Washington
Elementary
Washington Elementary School History
Washington Elementary School opened in 1901. It is named after George Washington, founding father and the first president of the United States. The yellow brick building on the corner of Main and Ashland is the original school; additions were built in 1953 and in 1967.
During the early 1900s, Washington and its neighborhood became a centerplace for foreign-born immigrants, many from Poland, who settled in the neighborhood to work at the nearby Clayton Mark & Co. and other industries. A Washington teacher, Miss Emma Gertrude White, hosted “Americanization” night classes (1911-1932) where immigrant families could learn to speak English and understand American History in order to become citizens. In 1929, Miss White, then principal, also began hosting Greek language night classes for Greek immigrants. In 2000, this tradition of multiculturalism and multilingualism continued when Washington became one of the first two District 65 schools to house a Two-Way Immersion (TWI) program for Spanish-speaking students, primarily Mexican-Americans. District 65 was the one of the first districts in Illinois to implement TWI as its bilingual education model.
The D65 School History project is the result of a partnership with Evanston History Center. This research was completed by the Evanston History Center with research contributions by Sofia Casler-Bustamante (ETHS class of 2027).
School History
Interested in the history of other District 65 schools?
Chute Middle School, originally named Oscar M. Chute Junior High, opened in 1966.
Dawes School is named after U.S. Vice President General Charles G. Dawes.
Dewey Elementary School was the first school in Evanston to have a kindergarten.
In 2004 Dr. Bessie Rhodes became the first Black woman to have a school named after her in Evanston.
The original King Lab was located in what is now Family Focus.
Ellen Foster, the first principal, viewed the school as a community hub.
Haven Middle School was initially built to serve students from two school districts.
Joseph E. Hill became Evanston's first Black superintendent of schools in 1975.
Namesake Homer Kingsley started the first Evanston public school kindergarten in 1882.
In the 1890s, children voted to name their new school "Lincoln" after the U.S. President.
The name incorporates nearby geographical features: Lincoln Street and a wooded area.
Frederick Nichols worked closely with the architect to create a school full of treasures.
Oakton is home to murals created by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s.
Orrington's site was previously home to a Potawatomi village and burial ground.
The predecessor to Park School was established in 1949 by a group of parents.
The school was named after Chicago-area philanthropists Daniel and Ada Rice.
Walker opened to address rising enrollment due to the baby boom generation.
The yellow brick building on the corner of Main and Ashland is the original school.
The school was named after world-renowned social reformer Frances Willard.