Nomination for Donaghy, Thomas, School

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

NPS Form 10-900 (Rev. 8-86) OMB No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form 0041 JAN 1 71989 NATIONAL REGISTER This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations of eligibility for individual properties or districts. See instructions in Guidelines for Completing National Register Forms (National Register Bulletin 16). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the requested information. If an item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, styles, materials, and areas of significance, enter only the categories and subcategories listed in the instructions. For additional space use continuation sheets 1. Name of Property historic name other names/site number THE THOMAS DONAGHY SCHOOL 2.

Location street & number city, town state 68 SOUTH STREET NEW BEDFORD MA code Ln/aot for publication Ln/yicinity 025 county BRISTOL code 005 zip code02740 3. Classification Ownership of Property x private public-local public-State public-Federal Category of Property x building(s) district site structure object Name of related multiple property listing: n/a 4.

State/Federal Agency Certification Number of Resources within Property Contributing Noncontributing buildings sites structures objects Total Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register - As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this x nomination request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places andmeetsthe procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property x meets does not meet the National Register criteria. See continuation sheet.

1/7/39 Date Signature of certifying official EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, SHPO State or Federal agency and bureau In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria. See continuation sheet. Signature of commenting or other official Date State or Federal agency and bureau 5. National Park Service Certification 1, hereby, certify that this property is: Jentered in the National Register. See continuation sheet. determined eligible for the National Register. See continuation sheet. determined not eligible for the National Register. Berhy Saunse 3-2-89 removed from the National Register. other, (explain:) for Signature of the Keeper Date of Action 6.

Function or Use THOMAS DONAGHY SCHOOL, NEW BEDFORD, MA Historic Functions (enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (enter categories from instructions) EDUCATION: grammar school MOTHBALLED AT PRESENT - PROPOSED CONVERSION TO HOUSING UNITS. 1. Description Architectural Classification (enter categories from instructions) Materials (enter categories from instructions) foundation _ GRANITE walls- BRICK ROMANESQUE REVIVAL roof_ other SLATE COPPER ROOF TRIMMED DOWN SPOUTS & GUTTERS. Describe present and historic physical appearance The Thomas Donaghy School is a 12-room, 2 1/2-story brick structure with full basement and attic. The school is located on the north half of a city block. The school's lot is completely surfaced with asphalt, which is badly cracked. The northeast corner contains concrete piers of the foundation for portable classroom(s).

The property is rimmed with a squared granite curbing next to a concrete sidewalk. The school is set back approximately 50 feet from the street on three sides. The site is bound by Purchase Street on the west, South Street on the north, Acushnet Avenue on the east. The southeast corner borders a vacant lot, the southwest, a house with backyard. The school is oriented on a north-south axis with the main entrances on the north and south The surrounding land is used for residential purposes. The thickly settled streetscape is made up of buildings dating from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s. Route 18 is located two blocks to the east. The building's plan is rectangular in configuration with slightly extended portions at the center of the east and west elevations.

The main roof area of the building is hipped, although the front and rear sections have been truncated with a central flat area occupied by chimneys and ventilation shafts. The pitched areas of the roof are covered with slate requiring some attention, with copper flashings, gutters, and conductor system that are in poor condition. Many of the conductors are completely missing. There is a regular placement of dormers on the roof line. The chimneys, the corbeled tops of which are deteriorated, are four to the north of the central area, two to the south. Walls and cornice are brick with a granite watertable above the basement windows separating the cellar level and a granite foundation course at ground level. Brick and mortar are in good condition. The sills of all windows are granite. Brickwalls in the lower sections are marred and spray-painted with graffiti.

The foundation is constructed of hammered granite. The walls are joined to the roof by a corbelled brick cornice. x See continuation sheet OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 NPS Form10-900# (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number - 7 Page 1 Thomas Donaghy School New Bedford, MA The north elevation has a brick surface in a running bond pattern with central arched entrance with a heavy corbelled brick architrave. Double wooden doors with side and transom lights are in fair to good condition. entrance is a large round window; directly above this window in the hipped roof is a two-window dormer. To either side of the entrance are four square basement windows with granite foundation forming a continuous sill; above, a granite watertable forms a continuous lintel.

