Nomination for Story Grammar 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 FEB |2 1986 date entered MAR 13 1986 historic Story Grammar School and or common same 2. Location street & number 140 Elm Street N/A not for publication city, town Marblehead N/ Avicinity of state Massachusetts 3.

Classification code 025 county Essex code 009 Category district x building(s) structure site object Ownership - public x private both Public Acquisition N/Ain process being considered Status X occupied _unoccupied work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted - yes: unrestricted _ no Present Use agriculture _ commercial educational entertainment - government industrial military _museum park x private residence religious scientific transportation _ other: 4. Owner of Property name Multiple; see attached list street & number city, town - vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Essex South District Registry of Deeds street & number 32 Federal Street city, town Salem state Massachusetts 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets of title the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has this property been determined eligible?

-yes x no date 1978 Inventory #187-16 _federal x state county - local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town 80 Boylston Street, Boston state Massachusetts 7. Description Story Grammar School, Marblehead, Massachusetts Condition excellent & good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered X altered Check one _X original site - moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Story Grammar School, built in 1880, is located at 140 E1m Street in Marblehead, Massachusetts. The building is 21/2 stories in height and rectangular in plan. A Colonial Revival red brick building with a central, pedimented pavilion and a hipped roof, the Story Schoolhas modest grey granite trim. The schoolis set back 60 feet from Elm Street, and is almost centered on its 25,100-square-foot lot, which is roughly rectangular. A hill rises behind the school. The former dirt or grass school yard in front and to the sides of the school has been paved. The Story School is located just outside the Marblehead Historic District (NR 1983),which encompasses the historic town center of Marblehead. The Marblehead Historic District is primarily composed of free-standing, wood frame residences dating from the early 18th to mid 19th century.

neighborhood around the Story School, however, has a mixture of late 19th century and 20th century properties,most in residential use. The school building is rectangular; it is 9 bays long by 7 bays wide. Constructed of red brick, the building is 2 1/2 stories tall. A 1/2 story basement level is topped by a rough-hewn granite water table. The school rises two full stories to the cornice level, where a classical cornice including architrave, frieze and dentillated entabl ature is worked out in brick. The shallow, hipped slate roof rises to a small central platform pierced by two chimneys. The main elevation of the Story School faces northeast. The facade is symmetrically organized, composed of a central 2 1/2 story pedimented pavilion with 3 bays on either side. The pavilion is quite shallow, projecting only about one foot from the main facade.

The first story of the pavilion includes a large, centered entrance reached by broad, granite steps. A segmented brick arch punctuated by a granite keystone surrounds the recessed entrance, which is flanked by two small 4/4 double-hung windows. On the second story, a large window composed of a pair of triple-hung (6/9/9) sash divided by a broad mullion is located directly above the entrance. Inset granite shields bearing the building's name and construction date are located to either side of this window. The pediment of the pavilion rises above the building's cornice line, and contains a large, centered lunette window. A flagpole is centered on the pediment.

Continued NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Story Grammar School Continuation sheet Marblehead, MA Item number 4 OMB No. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 For NPS Uea Caly received date entered Page 1 Frank and Katherine Yaffa 23 Greystone Park Lynn, MA 01901 Unit #1 Robert Merrigan and Deborah Bohnert 13 Rocky Ledge Road Swampscott, MA 01907 Units # 2,4,6,08 1 81907 Marc White and Stephanie Andrews 140 Elm Street Marblehead, MA 01945 Unit #3 Philip Rubet 75 Nanapashmet Street Marblehead, MA 01945 Units # 5,7 NPS Form10-900-8 (3-82) United States Department of the interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Story Grammar School Continuation sheet Marblehead, MA Item number z OMB No.

1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 For NPS use only received date entered Page On either side of the pavilion, two 3/3 windows light the basement, while there are three bays holding 6/6 double-hung sash on both the first and second stories. The windows have granite sills and are crowned by brick segmented arches with granite keystones. The keystones are capped on the first story, but not on the second story. The rear (southeast) elevation has a similar rhythm to the main facade, but lacks the projecting pedimented pavilion. The rear entrance treatment and fenestration is identical to that seen on the main facade, but this elevation is much less ornamented; there are no granite keystones decorating the entrance or window enframements and there are no granite shields on the second story. Two small skylights are visible on the rear slope of the roof, centered close the roof's edge.

The northeast and southwest (side) elevations are each seven bays wide. The window enframements on the sides have the granite keystones found on the main facade, and are filled with 6/6 double-hung sash. The fourth or center bay is with a blind, recessed window (with sills and lintels to match the true windows) on the first story of both side elevations and on the second story of the northeast elevation. According to the school's original floor plan, there were four classrooms on the first floor and two classrooms and an auditorium on the second floor. The blind windows reflect the location of walls between classrooms. Since the auditorium stretched the full depth of the building, all seven bays could hold windows. The Story School was converted into eight condominium residential units in 1984.

