School #77 Dedication Day--1950

In 1949, the IPS School Board announced plans to replace the portable classrooms at 401 North Arlington Avenue with a brand new building to be completed in 1950. The new structure received the name of Anna Pearl Hamilton School in honor of a beloved former teacher who passed away in 1948. Besides naming the new school for Miss Hamilton, the local PTA also purchased a Clifton Wheeler painting in her honor titled "Early Spring." The new building would house 13 classrooms and cost $440, 000. It was only the second school built by IPS since the end of World War II. Christian and Barbara Kuhner Delker provided the land for the new structure. The old Delker farmhouse was torn down at 6026 Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive to make way for the very modern and sleek looking brick structure. School officials named the new auditorium in the structure after the Delkers.

On June 1, 1950, Irvington residents and IPS officials gathered to dedicate the future school with the laying of the cornerstone. J. Dwight Peterson, President of the Board of Commissioners, gave the principal address at the dedication.  Other speakers that day included Mrs. Olma Bruck of 52 South Audubon who was the Vice President of the school board at the time; the PTA President, Mrs. Pearle Hazenfield who lived at 58 North Arlington Avenue, and Principal Cathryn Boggy. Inside a copper box, officials placed a Bible, an American flag, local newspapers, a history of the PTA, a shiny nickel, various photographs, and signatures of the current students and staff at School #77. They then placed the box inside the cornerstone with "1950" etched into the limestone.

Donn Richardson, who grew up at 477 North Audubon Road, has many memories of the new school including the Cold War era duck and cover drills. Later, instead of going under their desks,  they drilled by going into the locker rooms in case the Soviets decided to drop an atomic bomb on Indianapolis. Mr. Richardson chuckled that one day a teacher turned off the lights, but one wise guy in the crowd decided to pass gas. Needless to say, that ended the darkened-room-practice drill. If the Soviets were to have ever flown over Irvington, they would have clearly noticed a light on in the locker rooms at School #77.

On June 1, 1950, local residents gathered for the cornerstone laying of the new School #77 at 6040 E. Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive. (photo courtesy of Donn and Carolyn Richardson)

On the stage for the cornerstone laying of the new IPS #77, also known as the Anna Pearl Hamilton School, local officials gathered on June 1, 1950. Cathryn Boggy was named as the principal of the new school. She is sitting in the second row next to an identified child and is looking at the photographer. In the front row (left to right): Horace Boggy, Emil Schaad,  Pearle Hazenfield, Olma Bruck, and J, Dwight Peterson. (photo courtesy of Donn and Carolyn Richardson)

Miss Ruby Wells, a teacher at the Anna Pearl Hamilton School, gathered her students for a Christmas photo in the winter of 1958. None of the students have been identified yet, but we hope to find the names.  (photo courtesy of Donn and Carolyn Richardson)

IPS no longer possesses the Anna Pearl Hamilton School, also known as #77. It now belongs to the Irvington Charter School (photo taken in 2012)

Sources:  "Board Pushes Addition to School 77," Indianapolis Star, March 30, 1949, 2; "New School 77 Ceremony Set," Indianapolis News, June 1, 1950, 23; "Writer Honors Teacher's Memory," Hancock Democrat, May 20, 1948, 8; Regarding the Delker family--"Ringside Hoosierland," Indianapolis News, July 1, 1949, 12.

I am indebted to Donn and Carolyn Richardson for their stories and photographs. Donn grew up at 477 North Audubon Road and attended School #77.

I.P.S. School #77--An Early Portable

In 1932, the Indianapolis Public Schools constructed four adjoining portable classrooms with a t-shaped hallway connecting the classes at 401 North Arlington Avenue.  The structure was built on land that used to belong to the Delker family. For the next eighteen years, neighborhood children attended the school from first through fourth grade. Anna Pearl Hamilton, a beloved teacher, worked in the portable from its initial opening to her untimely death at the age of 58 in 1948. When IPS built a new school on the site in 1950, they named structure in honor of Miss Hamilton. By the 1940s, Cathryn Boggy served as both the fourth grade teacher as well as the principal of the school. Donn Richardson, who lived at 477 North Audubon Road, has many memories of the "portable." Miss Hamilton's second grade classroom, like the others, had tall ceilings and her room at the southeast corner had a door out to the playground which sat near a cornfield.  Since there was no auditorium, students would gather in the hallway for any kind of school-wide assembly. Fourth graders assumed much responsibility including serving as a traffic guards for both Arlington Avenue and Pleasant Run Parkway.

