Education and Health Sites

Jewish Memorial Hospital, no longer extant, was constructed with federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds during the 1930s. Located at the northeast corner of Broadway and 196th Street, the hospital closed in 1983 and the Art Deco facility has since been demolished.

Originally a high school, Junior High School 113 ("Richard R. Green", formerly Olinville Junior High) was constructed during the 1930s with Public Works Administration funds. The project was PWA Docket No. NY 1180.

The historic former Joaquin Elementary School in Provo, Utah was a New Deal project constructed with federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds during the late years of the Great Depression. The building has since been demolished.

In 1935, the Works Project Administration (WPA) completed construction of a new Streamline Moderne–style campus for John Adams Junior High School (today's John Adams Middle School) in Santa Monica, CA. The original 1913 John Adams campus at Los Amigos Park was one of four Santa Monica schools demolished after suffering severe damage in the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. System-wide renovations cost $3 million dollars.

John Bartram High School was constructed as a New Deal project in 1937-8. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $1,001,700 grant for the project, whose total cost was $2,385,307. PWA Docket No. PA 1562-1 Wikipedia: "On February 5, 1939, John Bartram High School, located at the intersection of 67th Street and Elmwood Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia, opened for the first time to 1,700 students. According to a history of the school published on its 50th anniversary, the school was originally planned to be built at 74th Street and Dicks Avenue, but the site was changed before construction started. It was...

This addition to what is now John Bassett Moore Intermediate School was built with assistance from the WPA.

John Burroughs Middle School (formerly Junior High School), which opened in 1924, was rebuilt with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA) between 1934 and 1935. In January 1934, the PWA allocated $9,380,000 to the Los Angeles Unified School District for the rehabilitation of schools damaged in the severe 1933 Long Beach earthquake.  One hundred and thirty schools would benefit from the system-wide loan and grant, with 2,500 men to be employed in rehabilitation work over 21 months. Upon receiving news of the PWA allocation, Board of Education member Arthur Eckman told the Los Angeles Times, “I am sure that every member of...

John C. Fremont High School, which opened in 1924, was renovated with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA) between 1934 and 1935. In January 1934, the PWA allocated $9,380,000 to the Los Angeles Unified School District for the rehabilitation of schools damaged in the severe 1933 Long Beach earthquake.  One hundred and thirty schools would benefit from the system-wide loan and grant, with 2,500 men to be employed in rehabilitation work over 21 months. Upon receiving news of the PWA allocation, Board of Education member Arthur Eckman told the Los Angeles Times, “I am sure that every member of the board agrees...

The Public Works Administration (WPA) rebuilt the John C. Fremont High School in the years 1938-1939. The original John C. Fremont School was  built in 1901. In 1911, it served as an elementary school. Then in 1933, the school was severely damaged in the Long Beach Earthquake. This damaged version of the school was demolished in 1937 for the WPA project.  The school was named "for the California explorer, soldier, and presidential candidate of 1856." During the construction of the main building for John C. Fremont High School, there were two additional construction projects. One of the projects was a shop building...

As part of the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP), Arthur Ames completed two oil on gesso murals for the John C. Fremont School in Anaheim, California. They were painted for the entrance hall for the school auditorium. The original mural was 14 feet by 87 feet. The mural depicts a man, presumably a school teacher, surrounded by school children. The original murals are presumed to have been lost when the school building was redeveloped in the 1970s. The school closed because of high upkeep costs and low attendance. A housing tract was built.  A black and white image of one of the...

In 1936, the PWA built Damel Hall, named after John W Damel, who taught at Lincoln University for more than 40 years. Damel Hall was built to house the “Mechanics Arts Department” and currently houses computer sciences and other technology specialties.

New Deal funds built the John G. Carlisle School in 1937. In 1992, it was demolished and a new school was built in its place.

The John Gaston Hospital was constructed during the Great Depression in Memphis, Tennessee with the assistance of funds provided by the Public Works Administration (PWA). "With the Gaston inheritance, $300,000 from the city , $100,000 from the county , and a grant from the Public Works Administration, the Memphis City Hospital generated $800,000" (Regional One Health). The new Gaston Hospital was opened in 1936 to replace the Memphis General Hospital, and demolished in 1990 in order to expand the newer facilities of the Regional One Health Medical Center.

The New York Times reported in Sept. 1941 that the WPA worked on the "reconstruction of John Jay Park along the East River Drive, between Seventy-sixth and Seventy-eighth Streets." Specific improvements included the installation of a new diving pool with concrete bleachers; the remodeling of an "old bath building" to "include a recreation room, gymnasium and auditorium"; and a new "completely equipped playground." A May 1942 Department of Parks press release further reported that the WPA had relocated the concession building, paved areas of the park, installed benches and planted trees.

In 1933 the federal "Public Works Administration pledged grant of $1,490,000 for erection of new John Marshall High School." The school (also known as Al City High School), which was completed in 1936, is still in use.