Directly above these windows are four long segmental-arched windows on the first floor and again on the second floor. A band of corbelled brickwork runs along the length of the building just below the tops of the first and second floor windows; at each window, it rises to form the lintel. The sills are granite. Windows are double-hung wood sash, 4/1 on the interior and 4/2 on the exterior storm window. Sashes and storms are in fair to poor condition. Basement windows are wood inswing four-light hoppers. All windows are presently covered with plywood. The west elevation has a central pavilion that projects out from the main surface approximately ten feet. To the north end of this area are two basement windows above which are two first floor windows and two second floor windows; the latter have a half-round arched top.

South of these windows are five more windows identical in size and shape. In the center of this section is a three-window dormer in the hipped roof. To each side of this extended area are five windows aligned from basement to second floor and two-window dormer in the roof. These windows and surface treatment are the same as those on the north facade. The south elevation is identical to that of the north and the east elevation identical to the west facade. Entrance is gained on both the north and south sides of the building by a staircase to a landing midway between the basement and first floor. stairs rise to a central corridor with hardwood floors, painted, smooth-faced brick walls, and twelve-foot ceiling with unconcealed sprinkler pipes and electrical conduit throughout.

Corridors are the same on first and second the basement corridor is brick walled with a cement floor and plaster ceiling. Walls and ceiling vary in condition from fair to poor due to water There is no third floor corridor. Doors on the first and second floor are paneled wood and frosted glass. Above the doors are clear glass transoms. First and second floors have six classrooms each ranged around the central corridor (tour at the outer corners with nine windows each). addition, there are two adjoining teachers' rooms. All rooms have hardwood floors, plaster walls above wainscotting to sill height, and chalkboards. Plaster walls and wood floors are in fair condition. Ceilings have square-patterned tin ceilings partially or completely falling down. Classrooms have built-in wood cabinets projecting from the walls and two doorways to a common corridor.

NPS Form 10-900-8 8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number - Page - 2 OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 Thomas Donaghy School New Bedford, MA Archaeological Description No prehistoric sites are currently recorded on the property or in the general In general, the potential for prehistoric or historic sites is low as a result of the size of the parcel and related effects from construction for the full basement, paving around the school, and overall intense development in 8. Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

THOMAS DONAGHY SCHOOL,, NEW BEDFORD, MA Certifyingofficial has considered the significance ofthis property in relation to other properties: nationally statewide locally XC -D Applicable National Register Criteria Criteria Considerations (Exceptions) Areas of Significance (enter categories from instructions) ARCHITECTURE community planning and development EDUCATION Period of Significance 1905-1935 Significant Dates 1905 Cultural Affiliation _N/A Significant Person N/A Architect/Builder SAMUEL C. HUNT State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria considerations, and areas and periods of significance noted above. The Donaghy School, built in 1905, retains integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association.

Built in response to the exploding population brought about by the industrialization of New Bedford, the Romanesque Revival-style structure is a fine example of a new era in construction of educational facilities. The Donaghy School fulfills criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places on the local level. In those decades immediately before and after 1900, New Bedford experienced an enormous population growth due mainly to the cotton textile mills' insatiable demand for laborers. The development of the mills began in the later 1840s in New Bedford, but it was completely overshadowed by the unparalleled success of the whaling industry.

By the 1870s, however, the whaling industry was in its death throes and the cotton textile mills (and other assorted industries, including whaling's nemesis, petroleum) were carrying New Bedford's economic fortunes to grand heights once again. New Bedford's population exploded with her rapid industrialization, jumping from 40,000 in 1890 to over 120,000in 1920, for the mills required workers, and the workers brought their families. The families needed housing and their children need schooling. The south central area of the city, where the Thomas Donaghy School is located, experienced an enormous influx of new population as it was near the site of major mill complexes: the Hathaway Manufacturing Co., the Potomska Mill Corp., the City Manufacturing Corp., and the Morse Twist Drill Machine Company.

Earlier homes of the whaling era were converted to accomodate more families, and new multi-family buildings were thrown up as population pressures used the available space. Now located within a largely minority neighborhood (particularly Cape Verdean), the Donaghy School was not built as a response to any nationality's x See continuation sheet 9.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References THOMAS DONAGHY SCHOOL, NEW BEDEORD, Ellis, Leonard, History of New Bedford Mason & Co., Publishing Syracuse, N.Y. 1892 and Vacinity. Pease, Zephaniah, Louis Historical Publishing Co. New York, N.Y.

