Vacant 23 Classroom School Building in Indiana

Henry P. Coburn Public School No. 66, Indianapolis Indiana

Date added: January 06, 2024

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Indiana
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Indianapolis rapidly expanded northward after 1900, encouraged by the extended streetcar lines. In his annual report of October 25^th, 1910, Superintendent of Schools Calvin Kendall recommended that the School Board "investigate purchasing a lot north and east of P.S. #60. The new P.S. #43 [completed that year] will provide for the western part of the territory north of 34^th, but I believe it will be necessary to erect another building somewhere in the vicinity of Central Avenue to provide for the eastern part of the same rapidly growing district.."

In November 1912, land was purchased on which to build a new school that would serve to relieve the brimming School 60 about a mile to the southwest. In February 1914, Rubush and Hunter were chosen as architects for a ten-room building with an assembly hall to be built on 38^th Street. W. P. Jungclaus, a prominent Indianapolis builder, was awarded the contract that summer. School 66 was opened for the new school year in September, 1915. It did not yet have its assembly hall, but five rooms in the basement were used for that purpose, later to be used for shop and home economics. Enrollment increased rapidly, and as early as 1919 a survey of building improvement needs included four classrooms and an auditorium for School 66.

But the School Board had enough trouble attempting to keep up with far more urgent needs elsewhere, and so portable classrooms were erected on the School 66 grounds, not to be replaced until 1929, when a new eight-room addition with an auditorium was completed.

In February 1928, Harrison and Turnock, architects of the 1927 Crispus Attucks High School, were selected, and in September the contract was awarded to Service Construction Company. The addition harmonizes with the original.

In the 1930s, adult education classes in art were organized with noted Indianapolis artist, William F. Kaeser, as instructor, under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The north side group met at School 66 and continued to do so long after the Depression was over, evolving into today's Indianapolis Art League, now located in Broad Ripple.

School 66 was named in 1916 for Henry P. Coburn, the chairman of the first Board of School Trustees (predecessor of the Board of School Commissioners) appointed in 1853. His efforts were largely responsible for the creation of laws that provided the first free schools in the city. A lawyer by profession, Coburn was, noted for his commitment to public works, with no thought of compensation.

Building Description

Henry P. Coburn School #66 is a brown brick two-story structure with a raised basement. The original building, stretching along 38^th Street between Broadway and Park Avenue, is rectangular, with an irregular but symmetrical addition on the rear (north). Other than the limestone coping, the structure is trimmed with buff terra cotta: cornice, belt course below the cornice, water table, base, sills, pilaster capitals, and decorative relief tiles. A copper gutter remains in place. The windows are the original wood frame double-hung sash type, with nine-over-nine lights, terra cotta sills and brick heads.

The symmetrical main south facade on 38^th Street contains nine major bays; 31 windows fenestrated 5/2*5/1*5/1*5/2*5. The asterisked bays have smaller windows, above each of which is a rectangular tile decorated with equestrian figures. Between each indicated window grouping are two brick pilasters capped with terra cotta. Above the pilasters is a terra cotta frieze which supports a frieze of patterned brick with festooned terra cotta panels above each set of pilasters.

Centered in the facade is a hooded compound round arch with a scroll bracket beneath each label stop, all in terra cotta. Within the arch, the coffered ceiling is composed of terra cotta rosettes. On either side, in the spandrels of the arch, are round medallions. Flanking the entrance are single windows topped with two of the equestrian-figure tiles. Above the entrance, carved in limestone, is "No./Henry P. Coburn School/66."

The east elevation of the original building is pierced only by three narrow windows over an entrance, and six basement windows. To the north is a connecting portion with one entrance bay (two windows above), then a six-bay 1929 addition, which continues the terra cotta ornament and the pilaster strips. The west elevation is identical.

The north elevation, or rear of the building, is symmetrical. The center section is recessed and has five windows. A three-and-one-half-story rectangular smokestack rises from the roof east of the center. Flanking the recessed center section are two sections with five windows each, trimmed similarly to the primary facades. These two sections are flanked by wings that project even further. These wings are blank, however, except for terra cotta belt coursing and entablature trim.

On the first and second floors, there are a total of 23 classrooms and a gymnasium. At the main entrance is a compound arch constructed of oak. The floors of the corridors are terrazzo and the walls are wainscoted with glazed brick and oak molding. Each classroom has an oak doorway. The upper 1/3 of the doors consists of four glass panes. The classrooms have hardwood floors with oak baseboard molding.