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AA 1534 W. SAMPLE HISTORICAL CONTEXT In the first decades of this century, the southwest quarter of South Bend was known as the "Foreign Section". Primarily immigrant and first generation Poles and Hungarians, resided there. The neighborhood contained 1/3 of the city's population at the time Washington School was constructed in 1917. Breaking conventions of the period, the Board of Education set about to design a school to deal with the predominantly non-English speaking population. The result was a three -track program, that is, in the elementary grades, the course -work of one semester may be spread out over two or three semesters, according to the ability of the student. School facilities included; a 1,200 seat auditorium, a home economics kitchen, print and woodwork shops, a night school for adults and a branch of the public library. Progressive thinking in 1917 dictated open-air school for the physically infirm. The school also made provisions for the mentally disabled in "Opportunity School". Washington School was dedicated in November of 1918 during a ceremony that included three addresses in Polish and one in Hungarian. By the 1903's overcrowding at Central High School necessitated the conversion of Washington to a high school. The first term as a high school was in 1935-36 and consisted of only sophomores. As they advanced new classes were added behind them until the full complement of grades was reached in 1937-38. The conversion never was considered satisfactory and 20 y_ears_later the_new_Washington- High- School -at 4747V Western was built. The move to the new $4 million dollar structure was made between semesters in, January of 1960. Shortly after its vacancy Washington school became occupied by Ivy Tech. They utilized the building until the late 1990's. The structure currently sits vacant with demolition pending. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION This is a two-story, irregular plan Renaissance Revival style school building. It has a cut stone Plinth foundation, mottled red brick walls with shallow pilasters and terra cotta detailing. It has a semi circular bay jutting from the central front fagade with brick header coursings, with terra cotta capped parapet interrupted by shaped pilaster ends. The roof is bi-leveled with a two-story block flanked by one-story wings. The main entry has a modest portico with fagade-brick piers, pedimented flat brick roof and the stoops. The building has long courses of vertical modern windows set between molded terra cotta sill and lintel courses. It has blind panels at intervals between windows and multiple entryways of glass and steel set in square brick surrounds. RECOMMENDATION Based on the Historic Preservation Commission's Local Land �ter_a'� acl�. by the Common Council, the site and structure at 1534 W. Sampl has been recommended to in