John Marshall High School is an iconic building in the Los Feliz district of Los Angeles. Walt Disney and his family lived across the street from the "Collegiate Gothic" structure, and from 1927-1940 operated his Disney Studios and Animation School just one block away (Marshall High is the brick building visible in the background at center in this picture of the original Disney Animation Studio, c. 1939). At the same time Disney was producing his most well-known cartoons and films, WPA laborers were down the street installing Marshall High's concrete bleachers and pavillion, which are still used by students today. These WPA-built bleachers and...

This was 1 of 27 schools in the Pasadena CA school system that the New Deal was involved in demolishing, rebuilding, or re-inforcing after the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. The school was originally built in 1925, but was badly damaged in 1933. Reconstruction was delayed to intermittent funding by federal grants that were supplied in November 1934, February 1937, & June 1939. With funding from the Works Progress Administration, the John Marshall School was finally completed in 1940.  

John Marshall School was completed in 1939 and dedicated January 9, 1940. The school was named in honor of John Marshall, the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The builder was Armagost and Son Construction Company in cooperation with the Public Works Administration. There were nine classrooms, an auditorium, gymnasium, cafeteria, art room, music room, shop and two home economics rooms. A small library was located on the first floor with a part-time librarian provided by the City Library. C.E. Strange was the first principal. The staff included 15 teachers, a part-time librarian, a visiting teacher who spent part...

John Muir Elementary School, the largest school in Merced at the time, was improved with WPA funds. There is also still a WPA stamp on the sidewalk in front of the school.

Three 15' x 7.5' frescoes by David Park on the themes "Art," "Civilization," and "Nature." The frescoes surround the main entrance. The murals were done as part of the Public Works of Art Program (then funded by the CWA).

John Muir Middle School (formerly Junior High School), which opened in 1922, was rebuilt with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA) between 1934 and 1935. In January 1934, the PWA allocated $9,380,000 to the Los Angeles Unified School District for the rehabilitation of schools damaged in the severe 1933 Long Beach earthquake.  One hundred and thirty schools would benefit from the system-wide loan and grant, with 2,500 men to be employed in rehabilitation work over 21 months. Upon receiving news of the PWA allocation, Board of Education member Arthur Eckman told the Los Angeles Times, “I am sure that every member of...

Originally the City-County Hospital, this facility was constructed in Fort Worth, Texas in 1938-1939 in a design that reflected both Classical Moderne and Streamlined Moderne styles. Fort Worth architect Wiley G. Clarkson designed the building and the general contractor was Gurley Construction Company. It had a 185-bed capacity, with an isolation section for communicable diseases with 20 additional beds. It also had three air-conditioned operating rooms, a laundry, pharmacy, and X-ray room. Built during the era of segregation, it had separate entrances for whites and blacks on the front of the building. The cost of the PWA-funded facility was $475,000 (Project...

The plaque on the front of the John Twohig house gives a brief glimpse into the interesting history of this house which was moved by the WPA to its current location on the grounds of the Witte Museum: “In 1841, John Twohig – a San Antonio pioneer, Texas patriot, and prosperous merchant – erected this house on a site which was part of the Veramendi Palace within a curving bend on the San Antonio River at St. Mary’s and Commerce streets. Mr. Twohig’s house was unique in the community since few buildings in this area at that time could boast a...

"This high school in Union County accommodates the students of 7 communities which formerly had no high-school facilities within their boundaries. Its site has an area of 16 1/2 acres and has been graded and landscaped and provided with playing and athletic fields. The building is 2 stories and a part basement in height and contains in the basement a cafeteria, kitchen, print shop, general shop, and storage rooms. On the first floor is an auditorium, gymnasium, 13 classrooms, administration offices, and rooms for bookkeeping and typewriting. On the second floor are 7 classrooms, a library, teachers' rooms, locker rooms,...

All 17 schoolhouses in Framingham, Massachusetts were painted, remodeled, and/or repaired with federally funded labor during the Great Depression. At the former Jonathon Maynard School the Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) graded the land behind the school and built a new playground (1933-4). The W.P.A. conducted work at the site as well, including the installation of new bathroom facilities in 1937.

Work was begun on the vocational building for the Jones County Agricultural High School and Junior College campus in February 1936. The building was a one story, 124 x 155 feet building constructed of concrete, glass, steel and wood, costing approximately $32,000, and employing 75 workers. Supervising architect was T. R. Hearon. The new building was dedicated at Homecoming, November 1936. The status of the building is unknown, but does not appear to be extant on maps.

The WPA cleared brush and debris, corrected a severe drainage problem, built a playground.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) undertook various improvements and constructed an athletic field at Jordan High School in the 1930s. The WPA also spent another $4,900 on improving the school grounds.

