Abandoned school in Illinois
Belvidere High School, Belvidere Illinois
Public education began in Belvidere, Illinois, in 1842. The earliest classes were held in private homes or churches. In 1852, D.B. Pettit established a school in the First Baptist Church with 86 students. The first public school constructed in Belvidere was a stone building located on the site of the current Lincoln School. This building, which was enlarged in 1857 with a brick addition, was torn down in 1895. A brick structure was built on the same site at a cost of $20,000. This school was known as the Main Street School and North Belvidere High School. Later, in 1912, it was renamed the Lincoln School and became an elementary school; it still serves in this capacity today. The Lincoln School has been modified over the years. In 1931 the building received new windows, floors, entrances, and a playroom addition. Additional changes were made in 1954 when four classrooms and multi-purpose rooms were added.
As the population of Belvidere increased, the need for adequate public schools did too. Before the turn-of-the-century, it was decided to establish two school districts in Belvidere, one north and another south of the Kishwaukee River. These school districts were governed by their own board of education and superintendents. To help alleviate overcrowded conditions the 1893 Garfield School was constructed just south of Washington High School to house grade and high school students. This two-story brick building was constructed for $40,000 and originally contained thirteen rooms. After the consolidation of Belvidere's two school districts in 1912, it was known as the Washington School. Three years after the Garfield School was built, the Logan School was constructed. This school was named after John Alexander Logan, a Union Army combat general during the Civil War. Community growth continued to place a strain on the schools. In 1900 the Perry School was built.
After 1900, greater care was given to the design, siting, function and safety of school buildings across the nation. Several factors appear to have contributed to changes in school architecture. Concern over schoolhouse conditions gave way to legislation that regulated design and construction of school buildings. The first state legislation that dictated school building construction was established in New York state in 1902. Other state's patterned similar legislation after New York's. Safety became a primary concern due to the number of school fires that destroyed buildings and claimed many lives. One of the most serious fires appears to have been in Collinwood, Ohio. This fire, in 1908, killed 178 children. Fire prevention lead to fire-proof construction with many schools constructed of fire-resistant materials such as brick, concrete and tile.
In 1912 the two separate school districts were joined and became District 57. By 1914, Belvidere's population had grown and the Washington High School was suffering from overcrowding, creating an unhealthy atmosphere. It was decided to construct a new high school on the site of the old Washington High School. In 1916 the new Belvidere High School was completed. This two-story, fire-proof constructed school was designed by Grant C. Miller, a Chicago architect with the firm Miller, Fullenwider and Dowling.
By 1938, there were approximately 500 students attending the Belvidere High School. Crowded conditions prompted the construction of a new school-community building, known as the Belvidere High School Auditorium and Gymnasium. This building, which was completed in 1939, was constructed to the east of the 1893 school. It was designed by Architect Raymond A. Orput and constructed by Hokanson & Bloom, both of Rockford, Illinois. Designed in the Art Deco style, this monolithic concrete building was built for approximately $145,000. Funding for the building was achieved through a $65,000 bond issue and two Public Works Administration (PWA) grants totaling $62,554. A somewhat unique feature of the building was the use of florescent lighting throughout. This type of lighting, which was featured at the New York World's Fair of 1939, was thought to provide a softer light yet still provide greater illumination than an incandescent bulb. At the building's grand opening on October 12, 1939, United States Senator Noah Mason was the keynote speaker.
In 1949 the Community Unit School District 100 was established. This district, which encompassed 160 square miles, included the City of Belvidere, Garden Prairie and Caledonia.
A new Washington School was built in 1956 to house junior high students. This school was designed by Bradley and Bradley, Architects and constructed for a cost of $992,082.95. The construction of the new Washington School signaled the end of a six-year improvement program where the Lincoln, Logan and Perry schools were remodeled. During this period many rural schools were closed and students were being bused to various schools in Belvidere. Community growth continued, and in 1966 a new Belvidere High School was constructed on East Avenue in Belvidere. This prompted the old Belvidere High School on the northeast corner of Pearl and First Streets to be used as a junior high school.
