Nomination for Cranch School

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

NPS Form 10-900 (3-82) OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entries - complete applicable sections 1. Name For NPS use only received uN date entered JUL - 4 1984 5 984 historic Cranch School and/or common 2. Location Cranch School street & number 270 Whitwell Street- N/A not for publication city, town Quincy N/Avicinity of state Massachusetts 3. Classification Category Ownership district X public X building(s) - private _ structure both site Public Acquisition object N/A in process being considered code 025 county Norfolk code 021 Status - occupied _ unoccupied X work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted - yes: unrestricted _ no Present Use - agriculture .

commercial educational entertainment government industrial military _ museum -park private residence religious - scientific transportation X other: Vacant 4. Owner of Property name City of Quincy street & number 1305 Hancock Street city, town Quincy N/Avicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description stateMas sachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Norfolk County Registry of Deeds street & number 650 High Street city, town Dedham state Massachusetts 6. Representation in Existing Surveys title the Commonwealth the ntonynoe the Historic Assets of #has this property been determined eligible? date 1978 federal X state county - yes Xno _ local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission Boston city, town state Massachusetts 7.

Description Cranch School, Quincy, MA Condition _ excellent X good fair .deteriorated .ruins unexposed Check one X unaltered altered Check one - original site _moved date N/A Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Cranch School of 1900 is a handsome institutional example of the Renaissance Revival style executed in brick. Sited on a sloping triangular parcel bounded by Whitwell Street (south), Glendale Avenue (northeast) and Maywood Avenue (west), it faces west in a primarily residential, turn of the century neighborhood. The site itself is largely paved to form a play area; there are no associated outbuildings. The symmetrically designed Cranch School is rectangular in plan with a projecting central entrance pavillion. It rises two stories from an uncoursed granite foundation to a hipped, slate clad roof with terra cotta cresting at the ridge. Large interior end chimney's pierce the main roof while a third rises through the entrance pavillion. The body of the building is brick laid in a common running bond.

The rusticated first story is separated from the second by a granite belt course; the second story terminates in a corbelled cornice. Windows, which are symmetrically placed and vertically aligned, have granite sills and flared, brick lintels; they generally contain 6/6 double hung sash. The school's relatively complex facade is dominated by the central entrance pavillion which projects in two parts. The centermost portion, enclosed by a hipped roof, contains four conventional windows at each story. Additionally, a pair of narrow lights containing 2/2 sash occupies the center bay of the first story. A large granite block, bearing the school's name, is located directly beneath the central windows of the second story. Side elevations of this section contain one window at the first story and two at the second.

Flanking this central section are paired, one story entrance blocks whose shed roofs con- tinue the slope of the main roof. Identical in design, each contains a recessed entry set in a round arch surround whose tympanum is filled with brick laid in a basket weave pattern. The entry is flanked by narrow 1/1 sash rising directly from the basement and by blank rondels in the spandrels. Side elevations of these sections contain original four panel doors flanked by window's with 4/4 sash at the first story, and a 4/4 round arched window in the gable. On both sides of the central pavillion, the main block contains three windows at each story.". Side elevations '(north and south) are simply organized with four windows at each story including the basement.. Both elevations gain in height toward the rear of the school due to the sloping site.

First and second story fenestration divides the 18 bay rear elevation (east) into four sections: the outer sections contain four small windows at each story while the center sections, each contain five larger windows separated by a blank bay. The basement contains four entries irregularly interspersed with windows. The rear slope of the roof contains two eyebrow dormers. The school's interior is simply appointed with some tongue and groove vertical wain- scotting in the classrooms.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Cranch Schoo1, Quincy, MA Period prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 1800-1899 X 1900 Areas of SignificanceCheck and justify below _ archeology-prehistoric community planning archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics X architecture education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement communications industry invention landscape architecture law literature military music -philosophy - politics/government - religion science - sculpture _social/ humanitarian theater _ transportation X . other (specify) community development Specific dates 19.00 Builder

Statement of significance

/Architect Albert H. Wright Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) The Cranch School possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, and work- manship. It is significant as a well: designed and preserved example of early 20th century institutional architecture in Quincy and as a refhection of intensive civic growth at that time. Thus, the Cranch School meets Criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places. The Cranch School was completed and transferred from the Commissioner of Public Works to the School Department on January 5, 1901. It opened two days later with 200 pupilsfrom grades 1-6; grades 7-8 were added to the school population during the next two years. The school was named for the Honorable Richard Cranch, the 18th century owner of the land on which it stands.

Richard Cranch (1726-1811) was a prominent citizen who served as a Representative to the General Court, a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and as the town's first postmaster. The Cranch School was erected in a growing residential neighborhood just west of the city's commercial and civic center to alleviate overcrowding in existing schools. Following an established local pattern, the neighborhood became defined by walking distance to the school and gradually became known as Cranch Hill.cor The Cranch School became part of the nationally known and much emulated Quincy Public School System, developed by Francis D. Parker, the superintendent of Quincy Public Schools from 1875-1880. Based on a study of contemporary education methods in Germany, Parker's system emphasized learning as an enjoyable experience during which practical and useful skills could be acquired.

