Grammar School - Itta Bena MS

City:: Itta Bena, MS
Site Type:: Schools, Education and Health
New Deal Agencies:: Work Relief Programs, National Youth Administration (NYA)
Started:: 1940
Completed:: 1940
Designer:: Robert James Moor architect
Contractor:: National Youth Administration
Quality of Information:: Very Good
Site Survival:: Extant

Description

The Itta Bena Grammar School is a one-story brick, five course common bond building in a standard T-shape constructed 1940 by the National Youth Administration, designed by architect Robert James Moor. It remains in use as of 2018. Itta Bena citizens met in May 1939 to discuss the proposed new elementary school building, and by September, the old building was facing demolition. The National Youth Administration covered the cost of labor for the school building. The $45,000 grammar school building was dedicated February 24, 1941, with an approximate cost of $25,000 to Itta Bena. The dedication ceremony, held in the High School auditorium built in 1930, opened with the high school band playing “God Bless America” with George M. Deen of Greenwood District of NYA present. The tour of the new grammar school declared it “adequate in size to meet the needs for years to come” (Itta Bena School dedicated today”), which apparently still remains true given it still houses the elementary school of Itta Bena.

Source notes

Gatlin, W., & Tietz, S., April 10, 2009, Nomination form National Register of Historic Places, Itta Bena Historical District Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Resources Inventory Database. Retrieved May 5, 2018 from: (https://www.apps.mdah.ms.gov/Public/prop.aspx?view=architectural).

Greenwood Commonwealth, May 29, 1939, p. 1, and Sept. 12, 1939, p. 1.

Itta Bena School dedicated today, Greenwood Commonwealth, February 24, 1941.

NYA Cooperates in National Defense, Greenwood Commonwealth, January 24, 1941.

Site originally submitted by Susan Allen on May 7, 2018.