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Big Ben the Builder: School Construction -- 1953-66

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Big Ben the Builder: School Construction -- 1953-66 Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 1988 Big Ben the Builder: School Construction -- 1953-66 Cynthia A. Wnek Loyola University Chicago Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Wnek, Cynthia A., "Big Ben the Builder: School Construction -- 1953-66" (1988). Dissertations. 2617. https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/2617 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Copyright © 1988 Cynthia A. Wnek BIG BEN THE BUILDER: SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION -- 1953-66 by Cynthia A. Wnek A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Loyola University of Chicago in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 1988 ~ . ·' "· •' ., •,.. ' . Photograph One: Benjamin C. Willis as General Superintendent of Schools, 1956. Source: Benjamin C. Willis -- Personal collection ii iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer extends her appreciation to the many persons who provided encouragement and advice and who unselfishly gave of their time and support of this project. A special thanks to the Loyola professors who worked with me throughout these past years to help me reach this goal. To Dr. Joan K. Smith, who has given above and beyond what was her job, and to Dr. Todd Hoover and Father Walter Krolikowski, who provided valuable assistance, acknowledg­ ment is expressed. In addition to these, appreciation is given to Dr. Florence Williams at the Chicago Board of Education Library for her support in my research. Her knowledge led me to discover information that I would not have uncovered. To my family, friends, and faculty and staff, who were always there to give me that extra push that I needed, I say, "I couldn't have done it without all of you". Special mention is given to one person who never let me give up my dream and never stopped believing that I could complete my climb to the top of the mountain. And, last but not least, I will be forever grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin C. Willis, whose guidance and friendship throughout the writing of this dissertation has made this an intellectual and a memorable venture. iv VITA Cynthia A. Wnek is the daughter of Lee Rychlec and Elizabeth ( Genosick) Rychlec. She was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She attended St. Helen Elementary School and St. Stanislaus High School in Chicago. Mrs. Wnek received the degree of Bachelor of Science from Northeastern Illinois University of Chicago. She also received the Masters Degree in Special Education at North­ eastern Illinois University. She has been working in the Chicago Public School sys­ tem for the past 28 years. She began her association with the Board of Education as a parent volunteer. She became a teacher aide and went on to become a teacher. Mrs. Wnek is presently the principal of the Schubert Elementary School in Chicago. V TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . iv VITA................................................. V LIST OF TABLES. ix LIST OF CHARTS. xi LIST OF MAPS .................. ,. xii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION . ............................. 1 Increase in Black Population........... 3 Resulting Educational Problems......... 5 Willis -- Superintendent of Chicago Schools............................ 8 Background. 9 Educational Background and Career Experience. 1 O Buffalo Superintendency................ 12 From Buffalo to Chicago................ 14 Educational Philosophy................. 15 Willis 1 s Character..................... 17 Civil, Social and Cultural Interests... 19 Recognition and Accolades.............. 20 Willis's Effect ori System.............. 22 II. POPULATION AND ENROLLMENT ................. 26 Old and Crowded Communities............ 29 Newly Developed Home Communities....... 34 Fluctuating Population Shifts.......... 35 School Enrollment...................... 46 Cone 1 us ion. 51 III. SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION: 1953-55 .............. 58 School Construction in the Hunt Years.. 60 Five-Year Plan......................... 62 Changing Conditions and Shifting Population......................... 65 vi Unfinished Projects Under Hunt......... 73 Wi 11 is Enters. 76 Willis Character Added to the Building Program and Chicago....... 78 Areas of Special Attention By Willis... 82 IV. SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION WILLIS STYLE: 1953-57 .. 89 Willis's First Contracts............... 90 1955 Begins............................ 94 Early Signs of Trouble................. 99 1956 Begins............................ 101 1957 -- The Beginning of the End....... 105 Beginning of Racial Protests........... 