Schools Sites

The community notes in the Independent Reporter of February 4, 1934 mentions New Deal help in this very rural plantation of 114 (1930 census). "School at the Roosevelt schoolhouse reopened Monday, after a vacation of two weeks. The CWA workers have been making some much needed repairs on the schoolhouse." David Baker and P. Tripp are mentioned as visiting from the Greenville CCC camp.

Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works funded the construction of the Roscoe School in Sun Valley CA. Plaque Inscription: Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States, Harold L. Ickes, Administrator of Public Works, 1939. Roscoe School was founded in 1917 to serve the small number of residents in the community of Roscoe. It began as a small one-room schoolhouse on the corner of San Fernando Road and Strathern Street. The structure was rebuilt on its original site and is still known as "The Little Red Schoolhouse." As the city of Roscoe grew over the years, numerous buildings...

The construction of the Rosedale School in Bakersfield CA was funded by the Public Works Administration. The former elementary school is now a middle school.

Rosedale received $115,000 in federal funds for a school building. Exact location and current status of building unknown.

In 1934, the Public Works Administration approved a loan of $4.2 million for a school building program in Fort Worth. Rosemont Middle School (Originally Rosemont Junior High School) was one of the schools built with the PWA funds. The E. G. Withers Architectural Company designed the mostly two-story Mediterranean-Romanesque style structure. Thomas S. Byrne Construction Company constructed the building between 1935 and 1936. The Works Progress Administration under the direction of Hare and Hare of Kansas City landscaped the school grounds.

Rosewood Center in Liberty, South Carolina was originally built as Liberty Colored High School, a segregated school, with the assistance of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. "The school had an auditorium, four classrooms, and offices. The auditorium stage also served as the lunchroom. Originally, the basement had separate restrooms for the boys and the girls." (Wikipedia)

The Art Moderne vocational school was constructed as part of the Meridian High School Complex. Construction was completed by the National Youth Administration, and the engineers were Gardner and Howe.

Sometimes mis-attributed to the Works Progress Administration, the former high school in Rossville, Kansas was constructed with the assistance of Public Works Administration (PWA) funding. The PWA supplied a $38,004 grant for the project, whose total cost was $85,724. Construction occurred between Decembet 1936 and September 1937. PWA Docket No. Kan. 1095 The building was used for as a high school until 1979. The location and status of the building is presently unknown to Living New Deal.

The Works Progress Administration built the original section of Round Top-Carmine High School in 1939 (Project No. 12646.). It was called the Carmine Independent School at the time of construction. An addition was built on the northwest side of the building in 1995 and another structure was added on the southeast side in 2018.

Rowan Avenue Elementary School, which opened in 1912, 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...

"The last structure built in the Main Street Historic District, the Roxbury Central School, is architecturally and historically significant as a Tudor Revival style building that symbolizes the period of centralization in the development of the New York educational system. The facility is an outstanding local landmark in Roxbury and was designed by the locally prominent Albany architect Harold O. Fullerton. Built as a Public Works Administration project between 1939 and 1940, the building eventually replaced eight one-room rural school houses. Architecturally, the Roxbury school design reflects the desire of the village to continue the aesthetic preferences of the Gould...

54 WPA workers were employed in reconstructing the athletic field and tennis courts at Roxbury High School.

At the time of its construction, this addition served as the high school in Louisiana. Missouri.  When a new high school was constructed in the 1960s, it became the junior high school.  It is presently not in use.

In 1942, the Washington Post reported the allocation of $20,448 to the Federal Works Agency (FWA) for new construction and/or improvements to the Rudolph Playground in the city's northwest quadrant. Today, park abuts the Washington Latin Public Charter School and is apparently part of the school's recreation area.  There is a baseball field and traces of an older field, as well as a soccer pitch.  The ball fields very likely trace back to the New Deal work of the early 1940s.

