Education and Health Sites

The Reeds Spring High School was completed by the WPA in 1936. The high school has since moved and the city recently gave the building to the Boys and Girls Club and Ozarks Heritage Foundation who agreed to refurbish the site and convert it into multi-use community center.

A Works Progress Administration grant of $71,325 was allotted Refugio County, to be matched by $87,175 of the county bond money, for the hospital project, with the total amounting to $158,500.

The small town (1,400 population, per 1930 census) of Lunenburg, Vermont received assistance from multiple New Deal relief agencies. 1933 “Several Federal Aid projects are at present under way in the district, including an Adult Education group, a Kinderarten group, School Nurses, and Noon Lunch projects. The real value of these will depend largely on the length of time they are maintained, and at CWA Projects. When I submitted my last report several Federal Aid projects were under way in the district. A Kindergarten school was established at Gilman. This school was maintained through the summer and is being conducted through the present...

The 1933 - 1934 town report mentions an Emergency C.W.A. project costing the town $173.22 as their share and 4 men employed which was probably a road project. The school superintendent reported that "Several of the unweight children are receiving a half pint of milk daily from funds received from the C. W. A. This seems to be one of the most worthy projects and a great deal of credit is due the authorities, who have made these funds available." The 1934 - 1935 town report mentions Emergency C.W.A. Work costing the town $19.73 and employing 2 people. The School Superintendent reported...

Long Beach High School (the current site of Renaissance High School for the Arts) was built in 1935, likely with New Deal funding. The 1933 Long Beach Earthquake destroyed hundreds of schools throughout Southern California. “On August 29, 1933, Long Beach citizens approved a $4,930,000 bond measure for the rebuilding of schools. Applications for approximately thirty-five schools were filed with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Public Works Administration (PWA); federal grants up to thirty percent of labor and material costs were obtained. To minimize costs, building materials were salvaged from damaged buildings, some schools were rehabilitated, and new schools were...

The school is a classic, surprising art deco building in a town of 220 people presently.  Although it could use some sandblasting and paint, the building is a great example of art deco architecture by Ludwig Abt who was an architect in nearby Moberly and who designed their Municipal Auditorium.

The historic Research Administration Center on the University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst was constructed as a Public Works Administration (PWA) project. Construction occurred in 1938-9. PWA Docket No. MA W1418

Reseda Elementary School, which opened in 1916, 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 the board agrees with...

A long, two-story building, Colonial Revival in style. Built by the PWA in 1934-36 to house a training school as well as a gymnasium. The architects were William R. Walker & Son, of Providence. The School for the Deaf has since moved to a new campus.

A two-story, Colonial Revival building, with a prominent cupola and portico. A PWA structure, it was designed by Providence architect Edwin E. Cull. Built to house administration offices and a medical library, it is now occupied by the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. The State Hospital for Mental Diseases is now known as Eleanor Slater Hospital.

A substantial structure, of conservative Colonial Revival design. Its only ornament of any significance is the Palladian Window in the center pavilion, with a delicate fan above. It was designed by Edwin E. Cull of Providence, who also designed the Hospital's administration offices in the same year.

A large, three-story building facing Howard Avenue, the main road through the hospital campus. The building, in the Colonial Revival style, is most notable for its prominent ogee gable. The ogee gable has been a recurring element in Rhode Island ever since amateur architect Joseph Brown's unorthodox use of it in his own residence in Providence, built in 1774. The architect of the Rush Building was Franklin R. Hindle, of Providence.

Now known as the Pinel Building, this building was built as a dormitory. It was designed by William R. Walker & Son, a Providence firm known for public buildings. It is built in the Colonial Revival style.

Now known as the Dorothea Dix Building, this building was built as a dormitory. It was designed by William R. Walker & Son, a Providence firm known for public buildings. In the Colonial Revival style. Built by both the Hospital and State Prison to house criminals with mental disorders, as was the neighboring Building for Disturbed Men.

In 1936, this three story hospital building was remodeled under the P.W.A. The architect was Albert H. Humes, of Pawtucket. It was originally built in 1918 and designed by John Hutchins Cady of Providence. It is today part of the Minimum Security prison.

A large, three-story Colonial Revival building. It was designed by architect John F. Hogan, of Providence. It was built concurrently with neighboring Simpson Hall, which is nearly identical, though by different architects. Barry Hall was named for a former superintendent of nurses.

A large multi-purpose building, in the Colonial Revival style. Originally housed the hospital's chapel, cafeteria, and gymnasium. Designed by John F. O'Malley of Pawtucket. Used until recently as a homeless shelter.

A long Colonial Revival building, built to house a hospital. It was designed by the firm of Barker & Turoff, of Providence. It is located directly west of the Reception Hospital, the institution's first building.

A two-story Colonial Revival building on a high basement. Like its neighbor, the Welcome Arnold Building, it was designed by Oresto Disaia. Unlike its neighbor, it has had some of its detailing altered, making the two no longer identical.

This is one of the largest buildings on the hospital campus. It stands three and four stories tall, gable-roofed, with a substantial clock tower. Like most of the area's buildings, it is in the Colonial Revival style. The architect was Edward O. Ekman, of Providence.

A group of three Colonial Revival houses that would not look out of place in an early suburb. There were once two more of these houses, on the south side of the street, which have been demolished. The architects of these houses are unknown at this time.

