Former School Building in Eaton OH

Eaton High School, Eaton Ohio

Date added: October 20, 2024

East (Main) elevation 1926 Section (2014)

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Public education has a long history in the state of Ohio. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 set aside 1/36 of each township for the support of public education. Public education was reaffirmed in the Ohio State Constitution. Early schools were usually one room school houses with single educators teaching children of various ages and abilities, usually built within walking distance of those attending. These were still predominant in the state until the First World War. However, the education was not always free, as the rental income from the associated land was often insufficient to support schools. True public education did not begin until 1825 when legislation establishing a property tax to support public schools and requiring townships to form school districts was passed. In 1838 another law provided for a uniform system of schools and free education. In 1849 legislation was passed authorizing villages to organize graded schools and eight months of school per year. A graded system of instruction was introduced in the mid 19^th century. This was usually in urban areas where population was adequate to maintain separate classes to different levels of instruction. As time passed, the need for secondary education was recognized. Concurrently, laws were enacted that allowed the consolidation of schools into central schools which students could be transported to. Education in Eaton reflected this progression from one room classrooms to the creation of different levels of instruction.

Early 19^th century schools were built by local carpenters in the regional vernacular style, which varied from log cabins to wood frame structures. As the 19^th Century progressed, school design shifted to professional architects. In the pre-Civil War era, academies and colleges tended to reflect Greek architecture, as did some one room school houses. In the post-Civil war era, this shifted to Italianate and by the late 1800's to Richardsonian Romanesque. While many styles were used, Beaux Arts classism was most common in Ohio, as well as Gothic Revival. Schools districts tended to use respected local talent, sometimes using the same architect or firm over a period of years. Among the most prominent in their areas of the state in the late 1800's and early 1900's were Frank Barnum in Cleveland, Samuel Hannaford and Fredrick Garber of Cincinnati, Albert Pretzinger in Dayton, and Alfred Huhn in Toledo. Eaton High School reflected the latest progressive educational design and the architectural style of the era through the involvement of both a nationally renowned architect and an established local architect.

Education in Eaton dates to its founding in 1806, when the founder, William Bruce, allocated land for education when platting the town. Eaton is the county seat of Preble County in the southwestern part of Ohio and is about 25 miles west of Dayton. The plat dedicated to education was at the northeast corner of Main and Barron Streets in the center of town. The original lot was parceled into four lots, with three lots sold to fund the construction of a frame school house to be built on the fourth lot. The school was built sometime before 1812.

The earliest organized school in Eaton dates to 1807, when John Hollingsworth first held classes in a log house on Wadsworth Street, two blocks south of the public school. Students were charged between $1.50 and $3.50 per month depending on the number of classes taken. Pioneer teachers of that era are noted as having kept school open eight hours a day. These early schools typically met only in the winter for three to four months. It is reported that classes continued to be offered there until 1849, the year that legislation led to organization of school boards and grammar schools. At the time the population of Eaton was 1,346.

In 1849, a site was purchased at the southeast corner of Barron and High Streets to build a new school house. This site would eventually house the North Building, constructed in 1884, and the Eaton High School constructed in 1926. In 1859, four acres were purchased at the southwest corner of Israel and Franklin Road and the early school that existed at Main and Barron Street was sold to finance the building of a new building at this site. In 1864 a two-story brick building was constructed and was known as the South Building. The building had eight rooms. The school had six departments with three teachers assigned to each. The highest department became the high school, which was organized in 1871 with 10^th, 11^th and 12^th grades in two rooms. In 1880, the increase in the number of students led to the decision to build a large central building at the Barron and High Street site purchased in 1849.

The new school, known as the North School was completed in 1884 at a cost of $55,000. The three-story brick building had had sixteen large rooms, including a library, and featured four furnaces. Students were provided paper, pencils, and books. It served as the high school and remained so until 1918 at which time the high school was moved to the South School, where it remained until 1927. The North Building continued to be used as a grade school. By 1920, the population of Eaton was 3,210 and enrollment was increasing. In 1922 the school board purchased a residence on the west side of North Cherry Street, behind the North Building, to use as additional classroom space. In May of 1924 the board purchased the remaining open land on the block housing the North School bounded by Barron, High and Cherry Streets, giving them the majority of the parcels.

