Washington Middle School was built in 1937 by the W.P.A. The beautiful two-story building was originally constructed as a K-8 school and reorganized as a middle school for grades six, seven and eight in 1984.
WMS History Overview
Washington is located in an established neighborhood on the southeast side of Evansville.
Washington Middle School's unofficial historian, Mr. Gary Schorrman, consented to an interview about Washington and it's proud history. Below is an edited transcript of that interview.
Interviewer: Mr. Schorrman, when was Washington School built?
Schorrman: The building was begun in 1936, and was actually out in the country at that time. There were no houses nearby, the closest being about 1/2 mile away on Division Street.
Interviewer: The Great Flood occurred in January of 1937. Did it affect Washington?
Schorrman: Yes, it no doubt did affect our building, though we are not certain just exactly how. The building was surrounded by water, and some of the old photographs (see below) show that it was actually an island. Water was about 3 feet deep in the auditorium.
Interviewer: Was Washington always a middle school?
Schorrman: No, it was a K-8 school until about 1984. The present enrollment is about 530 students, but at one time, probably when this area was the "suburbs", there were at least 1,000 students that attended Washington.
Interviewer: Can you tell us about the Architecture?
Schorrman: It is patterned after George Washington's Virginia home, Mount Vernon. Over the years the building has been well maintained, and today still has a majestic, old time flavor but with a modern function. In 1994 a new gym was built, and to the credit of everyone involved, the original flavor of the architecture was maintained. It was my understanding that it cost more to do it that way, but to all of us involved with Washington and the EVSC, it was well worth the extra cost. Our students and staff are very proud of the building. It is indeed unique among EVSC schools, and perhaps unique in Indiana or the nation.
Interviewer: Thank you very much Mr. Schorrman, it was a pleasure!