JACKSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

JACKSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Built in 1884, the school was known as the West Locust Street School until December 23,1889. On that date, in keeping with a school board resolution to name the schools after famous Americans, the school was renamed Jackson.

Consideration of closing the school began in 1975 and was officially announced in 1979. Petitions to keep the school open gathered over 3,300 signatures and students read their own save-our-school essays on radio commercials. (1) Although parent protest led the school board to keep the building open, the board voted in June 1980, to again consider closing Jackson. In 1982 increasing repair bills and small enrollment again threatened the existence of the school. With an enrollment of 157,the school was the smallest in the DUBUQUE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. Enrollment projects through 1984 indicated a 25% decrease in the school enrollment. (2) The District, which announced it could save between $140,867 to $279,126 if the school were closed, was also considering four redistricting plans. Three called for the closing of the school.

Jackson School was closed at the end of the 1982-1983 school year. In April 1983, consideration was given to converting the building into an educational center. In February 1984, Dubuque attorney Robert Klauer bid $55,001 for the building. Klauer's plan resulted in the former school becoming a day care center.

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Source:

1. Barker, Theresa. "Students Beg, Waddle to Keep Jackson Open," Telegraph Herald, January 6, 1980, p. 6. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19800106&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

2. Ibid.