A three story Art Deco style limestone school building with auditorium and gymnasium. This building was built as the new Russell High School: "Originally built at a cost of $253,000 and with assistance from the Work Projects Administration (WPA) in 1938, the three-story limestone structure was constructed for high school students and continues to support and house education in the Russell community... The building was built with cooperation from the Federal Public Works Administration where workers were paid 60 cents an hour. Between 400 and 500 men built the building in 14 months."   (https://www.krsl.com)

Part of the Program of School Construction, this one-room school building in Camuy was built by the PRRA. The program focused on increasing enrollment, literacy, and expanding school facilities across the Island. "During the school year 1937-38, 275 buildings were added to the number available last year, an increase of 479 rooms." The exact location and status of this facility are unknown to Living New Deal.

This school dining room was built by the PRRA in Guayanilla. The Program of School Construction focused on creating school facilities in rural areas. “During the school year 1937-38, 275 buildings were added to the number available last year, an increase of 479 rooms. The Federal Government authorized the expenditure of $3.000.000 by the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration for school buildings. Of the original grant, $1,000,000 has been spent.” The exact location and status of this facility are unknown to Living New Deal.

This school dining room was built by the PRRA in Luquillo. The Program of School Construction focused on creating school facilities in rural areas. "During the school year 1937-38, 275 buildings were added to the number available last year, an increase of 479 rooms. The Federal Government authorized the expenditure of $3.000.000 by the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration for school buildings. Of the original grant, $1,000,000 has been spent.” The exact location and status of this facility are unknown to Living New Deal.

This rural school was built by the PRRA in Fajardo. The Program of School Construction focused on creating school facilities in rural areas. "During the school year 1937-38, 275 buildings were added to the number available last year, an increase of 479 rooms. The Federal Government authorized the expenditure of $3.000.000 by the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration for school buildings. Of the original grant, $1,000,000 has been spent.” The exact location and status of this facility are unknown to Living New Deal.

The PRRA established the Program of School Construction to create facilities in rural areas. "During the school year 1937-38, 275 buildings were added to the number available last year, an increase of 479 rooms. The Federal Government authorized the expenditure of $3.000.000 by the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration for school buildings. Of the original grant, $1,000,000 has been spent.” The exact location and status of this facility are unknown to Living New Deal.

The stunning PWA Moderne-style Rushville Elementary School in Rushville, Missouri was constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The facility has since been expanded, and it is still in service.

"This beautiful old native sandstone building, located in downtown Edmond, was erected by the WPA in 1941-1942. It served as a Junior High School until 1957, and then as an elementary school. It is still in use today. The school is named for Russell Dougherty, an Edmond native and the first graduate of Edmond High School killed during World War II."   (https://www.waymarking.com)

Russell Elementary School, which opened in 1918, 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 three story Art Deco style limestone school building with auditorium and gymnasium, it was completed by the Federal Works Agency (FWA) between 1935 and 1938. It is now the site of the Ruppenthal Middle School.

Described as "an Art Deco gem" (Leighninger, 2007, p. 78), in which "simple geometric forms predominated" (p. 80), Ruston High School was constructed by the PWA in 1939-1940. The original building included an auditorium wing and the central core of classrooms. A second wing was added to match the auditorium wing in the late 1960s. "One of the best examples of this style in the state", the architectural features were duplicated in the changes (Dailey & Pfister, 2000). The building is still in use as the high school, and is well-maintained.

In 1937, a school was built in Rylie, Texas (now Dallas) to replace the former school that burned down the year before. An article published in 1937 in the Dallas Daily Times Herald, recounts the process by which federal funds were granted for the construction of the school: "Officials Puzzled When Second Okay for School WPA Grant Comes Through The board of trustees of Rylie common school district is well fixed for federal aid on construction of a new school house, unofficial reports from Washington indicated Wednesday. Hoke Smith, architect for county school projects aided by the Works Progress Administration, was unable to understand an...

"The Sacramento Junior Colleges Annex and Extensions were the most costly PWA project in Sacramento. Built in 1936 and 1937 they were built to meet the needs of the growing city population and student body. Together they added an auditorium, gymnasium, library, aeronautical and engineering-technology laboratories, and many classrooms. Designed by notable Sacramento architect Harry Devine Sr. the buildings show signs of many diverse styles such as Mayan and Romanesque. These buildings are stylistically a transition bridging the gap from Devines early Romanesque designs into a more moderne style of work. The library building was demolished in the late 1990s...