In 1926 the board voted to build a new high school on these grounds, on the opposite side of the block from the North School, on land previously occupied by houses. The architects selected were William B. Ittner of Saint Louis and Harvey H. Hiestand of Eaton. The builder was Longnecker Construction of Greenville, Ohio. Financed by a 1925 bond issuance, the groundbreaking was in 1926. The cornerstone was laid on November 19^th, 1926 at a ceremony attended by approximately 500 people. In conjunction with this, the tradition of Homecoming in Eaton was started as a celebration for graduates and former students that included a football game. Taking a little over a year to complete, the formal dedication was held in the Auditorium on December 8^th, 1927. Upon completion, the school cost $325,000 and could accommodate up to 1,200 students.

In addition to general classrooms, the school included specialized spaces, including a gymnasium, library, science lab, art room, music room, shop, home economics, a cafeteria, restrooms on each floor, and an auditorium seating over 500. A kindergarten was housed on the first floor along Cherry Street and featured a non-operable fireplace. This was an improvement over the old facility which had several classes and the cafeteria in the basement, and school plays were presented offsite at the Armory. The school was designed in such a way that additions could be made in the future, and the new facility was connected to the old North School via basement tunnel and covered walkway. Elementary students could use the cafeteria in the new facility. In 1927, there were 46 students, and in 1936, there were 60. Notable school events in coming years included a state class B basketball championship in 1948.

The construction of the new high school reflected a national trend in school design and progressive education. Progressive education sought to provide individual students with not only academic opportunities, but also with opportunity to engage in the arts, and develop vocational skills. Progressive educators emphasized emotional, artistic, and creative aspects of a student's development. Further, education was seen as the foundation of democracy, nurturing the growth of the individual and the community. The architecture of this era features the "open plan" whereby the plan was an E, H, or U rather than a four sided box. Natural light was ample in both the classrooms and the corridors and multipurpose spaces. Schools were set back from the street with enough room for landscaping and playgrounds. Schools of this era utilized central heat and ventilation, and modern plumbing on each floor to increase occupant comfort. Schools incorporated specialized spaces such as science rooms and multi-use rooms like auditoriums and gymnasiums. Many schools featured decorative tile work and art in the corridors and architecturally detailed facades.

By the 1950's education was changing. It was a time of cultural conservatism and cold war anxiety. As school districts grew, school administrators sought to meet the needs of different classes and calibers of students through curriculum that became increasingly divided along academic and vocational tracks. This curricular innovation, often used in the high schools, is based on the theory of equal opportunity for all students based on ability. It reflected a larger, more significant shift in the basic objectives of American education. Emphasis was once on intellectual and moral training. The new emphasis was on the preparation of students for their future as workers in the labor force or as homemakers. Renovations and alterations to the school reflected these trends.

In 1951, the old North School which was serving as an elementary school was torn down. A new addition to the high school was constructed. It features a large centrally located gymnasium reflecting the growing popularity of sports, and spectator sports in particular, as a more central part of the school culture and source of community pride, rather than just physical education and exercise as a means of self-improvement as in previous generations. The original gymnasium and cafeteria in the 1926 building were renovated into a band room and home economics classrooms in 1951. An industrial arts wing was also constructed at this time on the south side of the addition with areas for multiple types of vocational training. Additional classrooms occupied the north side of the addition. The cost for all this work was $476,937. In 1957 the enrollment for grades 7-12 was 571.

In 1961 another addition was made on the northwest corner. Known as the "junior high wing," it was necessitated by continued enrollment increases and the need for additional classroom space. Construction of the wing cost $177,698. In 1964 the Eaton City School District and Dixon-Israel School District merged increasing the number of students attending the high School.

By 1970 the population of Eaton was 6,020. A 1973 renovation and addition in the southwest corner expanded the graphic arts and industrial arts areas, with some interior and exterior alterations to the existing industrial arts wing. This was the final addition/major renovation of the building. An elevator and a ramp at the front entry were added in the original building in the 1980's to improve accessibility and access.

