Lew Wallace High School History Wiki (not -pedia)
Lew Wallace High School
415 West 45th Avenue
Gary Indiana 46408
The word wiki is used to designate a collaborative website; a place where knowledge, lore and thoughts of a group can be collected, collated and shared by its members. We have begun the Lew Wallace High School history project because we sense that a huge and meaningful chapter of Gary, Indiana’s and our history will be lost with the formal closing of our alma mater.
Contents
- 1 History
- 2 Building expansions
- 3 Administrators and Administrative Staff
- 3.1 Principals
- 3.1.1 Stella Z. Miles 1923 - 1925
- 3.1.2 Ina Martin 1925 - 1927
- 3.1.3 Verna Hoke 1927 - 1949
- 3.1.4 Floyd G. Asher 1950 - 1960
- 3.1.5 Donald Torreson 1961 - 1966
- 3.1.6 William Vorwald 1966 - 1970
- 3.1.7 Christ Christoff 1970 - ?
- 3.1.8 Mr. Mathews ? - ?
- 3.1.9 Marion Williams ? - ?
- 3.1.10 Clausell Harding ? - ?
- 3.1.11 Janice Minor ? - ?
- 3.1.12 Mr. Piggie ? - ?
- 3.1.13 Lucille Upshaw ? - ?
- 3.1.14 Latanza Borden ? - ?
- 3.1.15 Clifton Gooden 2007(?) - 2014
- 3.2 Associate/Vice Principals
- 3.3 Administrative Assistants (office staff)
- 3.4 Counseling Staff
- 3.1 Principals
- 4 Students
- 5 Student Life
- 5.1 Class Pictures
- 5.2 Teachers
- 5.3 Academics
- 5.4 Student Activities
- 5.4.1 Student Council
- 5.4.2 Girls’ Club
- 5.4.3 Foreign Language Clubs
- 5.4.4 Chess Club
- 5.4.5 Hi-Y and Y-Teens(black students)
- 5.4.6 Musical Groups (choirs, bands, orchestras)
- 5.4.7 Dramatic Troupes
- 5.4.8 Yearbook/Philosopher
- 5.4.9 Inkpost
- 5.4.10 Salmagundians
- 5.4.11 Klub Ken
- 5.4.12 CiFr
- 5.4.13 Projector Club
- 5.4.14 BCO (Better Citizenship Organization)
- 5.4.15 "White Caps" - promoted nursing (called 'comparatively new' in 1953 yearbook)
- 5.4.16 Astronomy Club
- 5.4.17 Auxilia - library assistants
- 5.4.18 World Affairs Forum
- 5.4.19 Human Relations Forum - promoted better inter-student and faculty relations
- 5.4.20 FHA (Future Housewives of America)
- 5.4.21 Booster CLub (called 'new' in 1971 yearbook)
- 5.4.22 Print/Pica club
- 5.4.23 WGVE 88.7 FM
- 5.4.24 Sports Teams
- 5.4.25 Tech/Voc School
- 5.5 Famous and Infamous Alums
- 6 The aftermath
- 7 Other information wanted
- 8 External Links
History
A brand new city in 1906, Gary IN hired William Wirt as its first School Superintendent in 1907. Wirt established a working relationship with St Louis architect William B Ittner, and after creating several schools in the northern parts of Gary, this duo turned their attention to Glen Park, which had been annexed to the city in 1909.
In 1921, Wirt selected a 25 acre site to develop a school for the Glen Park area, and the first classes were held at what was then called “The 45th Avenue School” in fall of 1923. Glen Park was a rapidly growing area of Gary at that time, and by 1924, 8 portable buildings were added to house a total of more than 700 students.
In 1926, the West Building was added and housed a gym and an auditorium, and in 1927, the name was changed to Lew Wallace School and included complete high school classes. Verna Hoke, the first principal of the newly named school was hired and began her long tenure.
Further expansion occurred from 1931-1933, and the 1931 cornerstone (near the old main doors) remains visible. Another expansion was undertaken in the early fifties, and yet another in the early 70s. No significant changes were made in the structure after the 70s expansion, and Lew Wallace graduated her last class in Spring of 2014.
