Shelton School Auditorium & Gym – Shelton NE

Description

The Public Works Administration (PWA) announced a number of projects in May 1937 which were designed to improve or eliminate conditions in schools that might be regarded as hazardous to students’ lives. Shelton was given a grant of $30,900.00 to build an addition to the school that would provide more room for students and alleviate an overcrowding hazard.

Work on Shelton’s new $32,000 school addition began on May 2, 1938. The project included an auditorium/gymnasium wing measuring 60 by 100 feet in size, and a Smith Hughes vocational and shop wing, 30 by 80 feet. J. P. Helleberg of Kearney served as the project architect. J. E. Kaufman received the bid for the general contracting work.

The auditorium/gymnasium addition was built of brick and concrete construction. A stage is located in one end of the auditorium, and provided a seating capacity for large crowds on each side of the gymnasium floor. The gymnasium floor is regulation size and large enough so that basketball tournaments and other district contests could be held there. The auditorium was also available for other community gatherings. The Smith-Hughes shop was considered one of the most valuable additions to the Shelton public school system, providing vocational and agricultural training.