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.