The rehabilitation was undertaken in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Story Grammar School, Marblehead, Massachusetts Period prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 1800-1899 1900 Areas of Significance - Check and justify below archeology-prehistoric community planning archeology-historic conservation - agriculture economics X architecture X education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement communications industry invention landscape architecture law literature military music philosophy politics/government Builder/Architect unk nown religion science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) Specific dates 1880 Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) The Story School has integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, and feeling, with associations with the educational history of Marblehead, Massachusetts. Built in 1880, the school represents the first significant financial commitment to public education in the town. The use of a restrained Colonial Revival style for the school is a relatively early use of the style that would be so popular in school architecture in the 20th century, and may reflect the design of the 1790 Marblehead Academy, an early private school. The Story School thus meets criteria A and C for listing to the National Register of Historic Places, with significance at the local level. The history of public education in the town of Marblehead closely parallels its commercial history.

Fishing, shipbuilding, rope and sail making and later, shoe manufacturing historically employed the town residents. Although as early as 1647 the Massachusetts Bay Colony had ordered the establishment of public schools based on population, it was not until 1767 that Marblehead established its first school committee and hence formally endorsed and funded In practice, however, school planning and budgets from the late 18th to the mid 19th century fluctuated according to the financial condition of the town. Public education was further hampered by the fact that most young boys went to sea at the age of 11 and that a high percentage of girls worked in home industries or domestic jobs. Therefore, it was not until 1802-3 that public primary schools (Grades 1-4) were formally established. Up until 1840 the town of Marblehead had built only three schools.

All three were one room buildings constructed of wood, for a total cost of $400. The 1849 Town Records indicate that only 671 pupils out of a possible 1582 even attended school in that year. The more affluent citizens of Marblehead sent their children to private classes held in small rented halls or in teachers' homes. These children were being prepared for the Marblehead Academy (built 1790, demolished 1879), which was established in 1789 by some of the town's most influential citizens, Story. These small private classes and the existence of the Marblehead Academy allieviated pressure on the school trustees to make improvements in the public Therefore, the influence of and commitment to public education was quite limited until the mid 19th century, when Marblehead experienced a period of business growth and a substantial increase in population.

The arrival of the railroad in Marblehead in 1839 and a move from home to factory production catalyzed the growth of shoe manufacturing in the town. A 50-year population decline was halted and the population grew 25% between 1850 Continued 9.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References See continuation sheet. 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property 25,244 square feet Quadrangle name Marblehead North, MA UT M References AL19 1314,71560l L47/017/21510 Zone Easting Northing CyLLLLLIL ELULLILLILILIL GLULLILLLILILII Quadrangle scale 1:25,000 BL LiLL Zone Easting Northing - liL LiliLu FL LLILL LilIL HLULILd LulaLu Verbal boundary description and justificatior he nominated property includes the lot on which the school has historically stood Please see the attached plot plan for details. List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state code N/A county code state code county code 11.

Form Prepared By Mary Kate Sampson, Preservation Planner, with Elaine Finbury, Historic name/title Preservation Consultant organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date November 1985 street & number 80 Boylston Street telephone 617-727-8470 city or town Boston state Massachusetts 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state X 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.

Siate Historic Preservation Oticer signature Valu: ATalmge title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission State Historic Preservation Officer date Teb.5,1986 For NPS use only hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register. Nlelores Dyen Entered date 3-13-86 Attest: Chief of Registration date U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1983 0 - 419-311 NPS Form 10.900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Story Grammar School Continuation sheet Marblehead, MA item number 8 OMB NO. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 For NPS use only received date entered Page 1 and 1870. This increase in population began to create the necessary pressure for the improvement of town facilities. In 1850, Marblehead's public schools were rated 310th out of 313 cities and towns in the state.

However, the period from 1840-1860 saw some expansion in public education, with eleven new schools established. However, most of these operated in rented rooms in schools (5-8) were intended to serve children from the district neighborhoods. Girls and boys were taught in separate schools, and physical conditions were primitive. primary-age children were taught in one room. Most school houses closed in the winter and those that remained open were heated by wood stoves. Students -oma nod opan The Town Reports indicate that as many as 104 took turns cutting wood, fetching water and performing janitorial duties. By 1860 it became apparent that many students from the primary schools were unable to pass literacy tests that were a prereauisite to entering grammar school. The prevailing educational policy of "districting" began to give way to a new theory of "grading" .