Original 45th Avenue School
Building plans; blueprints
Architect
William Wirt
Meaning of a public school to a neighborhood
Work/study/play impact on school development and architecture
Art collection
First Teachers and Administrators
Enrollment patterns
Largest and smallest graduating classes
Decline in enrollment
School closure
Building expansions
Growth of Glen Park
1930s
The History of the Lew Wallace School
In 1932, Dorothy Seefeldt wrote a brief history of Lew Wallace to that date, and it was published in the 1932 yearbook as follows:
The location of the Lew Wallace School was selected by William A. Wirt, Superintendent of the Gary Public Schools, and the Board of Education in 1921. The original site contained twenty-five acres but it has been reduced to about twenty acres as a result of putting in sewers, sidewalks, and streets. The first building, located at the east end of the lot, was erected in 1922 and known as the Forty-fifth Avenue School. Miss Stella Z. Miles was principal. Since 1924 eight portables have been added and in 1926 the west building was erected for the use of the primary grades. The last and main unit is now under construction and is expected to be finished by the end of the 1932-'33 school term.
The growth of the school has been astonishingly rapid. In 1923, during Miss Miles' principalship the total enrollment was 502. When Miss Ina Martin succeeded Miss Miles in 1925, the enrollment was 776. Miss Verna Hoke followed Miss Martin in 1927 at which time the number had increased to 1,337. The present enrollment is 1,931, more than four times as great as the original number.
This growth was accompanied by a similar growth in the teaching force. The first faculty, during the school year 1923-24, consisted of ten members: The Misses Rose Veenker, Margaret Gale, Agatha Clemens, Pearl Giroux, Mary Furnes, Grace McAllister, Agnes Beedon and the Mesdames Florence Haskell, Alice C. Connors, and Mildred Kelley. At the present time Miss Verna Hoke, principal, assisted by Floyd Asher supervises the work of fifty-four faculty members. In addition there is an office force of five members and a permanent medical office pre-sided over by Mrs. Dorothy Clayton.
The name of the school was chosen by a popular vote of the pupils during the time Miss Ina Martin was principal. Lew Wallace was a great statesman, writer, and general during the Civil War. It is the purpose of the school to foster the standards of scholarship, loyalty, valor, honor, and sportsmanship which this great man upheld during his life.
The cost of the original land site was $25,000 and the additional costs for streets, sidewalks, sewers, and surfacing was $38,000. The total in-vestment including the new building under construction is more than $1,000,000.
The present curriculum is not as complete as the one followed by other Gary high schools, but it will be upon the formal opening of the new building which is now being occupied by several classes, but which will not be fully equipped until the fall semester of 1932-'33. The completion of this building will be co-incident with the graduation of the first class to complete four years of high school training. The Lew Wallace School has been granted permission to appropriately use the crest of the Wallace family. The crest bears the coat of arms of the Wallace family and dates back to the eleventh century. Our school is honored by being the only school or organization in the United States privileged to use this crest. For this reason it is the desire of the students and faculty to display and use it on only such occasions as we know the Wallace family would be proud to have it used. The crest, to us, is something to be respected and venerated.
- Dorothy Seefeldt, '32
Cornerstone Ceremonies
1950s
Memories of "the Portables"
Arson of 1957
1970s
Images of the Renovation
Administrators and Administrative Staff
Principals
Stella Z. Miles 1923 - 1925
Ina Martin 1925 - 1927
Verna Hoke 1927 - 1949
Floyd G. Asher 1950 - 1960
Donald Torreson 1961 - 1966
William Vorwald 1966 - 1970
Christ Christoff 1970 - ?
Mr. Mathews ? - ?
Marion Williams ? - ?
Clausell Harding ? - ?
Janice Minor ? - ?
Mr. Piggie ? - ?
Lucille Upshaw ? - ?
Latanza Borden ? - ?
Clifton Gooden 2007(?) - 2014
Associate/Vice Principals
Administrative Assistants (office staff)
Counseling Staff
Students
Demographics
Income
Ethnicity/shifts
Education
Continued to college/graduated from college
Student Life
Class Pictures
Class of 1932
Teachers
Length of tenure, pics, bios, etc
Academics
Standardized test scores
Strength of various disciplines (science, arts, language arts, etc)
Required Auditorium Class (see 1936 book)
Areas of study concentration (majors? Minors?)
Libraries
Primary School(?)
