Springfield School (circa 1915)
03/26/2008 8:59 AM by John M
Springfield School, 26th and Leigh Street, Richmond, Va. is one of the most modern and complete Elementary Schools in the South. It is a fire-proof building, constructed in 1913 of Virginia granite at a cost of $100,000. It contains twenty-five class rooms, a large assembly hall and is splendidly equipped for instruction in Manual Training and Domestic Science. Besides Kindergarten and Retarded Classes, there are two Open-Air Schools in operation on the roof.
Are there still open-air classes being held there? Is the school still in use?
Wow, talk about politically incorrect! “retarded” classes?
I believe it’s been a “retirement community” for quite some time now.
Yup, for the last ten years at least.
Incidentally, back in ’13 you could call your neighbor “gay” and be paying him a compliment on his sunny disposition. Times change.
In reference to common descriptors, words are often acceptable only as long as it takes for the negative implications of a stereotype to catch up to it. Then a different word is chosen that seems less offensive. However, the cycle will inevitably repeat itself, the “nice” or “neutral” descriptor becoming an offensive label and yet another word must be chosen.
Open air classrooms were for sickly students who they feared might have tuberculosis. They had them at Ginter Park School, as well.