1918 City Documents School Reports Superintendent Of Schools Reports -..1860-1920 See continuation sheet Previous documentation on file (NPS): Xpreliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested HPCA # 10780 MA previously listed in the National Register previously determined eligiblebythe National Register designated a National Historic Landmark recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey # recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # Primary location of additional data: State historic preservation office Other State agency Federal agency X] Local government University *Other Specify repository: GENEOLOGY ROOM/NEW BEDFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY 10.

Geographical Data Acreage of property 1.18 ACRES SCALE 1:25000 UTM References A19 [3| 319| 71510/ | 4/ 6| 01 9|81010| Zone Easting Northing CL1 B Zone Easting Northing D USGS QUAD: NEW BEDFORD SOUTH, MA See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description Property is located on Lot 49 Plat 30. Beginning at the Southwest corner of South Street and Acushnet Avenue then running south on Acushnet Ave. 277.53 ft. to the north boundary of Lot 269 then west along this line 187.16 ft. to Purchase Street, then north on Purchase St. 277.17 ft. to the southeast corner of Purchase and South Streets. Bast 183.12 ft. to the poiseecbifuition sheet Property is located on New Bedford South, MA USGS quadrangle. Boundary Justification Entirelot purchased by the City of New Bedford from the heirs of Thomas Donaghy for the location of a school and playground. See continuation sheet 11.

Form Prepared By name/title William Swan, Pres. Planner with Betsy Friedberg, NR Director of Mass, Historical Comm. organization Preservation Planner / Mass. Historical Comm. date _1/5/85 street & number 80 Boylston St. .telephone 617-727-8670 city or town Boston state MA _zip code 02116 OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 NPSForm 10-900- (8-88) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number - 8 Page - 1 Thomas Donaghy School New Bedford, MA but simply to the staggering growth in the city's population. Initially, the school's population was dominated by English and French Canadians.

Typically, the enrollment of the Donaghy School over time reflects the major nationalities that immigrated to New Bedford: Portuguese (the dominant surname group), French and French-Canadian, Irish, English, Russian, German, and Jewish, among others. Before the 1870s, New Bedford's schools were largely of wooden construction. By the time of the Donaghy School's construction, "modern" schools were typically planned: brick, 2 1/2 stories, with ten or twelve large, well-ventilated classrooms off a central corridor. There was considerable discussion in New Bedford of the problems of properly ventilating classrooms, and the Donaghy School was designed with one of the most widely accepted solutions at the large central ventilation shafts running vertically from the cellar with controllable openings near the floor and ceiling of each classroom.

In theory, this would permit stale, foul air to be replaced with fresh air without the cold drafts from open windows. success of this system seems to have been very limited, although the design concept was incorporated in many schools in New Bedford and surrounding communities. Prior to the turn of the century, the School Committee and Superintendent of Schools spent most of their time, it would seem, requesting new buildings and modern equipment to properly instruct the ever-booming school-age population. The problems and pressures only increased with the arrival of the new century. In January 1905, the Superintendent of New Bedford Schools reported: There has not been a period during (the last decade) when it has not been necessary to hire private buildings for school purposes. Besides these there are several other classes that are colonized and others that are overcrowded.

The Donaghy School was completed in 1905. It was designed and built by a politically active and locally prominent architect, Samuel C. Hunt. Public schools designed by S. C. Hunt include the H. M. Knowlton School (no longer standing), R. I. Ingraham School (Rivet and Acushnet Avenue), John H. Clifford School (Ashley Blvd. and Coggeshall St.) and the James Congdon School (Hemolock and Thompson Streets); all are similar in design to the Thomas Donaghy school. OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 NPS Form 10-900-e (8-88) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number _8 Page 2 Thomas Donaghy School New Bedford, MA Samuel C. Hunt (1858-1908) wasborn and educated in New Bedford. At age sixteen, he was apprenticed to learn carpentry and rose to become a construction foreman.

He further advanced himself by studying architecture in Boston. In the 1870s and 1880s, he became a well-established contractor/builder in the area. By 1891 he was a full-time architect, designing many private residences and public buildings. His most prominent vorks 1n New Bedford are the Registry of Deeds, the Touraine Hotel, and the estoration/renovation of the former Public Library in 1906 after it had beer burned. The latter was, under his guidance, converted into the City Hall, which remains today. Although closely identified with New Bedford politics in the last two decades of this life, Hunt actually held public office (as an Alderman) only from 1895-1896. He was involved in the development of many housing tracts in the north end of New Bedford and in the nearby town of Fairhaven.