By the mid-1980s, District 100 maintained a special education facility, one senior high school, one junior high school and six grade schools. In 1989 a new Belvidere Junior High School was constructed. This one story building, which is located on Sixth Street at East Avenue, was designed by Legat Architects of Waukegan, Illinois. It was constructed for a total cost of $7,460,000.
The four historic buildings located within the present Belvidere High School complex represent architectural trends in America, and particularly the Midwest. The Prairie School style, an indigenous American architectural form that developed from the Prairie School architectural movement, began around 1900 and was a popular style until the First World War. This style, which reached its apex in 1914, developed in suburban Chicago and became popular throughout the Midwest. Rejecting historical styles, the Prairie style exemplified the "spirit of the prairies of the great Middle West." As noted by Harold Brooks, Prairie-style buildings typically had a "horizontal unity". Low-hipped and sometimes gable roofs, horizontal ribbon windows or banding created a "continuity of line, edge and surface - (this) lent horizontal unity to the design, and against these horizontals a spirited interplay was established with short vertical accents, such as piers, mullions, and subsidiary masses." This style was propagated by various Chicago and Midwest-based architects as Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Burley Griffin, Dwight H. Perkins, George Grant Elmslie and William Gray Purcell. One of the great strengths of the style was its adaptability to various building types and was widely used in residential, commercial and civic structures.
The 1916 Belvidere High School is an excellent local example of a Prairie School-style building with Classical Revival features. Designed by Grant C. Miller, of Miller, Fullenwiden and Dowling, the school is the most prominent Prairie School/Classical Revival style public building in Belvidere. The building references the Classical Revival style in its use of pavilions and symmetrical facade accented with pilasters. The ornamentation of the building clearly reflects the Prairie School style with its geometric, stylized capitals, ornamental terra cotta blocks and brickwork. Its low-pitched, tile roof and rough-faced brick exterior are also common to the Prairie School style.
Approximately ten different architects were interviewed for the design of the new Belvidere High School, also known as the 1916 Belvidere High School. Two architects noted by the Belvidere Daily Republican on June 10, 1915, were Perkins & Hamilton of Chicago and the firm of Miller, Fullenwider and Dowling, also of Chicago. Grant C. Miller of Miller, Fullenwider and Dowling, was ultimately awarded for the contract. The December 27, 1917, Belvidere Daily Republican noted that the cost for the high school building was $135,508, of which $6,617 was the architect's fee.
The design of the 1916 high school was similar in several ways to Belvidere's Ida Public Library, a Prairie School-style Carnegie library that was designed by Mr. Miller when he was with the firm Patton and Miller (ca. 1903-1912). Common to Carnegie libraries, a red tile roof was used on the Ida Public Library and this design element was carried onto the Belvidere High School. Other similarities include the Prairie style's simplicity of horizontal line and projection, decorative brickwork and terra cotta medallions on the facades. The Board of Directors for the Ida Public Library was extremely pleased with the services of Grant Miller and expressed their appreciation in a resolution of thanks on November 3, 1913, " ...hereby express its appreciation of the services of Grant Miller as architect. Mr. Miller's unfailing courtesy and special knowledge of library buildings made it a pleasure to deal with him." One can be led to believe that the impression that Mr. Miller left on the town for the design of the library, assisted the school board in awarding Miller's firm with the contract.
Another Prairie School-style building in Belvidere is the W.H. Pettit Mortuary Chapel. The chapel, constructed in 1906, is a one-story concrete building with a T-plan. This building was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Although a modest building, it exemplifies the Prairie School style through its low-pitched hip roof, horizontal emphasis, massive concrete piers flanking the stairway, and its broad, flat brick chimney.
