This news article will explain the history behind West Avenue Junior High School in Waco, Texas. One of Waco’s lesser known schools. West Avenue Junior High School was also known as Waco West Junior High School and West Waco Junior High School.
West Avenue Junior High School was established as a junior high school on West Avenue by Waco Public Schools (Waco ISD) in 1920. The school building was 3 stories in height and had a basement below ground.
West Avenue Junior High School had an enrollment of 938 students and 32 teachers during the 1923-1924 school year. “The West Avenue Junior High School shows an enrollment of 938 pupils with 32 teachers, and represents a value of $133,778.03.” (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/62555389/)
A new auditorium and a new gymnasium was needed badly for West Avenue Junior High School by 1928 during the 1928-1929 school year. Students had to gather outside for assemblies. The enrollment was 905 student as 905 students enrolled at West Avenue Junior High School that year. Which was about 200 students over capacity. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/58640080/)
The new auditorium and gymnasium was to be completed within the next two weeks of September 27, 1928. Additional rooms included a special department for mechanic classes, a new subject added to the curriculum. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/58640038/)
Bids for an auditorium and gymnasium at West Avenue Junior High School were set in motion on the date of Thursday, November 8, 1928. The bids were set by the school board. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/58625955/)
West Avenue Junior High School was for some time in dire extremities for adequate housing facilities, was receiving first attention subsequent to necessary provision of funds by the end of 1928. Work on two of the larger units improvement already began. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/58628768/)
Work on the basement to the three-story addition to the West Avenue Junior High School was completed in early February 1929. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/58624574/)
“The basement of the three-story addition to the West Avenue Junior High School has been completed and work on the structure is going forward rapidly, the William Smith Construction company reported yesterday. Prediction as to the time of completion of the work could not be made.”
Significant improvements were made when the board voted to have a sidewalk build on 15th Street at West Avenue Junior High School. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/58624664/)
A letter was received from the Parent-Teacher association of West Avenue Junior High School thanking the board for sidewalks to be built at the school. The news printed in a news article for the Waco News-Tribune on the date of Tuesday, April 9, 1929. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/85042156/)
Today West Avenue Junior High School has been reorganized into an elementary school called West Avenue Elementary School. West Avenue Elementary School functions in the location where West Avenue Junior High School was once located.
West Avenue Junior High School was located at North 15th Street and West Avenue, Waco, Texas, US 76707. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/40627468/)
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