Kawailoa Training School for Girls, Gymnasium – Kailua HI

Description

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded new construction or improvement work for the Kawailoa Training School for Girls (also known as Girls’ Industrial School) in Kailua on the North Shore of Oahu. The PWA grant amounted to $27,632. The work was carried out in 1938. The project, listed as Docket No. TH-1034-F, was part of the PWA’s non-federal projects expenditures for the Territory of Hawaii for 1938-1939. The school’s gymnasium was built in 1938, while the rest of the structures were built between 1927 and 1929. Today the facility serves as the Olomana Youth Center, part of the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility​ in Kailua.

A 1984 nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places describes the architectural features of the gymnasium building, designed by Harry K. Stewart, architect for the Territorial Department of Public Works: “The gymnasium was built in 1938, following plans prepared by Territorial Public Works architect Harry K. Stewart. This one story, rectangular shaped building sits on a raised foundation, and like other buildings at the school has a Hawaiian style roof. The entry to the gymnasium is embellished with some modest relief decorations about the frame.” This was building was still used by the school as of 1984.