A new level of education was introduced called "intermediate" , which was the 5th and 6th year of schooling. Thus, primary ran 1-4, intermediate 5 and 6, and grammar 7-9. In 1860, the town ran 19 smal1 school houses, which indicates that the grading system, although formally endorsed, was not widely applied, and that small, segregated neighborhood school houses continued to predominate. The original Story Grammar School was one of these 19 schools. Although its date of construction is unknown, the school was located diagonally across from the site of the current Story School and served 194 male pupils. The Town Reports of 1878 indicate overcrowded conditions at the Story Boys Grammar School. Additional space at the South Church (built ca. 1850, burned 1877) was let for intermediate students, and the second floor of the Town House (1727) housed the overflow of grammar school students.

For these reasons, the School Committee of 1878 cited the need for a new school house. The new story School was built on land formerly belonging to John Prince, nanufacturer, near the former Harris Shoe factory. The area on Elm Street hac at one time been a concentrated shoe manufacturing area, but on June 25, 1877, a fire obliterated 72 buildings in the area, including shoe factories, stores, the railroad depot and the South Church. The old Story School does not appear to have been burned in the fire. In response to the disaster, Marblehead experienced a great building surge from 1877-1888. Abbot Hall, a new fire station, a railroad depot, five new factories and the Story School were all built during that period.

Continued NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Story Grammar School Continuation sheet Marblehead, MA Item number 8 OMB No. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 Far NPS uea only receivec date entered Page 2 The construction of the Story School in 1880 represented the first significant financial commitment to public education on the part of the town of Marblehead. The Story Grammar School was the first masonry school to be built and the largest school to have been built to that time. The Town Records report an appropriation of $17,500 to construct and equip the school house, a princely sum compared to the $2,500 appropriated in the mid 1870s for the Sewa11 Grammar School for Girls, located just down the street at the intersection of Elm and Spring Streets.

The Story Granmar School was the first truly "modern" school house in Marblehead. The school was open year round, and thus had a heating and ventilating system. There were four large classrooms on the first floor and two classrooms and a large auditiorium with a podium on the second. architect for the school is not known. However, there is a possibility that the school's design may have been patterned after the 1790 Marblehead Academy. In 1879, just a year before the Story School was built, the Marblehead Academy had been demolished. The Academy was a two-story brick Bue dengtiseseip bes een theitho schaol bucedtrgs desigos isd ea tremeed roof. close. If the Marblehead Academy was the inspiration for the design of the Story School, it would help to explain the relatively early use of the Colonial Revival style.

The Story School was named after Joseph Story (1779-1845), one of Marblehead's most distinguished citizens of the early 19th century. Story was the son of Dr. Elisha Story, an eminent local physician, a member of the Sons of Liberty during the Revolutionary War and one of the founders of the Marblehead Academy. Joseph Story was educated at the Academy and at Harvard College, was chosen as a representative to the Massachusetts Legislature at a young age, elected to the U. S. Congress, and upon returning to the state legislature, was Speaker of the House. At 33, he was appointed to the U. S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall, and later served as the Dane Professor of Law at the new Harvard Law School. The Story Grammar School opened in October of 1881 and graduated its first class of 31 boys in 1882.

The school's operations represented another change in educational theory, as the intermediate and grammar school levels were merged. English, grammar, geography, mental arithmetic and fractions were taught, along with some elective courses in music and singing. For most children in 19th century Marblehead, grammar school represented the end of formal education and sufficient training for "the duties and responsibilities of business life." Al though high school classes began in 1865, it was not until 1913 that a public high school was built. Continued NPS Form 10.900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Story Grammar School Continuation sheet Marblehead, MA Item number 8 OMB NO.

1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 For NPS use only received date entered Page 3 The Story School is one of three brick grammar schools standing in Marblehead; the others are the Samuel Roads, Jr. School (1904) on Rowland Street and the Elbridge Gerry School (1906) on Elm Street. Both of these later schools are substantially larger than the Story School. They are also Colonial Revival buildings, but have far more detailing than the Story. Finally, both of these schools have sustained more exterior alterations than the Story School. Thtes The Soli as since ben ctvene utoed eociat cence and the building's renovation was undertaken in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. There are no prehistoric archaeological sites recorded on the property or in close proximity to the property.

Little is known about the previous use of the property, although the site may have seen light industrial use before the construction of the school, since there was some shoe manufacturing in this area in the mid nineteenth century. The potential for historic archaeological resources is slight. NPS Form 10.900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Story Grammar School Continuation sheet Marblehead, MA Item number 9 OMB NO. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 Far NPS use only received date entered Page 1 BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES Aldrich William, Marblehead Buildings. Dunn, Gerald T., Justice Joseph Story. National Register Nomination, Joseph Story House, 26 Winter Street, Salem. Rhodes, Samuel Jr., History and Traditions of Marblehead, 1880, Houghton & Co.

