Central High School - Centralian Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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IN ITS PRIME — 13—

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THE ORIGINAL BUILDING Central High School JHE school was first organized as a high school in the old Washington M.J a ■ building which stood on a part of the block now occupied by the City ■1 ■ Hall and Court House. In 1873, the Board of Education requested its building committee to look up a suitable site for a new high school building. In 1874, the committee recommended the purchase of a block in Penniman’s Addition. In January, 1875, the Superintendent of Schools submitted sketches for a high school building. These sketches were placed in the hands of architects with the request that they draw plans in accordance therewith. In 1875, the site in Penniman’s Addition was decided to be unsatisfactory and the east half of Block 20, Snyder Company’s First Addition to Minneapolis was purchased. This is on 4th Ave. South and 11th St., where the present building now stands. If the Board of Education at that time had been willing to pay $1,500 more they could have purchased the whole of Block 20. They have recently paid about $80,000 for this other half. An increase in values from $1,500 to $80,000 in 37 years, illustrates how rapidly our city is advancing in its regular realty values. March 9, 1875, it was decided to accept the elevation plan of a high school building made by Long Haglin, and the ground plan made by Buffington Radcliff. May 2, 1875, at an election called for the purpose, it was voted to issue bonds to the amount of $12,000 for the erection of a high school. In —12—

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AS IT IS TODAY May, 1877, contracts were let for stone and brick work for a high school building. In June, 1878, contracts were let for the completion of the building. This building was of stone with slate roof and was built at a cost of $85,000. It had five study rooms, several recitation rooms, a hall, laboratory, library, etc. In 1886, a hall, four large study rooms, recitation rooms, manual training shops, drawing rooms and Superintendent’s office were added at a cost of $72,000. The building was steam heated and the new annex had fan ventilation. Last fall, the Board of Education let the contract for the new high school at 34th St. and 4th Ave. South at a cost of about $500,000. This building when fully equipped will cost about $600,000. The Board of Education has recently requested the architects to produce a study for a new building, to be erected on the present enlarged site at 4th Ave. South and 11th St. This building will be all modern in every particular and will take the place of the old structure and contain facilities for larger industrial work. It will also house the administrative offices of the school system. —N—