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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.
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Morning Star, March 21, 2021, pg. 4 We continue with our series about the history of the Washington Gardner High School building. During the construction of the new east wing of Central School, plans were significantly changed when on December 30, 1926, a fire was discovered in the main 1906-built Central School portion. Fire had apparently broken out in the basement under the auditorium, where construction workers had been welding pipes for the new grade school and where the school janitor had been storing paper and trash. The fire caused $16,500 in damage, but the school was fully insured. The next week the school board voted to abandon the 1906-built Central structure and replace it with a new one. On January 12, 1927 the board requested $100,000 in bonds for the construction of a new Central portion. This was subsequently approved by voters. Thus, the third step of the building evolution commenced. The new Central portion was designed to match the appearance of the 1922 west wing and of the new east wing. The architect of the building was Warren S. Holmes, and the general contractor was the local Schumacher Construction Company. As part of the project, the third story of the original 1885/1893 west wing, which sat behind the auditorium, was removed, leaving only the school library and the maintenance area. This section is all that remains today of the old Central School and can be easily viewed from the back of the building. On February 2, 1927, the school board voted to rename the entire news school building after the Hon. Washington Gardner (1845-1928): Albion’s most distinguished citizen. Gardner served as a Michigan Secretary of State, a U.S. Congressman, and a U.S. Commissioner of Pensions. A Civil War veteran, Gardner was a Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Civil War veterans association. He also was a professor at Albion College and served a pastor of the local Methodist Episcopal Church here. The name "Washington Gardner High School" was placed prominently on the new front tower façade of the structure, and remains there today. The new section opened for classes in early 1928. When Washington Gardner High School was dedicated on February, 8, 1928, Gardner, who lived just two blocks away, was unfortunately unable to attend because of his poor physical condition. Gardner died several weeks later on March 31, 1928. From our Historical Notebook this week we present an unusual "head-on" photograph of the school which takes up the frontage of the entire block between Huron and Berrien Streets. How many of our readers attended Washington Gardner High School?  Washington Gardner High School WASHINGTON GARDNER HIGH SCHOOL WASHINGTON GARDNER HIGH SCHOOL Part 1 WASHINGTON GARDNER HIGH SCHOOL, Part 2 WASHINGTON GARDNER HIGH SCHOOL Part 3 WASHINGTON GARDNER HIGH SCHOOL, Part 4 WASHINGTON GARDNER HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY, Part 6
All text copyright, 2026 © all rights reserved Frank Passic | Artwork copyright Maggie LaNoue © 2026
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