Saginaw Elementary School in Saginaw, Texas was constructed in large part with federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) funds. Text from the state historical marker reads: "Saginaw School. Jarvis J. Green settled here in 1882 and named the site for his former home of Saginaw, Michigan. The Fort Worth and Denver and Santa Fe railroads later crossed here, and in 1892 the first school opened. It was a tuition school on McLeroy Boulevard which became a public school the following year. A 1910 teachers strike against child labor in the school led to the creation of a local parent-teacher association. Fannie Gillen donated...

The Works Progress Administration built the Saint Albans Grade School. The condition of this structure is unknown to the Living New Deal.

The Works Progress Administration built a new athletic field for the Saint Albans High School. Per commenter Paul Chandler, "This looks to be Coote Field which was located just east of Stevens Brook between Lake Street and Lower Weldon Street. Across the brook was Houghton Park—later used by the high school soccer team. ... he athletic fields no longer exist at that location."

Saint Edward was the beneficiary of a $32,000.00 Public Works Administration (PWA) project for the construction of a gymnasium and auditorium addition to the high school. After two weeks of clearing the site and excavating the basement in the first part of May 1935, the concrete footings for the main building walls were ready to be poured. Hopes were that the footings would be completed within a week, and that the brickwork could get underway soon after. The contractor, John L. Soderberg, planned to call for two shifts per day, each lasting five hours per shift, and having a six-day...

The former Salem High School (not extant) was constructed by the National Youth Administration (NYA). It served African American students. It was covered in a faux-brick design shingle, pier-and-beam construction, and had two classroom wings with a central auditorium.

The former vocational building for Salem High School for African Americans was a pier-and-beam wooden building with a pent awning over the double door entrance. It was constructed by the National Youth Administration (NYA) and contained a brick chimney, likely fitted for a wood stove vent. Historic photographs clearly indicate the NYA marker embedded in the brick chimney located next to the entrance doors. The building is no longer extant.

This WPA gymnasium is still in use as the Salina Wildcats High School Gymnasium. The 1985 Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory described the structure: "The Salina highschool gymnasium is a rectangular (35' x 100') building constructed of uncut native stone of buff and auburn colors in a masonry of random rubble. The bottom third of the building contains cut, coarsed, and rusticated native stone of buff colors. The roof is gabled with parapets."

"Salisbury High School began in 1904 and was the second high school in North Carolina. The current location was completed in 1926 and named Boyden High School in honor of Colonel Archibald Henderson Boyden, an educator who was then Mayor of Salisbury. It is one of many schools built across North Carolina in the early 20th Century. The building was designed by C. Gadsen Sayre and built by L. S. Bradshaw, and (as Boyden High School) was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 23, 1996. Six additional buildings were constructed on campus to facilitate the school's...

This former high school building was built by the Works Progress Administration in 1939-1940. The new school put 105 men to work for eight months. This building would serve as a high school until 1988. It was sold to the Old High School Association in 1995 who started restoring it as a Museum and Cultural Center for Sallisaw. The building burned down in June 2004. Arson was suspected. Only the facade of the front entrance remains.

2nd of 5 proposed units. The Daily Pacific Builder of October 3, 1938 reported that an architect was wanted for this project which had been awarded $190,000 in PWA money.

A long, low Art Deco building constructed by the PWA in 1938-39. Originally a high school, it is now used as a junior high. The architect was Edward O. Ekman, of Providence.

Samuel Tilden High School in Brooklyn, New York originally opened in 1930. However, an addition to the facility was constructed in 1938-9 with as a New Deal project. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $471,600 grant for the addition, whose total construction cost was $788,100. PWA Docket No. NY 1554

This small rural school is located 9 miles south of Socorro just off I-25, in San Antonio, New Mexico. The WPA engraving pictures is dated 1938. The school's current website says the school was founded in 1928. This may be a typo on the website, or the WPA may have done a remodel or addition in 1938.