Shaw Junior High School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Shaw Junior High School
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 Location in Washington, D.C.
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| Location | 7th St. and Rhode Island Ave., NW Washington, D.C. |
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| Built | 1902 |
| Architect | Henry Ives Cobb |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| MPS | Public School Buildings of Washington, DC MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 08001206 |
| Added to NRHP | December 22, 2008 |
Shaw Junior High School, now called Asbury Dwellings, is an old and important building in the Shaw area of Washington, D.C.. It became a protected historic site in 2008. This means it's a special building that people want to preserve because of its history.
Contents
History of Shaw Junior High School
How the School Got Its Name
The school was named after Robert Gould Shaw. He was a brave leader during the American Civil War. Shaw led the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. This was one of the first official groups of African American soldiers in the war.
Early Years as McKinley School
From 1902 to 1928, the building was home to the William McKinley Manual Training School. This school was for white students. It opened at the same time as the Armstrong Manual Training School, which was for African American students. Both schools were part of a new idea in education. They taught practical skills, like industrial training, along with regular school subjects. This helped students get ready for jobs or college.
Becoming Shaw Junior High
In 1928, the McKinley school moved to a bigger campus. The building then became Robert Gould Shaw Junior High School. This school had first opened for Black students in 1921 on M Street. The new Shaw school also served only Black students until segregation ended. Segregation was a time when Black and white people were kept separate by law.
Challenges and Changes
Over time, Shaw Junior High became very crowded. The building also started to fall apart. People even called it "Shameful Shaw." This showed how the city was not taking care of schools for African American students. In 1977, Shaw Junior High moved to a new building. Later, in 2008, it moved again and became Shaw Middle School at Garnet-Patterson. This school closed in 2013 because not enough students were attending.
A Strong Music Program
Shaw Junior High School was known for its amazing music program. The school band was very talented. They marched in famous parades like the Macy's parade in New York City. They also performed in the Rose Bowl parade and the Gimbel's parade in Philadelphia. Mr. Lloyd Hoover was the director of this successful band. Today, the old Shaw Junior High building has been turned into apartments.
The Shaw Neighborhood Name
Before the 1960s, the area now known as Shaw was called Midcity. In 1966, city planners used the boundaries of Shaw Junior High School to create something called the Shaw School Urban Renewal Area. This plan helped create the idea of a "Shaw neighborhood." This area was actually much larger than what people usually think of as Shaw today. It included parts of the U Street Corridor, Logan Circle, and Truxton Circle.
Building Design
The building was designed by an architect named Henry Ives Cobb. The city wanted to hire private architects to make public schools look better. The outside of the building is made of light brown bricks. It also has trim made of limestone. A cool feature is an archway on the third floor. These arches are in the Romanesque style, which is a type of design from old Roman buildings.