In 2001 land was purchased for a new school on St. Rt. 732. The population had reached 8,133 with 11,000 in the entire district, and it had been decided a new school was needed, which was part of a larger trend of new school construction in Ohio. During this period there was a wave of new school construction in Ohio spurred by state funding and the Ohio School Facility Commission requirements for educational spaces and its assessment reports for existing facilities. In 2002, construction began on a new high school, which opened in 2005. The Middle School then occupied the older building from 2006-2012. The old Eaton High School building, then known as "Eaton Middle School," has since been vacant.

W.B. Ittner (1864-1936) played a pivotal role in school design as a prolific architect, integrating improvements in aesthetics, hygiene, safety, and specialized spaces. Many design concepts in current school design can be traced to innovations in design that he pioneered. As the commissioner of school buildings, the first to be appointed by the St. Louis Board of Education, and as consulting architect in St. Louis, he designed 50 schools in the city between 1898 and 1915. He was shaped by his experience attending typical St. Louis schools of the era, which were described as "prison-like" with dark, dank interiors. Typically, they had three stories and 12 classrooms, four on each floor surrounding a dark central corridor. Bathrooms were in the basement, if they existed.

Itnner's innovation was utilizing what became known as the "open plan" or "Ittner plan" in which he stretched out what were typically vertical boxes into H-, U- and E-shaped structures. Through this plan configuration, he provided plenty of natural light by lining up the classrooms along one side of a windowed corridor. To address comfort, his designs drew the damp smells outside with ventilation devices and provided fresh air. His plans brought the bathrooms up out of the basement and on to each floor, utilizing modern plumbing. His construction details also utilized fireproofing. Ittner schools were the first to have multi-use rooms, such as the high school auditorium used for athletic events, concerts, school assemblies or plays. Many of his schools featured tile work and art in the corridors. Ittner placed his schools back from the street on spacious lots with enough room to plant trees, shrubs and flowers and to build playgrounds in the back. Eaton High School exhibits all these characteristics. Ittner designed in a variety of architectural styles, including Gothic and Classical Revival.

St. Louis Schools became nationally known models. "The whole world turns to St. Louis for models of public school buildings," reported Britain's The Mirror in 1912. "Mr. Ittner has achieved a national reputation, while even in Europe he is not unknown." Of all the St. Louis schools Ittner designed, Soldan High School drew the widest national attention, due to its size and detailing. The three-story Gothic Tudor-style school held 1,600 students. The building had 18 science rooms and laboratories. There were shops for woodworking, machining, and domestic science. The building also had four art rooms with skylights for studio work and three mechanical drafting rooms. The auditorium had a seating capacity of 1,750, while the music room could accommodate more than 300 students. The school was built with two gymnasiums. The school originally had two separate cafeterias for male and female students. In 1910, Ittner resigned as commissioner to start his own firm, William B. Ittner Inc. He continued to design schools for the school district as a consultant architect until 1915. By the time of his death in 1936, he had designed 500 school buildings in 28 states. In Ohio his works also include Central High School in Columbus, and McClain High School in Greenfield.

The local architect on the project was H.H. Hiestand (1882-1944) He is associated with the design of several prominent projects in the region while employed by the Dayton and Cincinnati based F.M. Andrews Co., including the Sinton Hotel, Cincinnati; the Federal Building, Columbus; and the Kentucky State Capitol, Frankfort. He moved to Eaton, and was a member of the Dayton Chapter of the American Institute of Architects 1921-1944. During this period, he designed the Preble County Courthouse in Eaton; the Church of the Holy Rosary, Columbus; and the Miami University Hospital, Oxford. He was also a professor at Miami University during his later years.