A large Colonial Revival building. Built concurrently with neighboring Elizabeth Barry Hall, which is identical, though designed by a different architect. Simpson was designed by Howe & Church, of Providence.

A two-story Colonial Revival building on a high basement. Like its neighbor, the Jonathan Arnold Building, it was designed by Oresto Disaia. Unlike its neighbor, it remains unaltered, making the two no longer identical. The building is currently vacant.

A two-story, flat-roofed building. Nominally Colonial Revival in style. This is one of the three original buildings of the Hospital, built by the PWA in 1936.

The PWA built this equipment building on the State Infirmary Hospital campus.

A three-story, Colonial Revival building built by the PWA in 1936. Like its neighbor, the Bernadette Building, the McDonald Building houses part of the women's prison.

The PWA built the power facilities at the State Infirmary Hospital. The power plant has since been substantially expanded, but it is unclear if the original building remains. Note that in the above photograph, the passageway at the right was not built by the PWA.

Built by the PWA in 1936 as the main building of its institution, the Virks Building is one of the largest buildings in this part of the city. It features a large portico, overlooking West Road. It was designed by Ambrose J. Murphy of Providence, more well known for his ecclesiastical designs. The building is currently vacant, with a proposal to convert it into offices.

A long, low, Classical Revival building, originally built to houses the nurses employed by the Sanatorium. Architecturally, it is defined by the slightly projecting central pavilion ornamented with pilasters and a pediment. Like the Sanatorium's main building, Wallum Lake House, the Nurses' Building was a PWA project. The architects of the building were Walter F. Fontaine & Sons, of Woonsocket. The Sanatorium is now the Zambarano Unit of Eleanor Slater Hospital. Built to house tuberculosis patients, it is now occupied by long-term cases requiring intensive care.

The Wallum Lake House was the Sanatorium's main building. It is a large, 3-story brick building, in the Colonial Revival style. The State Sanatorium was originally used as a place for the treatment of tuberculosis patients. It was designed by the Providence architectural firm of Howe & Church during the mid-1930s. This building replaced the Sanatorium's original building, which had opened in 1905. When it opened, Tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in Rhode Island. The hospital became the Zambarano Unit of Eleanor Slater Hospital in 1994. It is now used primarily to care for long-term patients requiring intensive care. The Bridgemen's...

Richards Hall is a PWA building constructed to house the University of Oklahoma's zoology and micro-biology department in 1935-37. Designed by Univ of Oklahoma architectural professor Joseph Smay, it includes numerous bas reliefs of aspects of Zoology.  It was the first building on the south oval of the campus.

The extension of the Richmond Hill branch library in Queens was undertaken as a sponsored federal WPA project during the 1930s.

This fancifully decorated elementary school was built by the Public Works Administration (PWA) in 1936, after the original school was destroyed in the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. Note the PWA construction sign in the archival photo below.

The New Deal funded the construction of this school, now Richmond Elementary, in Richmond Township in 1934.

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) conducted the following work at the former Ridge Avenue school in Darby, Pennsylvania: "grade the grounds on the Tenth street side of the Ridge avenue school grounds and ... enlarge the cement court to the Tenth street fence and the line of the property of the Friends' Meeting." The school, which was located at the western corner of Ridge Ave. and N 10th St., is no longer extant.

The New Deal funded an addition to Ridgeway Elementary in 1934.  While the plaque says the money came from a "Federal Public Works Project", that would be an early name for the Public Works Administration (PWA). The new eastern wing echoed the brick gothic design of the original building.     Ridgeway Elementary is today a magnet school for the Columbia area.

A set of alterations to the branch library in Ridgewood, New York was undertaken as a sponsored federal WPA project during the 1930s.

Excerpt from the National Archives and Records Administration, Neg. 17975-D: "Rikers Island Penitentiary. Description of work done by WPA. Erection of four single family residences; two single family residences; 5400 linear feet chain-like fence. Fence around entire institution, fence around baseball field; one concrete coping wall; piping in tunnel to the new proposed buildings. Erection of new hay and feed barn in wagon sheds on Riker's Island. Project No. 665-97-3-22. Social rehabilitation of Prison Inmates, Department of Correction, 2 Rikers Island."   Excerpt from the (1939) WPA Guide to New York City, Federal Writers Project: “The island is now entirely given over to the city's...

On February 12, 1936, the Doña Ana County Board of Education prepared a WPA project proposal to remodel and enlarge an existing school in Rincon, a small farming community on the Rio Grande north of Las Cruces. The project would add onto to an existing one-story, red-brick Mission Revival-style schoolhouse. The Board anticipated it would cost $5,111.20, with the WPA contributing $4,111.20 (WPA OP 65-85-1469). What resulted is a complementary brick addition, with the same pattern of windows and roof type as the original school. The only difference being the source of bricks and the type of sill applied to the windows. The...

In mid July 1935, an application was filed with the PWA for aid in constructing a $45,000.00 school in Riverdale. The new building, designed by Hugh McClure of Kearney, was planned to be brick with a reinforced concrete frame. The first floor would include a combined gymnasium and auditorium measuring 48 by 66 feet. Adjacent to the gym would be two grade rooms, the home economics and Smith-Hughes laboratory and shop, and dressing rooms. The second floor was to house a science laboratory, offices, assembly hall and classroom space. In September 1935, architect Hugh McClure was notified that final approval of...