Pingree School is one of the many forgotten schools of Detroit, Michigan that no longer exist. Much history of this school has been forgotten and not easily preserved. Finding any documented history about this school is fairly difficult.
Pingree School was erected in 1901. However finding a location did not come without much controversy. There was an argument on where the school building should be located based on growth rate.
“The Herman Krolik site on McClellan Avenue was purchased for $4,950 dollars. Inspector Lee declared this property was in the hub of the territory lying between the other schools In the seventeenth ward, was on high around and on a corner with all the advantages of such a location.
Their protests were overridden, however, as unnecessary, and the report of the committee adopted. When Inspector Lee, the chairman of the committee on real estate, offered the report of a part of the committee as to the purchase of the Pingree school site, it was to recommend the John Owen property at the price offered of $6,000.
Inspector Marr, however, maintained that the Owen property was not in the district that needs relief, nor the district that is growing the most rapidly. In these positions he was backed by Dr. Bennett, the Inspector of that ward. The vote stood 12 to 4 in favor of the Krolik property.”
(Ref: Detroit Free Press, Page 2, Friday, October 11, 1901)
What ended up happening was Detroit Public Schools ended choosing the Herman Krolik site on McClellan Avenue for Pingree School as Inspector Lee offered on the report of a part of the committee as to the purchase of the Pingree school site.
The school first opened in 1902. Pingree School was named after mayor, judge, and inventor Hazel S. Pingree. Detroit Public Schools decided to name a school after him. Within a few years time, the school was already overcrowded. A new school called Tilden School was opened 7 blocks away to alleviate overcrowding. Pingree School also went under the name of Pingree Elementary School.
Mrs. Hazel S. Pingree donated the late Hazen S. Pingree's portrait to the Pingree School for a presentation in 1906. It was in honor of the occasion for their teachers. (Ref: Detroit Free Press, Page 3, Tuesday, May 17, 1904)
By 1971, Detroit Free Press reported 400 of the 695 students participating in the federal lunch program. They noted the facilities could not handle the number of students. A huge portion of the student population came from the lower income bracket.
“That must be obvious to anyone who has ever been in a Detroit elementary school." Hart and about a half dozen of his committee aides visited Detroit's Pingree Elementary School, 3917 McClellan, where an average of 400 of the 695 students participate in the federal lunch program. Jack Feldstein, school principal, said about 600 youngsters qualify for the program at the school, but that it lacks the facilities to handle them.”
(Ref: Detroit Free Press, Page 16, Friday, May 27, 1971)
A one-story building was added as an addition Pingree School sometime possibly during the 1970s. Soon afterwards, the main building was demolished and the one-story building addition became a stand alone school. The stand alone school would continue to operate until 1976. The stand alone school was shut down when Pingree Elementary School closed in 1976. This building sat vacant for a number of years.
The main building of Pingree Elementary School was demolished by 1981. All four of it walls were destroyed by machinery.
Detroit Public Schools sold the one-story building addition to a church called S.J. Williams School of Religion in 1984. S.J. Williams School of Religion used the building as a church until sometime during the 2000s. It was sometime during the 2000s the former stand alone school building was abandoned.
Recently the property has been appraised for $260,000 dollars. A lesser fraction of what the appraisal would have been years ago. Natural gas is listed under available utilities. The property is now on the market for $110,000 dollars. (Ref: http://amybunch.arterrarealty.com/listing/218102976-3917-mcclellan-st-detroit-mi-48214/)
The only remains of Pingree School extant today is the one-story stand alone building. That building along with the property is currently for sale. (Ref: https://www.realtytrac.com/homes-for-sale/mi/detroit/48214/3917-mcclellan-st/173016881/)
Pingree School is located at 3917 McClellan Street, Detroit, Michigan, US 48214.
I attended Pingree Elementary School in the early 60's. I lived on Lessing Street. I've noticed that the house we lived in and the school no longer exist. I do plan to visit Detroit again, for I still have family that remained there. Txs for reading 💎
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