Building Description

Eaton High School, located at 307 North Cherry Street, Eaton, Ohio, is a two-story masonry building with a partially-raised basement. The building encompasses the majority of the city block bounded by N. Barron Street to the west, High Street to the north, N. Cherry Street to the east, and an alley to the south. Completed in 1927, the Classical Revival-style building features brick facades with large windows and stone detailing, including cornice band below the parapet, extensive quoins, and roof balustrades on the north elevation. Interior features include terrazzo floors/stairs, a brick wainscot, original woodwork and decorative tile, which remains largely intact. The school is generally representative of "H" shaped floor plans designed by William B. Ittner. Classrooms are located in the original 1927 portion, and in later additions to the rear. It features a large auditorium in the original portion, with minimal alterations, and gymnasium addition dating to 1951 in the rear. The original "H" plan had a connecting wing at the rear with a first floor cafeteria and second floor classrooms, creating an interior courtyard which remains. Modern additions to the rear do not obstruct the primary elevation. The exterior is largely intact, with the exception of aluminum replacement doors and aluminum windows in the classrooms. The interior floor plan is largely intact, including the corridors and stairs, classroom layouts, and auditorium. The interior also retains much of its original detailing with brick wainscot, terrazzo stairs, decorative tile at the water fountains, and wood doors with transoms above. Classrooms retain their chalkboards, original wood casework, and millwork.

Eaton High School is located at 307 North Cherry Street, Eaton, Ohio and is a two-story masonry building with a partially raised basement. The building encompasses the majority of the city block bounded by N. Barron Street to the west, High Street to the north, and N. Cherry Street to the east. The southern boundary of the property is bounded by an alley. The site is roughly 312 feet on the east and west boundaries and 400 feet on the north and south boundaries. The southwestern portion of the block beyond the alley is not owned by the school board, and it is in-filled with various commercial and residential buildings. The south east portion of the block beyond the alley was purchased by the school board in the latter half of the 20^th Century and contains two small one story wood frame structures, the school board office and a storage shed, and a parking lot, and is not part of the school complex.

Preble County is located in the southwestern part of Ohio. Its western edge borders Indiana. In 2010, there were 42,432 people in Preble County. Approximately seventy-three percent of Preble County's 425 square miles are covered in farms. Only 1.4 percent of the county is considered urban. The county seat is Eaton, and it is the only city in the county. In 2010, Eaton had a population of 8,407.

Located just north of the center of Eaton, the school is on one of the major thoroughfares through the town, Barron Street, although the building fronts Cherry Street, facing east into the neighborhood on the opposite side of the block. This orientation is due to the former presence of another school facility which fronted N. Barron Street. The former school structure was built in the 1870's and was still in use at the time of the construction of the 1926 portion of the present facility. The facilities operated concurrently for several decades, and were connected via a breezeway for occupants of the old school to access to shared spaces in the new facility, such as the cafeteria. The old school on North Barron Street was demolished in the 1950's to allow for the expansion of the present facility.

The area around the school is a mature residential neighborhood. To the north, east and south, most of the residences are small, and vary between one and two stories tall. It appears that the majority of these dwellings date to the period between the late 1800's to the middle of the 1900's. Typical construction type is wood frame with siding, although there are a small number of brick dwellings. The neighborhood to the west, particularly along Barron Street, has larger buildings. These residential and commercial buildings typically vary between two and three stories tall. The majority of the buildings date to the period between the mid 1800's to early 1900's. Typical construction type is brick, although there are a number of wood frame buildings with siding.

The areas between the school and the perimeter of the property as defined by the public sidewalk to the west, north and east are grassy lawn with several mature trees. A sidewalk on axis with the entry connects to the public sidewalk along Cherry Street. A transverse walk connects entries to the two wings. On the north and west, sidewalks connect the secondary entries to the public sidewalk.

The alley to the south is where the original school "hacks" dropped off children so as to not be endangered by traffic on Barron Street, and would then enter via the original gymnasium entry, which has since been modified. This service area is also where deliveries and coal were unloaded into the facility; the coal chutes are still in place.