Junior Library
Senior Library
New Library (1972)
Library Fire
Library Images
Student Activities
Student Council
Girls’ Club
Foreign Language Clubs
"Sprench" (Spanish-French) Club
Los Amigos, Les Parisiennes
Olympians (classical languages)
Chess Club
Hi-Y and Y-Teens(black students)
Musical Groups (choirs, bands, orchestras)
Dramatic Troupes
Productions
The Wizard of Oz
The Mikado
HMS Pinafore
You're a Good Man Charlie Brown
Yearbook/Philosopher
Inkpost
Salmagundians
Klub Ken
CiFr
Projector Club
BCO (Better Citizenship Organization)
"White Caps" - promoted nursing (called 'comparatively new' in 1953 yearbook)
Astronomy Club
Auxilia - library assistants
World Affairs Forum
Human Relations Forum - promoted better inter-student and faculty relations
FHA (Future Housewives of America)
Booster CLub (called 'new' in 1971 yearbook)
Print/Pica club
WGVE 88.7 FM
A Brief Description and History
Since 1954, WGVE 88.7 FM has served the Northwest Indiana community as a reliable and valuable public radio source. The station was originally located in Lew Wallace High School and operated at less than 50 watts. The primary purpose of the station during this era was to enhance the local school curriculum by airing instructional programs. The station was also used to make local announcements concerning the school district.
As the Age of Information began to appear on the horizons, the facility was moved to the Gary Area Career Center in 1969, where a broadcast-training program for area high school students was added. Currently a mixture of school and community news, educational programming, public service announcements and music characterize the WGVE broadcast days.
Doors Wide Open
Programming is designed to offer a valuable informational platform for the community. Local programming like “Doors Wide Open” host a wide array of guest from the Gary Community School Corporation, the City of Gary and other valuable partners in education and human services. Frequent guest include Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and various department heads of the City of Gary; Dr. Cheryl Pruitt, the Superintendent of the Gary Community School Corporation, department directors, school principals and teachers the president of the local teachers union and other guest.
Prep Sports Network
“Prep Sports Network” programming offers exciting play-by-play action of area high school basketball and football games. Featured games include all high schools in Gary, Northwest Indiana and teams from around the state.
Live Broadcasts of School Board and Gary Common Council Meetings
Live broadcast of the Gary School Board meetings will air at 6 PM every second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Live meetings of the Gary Common Council will air every first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 PM.
A Variety of Programs
Other programming focuses on parenting, child development, health, aging and international affairs, which includes Public Radio International productions. This program allows District personnel and community activist to visit and talk live about activities and events related to their organization. WGVE also offers a wide genre of music from Jazz, Blues and Hip-Hop.
Television Productions
In the late 70’s, a multi-camera television studio was added to WGVE. This facility serves as a laboratory for students to gain experience in the production of visual materials suitable for cable broadcast. WGVE students produce “District Connections”, a television talk show that is designed to keep local cable access viewers in the know about the Gary Community School Corporation.”District Connections” also features the accomplishments and activities of area schools. The program can be viewed on WJPN Channel 21 in Gary, Indiana and on various channels through U-Verse.
WGVE 88.7 FM Radio Station Facts
First Broadcast: January 1954
Antenna Height: 125-foot self-supporting tower
Studio and Tower Location: The Gary Area Career Center
Four studio facility: Two master control-rooms and two production studios
Effective Radiated Power: 2.1 Kilowatts
Sports Teams
Tech/Voc School
Famous and Infamous Alums
- Stacy Adams, former football coach at Valparaiso University.
- Vic Bubas, former basketball coach at Duke University.
- John Bushemi, war photographer.
- Tellis Frank, NBA forward.
- Milo Komenich, NBA basketball player.
- Hank Stram, AFL/NFL Head Coach and Super Bowl Champion.
The aftermath
Selling the building? ‘the rock’
The auction
Vandalism, scrapping
Missing artwork
Alumni Activity
Class of 1932 Reunion
2014 Building Tour
Other information wanted
Photos, videos from students
Anecdotes from students
Any available yearbook material
Teacher reflections
Teacher rosters
Inside knowledge of building (closed areas, basements, shooting gallery,etc)
External Links
- The Lew Wallace High School Wiki Project on Facebook
- Lew Wallace High School Official Site
- Lew Wallace High School Page on Wikipedia
- Gary Community School Corporation
- Virtual Tour of Lew Wallace High School on YouTube
- 2014 Lew Wallace High School Tour on Vimeo
- Valuable art collection in Gary vanishing - Fox 32 Chicago
- Celestine Bloomfield - Lifestories Project
- Lew Wallace STEM Academy on Facebook