070_Franklin and May Goodrell Junior High Schools

070_Franklin and May Goodrell Junior High Schools

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.

070_FranklinandMayGoodrellJuniorHighSchools.jpg

68 The enrollment in February, 1965 is 1262 and a staff of 51. The peak enrollment of 1562 was reached in September, 1960. The opening of Merrill Junior High in September, 1961 and Meredith Junior High in September, 1962 relieved the enrollment pressures at Franklin. Over 50% of junior high students participate in instrumental or vocal groups other than m music classes. In the mid-1970s Franklin junior high school continues as one of the largest junior high schools in the city with upwards of 1100 students in attendance. They have a variety of programs available and these include the Title III Career Interest Student Survey. They participate in the Police-School Liaison program being affiliated with Roosevelt in this respect. They carry out a correlated studies program which is an inter-discipline approach for 80 7th grade students. They participate in the voluntary transfer program which means that they are recipient of about 100 innercity black students who elect to attend Franklin. They have a class in photography as well as an ecology club. Their career education clusters include the World of Construction, Communication and Media, Public Service, Environmental Science, and Hospitality and Recreation. Previous principals; 1951-1962 Erwin A. Hafenstein 1962 - 1973 Walter B. Besley 1973 - Sam Long Goodrell Jr. High (Photograph) MAY GOODRELL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL East 29th Street and Ovid Avenue Grades 7, 8, 9 Dates of construction—1955 1961—8 room plus library addition Original building opened in. 1955— cost $1,377,090. In 1961 an 8 room plus library addition was opened costing $210,784. Now it has a total of 33 teaching stations. Educationally it offers a regular junior high program with 4 half-time electives in grade 7, 7 in grade 8, and 12 half-time and full-time electives in grade 9. Industrial Arts — 1910 (Photograph) MAY GOODRELL IS NAMED AFTER MAY GOODRELL Even on May Goodrell's 18th anniversary many students don't know who May Goodrell was. Miss Goodrell, known to hundreds of friends and former students as "Aunt May" was best known as the former principal of East High School. Miss Goodrell was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1859. She graduated from East High in 1877 and was teaching at Bryant School by 1890. By 1891 she was assistant principal at East High. Ten years later she became the principal of East High and remained in the job for eight years. During that time a new East High building was built at 13th and Walker Streets. In the spring of 1912, Miss Goodrell, carrying books and a chair, led a procession from the old East High to the new one. In 1918, she had relinquished the principalship at East High to become the Director of the Bureau of Child Labor of the Des Moines schools. She spent two years at that work and then returned to school work as the Director of the Department of Attendance and Employment.