The original building is laid out in an "H" configuration, stands two stories high, and is uniform in height. Later additions to the rear extend this configuration loosely. A gymnasium and classrooms were added in 1951, classrooms were again added in 1961, and the last addition was completed in 1973 to house vocational spaces. In the original building, there is a crawl space, below most areas, and a partial basement. Footings and foundations are of reinforced concrete. The exterior bearing walls are brick. Floors are concrete slabs. Interior partitions appear to be masonry with plaster over. Corridor walls contain vertical chases and plenums running from the crawl space. The roof is flat, covered with a membrane with roof drains discharging internally through the building. The auditorium, located in the northwest corner of the original school building, is comprised of three basic components: sloped theatre seating for 480, a terraced balcony seating approximately 150, and a stage with fly loft. The structure is masonry bearing walls supporting steel trusses running across the building supporting wood ceiling rafters with plaster over.

The original Gymnasium, at the southwest corner of the original school building, was subdivided by the insertion of a new floor structure in the 1951 renovation. The second floor level does not align with the original. The original wood floor still exists in what is now the first floor cafeteria.

The 1951 large rear addition expanded the facility to the west toward Barron Street and is virtually indistinguishable from the original on the exterior through the consistent use of brick and detailing. It is comprised of a gymnasium, its support spaces, and classrooms. These elements are distinguishable from the original by their massing and orientation. The gymnasium is simplified version of the auditorium on its exterior, with arched wood windows salvaged from the original gym. It has masonry bearing walls and steel trusses supporting the roof.

The smaller 1961 addition on the northwest corner is rectangular in shape and connected to the original via a portion of the 1951 addition. This wing houses classrooms. The first and second floors align with the 1951 addition, and there is a basement with light wells on the north side. Its elevations are brick. The entries are articulated with stone detailing. The interiors feature glazed block walls. Exterior walls support steel trusses. The roof is flat.

A 1970's era one-story addition on the southwest corner of the 1951 addition is rectangular in plan. This component dates to outside the building's period of significance. Its facade is brick and is unadorned. Exterior walls support steel trusses. The roof is flat. This area housed vocational classrooms and in later years the school district's treasurer's office.

The east (front) elevation faces N. Cherry Street and dates to the original construction. Its two stories are symmetrical with two wings projecting beyond the main block forming a "U" shaped courtyard. The center bay projects slightly beyond the face of flanking bays and is articulated with stone quoins, as are the projecting wings. The building exterior is brick laid in a running bond. The color varies by its location, red at exterior elevations and yellow at the interior courtyard. Decorative elements of the exterior are limestone. The base of the building is concrete. A stone cornice and frieze extends around the structure above the second floor windows at the attic line, with a brick parapet above topped by stone coping.

Window penetrations on the slightly projecting seven-bay center section have stone sills and lintels on the first floor, while the second floor window heads have radiating brick voussoirs with limestone keystones extending to the stone frieze. Windows in the four bay side sections have stone sills and radiating brick voussoirs with no keystones. Doors throughout the original building section have stone architrave surrounds with friezes and cornices above. The frieze above the main entry centered on the east facade reads "Eaton Public School", and has flanking consoles below the cornice while above is a balconette with a decorative iron railing. The doorways contain double leaf replacement aluminum doors with an 18-light transom above. The entry has two original lamp posts flanking it. The original windows have been replaced in these areas with aluminum windows, two operable awning windows with a large infill panel above. The nine-bay north and south elevations of the original academic wings have rectangular window penetrations on each floor with stone sills and radiating brick voussoirs. The east facing elevations of the wings have no penetrations and are only articulated by rectangular stone insets at the second floor.

The north elevation of the auditorium wing has three structural bays, the center being the actual auditorium. The auditorium has five large round arch windows with a total of 58 lights and an operable lower sash, each with limestone keystones above. The windows sit on a continuous limestone sill and have a stone band between at the spring line of the arch. Between each is a round stone medallion. The parapet alternates between solid brick and stone balustrades aligning with each window below. Original wood windows remain in the auditorium bay, and the stage bay. The original stage window is a 12 over 12 double hung on the first floor, with a 9-light fixed window in the fly loft. The third bay is obscured by the 1961 addition.

