Woodstock Elementary School (Portland, Oregon)

Title: Woodstock Elementary School (Portland, Oregon)
LC Subject: Architecture, American Architecture--United States
Creator: Jones, Thomas J.
Creator Display: Thomas J. Jones (architect, 1854-1921)
Description: This image is included in Building Oregon: Architecture of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, a digital collection which provides documentation about the architectural heritage of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Historic Site Form. Prepared by Iris Eschen.
Provenance: University of Oregon Libraries
Temporal: 1910-1919
Style Period: Colonial Revival
Work Type: architecture (object genre) built works public schools (buildings)
Latitude: 45.481893
Longitude: -122.611494
Location: Portland >> Multnomah County >> Oregon >> United States Multnomah County >> Oregon >> United States Oregon >> United States United States
Street Address: 5601 Southeast 50th Avenue
Date: 1910
Identifier: pna_99999
Rights: In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Type: Image
Format: application/pdf
Set: Building Oregon
Primary Set: Building Oregon
Institution: University of Oregon
Citation: PPS Historic Building Assessment 2009
Note: Oregon Historic Site Form Woodstock School 5601 50th Ave Portland, Multnomah County block nbr: lot nbr: tax lot nbr: township: range: section: 1/ 4: LOCATION AND PROPERTY NAME elig. evaluation: eligible/ significant primary orig use: School secondary orig use: primary style: Classical Revival: other secondary style: primary siding: Horizontal Board secondary siding: Wood: Other/ Undefined plan type: School ( General) Portland historic name: Woodstock School primary constr date: 1910 secondary date: 1981 height (# stories): 1 total # ineligible resources: 0 ( optional-- use for major addns) current/ other names: Woodstock Elementary School ( c.) ( c.) orig use comments: prim style comments: sec style comments: location descr: assoc addresses: vcnty address: ( remote sites) siding comments: PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS farmstead/ cluster name: zip: total # eligible resources: 1 apprx. addrs resource type: Building NR status: RLS survey date: 6/ 5/ 2009 external site #: 297 ( ID# used in city/ agency database) survey project name or other grouping name comments/ notes: HRI Rank I. Portland Historic Landmark. ILS survey date: 6/ 5/ 2009 Gen File date: SHPO INFO FOR THIS PROPERTY NR date listed: GROUPINGS / ASSOCIATIONS Optional Information 5601 SE 50th Ave Multnomah County ( former addresses, intersections, etc.) architect: Jones, Thomas J. builder: NR date listed: ( indiv listed only; see Grouping for hist dist) 106 Project( s) PPS Historic Building Assessment 2009 Survey & Inventory Project South elevation Printed on: 10/ 14/ 2009 Page 1 of 4 Oregon Historic Site Form Woodstock School 5601 50th Ave Portland, Multnomah County ARCHITECTURAL / PROPERTY DESCRIPTION ( Include expanded description of the building/ property, setting, significant landscape features, outbuildings, and alterations) HISTORY ( Chronological, descriptive history of the property from its construction through at least the historic period [ preferably to the present]) Summary Description Situated in the Woodstock neighborhood of southeast Portland, Woodstock School occupies the south portion of Woodstock Park. The school facility consists of a modified E- shaped building. Built in the Classical Revival style, the entry to the school is located beneath a portico supported by Doric columns that divides the building bilaterally. Fenestration consists primarily of vinyl six- over- one double- hung windows with wood surrounds. Architectural embellishments in the Classical Revival style include a water table, entablature, and Tuscan corner boards with pilasters. Architectural Description Situated in the Woodstock neighborhood of southeast Portland, Woodstock School is located at 5601 SE 50th Street. The neighborhood is comprised of primarily single family residences built between 1900 and 1950 ( Sanborn Maps 1924- 1928, Sanborn Map updated to 1950). The school occupies the south portion of Woodstock Park. The primary entrance to the school is from the east on SE 50th Street. Grass and asphalt covered play areas occupy the west portion of the 5.04- acre parcel. The school facility, oriented on a north- south axis, consists of an E- shaped building. Built in the Classical Revival style, the entry to the school is located on