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Locust Avenue School

Introduction

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This brick Romanesque Revival school building was designed by Warren Briggs in 1896 and built at a cost of $23,000. it is the last surviving 19th-century school building in Danbury and now houses the Alternative Center for Excellence (ACE). The structure was once used as a "laboratory school," or a training ground for new teachers, and its design offers insight into school architecture of the late 19th century.


Images

  • Locust Avenue School (Daniel Case, full citation below)

Backstory and Context

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The Locust Avenue School is one of four similar brick schools built in Danbury during the latter half of the 19th century. The three other are:
  • New Street School, built 1865, demolished 1969.
  • Balmforth Avenue School, built 1881, demolished 1958.
  • Morris Street School, built 19th century, old section demolished 1981, though the school itself survives.
The Locust Avenue building served as a public elementary school until 1976. Its eight classrooms feature plentiful natural light, which entered through large windows. The ventilation system also keeps rooms airy and regulates the temperature. Each classroom has room for approximately 50-60 students. The basement served as a recreational space when inclement weather prevented going outside. It also let in natural light thanks to ground-level windows. 

Architect Warren Briggs designed this bright, functional school building in accordance with up-to-date school architecture practices. In 1899, he published Modern American School Buildings, a work that included Locust Avenue School.


Sources

Devlin, William, and Paulette Pepin. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form: Locust Avenue School." U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service. May 31, 1984. Accessed March 05, 2017. 
https://npgallery.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/85001162.pdf. 

Photo credit: Daniel Case:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alternative_Center_for_Excellence,_Danbury,_CT.jpg

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