The two-story 1961 addition is nearly rectangular in plan. Its style is modern. It is brick with a simple stone band at the roofline. The south elevation has no penetrations above the basement. The north elevation is divided into three parts, with four rectangular 8 over 8 double hung windows on each floor to the east of the entry doors and twelve on each floor to the west, including the basement. Each has a steel lintel and stone sills. There are three aluminum doors set in a stone surround with stone panels and transoms with stone surrounds above in the middle part. The west elevation is brick with a 9-light window on the second floor above a pair of aluminum doors treated in a similar manner to the north. The south elevation has no penetrations.

The west elevation continues with a two-story classroom wing that is part of the 1951 addition. Each floor has six windows. They consist of two aluminum awning windows with a fixed panel above. The block housing the gym protrudes to the west. Its detailing is a simplified version of the auditorium. The windows match, as they were relocated from the original gymnasium. The parapet here is higher and all brick with a more pronounced stone cap. Quoins are on each corner. There are stone sills at each window, with a keystone above. The stone band at the spring line extends a small distance from the final windows in each direction.

The 1973 one-story brick addition on the southwest corner is modern in its detailing, with small recessed windows on its north elevation. There are limited punched openings on the west elevation. A pair of aluminum entry doors with single-light transom above forms the main entry, while a single aluminum full-light door is a secondary entrance. The south elevation is largely brick with an infilled opening, a single door, and an overhead garage door.

Continuing the south elevation is a one-story section of the 1951 addition that consists of infilled rectangular window openings. There are five to the west of an aluminum entry door with a sidelight, and two to the east. A third infilled opening has been further modified as a door and then infilled with recessed metal panels. A recessed entry meets the original 1926 building.

The south elevation of the 1926 section features stone quoins on the corners. The original gymnasium, modified in 1951 has six recessed bays where original windows matching the auditorium existed previously. There are two sets of doors opening onto concrete landings. The current windows consist of two aluminum awning windows with a fixed panel above. Above each is a rectangular stone inset. The cornice is stone. At the intersection with the academic wing is a brick chimney, approximately twice the height of the building. It is square in plan. The top is articulated by three vertical brick recesses each side with a stone cornice above and brick solider course below.

The original portion is symmetrical in plan about the east-west axis, and the plan is oriented to face east. The entry is accessed by concrete steps or a non-original ramp up from grade to the first floor. The entry vestibule retains its original plaster walls with original glazed brick wainscot, and ceiling above with an original decorative light fixture. The floor has the original quarry tile. The vestibule's interior wood doors are original and have 5-light sidelights on each side and a 24-light transom above the doors flanked by 4-light transoms above the sidelights. The entry corridor has ceiling tiles over the original plaster ceiling. The original decorative light remains. The walls are plaster with original glazed brick wainscot below, typical of all the corridors. The interior circulation is consistent on both floors utilizing an "H" configuration of the corridors with open stairs at each end of the original academic wings. An elevator was inserted into the courtyard expanding the original footprint slightly in the 1980's, but otherwise circulation is unchanged and the finishes intact. The stairs feature terrazzo treads and risers and a stained oak handrail. At the first floor level, this stair features marble newel post. This element is in its original configuration. Later additions are connected to the original building at the west end of the corridors of each floor via new stairs and extensions to the hallways. The areas of connection were formerly exterior doors discharging to landings and exterior stairs. The building was intentionally designed such that future additions could be made easily to the rear. The floors in the corridors are inset linoleum sheets which appear to date to the original construction. They feature borders and integral cove in terrazzo. Walls are plastered and painted above the glazed brick wainscot. Metal lockers are recessed in the wall cavities. In some areas there are recessed wood display cases, not original to the building. There is a wood molding below the ceiling as well. The first floor ceiling is a plaster ceiling obscured by applied acoustic tiles.

