The fireworks on July 4, 1858 were more spectacular than ever. Crowds
gathered in Union (later Spencer) Square for the display were startled to
see flames shooting from their brand new high school, burning it to the
ground before it could even be occupied. Only two years earlier, five
separate school districts had been consolidated to form the Rock Island
School District. One of the first acts of the new district was to build
that high school on the northwest corner of 7th Avenue and 22nd Street.
Old photos show an impressive 3 story brick building with many chimneys.
After the fire, construction at the same location began immediately for the
second high school, which was ready for occupancy in 1859. That school was
razed in 1892 to make way for the new P. S. No 4 (now "old" Lincoln School).
In the meantime, a third high school had been built in 1886 (and enlarged in
1898) on the corner of 6th Avenue and 21st Street in the same block. That
high school was probably designed by the architect who later designed
Lincoln, Edward S. Hammatt. It looked very similar to Lincoln, with the
addition of an impressive round tower at its corner. Once again, fire
struck. On February 15, 1901, this school, too, burned to the ground.
Again a new high school had to be built in 1902. The fourth high school,
also depicted on many postcards, was used until the completion of the
present building, shown in today's postcard. The building continued as
Central Junior High School, until a fire set by two students destroyed it on
December 11, 1949, with damage reported at $1 million dollars. The day
after that fire, the Argus showed many photos of it and other local school
buildings destroyed by flames.
In the 1920s, a semi-rural hilltop site on 17th Street was purchased. Plans
were made to first build a stadium, whose cornerstone was laid in 1929, and
later a larger high school. It is appropriate that this postcard, which was
published in 1945, shows the stadium in the foreground, since it predated
the high school by nearly a decade. The original stadium cost was
reportedly $80,000, while the recent major renovation and restoration cost
over $750,000.
The Great Depression disrupted many plans. But in the mid 1930s Rock Island
was finally able to build its fifth high school when federal programs became
available. The overcrowded old high school had been designed for 600
students; the new high school was designed for 1600 and could accommodate
2000. In an Argus editorial lauding the new school, its cost was reported
as $1,250,000, of which nearly $480,000 was provided by the Public Works
Administration. The grant meant no increase in local school taxes. (And to
put this in a contemporary perspective - Geifman's grocery store was
advertising prime rib roast for 25 cents a pound, while 24 pounds of
Pillsbury flour cost 99 cents. McCabe's sold women's new fall dresses for
$1.88 - $9.67).
Additional land west of the stadium was purchased, and excavation for the
high school was begun in 1936. A rapid construction schedule meant the
school was ready for use in September, 1937. On Wednesday, October 6, 1937,
the first of four dedication ceremonies began with a ceremony for students.
The following evening, a dedication was held for the community, producing a
nearly filled auditorium. The most formal ceremony was held on Friday
evening, and, on Sunday afternoon, the high school choir presented a final
vesper program.
The aerial view on the postcard vividly depicts the symmetry of the campus
and how the overall plan integrated the buildings into the landscape. The
main entrance of the school is at the center of the east face, framed by the
twin auditorium/gymnasium wings. Even the circular drives on either end are
symmetrical. Originally this symmetry extended to the west face of the
school, although later additions have been made here. The large lawns
surrounding the school and the stadium provided a unique campus,
unparalleled in most cities.
Over the years, as the school populations and needs have changed, additions
were made to the original structure. Fortunately, the architects and the
school boards have chosen to maintain the symmetry of the front of the
building as well as its Art Deco styling. A recent major renovation and
updating restored many architectural features of the building and added a
new "main" entrance at the south. But it's worth walking around the
building, just to see the beautiful aluminum framed entrance with its newly
restored lanterns on the east. Peek through the window of the "Little
Theatre" on the north and see the wonderful "streamlined" ticket office,
also newly restored. Historic "Rocky" is well prepared for the next
millenium.
If you'd like more information on the high school, read "Rock Island's
Modernistic Architecture." It's FREE at the Preservation Commission kiosk
at Rock Island's downtown library.
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