Given the time of the school's construction, it was not uncommon to see a combination of Classical and Prairie features. Many architects associated with the Prairie School never fully employed its stylistic elements in a pure form. As noted by Harold Brooks in his book The Prairie School:
The use of the Classical Revival style, and particularly for prominent public buildings, was commonplace from the late 19th century into the early 20th century. The popularity of this style was spurred by the Columbian Exposition of 1893 which, with its "White City" of Roman-style buildings, signaled a return to classically-influenced architecture. The Columbian Exposition, as well as other fairs across the United States, prompted the City Beautiful Movement that promoted Classical Revival architecture and focused on well-ordered, planned cities. Prominent architects and city planners that designed classically inspired buildings or created City Beautiful inspired plans during this period included Charles McKim ( of the firm McKim, Mead and White), Richard Hunt, George B, Post, Peabody and Stearns, and Daniel Burnham.
The Belvidere High School Auditorium and Gym is an excellent example of Art Deco architecture and is the best example of this architectural style in Belvidere. The Art Deco style, like the Prairie style, abandoned the historic-based revival styles of the early twentieth century. This style, whose name originated from the 1925 Parisian Exposition Intermationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, typically exploited "stylized classical forms." The style utilized applied, geometric surface ornamentation and at times combined Art Moderne elements. While it was commonly was employed in skyscrapers and commercial buildings, the style had mass appeal, and influenced civic and residential architecture (mainly apartment buildings), furniture, jewelry and clothing design in the 1920s and '30s. It reach its height of popularity during the Depression and was frequently used for Public Works Administration (PWA) or Works Progress Administration (WPA) federal relief projects Conceived as a truly modern architectural style of the machine age, its forms were often streamline evoking the design of ships, airplanes and automobiles. Typical Art Deco features include smooth building surfaces such as stucco, concrete or stone, stepped or setback facades, towers or projecting vertical elements, incised or low relief geometric designs and figures and ornamental elements in terra cotta, glass or colored mirrors.
The 1939 auditorium and gymnasium conveys the Art Deco style through its monolithic, vertical massing and stylized surface ornamentation, particularly around the entrance doors and stair towers are common to the style. Also the use of poured concrete and a smooth stucco finish are typical of Art Deco buildings, as are the interior features in the foyer.
The Garfield School also reflects the Art Deco style. When it was remodeled in 1936, new industrial sash ribbon windows were installed, giving the building a more streamline, modern appearance. The west entrance was modified with pilasters with stylized, geometric capitals. The building was painted white which gave it a smooth appearance, similar to the 1939 auditorium/gym.
Grant C. Miller is credited with designing over thirty-nine school buildings, forty-seven colleges and eighty-eight libraries including the Ida Public Library (1913), a Carnegie Library, in Belvidere. Miller was associated with several Chicago-based architectural firms during his career. The firm Patton & Miller designed many schools, libraries and campuses. Many of the designs from this firm appear to have been classically inspired. For example the Carnegie Public Library in Goshen, Indiana, and the Danville Public Library in Danville, Illinois that were designed ca. 1904 were both designed in the Beaux Arts style. While with Patton & Miller, Miller is known to have designed the Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church (1914) in Chicago. In addition to various classical-based style buildings, this firm was recognized for its Craftsman style churches." One of their school commissions, the Rochester High School, in Rochester, Minnesota (ca. 1915) is very similar to the Belvidere 1915 school. The Rochester school was designed in the Prarie School style and reflected contemporary views on heating, lighting and ventilation for a more healthful learning environment. Later Miller was a partner in the firm Miller, Holmes and Flinn, the firm which succeeded his firm with Norman S. Patton. Miller, Holmes and Finn designed the Oak Park Club which combined elements of the Renaissance Revival and Prairie Styles and had Palladian detailing.
Raymond Orput was a partner in the firm Orput and Orput of Rockford, Illinois. This firm was known for designing many municipal buildings, and particularly schools. Raymond Orput is credited with designing the Belvidere Park Bathhouse. This WPA building, which is still standing, was designed in the Art Deco style.