In one poignant memory, Mr. Richardson recalled an encounter he had with his second grade teacher, Miss Hamilton, who he described as loving but firm. She had helped him practice his spelling words. He struggled with spelling and later he placed a sheet of paper with the words on his leg during a test. He wrote with his left hand and had to use an ink well so it took him a long time to write out his spelling words. Miss Hamilton noticed the paper on his leg and ran back to confront him. While educators were only beginning to understand dyslexia in the late 1940s, Miss Hamilton deduced why Donn had the sheet on his leg. She spoke to his parents so that they could begin working with him. He also received help at school. Soon, Donn's father bought him comic books so that he could begin reading on his own. Miss Hamilton's early intervention changed the trajectory of Donn's life as he would later become a journalist and film producer. His class was the last to benefit from Miss Hamilton's teaching as she became ill and died in the following winter. Donn reported that he felt abandoned after his beloved teacher passed away.

There were four portable classrooms constructed at 401 North Arlington Avenue. Each classroom, like the one shown in the photo, were large and had tall ceilings. This photo, likely snapped in 1947, shows fourth grade students taking some kind of assessment. Most are looking down. A school crossing guard stands in the corner. We do not know the names of any of the students.  (photo courtesy of Donn and Carolyn Richardson)

Fourth grade students c1949 served as patrol boys at I.P.S. #77 (photo courtesy of Larry Muncie)

Fourth grade students square dance as part of a school program at School #77 in 1947. Donn Richardson, who dwelled at 477 North Audubon Road, and his unidentified partner promenaded near the portable classrooms. (photo courtesy of Donn and Carolyn Richardson)

I wish to thank Donn and Carolyn Richardson for their assistance with this post. 

A Family Rescued an Irvington Home

George and Florence Baxter Thornton likely moved into their new home in late 1910 or early 1911. The wealthy couple had hired architect Marshall Van Arman to design a fashionable manse at 75 North Audubon Road. Mr. Van Arman combined two popular movements of the day by using both the Tudor Revival and Craftsman styles. For decades local Indianapolis newspapers carried events, meetings, and parties held in the home while the Thorntons lived there. Mr. Thornton died in 1958.  Mrs. Thornton continued to reside in the house until her death at the age of 92 in 1971. The couple had no surviving children and towards the end of her life, Mrs. Thornton struggled with maintaining the large home.

The Thornton home at 75 North Audubon Road as it appeared in October of 1977: David Gauss and Pam Haase purchased the residence in 1972 and eventually planted three evergreen trees on the property in honor of their three children, Chris, Robert, and Tracy. (photo courtesy of Pam Haase) 

In 1972, the unusual property sitting on an acre-and-a-half of land came on the market for the first time since its construction.  When Dr. David Gauss, a local dentist, and his wife Pam Haase toured the home, he immediately saw the beauty and grandeur of the place while she saw plaster falling off the walls. However, once the couple committed to buying the property, Ms. Haase reports that she, too, could see the stunning beauty of the house. She loved the staircase and chuckled that she could see herself coming down and greeting her guests as if she were in a Loretta Young film.

The rear of the Thornton home at 75 North Audubon Road in October of 1977: The Gauss family resided here from 1972 to 1979. Later, a large addition would be added to the rear of the house by a different family. (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)

The foyer of 75 North Audubon Road in December of 1977 (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)

Loretta Young descends a staircase in the 1944 film, "And Now Tomorrow" (photo courtesy of hamlette blogspot) 

There was much work to be done on the residence as the boiler did not work and the property was completely overgrown. Towards the end of her life, Mrs. Thornton struggled to get upstairs so an electric chair had been installed along the stair rail. Thankfully, the bones of the house were in good shape including the tiled roof. The young couple already had two children and with a third on the way, they would soon have their hands full.

