- City:
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Site Type:
- Education and Health, Schools
- New Deal Agencies:
- Public Works Funding, Public Works Administration (PWA)
Description
"The construction of the Burgwin School, in a residential district adjacent to a mill and commercial district, made possible the elimination of the old Hazelwood School built in 1875, and of the Glenwood School built in 1882, both of which were obsolete.
The building is 3 stories in height and H-shaped in plan with over-all dimensions 96 by 279 feet. It accommodates 920 pupils in 22 classrooms and a kindergarten. In addition, it has 2 nature-study rooms, rooms for the study of art and music, a library, 2 playrooms separated by folding doors which can be folded back to form a large gymnasium, an auditorium with a seating capacity of 325, a general clinic, medical inspector's office, administration offices, and supply and storage rooms. In the rear of the school is a playground surfaced in fine red clay and 2 tennis courts with cork asphalt surfaces.
The building is fireproof throughout. The exterior walls are light-colored brick with limestone trim. It was completed in August 1937 at a construction cost of $363,004 and a project cost of $389,751."
(Short and Brown)
The school has been closed since 2006. "Burgwin School is one of 3 schools in the Hazelwood neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pa., which has closed. In 2006, Pittsburgh closed 23 of its 66 schools and has since closed or proposed closure for four others."
(kansascity.com)
Source notes
C.W. Short and R. Stanley-Brown. "Public Buildings: A Survey of Architecture of Projects Constructed by Federal and Other Governmental Bodies Between the Years 1933 and 1939 with the Assistance of the Public Works Administration." (1939). https://saving17000kids.kansascity.com/articles/seeking-formula-fix-urban-education/Site Details
| Total Cost |
|---|
| $389,751.00 |
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Yvonne Davis
James Jeffress
Nancy Stonick Reid
Lynda (Coombs) Weaver
charles john liptak
DAVID ALLEN
Patty Bailey
Donald Kost
Richard Price
i went to this school, and was just taking to family about the schools we went to and I told them about going to the Bergwin Elementary school. and How we had to walk to school, down Broad view Drive, past the corner store, then cut throw the play Ground and pool throw the baseball field and then into the school. this was early 1970, we moved away in 1972 to Maryland. I even remember dutch boy paint, the Woolworth, A&P bakery Factory. we lived in Home wood, before my grand mother passed away she lived in the seniors home that was newly build in 1970’s . The area looks different but I still remember a lot of stuff that happened back then . by the way My family name is Williams., James and Madeline Williams,
I was born in Pittsburgh and too attend school at Burgwin and I remembered it to. The Jeffress family was my birth name I go by the name James Jeffress Jr,and I live on second Avenue and was raise by my mother Lois Phillips and family.It was nice back then.!!! I move to Trenton nj in 1968but visit Pittsburgh’s area to keep in touch.
I attended Burgwin from 1946-1951 and then attended Gladstone Jr. High. We moved in 8th grade to West Homestead across the High Level Bridge. I attended Calhous Jr. High and then graduated from Munhall H.S. in Munhall, Pennsylvania! I loved Burgwin. I started in First Grade because my parents did not know there was a school nearby so I missed Kdg. We lived on the hill on Rivermont Drive. All the houses were torn down and it is just a forest of bushes and trees. Mrs. Sylvia Schmidt was my 5th grade music teacher. She played the organ on TV for Happy’s Hour and took 4 of us to sing on the program. Was in all city choir also. Mrs. Weaver, Library Teacher is the reason I went into teaching first grade until I retired in 2008. Was a second floor monitor! Loved going to the Burgwin pool which is gone now. Made a trip 2 years ago to see all the schools and homes I lived in!
