BUCKEYE SCHOOL TO OPEN The first project in Salem’s $1,310,000 school building program was technically

completed Monday with the announcement by Supt. Of School E.S. Kerr that the new Buckeye grade school will open Wednesday morning (December 8, 1948).

Kerr told the members of the board of education, meeting Monday afternoon in the High school, that 180 students will attend the opening sessions of the Buckeye School.

The building includes six classrooms, a kindergarten, lunch room and an auditorium-gymnasium. Construction was begun on the school in 1947 by the Sponseher Construction Co.

MORE EQUIPMENT NEEDED Kerr said much work remains to be completed on Buckeye, but that is adequate to

conduct classes at present. Only the essential equipment has been installed. Advertisement for bids on the remaining equipment is being planned by the board

in the near future. The kindergarten branch of the school will not be ready to open until after Christmas vacation, Kerr said. About 30 children born not later than 1943 and living in the Buckeye district will be admitted to kindergarten.

Pupils who attend Buckeye School have been going to Fourth Street school this fall on half day schedules. The latter school will now resume a full day schedule.

Mrs. Peterson is Principal Mrs. George Peterson will be principal of the new school and will teach fourth

grade. Other teachers include: Mrs. Clyde McFeeley, first grade; Mrs. Cyril Lipaj, second; Mrs. William Barton, third; Mrs. Jane Votaw, fifth; and Mrs. Julie Shafer, sixth.

One of the remaining tasks at Buckeye school will be the grading and slagging of a 210 x 100 foot area to the north of the building which will be used as a playground by the pupils. The board made plans Monday (December 6, 1948) to go ahead immediately with the project.

New Buckeye Grade School Modern in Every Detail The new Buckeye school building is a modern two-floor structure in the early

American Style. It contains six classrooms, kindergarten, administrative and maintenance rooms,

rest rooms for pupils and teachers, nurses room and auditorium-gym. The building cost approximately $280,000 to construct and equip. The 200 pupils expected to use the building will study under seven teachers

headed by Mrs. George Peterson, principal. Included in the new equipment is Buckeye school are diffused fluorescent lighting

fixtures. Each classroom has three rows of lights at the ceiling. New Type Blackboards

The modern blackboards aren't black, but green for easier vision, and aren't made of slate but a more satisfactory synthetic material. The bulletin boards also are green.

Seats and desks are a one-piece unit and movable. They can be adjusted to proper height. The desks have light-colored tops for more comfortable seeing, according to Supt. E S. Kerr.

The building is heated by steam which is distributed by room thermostatically con-trolled. Fresh air from the outside is supplied through the ventilators. Two low-pressure steam boilers provide the steam and are coal fed by stokers.

The interior finish of the building is silver birch. A fully automatic clock and bell system will announce scheduled starting and end-

ing periods. One set of bells is outside of the building to serve the playground and the other set is installed in the halls.

The kindergarten is a self-contained unit with separate entrance, wardrobes, workshop and scaled junior-size rest room facility.

A large plate glass picture frame window faces the east and allows the children a view of northeast Salem. The 30 boys and girls will sit at 11-inch chairs at tables.

Gym Facilities An auditorium-gym will have facilities for athletic contests and assembly programs.

It has permanent bleachers and a recessed stage with electrical controls back stage. Under the bleacher section is a kitchen where refreshments may be prepared for serving at social functions and PTA gatherings. Folding chairs may be used to seat more than 300 people.

Beneath the stage and at one side of the gym is a dressing room for use by the Junior High football team during the fall and the Mickey McGuire and Buckeye basketball play-ers during the winter season.

Kerr said that the lawn area will be seeded in the spring. The playground is to be graded and slagged for all-weather use in the near future. It is north of the building.

The front of the main entrance is a semicircular drive that faces 12th St. at the end of Buckeye Ave.

Beside Mrs. Peterson, principal who teaches the fourth grade, are Mrs. Clyde McFeeley. First; Mrs. Cyril Lipaj, second; Mrs. William Barton, third; Ms. Jane Votaw, fifth, and Mrs. Louis Shafer, sixth grade. Mrs. Harriet Percival is the kindergarten teacher.

Janitor in the Buckeye building is Angelo Volte.

Further Additions Made The original structure was of two-story design with a partial basement. Nine

classrooms, offices, storage areas, gymnasium and a kitchen were contained in this unit.

In 1967-68, a two-story wing was added, providing eight additional classrooms and more storage space.

In 1991 there was an addition of six new classrooms, built specifically for young students and included large chalkboards and bulletin board areas, two additional restrooms, new kitchen facilities and multipurpose area. This addition was dedicated in September 1991. It included 11,500 square feet at a construction cost of $592.000 dollars.

In 2001 another addition was made to Buckeye, this time in the form of modular classrooms. Six modular classrooms were added to the east of the building to provide classroom space for a growing population of students. Each classroom has it own heat and air conditioning along with carpeting.

Today Buckeye School houses 1 preschool classroom, 7 kindergarten classrooms, 7 first grade classrooms, 7 second grade classrooms, 1 multi-handicapped classroom, 2 special education classrooms, 3 Title I reading classrooms, gym and art classrooms for 527 students.