From 1972 until 1979, the Gauss family lovingly restored the Thornton home. They plastered walls, worked on the electrical issues, and updated the kitchen. The family particularly enjoyed the octagonal solarium in the front of the house during the warmer seasons. The Gauss children had plenty of room to play both out on the lawn and in the house. The 1970s, however, were difficult times to own larger older houses. The country faced two major issues with high inflation and an energy crisis. Both of these issues made it difficult to own and operate a large property like the Thornton home. The Gauss family paid $1000 a month to heat the place even in the 1970s. By the end of the decade, they decided to move on, but they had already done the neighborhood a great service by saving a property that was in decline. Pam Haase noted in an interview that they viewed themselves not just as homeowners but as stewards of this special place.

Gorgeous art glass in both the sidelights and door of 75 North Audubon Road in December of 1977 (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)

Beautiful brick fireplace at 75 North Audubon Road in December of 1977 (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)

Stunning doors into the dining room at 75 North Audubon Road in December of 1977 (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)

Built-in hutch at 75 North Audubon in December of 1977 (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)

The dining room at 75 North Audubon Road in December of 1977.  (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)

The solarium at 75 North Audubon Road could be visited during all seasons as it was heated. The  Thorntons put in Italian terrazzo floors in this beautiful room. (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)

The Gauss family preserved the original kitchen cabinets at 75 North Audubon Road (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)
    

The Gauss family added a double oven in the kitchen at 75 North Audubon Road, which Pamela Haase noted was the height of kitchen luxury in the mid-1970s. She also loved her red linoleum floor. (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)

Upstairs, the Thorntons had these built-in drawers and closets put in, each with a separate key. Mrs. Thornton came from the prominent Baxter family who made their fortune on... keys! (photo courtesy of Pam Haase)

In the fall and winter of 1977, Pam Haase walked around with her camera and snapped images of many of the rooms. She was justly proud of their hard work and decided to document the moment. I have included many of those images for this post. I have also included some original art of the family and of the house done by David Kinney in 1974. Mr. Kinney lived next door. I am indebted to Pam Haase for her stories and her photos of 75 North Audubon Road.

Artist David Kinney created this sketch of 75 North Audubon Road in 1974 for a Gauss family Christmas card. (sketch courtesy of Pam Haase)

Artist David Kinney sketched the entire Gauss family in 1974 for their annual Christmas card. (sketch courtesy of Pam Haase)

Artist David Kinney sketched the front wall at 75 North Audubon Road in 1974 for the Gauss family. (sketch courtesy of Pam Haase)

Kids Photographed Along St. Clair Street 1948

Sometime in the winter of 1948, Ann Schmidt and her good friend, Marcia Shick, grabbed their cameras and snapped photos of their little brothers and sisters next to the Schmidt family Buick parked near St. Clair Street. Ann Schmidt lived at 5702 East Pleasant Run Run Parkway North Drive and Marcia Shick lived nearby at 5728 East Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive. The car in the photos belonged to Dr. Henry Schmidt. For many years the frugal optometrist took the streetcar or other modes of transportation to work. After World War II ended, he decided to buy the used Buick seen in the photos. In some of the images, you can see the rear of the residences at 804 and 814 North Audubon Road.

Maureen Schmidt, Marcia Shick, and Ann Schmidt posed next to the Schmidt family Buick in the driveway at 5702 East Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive in the winter of 1948. Behind the kids, you can see the rear and side of the Vroom family home at 814 North Audubon Road. (Photo courtesy of Ann Schmidt Brown and Doreen McGuire Crenshaw)

Carl and Maureen Schmidt posed with their neighbor Peter Shick in 1948. The kids are standing next to the Schmidt family Buick at 5702 East Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive. (Photo courtesy of Ann Schmidt Brown and Doreen McGuire Crenshaw)

Marcia Shick photographed Peter Shick, Carl Schmidt, and Maureen Schmidt at 5702 East Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive. Behind the kids, you can see the rear of 804 and 814 North Audubon Road. Ann Schmidt likely took this photo of her friend snapping this picture in the winter of 1948. (Photo courtesy of Ann Schmidt Brown and Doreen McGuire Crenshaw)

Editor's Note: 5702 East Pleasant Run Parkway is now numbered as 5701 East St. Clair Street. I would like to thank Ann Schmidt Brown and Doreen McGuire Crenshaw for their contributions to this series.