By 1906, Daniel Monroe noted in Quincy, Old Braintree and Merrymount that some people have even gone "so far as to utter the heresy that the city's distinction as the birthplace of the presidents and the source of one of the granites is distanced by the praise of her schools." The Cranch School is one of an unusually high number of well designed and preserved brick schools dating from the turn of the century in Quincy. Designed by local architect, Albert H. Wright, its plan is based on two earlier Quincy Schools: The Massachusetts Fields School of 1898 and the Gridley Bryant School of 1896. With its richly articulated design based on the Renaissance Revival and Queen Anne styles, the Cranch School isa particularly handsome example.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

Major Bibliographical References Annual Report, 1901. City of Quincy, 1901. (Quincy Historical Society Library). Edwards, William Churchill. Historic Quincy, Massachusetts. Quincy: City of Quincy, 1957. (Boston Public Library. Quincy Patriot Ledger. December 29, 1900, p.2. (Crane Public Library) 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property - 1.44 Quadrangle name Blue Hill, MA Quadrangle scale 1:24,000 UTM References *L119| |3/314|119,0 Zone Easting |416|79|118|0/ Northing LLLLL Zone LiLa LliLu Easting Northing -LLLIL FLIJ LLILLL LlILuL HLu Ldbdtilud GLL Verbal boundary description and justification Starting at a point on the southeasterly line of Maywood Ave at the point of curvature at the intersection of Maywood Ave and Whitwell Street and bounded and described as follows Northeasterly by Maywood Ave one hundred eighty one and 28/100 (181.28) feet.

List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state N/A code county code state code county code 11. Form Prepared By Candace Jenkins, Director Preservation Planner with Deborah Dunning, Alisa McCann, name/titleand Robert Luongo organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date May 10, 1983 street & number 294 Washington Street telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston state MA 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national - State local As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89 665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service.

title State Historic Preservation Officer signature State Historic Preservation Officer Massachusetts Historical Commission Patuu Llsesbouske date 5/22/84 For NPS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Xelose Dye FrberedIn tha fu kesper of tho Mational Resgbuter Nattonal Register Attest: Chief of Registration date 7/5/84 date NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Cranch School Item number 9 & 10 OMB No.1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered 1 Page 9. Major Bibliographical References Quincy Patriot Ledger, September 7, 1901, p. 4. (Crane Public Library). Wilson, Daniel Munroe. Quincy, Old Braintree, a nd Merrymount. Quincy, 1906. (Crane Public Libary). 10.

Verbal boundary description and justification Northwesterly by the curved line at the intersection of Maywood Ave and Bedford Street thirty-four and 10/100 (34.10) feet; Northeasterly by Bedford St. seventy-five and 90/100 (75.90) feet. Northeasterly by the curved line at the intersection of Bedford Street and Glendale Road eighteen and 34/100 (376.90); Northeasterly by Glendale Road three hundred seventy-six and 90/00 (376.90); Southeasterly by the curved line at the intersection of Glendale Road and Whitwell Street. Northwesterly by three hundred sixty-seven and 90/100 (367.90) feet. Northwesterly by the curvature of Whitwell Street and Bedford Street twenty-four and 28/100 (24.28) feet; Assessor's Plan #1181, Plot 1 described as land located on the premises numbered: 1. 236 262 Whitwell Street, 2. Unnumbered Maywood Ave., 3. 67-73 Bedford Street, 4. 155- 185 Glendale Road.

WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Cranch School Norfolk County MASSA CHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: -sample J request Working No._JUN 4 1984 Fed. Reg. Date: _ 8,5 Date Due: _ 7-5-81/3-19-54 Iatisred In WAction: ACCEPT 7-5-84 Mational Registes - RETURN _REJECT Federal Agency: _ Lappeal LJ NR decision Recom./Criteria. Reviewer Discipline. Date _ see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below _ substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible?

ves no 7. Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one J unaltered J altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one J original site ] moved date 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed - Date - Phone: _ Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet Cranch School 270 Whitwell Street Quincy, MA Alisa McCann 5/20/83 Historic Properties Assoc. 6 Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA 3 Of 5 Detail, facade, NE Cranch School 270 Whitwell Street Quincy, MA Alisa McCann 5/20/83 Historic Properties Assoc.

6 Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA 5 of 5 SE corner showing setting Missing Core Documentation Property Name Cranch School County, State Norfolk, Massachusetts Reference Number 84002872 The following Core Documentation is missing from this entry: Nomination Form X Photographs (#s 1-2, 4) USGS Map QUINCY- FRANCIS X. MCCAULEY YES City of Quincy, Massachusds RECEIVED Cily Hall FEB 1 51984 OFFICE OF THE MAYOR DNASS. HIST. COMM. OF February 14, 1984 Ms. Valerie A. Talmage Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Commission Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Dear Ms. Talmage: I am pleased that the Massachusetts Historical Commission is considering the CranchSchool, 270 Whitwell Street, Quincy, Mass., for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

The City of Quincy is extremely proud of its history and of the fine examples of architecture that are present throughout the City. We are heartened when historically significant structures can be put to new uses while still retaining their historic value. We believe that this is the case with the Cranch School and we hope that you will concur. We await your decision and look forward to hearing from you after yourMarch14, 1984 meeting. Sincerely, Frmesthnleule Francis X. McCauley MAYOR FXM: GAF