Building Description
The Belvidere High School is located on the western half of the block at the northeast corner of Pearl and First Streets in Belvidere, Illinois. The complex consists of four historic buildings that have been connected by three post-1950 additions, thus creating a complex of attached buildings. The four historic buildings include: the 1893 Garfield School; a circa 1900 powerhouse with its original smokestack; the centerpiece of the complex, the 1916 Belvidere High School; and the 1939 Belvidere High School Auditorium and Gymnasium.
An alley separates the complex from commercial buildings to the northeast which face North State Street, Belvidere's main commercial street. The buildings facing the complex across both Pearl and First Streets are primarily residential.
The 1893 section is the oldest portion of the complex. This section, which was first known as the Garfield School, was later called the Washington High School and/or Washington High School annex. It was originally associated with an earlier Italianate-style building, known as the Washington High School or Pearl Street School. The Washington High School, which was constructed in the early 1850s and significantly remodeled in 1878, stood where the Belvidere High School was started in 1915 and completed in 1916. Bricks from the old Washington High School were used in the inner walls of the 1916 school.' Constructed to supplement the earlier building, the Garfield School was designed in an unadorned classical style so that it did not detract from the more elaborate Italianate building. There is no record of an architect or builder in local historical records, or newspapers for the 1893 school.
The 1893 section is a two-and-one-half-story building with a painted brick exterior. This section has a coursed, rock-face stone foundation. It originally had a hipped roof clad in slate shingles. The structure sits on a full raised basement which has been used as educational space. The building has had three major building campaigns. The original 1893 building consisted of the southern half of the main hip roof section. This building originally terminated just north of the current entrance on the west facade. The main entrance for the building was originally located on the south facade facing First Street.
Between 1912 and 1915 an addition was made to what was the rear (north) facade of the building. The exact date of construction is not known for this addition, however historic views of the building show that it was in place when the Belvidere High School was completed in 1916. This addition, which was architecturally similar to the building, nearly double the size of the original building. A truncated, slate-clad hip roof was built to unite the addition with the original building. It appears that when this addition was complete the main entrance of the building was moved from the south facade to the west facade. This may have been done so that the 1893 and 1916 buildings both fronted Pearl Street. Additional modifications were made to the building in 1919 when a fire-proof stairways were constructed, new floors were installed in some rooms and the basement rooms were removed. In 1936 a two-story, flat roof concrete block addition was added to the eastern, now rear facade of the building. This addition was faced with brick to make it compatible with the building.
The 1893 Garfield School is a classically influenced building with a low-pitched hip roof with wide overhanging eaves, and arched entries. The front (west) facade of the building has three bays and a nearly symmetrical appearance. The center bay has the building's main entrance. This arched entrance was originally recessed and had a brick surround. Historic photos show a companion arched entry adjacent to the original in the portion of the building constructed in the 1912-1915 period. There is no evidence of that entryway remaining. The current entrance has wide concrete steps and an applied surround with pilasters that have stylized capitals. Directly above the entrance are two original window openings. Although boarded, these windows still retain their original rock-face stone sills and double-hung windows, with leaded diamond panes. The bays flanking the entrance have large ribbon window openings at the first and second floors. These bays originally had one-over-one, double-hung windows with rock-faced stone sills. The current window openings, with their continuous brick sills, give the building a more streamline, horizontal emphasis. These large window openings were introduced in 1936 at the time the eastern addition was built. These windows contain five large industrial-style, multi-pane metal sashes with an operable center transom sash.
The south facade of this section has had similar modifications. The southern entrance is also arched with an arched transom and is much simpler than the western entrance. Two round terra cotta plaques above the southern entrance reads '18' and '93'. Original historic photos show dormer windows projecting on the south and west elevations. These dormer windows were removed around the time of the second addition in 1912-15. Like the west facade, the south facade originally had single, double-hung wood windows. Original window openings, although bricked-in, are still present on this facade. Some windows were replaced with ribbon windows with industrial metal sashes like those present on the west facade. A single double-hung window opening remains above the entrance. All windows are presently boarded over or bricked-in.
