Then & Now: Lowell Elementary marks 130 years

Lowell Elementary, which was built “way out in the country” in 1891, is celebrating its 130th year of educating students Friday. Students will plant trees in the afternoon, and there will be an open house from 5 to 7 p.m.

Here’s a look at the building at 710 W. 18th St. and the students, families and educators through the years, with information from the Sioux Falls School District, school registrar Lori Rolfe, Siouxland Heritage Museums and a student from the 1980s, Angela (Zitterich) Evenson.

Lowell School was the seventh school building in the Sioux Falls School District. This photograph in the museums’ collection is from 1893.

The land purchase was a big commitment for that time – $1,000 for the site at Prairie Avenue and Haslem Street, which is now 18th Street. This photograph from the museums’ collection is circa 1900.

James Byrne was awarded the contract, and the building – made of quartzite with slate shingles – was completed on Oct. 1, 1891, at a cost of $28,500.  Many residents couldn’t understand why the school would be built “way out in the country.” This postcard is circa 1914.

The school was named after James Russell Lowell, an American poet, editor of The Atlantic Monthly, Harvard professor and diplomat who had recently died. This photograph from the museum’s collection is captioned “Inga Harstad and Jane, two young people standing in front of Lowell School,” circa 1890.

Here’s a colorized postcard, circa 1910.

The building has endured three fires in its 130 years. The first was Jan. 23, 1906, when the inside of the building was destroyed. At approximately 11 p.m., someone noticed a bright light in the location of the basement’s coal bin, and shortly after there was an explosion. According to reports, a man with a lantern had been seen running from the building just before the explosion, but the cause of the fire was never determined.

A large section was added to Lowell in 1936 with classrooms, an auditorium and a gymnasium. Another addition in 1967 added 10 classrooms to the upper two levels. After the 1967 addition, the original building was torn down, with some of the quartzite stones used for a display of the school bell on the southeast corner of the school grounds. These photographs from the museums’ collection are dated 1935.

In 2003-04, the building was remodeled, adding the gymnasium and office areas.

In this attendance book, Carl Anthony, age 15 and son of Edwin Anthony at 709 Walts Ave., was listed first on the Lowell roll call list. Grammar B would indicate he was receiving sixth grade instruction at Lowell.

Five years after opening “way out in the country,” Lowell had 206 students.

A record of teachers and salaries in 1900 indicates Mrs. B.L. Saunders, who served as principal and the eighth grade teacher, made $65 for the year.

Here are a few photographs from the school’s 1956-57 scrapbook, including a performance of the chorus and family night teas.

This was the first use of the school’s silver service.

These photographs are from a family night in the 1971-72 school year.

In 1989, the school had a parade around the block for the state centennial.

Randy Maas was the parade’s grand marshal.

Angela (Zitterich) Evenson shared this photograph of her first grade class in 1984-85.

She also shared a couple of photographs of the basketball teams — likely YMCA teams — she and her classmates played on. The Longshots played in 1988-89 when she was a fifth grader.

The Energizers played in 1989-90 when she was a sixth grader.

Stop by the school Friday night to see more photographs and learn about the school’s history.