Starbuck Middle School (Racine, Wisconsin): Difference between revisions

On May 9, 1960, the Board of Education awarded $2,227,758 in contracts for Starbuck's construction. [[Nelsen & Co. (Racine, Wisconsin)|Nelsen & Co.]] was hired as the general contractor, [[Wenninger Company]] of [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]] was hired as the heating contractor, and [[Magaw Electric Company]] and [[Advance Plumbing Company (Racine, Wisconsin)|Advance Plumbing Company]] received the other two contracts. The Board had hoped that Starbuck would open in the fall of 1961, to relieve overcrowding at [[Mitchell Middle School (Racine, Wisconsin)|Mitchell Middle School]] and [[McKinley Middle School (Racine, Wisconsin)|McKinley Middle School]] Junior High schools, but the contractors could not promise that the school would be ready for students earlier than February 1962.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44201943/the_journal_times/ "Board OK's Contracts for Starbuck School"], [[Racine Journal Times]], May 10, 1960, front page.</ref> Claytex Persian Gray Matte brick was chosen as the interior and exterior material for the building.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44211900/the_journal_times/ "Board of Education Proceedings"], [[Racine Journal Times]], July 7, 1960, page 36.</ref>

 

During the school's construction in 1961, the Racine Board of Education merged with 24 smaller school districts to form the [[Racine Unified School District]]. As the consolidation approached, voters rejected a plan to expand the overcrowded [[Richards School (Racine, Wisconsin)|Richards School]], in part because some of that overcrowding would be relieved by Starbuck's opening.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44216452/the_journal_times/ "District Rejects Plan to Expand Richards School"], [[Racine Journal Times]], April 20, 1961, pages one and [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44216533/the_journal_times/ ten].</ref> In the fall of 1961, four classrooms for academically talented children opened in the building during the construction.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44218439/the_journal_times/ "Starbuck"], [[Racine Journal Times]], August 20, 1961, section 4, page 11.</ref> The first play presented in the new school's theater was a production of ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curious_Savage The Curious Savage]'' by students from [[Washington Park High School (Racine, Wisconsin)|Park High School]] on May 3 and 4, 1962.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44219013/the_journal_times/ "Park Players Slate Comedy at Starbuck"], [[Racine Journal Times]], May 2, 1962, page 16A.</ref>