The administration area located on the east side of the first floor corridor, north of the entry vestibule, appears to have been connected to an adjacent original classroom for additional space, but is largely intact. The area features an original storage vault with metal security door, as well as an original interior wall featuring a wood door surrounded by nine six-light window panels at the top half of the wall. The original kindergarten space on the south side of the entry vestibule is largely intact. It features the original fireplace and mantel, woodwork, as well as the spaces ancillary rooms. Classrooms throughout largely retain their original configuration and have had minimal alteration. Doors to the rooms are stained three paneled wood doors with the upper panel divided into nine lights. They have transoms above, formerly operable, with a single sash containing glass divided into six lights. Inside, the classrooms typically have sheet linoleum floors in various conditions that appear to date to the original construction. Some rooms have checkered linoleum likely dating to the 1951 renovation. Classroom walls are plaster and have been painted. Ceilings are typically full height plaster ceiling. Some rooms contain the original wood built-in casework. Rooms are equipped with chalk boards, and feature metal grilles with wood trim connected to the original heating and ventilation shafts. The library is largely intact with minimal alterations. It has crown molding and wood bookshelves. The building's mechanical room is located in the basement to the south of the building.

Each floor contains male and female restrooms. Doors are six-paneled stained wood. Walls are painted plaster above brick wainscot. Floors are tile, and the partitions are marble with wood stall doors. There is a water fountain near each restroom, with decorative tile surrounds. Some sources cite this as Rookwood tile but this has not been confirmed.

The auditorium located on the north side of the original building is accessible from both floors of the school. This space is largely intact and has had minimal alterations. The ceiling and upper walls are painted plaster. The original ceiling is intact and features plaster coffers with a plaster crown molding around the perimeter. It also has the original light fixtures centered on decorative plaster medallions. The theatre features large arch top windows covered by thick drapery. The original light fixtures appear intact. Seating is arranged around a center aisle. The seats do not appear original. The floors under the seats are painted concrete. Aisles are carpeted. The proscenium arch around the stage is decorative plaster and is intact. The stage floor is wood. The fly loft appears fully equipped. The balcony is large, accessible via the second floor corridor. Decorative iron ventilation grilles are below each window. A modern stage lighting system was installed in the balcony.

The area of the original gymnasium, located on the south side of the original building, was subdivided in a 1951 renovation. A new infill floor was inserted to create band and chorus spaces accessed from the second floor. This floor does not align with the original second floor level. The first floor space was converted into the cafeteria and kitchen. The cafeteria area retains the original wood flooring from the gymnasium. The space has several columns inserted that support the infilled second floor above. The kitchen area has been heavily modified to house food prep and dishwashing equipment.

The original cafeteria space, located on the the west end of the original building, was subdivided during the 1951 renovation into two classrooms. These rooms accessed from the original corridors and retain the original wood flooring. The space between them was converted to shower rooms for the gymnasium addition to the west. These spaces are accessed from the adjacent locker rooms via steps.

The rear additions, located to the west of the original structure, are reached by descending a half flight of stairs from the original floor level. The 1951 Gymnasium is largely intact and has wood floors and exposed steel truss structure above. There are two levels of seating, each with pull out wood bleachers. Locker rooms are located under the area of raised seating. There is a two-story classroom wing to the north of the gymnasium. These areas feature glazed block and painted CMU walls. Classroom floors are linoleum tiles. Ceilings are acoustic tile with suspended lighting fixtures. Classrooms, corridors, and stairs in these areas are largely intact and have had minimal alteration. The 1951 Addition also included a one-story area south of the gymnasium. This area housed vocational areas including manual arts class and shop spaces. This area also housed the entry vestibule to the gymnasium which connects to the original building via a corridor. This area was renovated as part of the 1973 addition, but remains largely open classroom spaces as originally designed.

The 1963 two-story classroom wing addition is located to the north of, and accessed from, the 1951 classroom wing. These areas feature glazed block and painted CMU walls. Classroom floors are linoleum tiles. Ceilings are acoustic tile with suspended lighting fixtures. Classrooms, corridors, and stairs in these areas are largely intact.

The 1973 wing rooms were inaccessible and were not reviewed. The 1973 addition is one-story and accessed via a corridor extension from the 1951 vocational spaces addition at the southwest corner of the complex. It relocated the gymnasium vestibule to the west along Barron Street, as well as increased the number of vocational spaces. Most recently this area housed the school district's treasurer's office. The corridor has a suspended acoustic tile ceiling, and the floor is concrete. The walls are brick. This area appears to be largely intact.