the south elevation beneath a portico supported by Doric columns that divide the building bilaterally. A gymnasium, indoor play area, and combined auditorium/ cafeteria occupy the central portion of the building. A red brick chimney marks the location of the boiler and other facilities in the basement of this wing. Porticoes, covered by a flat roof, provide additional egress at the end of each wing. An attached addition on the rear ( west) elevation contains additional classroom spaces. The single story building rests on a poured concrete foundation. The primary ( east) mass of the school building is covered by gable and hip roofs covered in asphalt shingles. The playroom, boiler area, and cafeteria/ auditorium are covered with flat or moderately pitched gable roofs. With the exception of the stucco clad cafeteria/ auditorium, the building is wood frame with shiplap siding. Fenestration consists primarily of vinyl six- over- one and double hung windows with wood surrounds. Architectural embellishments in the Classical Revival style include a water table, entablature, and Tuscan corner boards with pilasters. The primary entrance to the building is a set of triple doors located beneath a projecting portico. These doors lead to the T- shaped lobby which is paneled with dark wood and lined with display cases. The entry into the school is further defined by a dark wood beam, approximately ten inches deep, that is supported on Corinthian columns. Double loaded corridors provide access to the classroom spaces that are located in the north and south wings of the building. Additional corridors provide access to the community spaces and additional classrooms in the west wings of the building. Linoleum tiles cover the floors of the corridors. The walls are plaster with a dark wood wainscot. Tubular fluorescent light fixtures are suspended from the acoustic tile ceiling. A mixture of five panel and single light with transom doors provide access to the classrooms. The classrooms are rectangular or L- shaped with an interior cloakroom for storage. Many classrooms feature original built- in cabinetry, original wood window surrounds, and base and ceiling moldings. Furniture consists of laminate covered wooden desks with petal chairs. Heat for the school is provided by two gas boilers converted from oil that are located in the west side of the central wing. Ventilation for the boilers is provided by the brick chimney. Steam heating is provided to interior spaces by a variety of units including cast iron radiators and metal wall units. Alterations/ Integrity The original school building consisted of a two story wood frame building built in 1910. In 1917, the school was expanded to include a gymnasium and additional classrooms. In 1925, two wings were added at the east and west ends of the buildings to complete the current modified E- shaped plan. Another classroom addition was attached to the north elevation of the building in 1954. In October 1980, a fire severely damaged the 1911portion of the school. Although the building was lowered to a single story, much of the original fabric was salvaged and restored ( Oregonian. 09- 06- 1982). More modest changes to the interior have occurred including addition of acoustical tile in 1954, floor tile replacement in 1983 and 1984, and alterations to individual classrooms and spaces including the library/ media center in 1977 ( Facility Profile). Although there have been major alterations, Woodstock School retains its integrity. Much of the original fabric is intact. The restoration in 1984 retained interior and exterior decorative treatments and the configuration of the original lobby spaces. Printed on: 10/ 14/ 2009 Page 2 of 4 Oregon Historic Site Form Woodstock School 5601 50th Ave Portland, Multnomah County RESEARCH INFORMATION Title Records Sanborn Maps Obituaries City Directories Census Records Biographical Sources Newspapers Building Permits Property Tax Records SHPO Files State Archives State Library Local Histories Interviews Historic Photographs Local Library: Multnomah County Library University Library: Portland State University Library Historical Society: Oregon Historical Society Other Repository: PPS Archives ( Check all of the basic sources consulted and cite specific important sources) Statement of Significance In 1890 the School District # 29 acquired land for $ 1,200 and subsequently developed a 5 room school building on the property at 46th and Reedway. In 1910, Portland Public