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historical notes <br />In 1918 the city of South Bond built a small one-story machine shop and foundry building <br />of factory construction behind the high school. This small structure was the beginning <br />of South Band's vocational education program for boys. The machine shop was built in <br />compliance of a 1913 state law that required school corporations to offer vocational <br />education programs. <br />The South Bend 5choo) Corporation's f|les, which include the architectural drawings by <br />Willard Murdock Elwood, state that the structure was built between 1923-1924. In a book <br />published by the South Bend School Corporation it is stated that the main unit was built <br />in 1932 and oust $74,876'26 and the addition, built in 1924, cost S32.472.25 for a total <br />construction cost of $107.348.51. The school was built to accommodate 350 pupils and <br />included (\) auto shop. (\) aeronautics shop, /2\ electric shops, /\\ print shop, (2) <br />machine shops` (l) cabinet making shop, (4) mechanical drawing rooms, (!) academic room, <br />l Prevocational shop, (l) administrative suite, (2) store rooms, (1) teacher's work room, <br />(l) mill room, and (l) pattern -making shop. <br />The 1945 3andborn Map (p. 27) shows the Boys Vocational School with the same building <br />configuration as today with a construction date of 1928, perhaps that of a later addition. <br />The Boy's Vocational School was designed by a prominant South Bend Architect, Willard M. <br />Elwood' Elwood also designed the Hoffman Hotel and the LaSalle Annex. The building <br />was constructed by the Christman Construction Company. <br />source ofinforrnaticxn <br />South Bend Library File: Schools - Vocational Education <br />South Bend School Corporation Files <br />