Southwark School

Southwark School

Southwark School, April 2010
Location Eighth and Miflin Sts., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 39°55′35″N 75°9′32″W / 39.92639°N 75.15889°W / 39.92639; -75.15889Coordinates: 39°55′35″N 75°9′32″W / 39.92639°N 75.15889°W / 39.92639; -75.15889
Area 3 acres (1.2 ha)
Built 1909-1911
Architectural style c, Other, Jacobean
MPS Philadelphia Public Schools TR
NRHP Reference # 86003330[1]
Added to NRHP December 1, 1986

Southwark School is a public K-8 school located in the Central South Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is a part of Philadelphia Public Schools.

The historic school building was designed by Henry deCoursey Richards and built in 1909-1911. It is a three-story, granite-faced, reinforced concrete building in the Tudor Revival-style. It features a segmented, compound arched opening and parapet with stepped stone panels.[2]

Students zoned to Francis Scott Key School (K-6) are zoned to Southwark for grades 7-8.[3] Students zoned to Southwark and to Key are also zoned to South Philadelphia High School.[4]

History

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.[1]

As of 1989 the Southwark Motivation, a high school program with 265 students, housed its classes on the third floor of Southwark School. Established by West Philadelphia High School teacher Rebecca Segal, it admitted students who perform at average levels and provided extra mathematics and English courses, required attendance of cultural events, used the same teachers all four years, and made parents sign contracts asking them to involve themselves in the education of their children.[5] That year the district decided to move the program to South Philadelphia High School in order to use more space at the underutilized high school campus and to relieve overcrowding at South Philadelphia elementary schools. The third floor of Southwark would be used for grade 6-8 students who were attending Francis Scott Key School, and there would be space freed for a full-day kindergarten program.[6] Several students and parents of Southwark Motivation criticized the plan.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania" (Searchable database). CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Note: This includes G. Thomas (August 1980). "Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form: Southwark School" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-07-03.
  3. "Francis Scott Key Elementary Geographic Boundaries" (Archive). School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on November 29, 2015.
  4. "South Philadelphia High School Geographic Boundaries" (Archive). School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on November 29, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Mezzacappa, Dale. "High School Students Like It Small Plan To Move Motivation To Southern Draws Fire" (Archive). Philadelphia Inquirer. April 5, 1989. Retrieved on November 29, 2015.
  6. Mezzacappa, Dale. "Crowding Prompts Changes At South Phila. Schools" (Archive). Philadelphia Inquirer. February 9, 1989. Retrieved on November 29, 2015.
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