Saint Edward High School Gymnasium & Auditorium – Saint Edward NE

City:
Saint Edward, NE

Site Type:
Education and Health, Parks and Recreation, Schools, Gymnasiums

New Deal Agencies:
Public Works Funding, Public Works Administration (PWA)

Started:
1935

Completed:
1935

Contractor:
John L. Soderberg

Quality of Information:
Moderate

Site Survival:
Unknown

Description

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 work week. Of twenty-five men hired for the project, twenty were from Saint Edward. By mid July, fifty-eight men were working on the project, all from the Columbus employment district. The project was expected to be completed by August 1, 1935.

The addition consisted chiefly of a gymnasium and auditorium, which provided a basketball floor nearly the size of the Columbus High School’s gym floor. It measured fifty by seventy-five feet in area, with a twenty foot ceiling. Bleachers would provide seats for 400 at cage games, and seats on the floor would increase the seating capacity to almost 1000 for stage productions. The stage measured twenty-eight feet wide and twenty-two feet deep, with dressing rooms. Below the stage, lockers, showers, storage and restrooms were located for the sports activities. Above the state was an area that included three classrooms. A fireproof booth was built above the bleachers for the projection of movies. The entire addition, measuring seventy by 103 feet was built of brick, steel and concrete. It joined the existing structure on the south between the east and west wings of the school. ‘

The school was dedicated and classes began in the new addition on September 2, 1935, and included many new classes and features such as manual training, full gym classes in the new gymnasium. The general assembly for the four high school classes was discontinued and replaced with a “home room” plan due to the fine new classrooms that were now available. Between 300 and 400 people attended the dedication. Open houses were held all afternoon, opening the building for public inspection.

Source notes

Norfolk Daily News, 17 October 1935. Columbus Daily Telegram, 16 May 1935. Columbus Daily Telegram, 19 July 1935. Columbus Daily Telegram, 19 July 1935. Norfolk Daily News, 27 August 1935. Norfolk Daily News, 4 September 1935.

Site originally submitted by Jill Dolberg on July 17, 2015.

Location Info


601 Clark St
Saint Edward, Nebraska 68660
Boone County

Coordinates: 41.570952, -97.861976

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