Schools annexed the property for $ 12,375.00. Named for the surrounding subdivision, the new Woodstock School was constructed in 1910 during a period of Progressive Era growth that responded to changing city demographics and ideas concerning safety, sanitation, and child centered instruction ( Rippa, 1997: passim; Cremin 1961: 135- 153; Cubberley 1915: 283- 290). By 1905, it became increasingly clear that dramatic increases in school- age children outstripped the district’s existing classroom capacity and existing schools could not effectively serve areas of the city with new residential development ( Cubberley 1915: 283- 285, 288- 290). Beginning in 1908, with the emergence of the Bureau of Properties, PPS district architects took on a more formalized role in the design and maintenance of school facilities. The Bureau of Properties was created by PPS to centralize management of the district’s properties ( Powers and Corning 1937: 182). It appears that Thomas J. Jones was the first architect to be employed by Portland Public Schools ( PPS) and he designed the original portion of Woodstock School. Born in Wales around 1854, Thomas J. Jones came to Portland sometime before 1887. Jones was active in Portland civic life, having served on the Portland City Council. One of his most notable projects is the Captain Brown house, which was on the National Register until it was demolished. Jones is best known for his work as the architect to the Portland School Board. In this capacity, he designed many of the district’s two story frame schools that preceded the City’s 1911 fire- proof construction requirements ( Ritz 2003: 217). Woodstock Elementary School was one of the last two story schools constructed with wood frame in the city of Portland. After several well- publicized school fires in U. S. cities, calls for a more fundamental change in the building construction began as early as 1906 ( Oregonian, 10- 31- 1906). In 1910, various city neighborhood “ advancement clubs” joined forces to discuss the unfit school buildings in their respective neighborhoods ( Oregonian 07- 31- 1910). Soon after this meeting, on August 16, 1910, the Portland City Council enacted a requirement that all schools constructed after January 1, 1911 would have to be of fire proof construction ( Powers and Corning 1937: 183). By 1914, in the first joint meeting between Portland city officials, Multnomah County Commissioners, and the school board, officials agreed to work with building code officials to encourage the use of fireproof construction and to implement fire safety measures in all existing and future schools ( Oregonian, 03- 31- 1914). Woodstock School was constructed in the Classical Revival style that was popular for educational buildings during the first half of the twentieth-century in Portland and throughout the United States. The Classical Revival style architectural details along with Colonial Revival, Collegiate Gothic, and Beaux Arts style were viewed as inspirational and appropriate for educational settings ( Betelle 1919: 28; Sibley 1923: 66; Patton 1967: 1- 8). After the completion of the first building unit a manual training building was added to the campus for $ 1,976.57. This building was utilized to instruct children in woodworking and other trades ( Oregonian 06- 21- 1914). The school continued to utilize the original structure, located three blocks away, until the neighborhood began to demand improvements. In November 1915, a group of parents and neighbors requested that the Board of Education complete the facilities by erecting additional classrooms, an assembly hall, and athletic facilities ( Oregonian10- 21- 1915). The new unit was completed for $ 68,278.00 in 1917 with a gymnasium and 8 new classrooms ( Portland Chronology Binder). In 1926, 10 classrooms, a manual training facility, and two playsheds were added for $ 79,084.00. At this time the 1891 school building was demolished ( Portland Chronology Binder). In January 1927 a fire caused modest damage to the roof and a classroom ( Oregonian 01- 17- 1927). Another classroom addition was attached to the west elevation of the building in 1954. In October 1980 another fire severely damaged the 1911 portion of the school. The community successfully campaigned to save the school from closure. Noted preservation architect George McMath led the rehabilitation project for Woodstock School. Although the building was lowered to a single story, much of the original fabric on the first floor was salvaged and restored ( Oregonian. 