109 Willis's Building Program Accomplish- ments.............................. 114 v. SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION: 1958-60 .............. 121 The Program in Review.................. 121 New Tensions Arise..................... 126 Willis Continues in Spite of Pressures. 131 Controversy Over School Boundaries..... 138 New Buildings and Additions Contracted for in 1958........................ 140 The Willis Building Program Amid Tur- moil. 142 New Heights of Achievement for Willis Mix With Dissent................... 145 Willis's Image Good as Year Ends....... 148 VI. BEGINNING YEARS OF TURMOIL: 1961-62 ....... 152 Years of Praise and Blame.............. 152 A Concerted Effort Becomes Apparent.... 156 Building Program Update................ 161 Status of Building Program............. 165 First Mobile Units Placed.............. 170 The Concerted Effort Continues......... 174 Special Recognition for Willis......... 176 VII. SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PATTERNS AND RACIAL UNREST ................................ 183 The Nature of the Conflict............. 183 School Reports......................... 192 The Peak of the Conflict............... 195 The End of 1964........................ 198 vii VIII. SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM AMID OPPOSITION 204 Willis's Reelection.................... 204 Plans to Oust Willis................... 206 The Other Side of ·the Story............ 208 Federal Aid and Desegregation.......... 211 Willis's Desegregation Plan for High Schools............................ 213 The Building Program and Finance ....... · 213 Facts About Willis's School Construc- tion Program....................... 227 Willis's Last Year as Superintendent... 229 IX. WILLIS'S SUPERINTENDENCY IN RETROSPECT ..... 248 REFERENCES ................. -.......................... 258 viii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Population increases 1940-60 -- old crowded areas. 40 2. Newly developed home communities .. : ..... 42 3. Fluctuating population shifts ........... 43 4. Enrollment statistics for the 1954 school year. 41 5. Estimated enrollments in elementary and high schools from September 1954 to September 1959 inclusive ............ 47 6. Elementary and high school enrollments in numbers. 54 7. Continuing rise in the birth rate in Chicago.............................. 55 8. New schools and additions initiated by Hunt. 60 9. Various stages of school construction in 1953..................................... 74 10. Fully operating schools in June 1953 .... 77 11. Budget appropriations for 1957 .......... 108 12. New elementary school and addition con­ tracts in 1957 in order of board reports. 109 13. Building program accomplishments -- 1952- 57. 115 14. Additions opened -- 1952-57 ............. 116 15. Sites purchased -- 1952-57 .............. 117 16. New buildings and additions opened in 1958. 125 17. Sites purchased in 1958 ................. 125 ix 18. Operating expense dollar ................ 1!59 19. Reimbursements for Title III N.D.E.A .... 212 20. Buildings and additions occupied after 1-65 (elementary and secondary) ..... 215 21. Schools under construction in 1966 ...... 216 22. Schools named to receive citations ...... 217 23. Schools named to receive honor awards ... 218 24. Sources of inco.. me . ...................... 220 25. Tax rate per $100 assessment ............ 220 26. New schools and additions built in 1963 .. 224 X LIST OF CHARTS Chart 1. Kindergarten through college enroll- ment. 49 2. Elementary enrollment ............... 52 3. High School enrollment .............. 53 4. Budget pie graph for 1953 and 1963 .. 223 xi LIST OF MAPS Maps Page 1. Community Areas -- Chicago of Chicago ... 28 2. Areas Considered for Construction in 1955................................ 122 3. Special Summer School .................. 209 4. Elementary Enrollment .................. 233 5. Areas With Highest Poverty Level ....... 234 6. Elementary Growth Gains ................ 235 7. Building Program ....................... 236 8. Headstart Centers ...................... 237 9. Guidance Centers ....................... 238 10. Elementary After-School Classes ........ 239 11. High School After-School Classes ....... 240 12. Educable Mentally Handicapped Classes .. 241 • 13. Black Population Percentages ........... 242 14. Hot Lunch Programs ..................... 243 15. Geographic Distribution of Pupils By Race -- Elementary Schools ......... 244 16. Geographic Distribution of Pupils By Race -- High Schools ............... 245 xii CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION During the decade 1950-1960, more than 90 percent of the total increase in population in the continental United States occurred in the great metropolitan areas. This rapidly
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