Iowa Heritage Digital Collections
State Library of Iowa

036_Greenwood School

Title

036_Greenwood School

Description

This is a page from the collection "Bicentennial Reflections: History of Des Moines Public Schools, 1876-1976" by Dr. Robert R. Denny, published by the Des Moines Public Schools in Des Moines, Iowa in 1976.

Digital Reproduction Information

JPEG scanned at 600 dpi resolution on an Epson Expression 10000XL Scanner

File Name

036_Greenwood School.jpg

Transcription

Granger (Photograph) Greenwood (Photograph) Hanawalt (Photograph) Hillis (Photograph) noted that in every issue of the Iowa Star when Granger was editor, a poem appeared on the front page. He imprinted his cultural and literary accomplishments on all who read the paper. He was a well educated man, a lawyer by profession. He practiced in Des Moines, ran a real estate business, became prosecuting attorney and was made Judge of the County Court when Byron Rice, our first school teacher, resigned that position. He was influential in molding public opinion in the early days of Des Moines. Many stories of this estimable gentleman are told in numerous articles and books about early Des Moines. In 1881 the Early Settlers Association held a reunion at the home of Barlow Granger, "two miles south of the statehouse". His southside affiliations are furthered by the fact that he was mayor of Des Moines one term and of Sevastopol for two terms. Sevastopol is, of course, a part of the south side. GRANGER—1975-76 Because of the development of new housing in the area, Granger Elementary School increased its enrollment in the early 1970s to 770. With the opening of Lovejoy School and the additions to Jackson School and Park Avenue School, two hundred pupils were sent to those schools from Granger. Since then Granger School has been maintaining steady enrollments as new housing continues to develop in the vicinity during the mid-1970s. In recent years "Career Education" has become an important part of the curriculum. There has been a team-teaching project in second grade for a number of years. Fourth grade will be semi-departmentalized in 1975-76. Other lower grades are undepartmentalized. Grades 5 and 6 are departmentalized with one teacher teaching reading skills in 5th grade and another teacher teaching reading skills in 6th grade. There is also a teacher that teaches social studies and science to all 5th and 6th graders. There are the usual arithmetic, art, music, and physical education teachers in grades 5 and 6. Principals of Granger School include: 1954 - 1963 Lucille Truitt 1963 - 1967 Lorena Riebhoff 1967 - Daniel Priest GREENWOOD SCHOOL 316 37th Street Grades K-6 Dates of construction—1901 1924 1961 (north wing) Site—3.4 acres The history of Greenwood School extends back to the days when it was a separate school district serving the western most suburban area. Greenwood School was named for the spacious woods which surrounded the school area. The first building was located near Thirty-fifth and Ingersoll. The present building at Thirty-seventh Street, south of Grand Avenue was constructed in 1901. The Greenwood Park community incorporated as a city in 1881. In 1890 it became a part of the city of Des Moines. The school district continued as a separate entity until 1900. At that time it joined the West Des Moines Schools and. sent its high school students to the outstanding high school that was recently built at 15th and Center—West High. The roster of PTA presidents and officers, Advisory Board members and students who have attended Greenwood throughout its existence reveal the names of many prominent families and persons who have made contributions to the life of the city of Des Moines, the state of Iowa and the United States.