The larger window openings (ribbon window) as well as the modifications made to the entrances and painting of the annex building appear to have been done in 1936 to modernize the building and make it more contemporaneous with the Art Deco auditorium. A WPA grant was obtained for these improvements as well as the new auditorium. The architect for the changes to the 1893 school section was Raymond Orput who also designed the 1939 auditorium/gymnasium. It would have been logical that some alterations would have been done to the 1893 building to make its appearance more compatible with the auditorium.
On the interior, the building retains its central hall. Rather than a typical corridor, the interior uses an enlarged area, or hall, from which all perimeter classrooms open onto. The two metal Stairs to the south and west, maintain their relationship of level integration and exterior access. Classrooms off the corridor retain some original features such as baseboard and door trim, blackboards and coat closets. At the eastern end of the hallway there is a fountain with an Art Deco surround and pilasters that match those on the south entrance. A red brick, one-story passageway was added at the north elevation of the building connecting it to the 1916 Belvidere High School sometime during the 1950-60s.
The 1900 power plant building is sited to the northeast of the 1893 building. The power plant is connected to the 1916 Belvidere High School building via an addition constructed off the school's east facade. This addition was constructed in the 1950-60s. The power plant is a one story brick structure with a raised basement. This building has a pyramidal-hipped roof topped by a square cupola. To the south of the building sits the smoke stack. The stack or chimney is constructed of a dark brown brick with a one-story octagonal brick base.
In 1915, discussions were prompted by the school board to consolidate the two existing high schools in Belvidere. As in many towns, there was vigorous community discussion about the need for a new high school. In 1915, Belvidere had two high schools, one on the north and south side of town. With population growth during this period, both schools became too small to handle the number of students. The old Washington High School was viewed as overcrowded, its assembly room which normally could house 133 students was accommodating 300 students. Many were concerned that the school lacked proper sanitary and safety features. The people of Belvidere felt that a school located near the mass population of the city, the downtown area, would be the most logical option. The site at Pearl and First Street was chosen because of its proximity to downtown, it was already owned by the city, and the existence of an adequate heating plant, the 1900 powerhouse. This required the demolition of the Italianate style Washington High School. While construction of the new Belvidere High School began in mid-October 1915, it was not completed until 1916.
The 1916 Belvidere High School is the largest and central building in the school complex. This building, combines elements of the Prairie School and Classical Revival styles. Its massing, use of pavilions and symmetry reference Classical Revival style architecture. However, its integrated horizontal simplicity and geometric ornamentation clearly reflect the Prairie School style. It is a two-story building with a raised basement constructed of a rough brown brick on a cast concrete foundation that sits partially above grade. The original red tile roof, which is decorated by a brown terra cotta cornice, features coved trim and a brick dentil strip. The tile roof is a distinguishing feature of the building and follows the same design as the Carnegie-Ida Public Library in Belvidere.
The building's front facade has a symmetrical arrangement with projecting, gabled roof pavilions at the north and south ends of the building. Large pilasters, with stylized capitals that serve visually as gable returns, articulate the pavilions. The pilasters are accented with decorative terra cotta capitals and bases and contain decorative brickwork. Between the two pilasters are engaged columns that flank the window configurations and are also accented by terra cotta capitals and bases. Throughout the west exterior elevation of the building are numerous square terra cotta plaques placed to accent the decorative brickwork panels.
The main entry is centered in the west elevation. This entrance is flanked with brick pilasters that are topped with a stylized pattern made of brick and terra cotta blocks. This pattern serves to ornament and terminate the pilasters like capitals. A brown terra cotta cornice with dentils, similar to the roof cornice, sits over this entrance. Above the entrance, between the second and third story windows, is an inset terra cotta sign "AD - HIGH SCHOOL-1915". Between 'AD' and 'High School', and 'High School' and '1915', are decorative terra cotta blocks distinguishing the importance of the entry. The entrance steps originally had Prairie School-style globe light fixtures on squared concrete pedestals. These light fixtures have been removed, however, the entrance is still flanked by rectangular, stepped piers. The original wood doors were replaced in the 1950-60s with aluminum doors, as were most of the original double-hung, wood sash three-over-two windows. These windows were replaced with smaller one-over-one windows surmounted by a fixed panel. Some original windows still remain in the north end of the building. All windows are currently boarded.
