 1929. Samuel Adams was an early day statesman from the state of Massachusetts. The present building at 1002 North Oliver was opened on December 5, 1948 with 500 children in Wichita's first postwar building. The structure incorporated most of the latest improvements in school design and planning. Its 15 rooms, including 13 regular classrooms, one kindergarten, a library and an activity room, were a far cry from the one-teacher school of 1926. By 1949, the enrollment necessitated Adams students to attend in shifts and the old, white frame building (affectionately known as the "Little White House") was used as a classroom and a workroom until Carter Elementary was completed. Once again, in 1951, the students attended in shifts until the completion of Murdock Elementary school. During that time, portables were moved on the grounds. In 1958, Adams was one of four Wichita elementary schools to receive a grant from the Ford Foundation to participate in an educational TV project. The Foundation paid for the building of a multipurpose room because it was needed to show closed circuit TV to large groups of 60-80 students. The program lasted three years and, as a result, Adams had a room for PTA meetings, assemblies, programs and P.E. Page 1 of 85 Excerpts from “! History of Wichita Public Schools uildings” The pupil population in the district dropped steadily over the years; however, with the implementation of the integration plan the enrollment was stabilized at approximately 300 pupils, with about 33 percent of these being minority. In 1981, all windows were replaced with thermal pane steel windows. In 1984, the office was remodeled. At the beginning of the 1988-89 year, sixth grade students were incorporated into the middle school program and boundary lines adjusted, leaving a K-5 enrollment of approximately 225 students, with about 20 percent of those being minority. In April 2000, the voters of the Wichita School District approved a $284.5 million bond issue. The projects began in the fall of 2000 and were completed over the next five years. The plan built 19 multipurpose rooms, upgraded science labs, replaced portable classrooms with permanent construction, improved handicap accessibility to all buildings, rebuilt five existing elementary schools, added a new elementary and middle school, expanded seven other elementary schools and provided nine new libraries as well as the expansion of nine others. Building infrastructure in 82 buildings was also upgraded, including the replacement of antiquated plumbing, updates and expansion of electrical systems, replacement of inefficient or broken windows and doors, upgrades of heating and cooling systems, and asbestos abatement when required. Adams received upgraded infrastructure, a new addition which included eight classrooms, renovations including student support classrooms, a library and restrooms on the 2nd floor. The total estimated cost was $2,064,000. On November 27, 2000, the Board authorized the district to enter into an agreement with the architectural firm of Jeff Krehbiel & Associates for $177,400 for phase 1B of the bond issue project. On September 10, 2001, the Board of Education authorized the district to enter into a contract for the amount of $2,749,500 with E.W. Johnson, Inc. to complete the construction project. The Adams' bond project was completed and the dedication ceremony was held May 20, 2003. Allen Allen Elementary School was built during the school year of 1951-52. The school opened in September 1952 with an enrollment of 579. By the close of school in May there were 664 students, and nine classrooms were on double shifts. Allen was named after Henry J. Allen, a former governor and United States Senator. He served during his outstanding career as a newspaper editor, member of state and federal boards, in international relief work, and the affairs of the Republican Party. He was always a stalwart fighter for good government in the nation, state and city. During the spring of 1953, ten portable units were constructed to provide needed classrooms; however, in September 1953, the enrollment increased to 952. The ten-unit classrooms were inadequate, and seven classes were placed on double shifts. Before Christmas the entire school, except the kindergarten, was on double shift. School closed that year with an enrollment of 1,038. Allen at that time was the largest school in the city. Booth School, 5920 East Mt. Vernon, was completed, and 177 children were transferred to the new location in January of 1954. In the meantime, four more portable units were constructed. This made sufficient classroom space for the second semester. Two more portable classrooms were moved in during the years 1956, 1957 and 1958. Griffith School, 1802 South Bluff, was completed, and 197 children were transferred to the new school on October 15, 1958. As the enrollment decreased, portables were moved from the area until seven remained in 1960. Three more portables were subsequently added to take care of the increased classrooms for the hearing impaired. As of 1995, there were 14 portables on the Allen campus. Page 2 of 85 Excerpts from “! History of Wichita Public Schools uildings” Hearing impaired special education students were housed at Allen from 1959 through 1990. In 1990, the hearing impaired program was moved to Caldwell Elementary School. At the beginning of the 1988-89 year, sixth grade students were incorporated into the middle school program, leaving a K-5 enrollment of around 300. On April 12, 1999, the Board of Education approved a construction contract with American Mechanical, Inc. in the amount of $77,861 to complete the boiler replacement including replacing water pipes in the boiler room. In April 2000, the voters of the Wichita School District approved a $284.5 million bond issue. The projects began in the fall of 2000 and were completed over the next five years. The plan built 19 multipurpose rooms, upgraded science labs, replaced portable classrooms with permanent construction, improved handicap accessibility to all buildings, rebuilt five existing elementary schools, added a new elementary and middle school, expanded seven other elementary schools and provided nine new libraries as well as the expansion of nine others. Building infrastructure in 82 buildings was also upgraded, including the replacement of antiquated plumbing, updates and expansion of electrical systems, replacement of inefficient or broken windows and doors, upgrades of heating and cooling systems, and asbestos abatement when required. The Architectural firm of PBA Architects, P.A. developed a three-section elementary prototype to be used for Linwood, Enterprise and Allen Elementaries. Eby Construction Co. was awarded the contract to build the new Allen and Enterprise Elementary Schools. The old Allen building was replaced with a new school on the same site for an estimated amount of $4,700,000. The new building was completed in the Fall of 2003. Family and friends of Allen Elementary were invited to a bond celebration and dedication of the new building held on August 28, 2003. Anderson Due to declining population of school age children in the neighborhoods of Greiffenstein, Wilson and Wells elementary schools in southeast Wichita - an area known as South City - the Board of Education decided to construct a new building that would include the old Wilson structure, and move the three school populations together to create a new neighborhood school for the South City area. Grace Wilson Elementary School was completed in August, 1954, and was ready for use at the opening of school on September 1 of that year. The architects were Ramey and Himes, and the general contractor was C.A. Doolittle, Jr. The school was named for Grace V. Wilson, who served the Wichita Schools as supervisor of music from 1928 until her death in 1952. She was nationally recognized as an educator and she co-authored a series of music books for public schools called The American Singer, published by the American Book Company. Construction was begun in 1984 on a large, modern looking building on the site of Wilson School, incorporating the old building into the new structure. During the construction, students from all three schools were housed at Greiffenstein. The new building was named after James E. Anderson, a prominent Wichita black educator who had served several years as an administrator for the district.