During the summer of 2012, our former open elementary school was remodeled, completely transforming it into a school with walls.  Here are some photos taken in December 2012 and July 2013.

From 1970 until 1987, there were no walls in the classroom portion of Warren Elementary School.  The grade levels were separated by partitions that had a bulletin board on one side and a green chalkboard on the other side.

The classrooms within a particular grade level were separated by this half-height furniture.

Mrs. Mary Beth Edman '71, teaches "reading recovery" in a small classroom where Mrs. Overlid's special education classroom was.

This was the science room in our time.  It is now special education.

 

This was the art room in our time.  It is now a preschool classroom.  It is bigger than the old art room because they knocked out the wall into what was Mrs. Peterson's 4th grade classroom.  Another view below.

This view contains an original (?) blackboard mounted on Mrs. Peterson's wall and shows the knocked-out wall into the former art room.

 

This door is roughly where the hallway between the library and Mr. Donahue's 6th grade classroom was.

 

This extra-large classroom is roughly where Mr. Donahue's 6th grade and Mr. Larson's 5th grade classrooms were.

 

This was Mrs. Gilbert's 6th grade classroom.

Same.

 

This view looks from what was Mr. Kiesow's 6th grade classroom along Mr. Donahue's 6th grade classroom and through the old library to the new library and into the old 1st grade.  Here we see actual walls whereas in our day, only bulletin board partitions would have been there.

Looking to the west from almost the same spot.  This corridor passes from what was Mr. Donahue's room through Mr. Larson and Miss Anderson's rooms.

This is roughly where Mr. Kiesow's 6th grade classroom was.  Nice modern desks!

This narrow speech classroom is roughly where Mr. Awes's 5th grade classroom was.

This is roughly where Mrs. Matthews's 5th grade classroom was.  Can you recognize some of those desks?

This is where Mrs. Grange's 4th grade classroom was.  The window at right marks the start of what was Mrs. Peterson's 4th grade classroom.

The brick corner marks the spot where the 4th grade teachers had their desks.

This room, used doubly for reading and special education, is roughly where Miss Anderson's 4th grade classroom was.

 

The wall along what was Miss Anderson's 4th grade classroom is recognizable, but these walls aren't.

 

If you had stood here in '73-'74, you would have seen Mrs. Bennett's 3rd grade classroom to the right, Mr. Sorenson's 3rd grade straight ahead, and the desks of the three 3rd grade teachers where the doorway is.  The boys' bathroom to the left is unchanged.

 

This view looks down a hallway from what was Mrs. Bennett's 3rd grade room through Mrs. Stroble's 2nd grade room and Mrs. Skorseth's 1st grade room.  The green door at the end of the hallway was the "observation room," which originally had one-way glass looking into the speech room.  Mr. Kostka ordered that the mirror be covered.  To the right and left are doors opening into new enclosed classrooms.

The one-way glass from the observation room into the former speech room.  Both rooms are now offices.

This was Mrs. Trembath's 3rd grade classroom.

This is roughly where Mr. Sorenson's 3rd grade classroom was.  No buckets and tables for these students.

This interior classroom is roughly where Mrs. Bennett's 3rd grade classroom and part of Mrs. Stroble's 2nd grade classroom were.  It is special education.

This extra-large classroom is where Miss Haave and Mrs. Bertilrud had their 2nd grade classrooms.  The students in this room use buckets and tables instead of individual desks, the way Mr. Sorenson's class did in 1973-74.  Notice the inflatable things.

A current teacher demonstrates how the students are able to sit on the inflatables during class.  This photo was taken in what was Miss Matcha's 1st grade classroom.

 

This room, roughly where Mrs. Stroble's 2nd grade classroom was, extending into what was the library, contains equipment unheard of when we attended Warren Elementary School.

 

This classroom is roughly where Mrs. Larson's 1st grade classroom was.  The sink and window are recognizable.

 

This is the school library, and it's roughly where Mrs. Skorseth's room was extending southward into the original library.

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The rest of these photos show areas of the school that were not renovated in 2012.

The gymnasium hasn't changed much ...

... but it is now handicapped accessible.

 

How can we forget the circular sinks of our time at WES?  Remember washing hands for an entire break to either cool off or warm up?  This is included to show a before-and-after.  Some of the circular sinks remain but others have been replaced with regular sinks to accomodate the disabled.

 

These are the same cafeteria tables we sat at for six years. 

 

They are oriented east-west instead of the north-south of our time, and they seem to be spaced farther apart, reflecting a greatly reduced student population.

Those who served on school patrol kept their uniforms in these lockers

The music room is structurally unchanged from our day, although the furniture and white boards are different.  Remember Mr. Sedgeman's blackboard drawings?

 

Above and below, the two rooms of the kindergarten.

Who among us wasn't mystified the first time we heard the disembodied voice of Mr. Sauer?

According to a recent poll of '83 alumni, spending recess on this small paved area was a favorite kindergarten memory.  It is now where upperclassmen park their bicycles.

1970 floor plan

2012 floor plan