A brick cafeteria addition in the 1960s was added east of the original gym. This one and two-story structure also abuts the power plant and connects to the 1939 auditorium.
The interior of the building, in comparison to the exterior, is relatively unornamented and has been able to retain its historic integrity. The gymnasium/auditorium/assembly space, is a two-story space located in the basement at the east end of the building. Interior photos taken immediately after construction show utilitarian space with few distinctive details. Some rooms, such as the library, appear to have had Prairie-style light fixtures. The only decorative features remaining in the interior are the stairway railing posts which have raised, geometric Prairie School style detailing. Generally, the decorative efforts of the building were devoted to the exterior.
The interior of the 1916 building has a modified 'C' plan with a double loaded corridors. Classrooms rimmed the perimeter of the 'C' with the gym and auditorium filling in the center. The corridors are 8' to 10' wide, depending on location with 10' ceiling heights. The main entrance, symmetrical on the facade, remains symmetrical on entry to the building. One enters at a landing and moves either down or up to a floor level. The main entry stair is simple in detail but grand in prominence. Once on the second level, the stair parts in both directions running parallel with corridors accessing the upper level. Originally this entire area was open balusters and posts, but have since been walled off. This appears to have been done to provide fire-rated enclosures. The gymnasium has continued to be used as an exercise area, but the auditorium located above has been converted into two large classrooms.
In 1939 a two-story, Art Deco-style auditorium was constructed east of the 1893 school building. Measuring 104 feet wide and 144 feet long, this poured concrete auditorium faced with stucco was partially funded through the federal relief Works Progress Administration (WPA). It was designed by Rockford, Illinois, architect Raymond Orput. The auditorium is a monolithic flat roof building features a symmetrical, three-bay front (south) facade. The center bay is set back and has a prominent recessed elliptical arch opening surmounting three smaller elliptical framed entrances. Above the entrances are sections of glass block. The center section of glass originally had an art glass panel which has been replaced with a contemporary one. This bay terminates with a stepped parapet with incised squares. Flanking the center bay are massive stair towers. The stair towers have vertically oriented recessed niches and squares with incised geometric figures. The tops of the piers have a stylized cornice. This building is connected to the rest of the complex via a one-story brick addition located at the building's northwest corner.
Portions of the interior of the auditorium/gymnasium have been renovated. The foyer, which retains much of its historic fabric, was noted in the Belvidere Daily Republican at the time of its construction as follows:
The only significant change to the foyer were the addition of ladie's and men's restrooms. North of the foyer is the auditorium/gymnasium. This space was designed to be flexible enough to accommodate theater performances, sporting events and other community activities. A stage is located to the north of the gym and seating area. Beneath the auditorium/gymnasium space, in the basement, is a large recreation and dining room capable of seating 500 people and locker rooms.
In the late 1950s the school board again decided a reorganization of the district was needed. Rural community school districts were consolidated into the central Belvidere School District which prompted the expansion of the Belvidere High School. This resulted in the construction of the three separate additions. These non-descript brick additions are: a passageway between the 1916 school and the 1893 building, a small one-story classroom building connected by a narrow passage off the north facade of the 1916 school; and a large one-story cafeteria to the rear of the building.
The 1950s additions to the high school connected the existing buildings to form an integrated high school complex. The 1893 Garfield School, which had been serving as a junior high school, became a working part of the high school system housing additional classrooms. The 1900 power plant was converted into a music room.
1893 school building west facade looking east (1996)
1893 school building south and east facades looking northwest (1996)
1916 high school on left and 1893 building on right, looking northeast (1996)
1950 addition connecting 1915 school on left to 1893 building on right looking east (1996)
1900 power plant and smokestack looking north (1996)
1916 high school looking southeast (1996)
1916 high school on left and 1893 building on right, looking southeast (1996)
1916 high school (1996)
1916 high school entrance (1996)