09- 06- 1982). Although there have been major alterations, Woodstock School retains sufficient integrity to still convey its significance and association with the development of education in Portland. The rehabilitation in 1984 retained interior and exterior decorative treatments and the configuration of the original lobby spaces. The Woodstock School is recommended as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places ( NRHP) for its association with Progressive Era public school construction in Portland ( Criterion A). Although the original design by Thomas J. Jones has been altered, the school embodies the distinctive characteristics of a Classical Revival style school building; therefore, it is also eligible for listing in the NRHP under Criterion C. Printed on: 10/ 14/ 2009 Page 3 of 4 Oregon Historic Site Form Woodstock School 5601 50th Ave Portland, Multnomah County Bibliography: Bibliography Betelle, James O. “ Architectural Styles as Applied to School Buildings.” American School Board Journal. Vol. 58 ( April 1919). Cremin, Lawrence. The Transformation of the School: Progressivism in American Education, 1876- 1957. New York: A. Knopt, 1961. Cubberley, Ellwood Patterson. The Portland Survey: A Textbook on City School Administration Based on a Concrete Study. Yonkers- on- Hudson, NY: World Book Co., 1915. Oregonian. “ Mayor Lane and the Schools.” 10- 31- 1906. Oregonian “ Manual Training, Domestic Science and Art, and other Special Departments Show Progress by their Exhibits.” 06- 21- 1914. Oregonian “ Restored Revamped Woodstock School to Reopen.” September 6, 1982. Oregonian “ School Protest Made Woodstock Parents- Teachers Seek Completion of Building.” 10- 21- 1915. Oregonian. “ Volunteer Firemen Halt School Blaze Woodstock Building Saved by Speedy Action.” ( 01- 17- 1927). Patton, Glenn. “ American Collegiate Gothic: A Phase of University Architectural Development.” Journal of Higher Education. Vol. 38, No. 1 ( January, 1967). Portland Public Schools. School Chronology Binder. PPS Archives, Portland, Oregon. _______. Woodstock Elementary School. Facility Plan. _______. Woodstock Elementary School. Facility Profile. Powers, Alfred and Howard McKinley Corning, History of Education in Portland. [ Portland]: Work Projects Administration, 1937. Rippa, Alexander. Education in a Free Society: An American History. New York: Longman, 1997. Sanborn Map Company 1924- 1928, 1908- Dec. 1950 Sanborn Maps, Multnomah County Public Library, Portland, Oregon. Available at: https:// catalog. multcolib. org/ validate? url= http% 3A% 2F% 2F0- sanborn. umi. com. catalog. multcolib. org% 3A80% 2F. Accessed June 16, 2009. Sibley, Ernest. “ Why I Prefer the Colonial Style.” School Board Journal: Vol. 66 ( January 1923). Snyder, Eugene E. Portland Names and Neighborhoods. Their Historic Origins. Portland: Binforrd & Mort Publishing; 1st edition 1979. Printed on: 10/ 14/ 2009 Page 4 of 4 East elevation facing northwest North elevation, main building South elevation facing northeast South elevation, main building Column detail facing southwest Woodstock School Exterior Photos ENTRIX 2009 Corridor facing west Gymnasium facing north Playroom facing north Entry facing west Corridor doors and panels Woodstock School Interior Photos ENTRIX 2009 1908- 1909, Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Map, Portland, Oregon, Map 550. Arrow points to the old Woodstock Public School that was eventually replaced by later school building. Updated to 1924- 1928, Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Map, Portland, Oregon, Map 447. Arrow points to Woodstock Public School. Inset shows school located on maps 1046, 1049, and 1050. Updated to 1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Map, Portland, Oregon, Map 1045. Arrow points to Woodstock Public School. Inset shows school located on maps 1046, 1049, and 1050. Woodstock School 5601 SE 50th Ave, Portland OR, 97206 Building Periods 1. Original Building ( 297A), 1911 2. Addition ( 297A), 1917 3. Addition ( 297A), 1925 4. Addition ( 297A), 1954 Aerial photo © 2009 Metro, Portland OR Imagery Date: July 12, 2007 Woodstock School, looking northwest, 2009 View Site in Google Maps Historical Significance and Building Integrity Contrib: High Significance Contrib: Moderate Signif. Non- Contributing 0’ 50’ 100’ 200’ N sandy Blvd Lombard st powell Blvd 82nd ave MLK jr b lvd SE Reedway St SE 50th Ave SE 48th Ave 1 2 2 3 4 3