Salem Evening New, Schools--History of Marblehead Schools. March 12, 1937 - Story Grammar School March 20, 1942 - Story Boys Grammar School October 7,1943 - Marblehead Academy Marblehead Town Reports, 1835-1913. Marblehead School Reports, 1847-1867; 1867-1900 Marblehead Vital Records, 1820-1900. Gamage and Virginia,Marblehead. Marblehead Press. NOTEs: 1 THIS ALIN IS ITENDED FOR MAGTARGL ANG TITLE INSURANCE PURPOSES ANO MUS NOT ARLPAREL ELM STREET 130. 45 TITLE REF (E3SEZ DEED: 500K REG. OF O6EOS) ; 60° I NEEESI CEATEY THIT IWE wwow ITHD AIAN N66 1OcAaD an IHa MAeBLEHEAD zonwo EeiSi0RY 196.51 PESIGUATED ON THC N.U.D 250091 6-18-76 2-7-84 - OF Hurdau 8. Duye PHFOCCRE 25.244:58. NoTE: COT DIMENSIOUS SNOWN TAKEN FROM PLW PREPARED BY TONN OF MAEBLEHEAD ENG- WEERWG DEPT., FEB.

3, 198 ON FILE WITA SAID DEPI EETIFIED PLOT PLAI H-D ELM STREE1 IN MARBLE HEAD, MASS. 30.60' 1-30° - HEBB PIAC FEB 7,1984 SYEYaS sAEUS, mno. 22/33 STORY GRAMMAR SCHOOL 140 Elm Street Marblehead, Massachusetts sTom schnu Rel#86000378 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Story Grammer School Essex County MASSA CHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: J sample Reviewer's comments: Jrequest FEB 1.2 1986 Working No. Date Due: Action: Entored in Natiepal Jeglet Federal Agency: 3/22/86 _ACCEPT 3-13-86 -RETURN _REJECT_ 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? 7. Description - yes ] no Condition -excellent good fair - deteriorated ruins -unexposed Check one J unaltered - 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 J moved date. 8.

Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) L summary paragraph - completeness -clarity J applicable criteria Jiustification of areas checked _ relating significance to the resource - context J 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 title date 13.

Other -Maps - Photographs -Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to - Signed Date _ Phone: _ GPO 918-450 Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet STORY GRAMMAR SCHOOL 140 Elm Street Marblehead, Massachusetts Neg. with Elaine Finbury Aug 1985 Main facade, view to the southwest P284880608 LARIAI The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary of State Michael Joseph Connolly, Secretary Massachusetts Historical Commission Valerie A. Talmage Executive Director State Historic Preservation Officer Februazy 4, 1986 Reid FEB |2 1986 Carol Shull National Register of Historic Places Department of Interior, National Park Service P.O. Box 37127 Washington, DC 20013-7121 Dear Ms. Shull: Enclosed you will find the following nomination forms: Boston (Roxbury), HARRISWOOD CRESCENT, 60-88 Harold Street (inclusive), 15 properties.

Boston (Charlestown), MONUMENT SQUARE HISTORIC DISTRICT, 1-50 Monument Square, 47 properties, HPCA #0641-85-MA-85-0651, denied, appeal pending. Foxboro, CARY, OTIS HOUSE, 242 South Street. Marblehead, STORY GRAMMAR SCHOOL, 140 Elm Street, HPCA pending #0621-84-MA-84-0624. A11 have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been st pendin heafe ae itw boardroneryaration0-e5 days besneren Owners were notified ceived todate ere foaede thto ohe nomina ion formatConments re- Sincerely, serant. Zimmeran Sarah J. Zinmerman Director, Preservation Plaming Massachusetts Historical Conmission SJZ/dr Enclosures 80 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116 (617) 727-8470 Correction The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary of State Michael Joseph Connolly, Secretary Massachusetts Historical Commission Valerie A.

Talmage Executive Director State Historic Preservation Officer April 9, 1986 Carol Shull National Register of Historic Places Department of Interior National Park Service P.O. Box 37127 Washington, DC 20013-7127 Dear Ms. Shull: This letter is to inform you of a typographical error in your recent listing for the Story Grammar School in Marblehead, Massachusetts, listed on March 13, 1986. The listing misspelled"Grammar" as "Grammer". Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, saran zinmennen Sarah J. Zimmerman Director, Preservation Planning Massachusetts Historical Conmission sz/dr 80 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116 (617) 727-8470