Jordan High School (formerly David Starr Jordan High School), established in 1925, was rebuilt with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA). The work was completed in 1935. The PWA allocated $9,380,000 to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) in January 1934 for the rehabilitation of schools damaged in the severe 1933 Long Beach earthquake. One hundred and thirty schools would benefit from the system-wide loan and grant, with 2,500 men to be employed in rehabilitation work over 21 months. Jordan High School's five original buildings, the Los Angeles Conservancy writes, were retrofitted and renovated "with a unifying PWA Moderne style....

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction of a girl's gymnasium at Jordan High School (formerly David Starr Jordan High School) in Los Angeles, CA. The gymnasium, completed in 1937, was one of two structures on Jordan High School's campus built by the PWA. The other was a loggia, built in 1935, connecting the Administration Building to the North Annex. Jordan High School's five original buildings, the Los Angeles Conservancy writes, were also retrofitted and renovated "with a unifying PWA Moderne style." The PWA allocated $9,380,000 to the Los Angeles Unified School District in January 1934 for the rehabilitation of schools damaged...

Joseph H. Brown Elementary School was constructed as a New Deal project in 1937. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $269,100 grant for the project, whose total cost was $516,456. PWA Docket No. 1584. "The  project calls for construction of new elementary school building at 66th street and Chester avenue. It will be a three-story "L" shaped structure. The federal government contributed $269,100."

Oxford, Massachusetts's old Joslin School—since demolished—received assistance from numerous New Deal programs during the 1930s. In 1933 the Civil Works Administration (CWA) graded a playground at the rear of the school and built a sidewalk from the school to Main Street. The school grounds were further improved and graded during 1934 utilizing funds provided by the federal Emergency Relief Administration. Improvements were continued under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) with particular attention devoted to the "Joslin School Grove." The WPA constructed an athletic field for the school in 1936. Finally, the federal Public Works Administration provided a $21,000 grant for...

The Works Progress Administration built the Joy Gymnasium in Joy, about four miles south of Wynnewood OK. Contributor note: "Joy is a small rural community in Murray County, Oklahoma. It got its name from the name of the school that was established when three local towns consolidated their districts. It was named Joy when that name was chosen in a 1922 student contest. This gymnasium is located on State Highway 77 at County Road 1670 (Joy Road). The Joy Gymnasium was built in 1939 as a WPA project. It is located behind an earlier brick school which is no longer used. The school...

The newspapers of small, rural communities take us through the local debate behind New Deal projects. The Juab High gym and mechanical arts building was approved by the school board in Oct 1936 with three goals: 1) the old gym was "entirely inadequate" and would be turned over as a "ladies gym." The new one would be reserved for the men; 2) rural youth were graduating high school without skills for gainful employment, thus the mechanical arts classrooms; 3) it may be the "last opportunity to get P.W.A. funding." A series of "mass meetings" were held across the county in July...

A coed high school in Julian CA, a former gold rush mining town. Surviving New Deal projects are two rubble wall pillars with bronze plaques at the entrance to the campus, a long rubble wall facing the street, a rubble wall school sign base, a circular flagpole rubble wall base, an athletic field and concrete bleachers with small US WPA 1941 date stamps in them. The school building itself appears to be of recent construction.

The Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) conducted improvement work at Maynard's former High School / Junior High School building (later Fowler Middle School), including painting the interior of the auditorium. The Work Projects Administration (W.P.A.) conducted further work in 1941. All school buildings in the town "on the exterior have been completely renovated by having the windows weather stripped, puttied and painted. The interior... are now being repaired with W.P.A. labor by installing new celotex ceilings where needed, replacing plaster ceilings that were beyond repairs, having the hallways, classrooms washed and painted. These repairs have added consiterabl to the appearance of our...

The historic junior high school building on Hughitt St., between Stockbridge and Prospect Avenues in Iron Mountain, Michigan, was constructed as Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project. The P.W.A. supplied an $89,860 grant for the project, whose total cost was $201,387. Construction occurred in 1937-8. PWA Docket No. MI 1407

The Art Deco-style, abandoned Junior High School building in Braddock, Pennsylvania was constructed as a New Deal project in 1938-9. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $301,367 grant for the school, whose total cost was $664,090. PWA Docket No. PA 1692

A former junior high school building in Lander, Wyoming was constructed as a federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project during the Great Depression. The PWA supplied a $52,291 grant for the project, whose total cost was $119,527. Construction occurred between June 1936 and Feb. 1938. Later known as the former Southside Elementary School, the exact location of the facility is unknown to Living New Deal. The building has since been destroyed. PWA Docket No. WY 1019-R

The Frank N. Drane school was erected in 1930, though it received an east wing addition built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1938. A plaque in the front hallway says, "This school is dedicated to the enrichment of life, the spirit of youth measured by progress, activity, friendliness, co-operation, idealism, and character and good citizenship." This school is now known as "Sam Houston Elementary," although the engraved former name still resides above the entrance. Formal Approval of WPA Project Received here late Tuesday / A crew of forty workmen began early Wednesday morning removing fixtures from the old junior...