His local importance and influence can be more readily judged by the fact that during his active years as an architect, he was the principal architect for New Bedford public buildings, accounting for the design of seven out of the thirteen school buildings constructed between 1890 and 1908. Further, he was involved in the design of other public buildings, such as fire stations. The school was named for a respected city merchant upon whose land it was Thomas Donaghy (1826-1904) was a New Bedford merchant who traveled to California in the '49er gold rush days. He returned to New Bedford to conduct a boot and shoe business on the southwest corner of Union and Water Streets, in the busy waterfront portion of the city.

His establishment remained in business for many years, virtually the entire second half of nineteenth century, and was such a popular gathering spot that in its time it was a local 1andmark. Mr. Donaghy served on the New Bedford Common Council for two years (1879-1880) and for two years on the Board of Alderman (1882-1883). Well-known and well-liked, Mr. Donaghy refused the persuasions of his friends and supporters to run for Mayor of the City; he preferred his private business and his activity in Episcopalian Church affairs. The Donaghy School was nearly overcrowded the day it was opened. But such was the plight of most of New Bedford's schools.

building, typical of Samuel Hunt's designs, remained in active use serving the communtiy until 1977, when it was closed, replaced by a larger elementary iocel reo aced ty 1apert However, this substantial school designed to serve a larger school district. Vacant since 1977, the former school is presently being rehabilitated and converted into moderate-income housing. There will be 24 one- and two-bedroom units. The interior corridors will remain intact, and schoolrooms will be partitioned to create the apartments. The project will follow the Secretary of Interior's Standards of Rehabilitation. -9-2:YPIL... GRINNELL PARK.P gNPUE F RgPLEASANT -L0L4C VAC C2 PCUSHNET ANAUBLIES WASHINGTON SOUTN Lrt-R COUNTY 132 SOUTH. PURCHASE e: 5 730 236 Thomas Donaghy School D Subject Building i-22'I 20E- ROCKLAND RocKLaNe SE CITY OF NEW BEDFORD SCALE OF FEET > ACUSHNET g-srcrc.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Donaghy, Thomas, School NAME: MULTIPLE NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Bristol DATE RECEIVED: 1/17/89 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 2/17/89 DATE OF PENDING LIST DATE OF 45TH DAY DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 89000041 2/01/89 3/03/89 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N | DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: N OTHER: N PDIL: Y PERIOD: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N COMMENT WAIVER: N LACCEPT RETURN RSEOs 3/2/89 DATE ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: aud historica as thedesign of Tanuel C.

Hent, RECOM./CRITERIA Giceepk AtC REVIEWER DISCIPLINE Uerclüt DATE tural Histony 312/87 DOCUMENTATION see attached comments YNsee attached SIR X CLASSIFICATION count _resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION FUNCTION historic current DESCRIPTION architectural classification materials descriptive text 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 relationship of integrity to significance _justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage UTMS verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps OTHER COMMENTS USGS maps _photographs Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to _ Phone Signed Date _presentation -Thomas Donaghy School -68 South Street -New Bedford, MA -W.A.

Swan -Feb. '87 -O.H.A.N.D. -North Elevation 1ooking South -Than -68 Sa - NowBe - W.A.Su -Feb - 0.4,A -North -Thomas Donaghy School -68 South Street -New Bedford, MA -W.A. Swan -Feb.'87 -O.H.A.N.D. -Central Section of West elevation 1ooking East -Thümes -/.2 - Fer - W.AS O.HA - CenTa 7 COMMISSION* ComnenNalih to kere) JAN 1 7 1989 NATIUIVAL REGISTER January 9, 1989 Carol Shull National Register of Historic Places Department of the Interior National Park Service P.O. Box 37127 Washington, DC 20013-7127 Dear Ms. Shull: Enclosed you will find the following nomination form: The Prescott Town House, Petersham, MA The Franklin Block, Brockton, MA The Thomas Donaghy School, New Bedford, MA (HPCA # 10780 MA) All have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer.

Owners were notified of pending State Review Board consideration 30-75 days before the meeting and were afforded the opportunity to comment. Comments received to date are attached to the nomination form. Sincerely, Ketoy Fruidheng Betsy Friedberg National Register Director Massachusetts Historical Commission Enclosure: BF /di Massachusetts Historical Commission, Valerie A. Talmage, Executive Director, State Historic Preservation Officer 80 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116 (617) 727-8470 Office of the Secretary of State, Michael J. Connolly, Secretary