North Grade School

The North Grade School was constructed in 1931, to replace its three-story predecessor, locally known as “Old North Grade School.” A sizeable chunk from the old concrete foundation still remains in place, jutting out from the center of the grade beam along the front facade of the present building; while the remnant may have been left as a sentimental reminder, it was more likely for reasons of economics, since the new school was built in the depths of the Great Depression. Yet, despite the lean times in which it was constructed, the building possesses a subtle elegance; with its sturdy brick facades and buff-orange interior ceramic tiling it has, too, an air of quiet permanence. Designed by the Casper architectural firm, Goodrich and Krusmark, the floor plan is simple, logical, and wholly effective to its purpose. Eight classrooms—one per grade—occupy the north and south perimeters of the building; administrative offices are ranged along the front (west) end, while a gymnasium and auditorium, both of generous proportions, occupy the interior core. A corridor from each of the main entrances proceeds along the classrooms at either side of the building, and these two are connected by a third, which passes between the auditorium, in the heart of the building, and the offices at the front. The exterior brick walls incorporate protruding pilasters and sparse, geometric ornamentation, both of which lend some visual interest to the otherwise plain facades. The building is set on its spacious lot well back from the distractions of the public street—a setting that, naturally, well befits the purpose of the structure. North Grade School enrolled grades one through eight until the 1950’s, when a junior high was constructed; after which, it served grades one through six.