Althought I currently live in Lancaster, PA, my thoughts drifted back to the day that I was introduced to the Pledge of Allegiance while attending kindergarten at Burgwin. That was back in 1965! I have many fond memories of Hazelwood during those years. I can clearly recall the nice school crossing guards that helped us safely make our way back & forth to school along the red brick streets. We lived on Ampere Street. I only attended Bergwin one year, before moving on to St. Stephen’s, not far away. But Bergwin set me on the path, and will always be in my heart. We moved from Hazelwood to the South Hills of Pittsburgh in 1971 where I still have family. When I visit Pittsburgh, I always take time to drive through Hazelwood and past our old house. Such wonderful times we had playing in the wooded hillside behind our house, or riding our bikes up and down a million times on the street.
My name is chuck liptak. My family lived on Rivermont Drive 1942-44. I remember Ms. Rote ( history, science), Ms. Acheson(geography), Ms. Smith (music), Mr. Hayes (art). He and Ms. Smith would pass notes back and forth to each other. The notes were delivered by students. They would laugh or smile when they read them. Never gave it a thought until I was much older. Mr. Tracey (gym). I loved my time at Burgwin. Our teachers would cry when we graduated.
My name is David Allen. I attended Burgwin Elementary School K-3 from 1951-1955. I remember the morning rituals of reciting the pledge of allegiance and the reading of bible verses every school day. I remember my teachers Mrs. Stock, 2nd grade and Mrs. Taylor 3rd grade. I also remember Mrs. Schmidt, Music Teacher and Coach Tracy for Friday health class and gym. I also remember the school safety patrols who were the 5th and 6th graders and who had the authority to report you if you violated a school rule anytime from the time you left home and arrived at school and for anything on the way back home. If you got three reports it was time for you to go to coach Tracy for your paddling. I remember getting paddled a lot. I lived at 982 Broadview Drive in the Glen Hazel projects. I was the youngest of four (Skippy, Dickie and Bunny), my brothers and sister, all attended Burgwin as well. To and from school was a long walk, 4 times a school day, for a little first grade kid. That daily regiment made you strong. There were no skinny legged kids in Glen Hazel. Typically we would walk through the parking lot on Broadview, down the hill through the Rivermont courtyard, down the steps to Rozelle Court and down the sidewalk past the basketball court and swimming pool turn left down the hill (remembering not to run or you will get a patrol report and the paddle) then we are at Burgwin. Now picture this in reverse except everything is uphill. Sometimes we would travel through the woods and eat our way home when the fruit trees were bearing fruit. That was the long way home so we only did that at 3:30 or when we were going swimming in the summer. I loved the woods, the blackberries, fruit trees, raiding the gardens and the wild animals. My brother, Skippy, bought a house on the hill in the woods at the edge of the cemetery. This was the same house we passed when we traveled home through the woods on our way home from Burgwin. The Allen Family legacy is still in our old neighborhood. When I visit Pgh I drive through the old project streets. I now live in Maryland. I miss the freedom and friendship of my childhood in Glen Hazel and Burgwin Elementary School.
I lived in the projects on Rivermont Dr.. I attended Burgwin from 1st grade to 6th grade then went to Mifflin for 7th and 8th. We were able to run home for lunch everyday. And yes, we ran down the street, cut through the basketball court, under the fence to arrive in the back of the school building.
I attended from 1960-1965. Received an excellent education from caring educators. Have moved far away from Pittsburgh, but when we come back I always drive by the old building.
Hi, this is Donald Kost. I went to Burgwin from 1st to 4th grade 1953 till 1957. I lived at 930 Rozelle Ct. I remember Miss Gass, Mrs. Taylor, Mr. Stuart for 3rd grade math and coach Tracey. We walked and played everywhere without fear. Some of my classmates if memory serves my were Donald Wallace and David Brown. David got some new tennis shoes and coach Tracey picked him up by the ankles to inspect them. Anybody remember playing at the cemetery dump or on the prairie? Still remember my old phone number. Hazel 1-3886.
Richard Price. I attended Burgwin from 1952-1957. We lived on Rivermont Drive. We went to school via the steps leading down to Johnson Avenue, then past the pool and gym . I remember Donald Wallace and Mr Tracie the gym teacher. Also remember the school principal , I believe it was Hilda Nobel