National Register Record for DANIEL WEBSTER HIGH SCHOOL HISTORIC DISTRICT

Historic Name: DANIEL WEBSTER HIGH SCHOOL HISTORIC DISTRICT
Current Name: SAME
Address: 1919 WEST 40TH STREET
City: TULSA            County: TULSA
Section: None           Township: None           Range: None          
Description of significance: DANIEL WEBSTER HIGH SCHOOL HISTORIC DISTRICT IS ELIGIBLE FOR INCLUSION IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE UNDER CRITERIA A AND CRITERIA C. ITS PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE IS FROM 1938-1970, TO INCLUDE THE DATE OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE PRIMARY BUILDINGS, THE PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM CURRICULUM AND THE INTEGRATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS INTO THE SCHOOL IN 1955. IT IS ELIGIBLE UNDER CRITERIA A UNDER THE CATEGORY OF EDUCATION AND ETHNIC HERITAGE: BLACK DUE TO IT BEING THE FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND POSSIBLY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA, TO END SCHOOL SEGREGATION AND INTEGRATE AFTER THE BROWN VS THE TOPEKA BOARD OF EDUCATION SUPREME COURT RULING IN 1954. THE SCHOOL ENROLLED ITS FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS IN THE FALL OF 1955. IT IS ALSO ELIGIBLE UNDER CRITERIA A DUE TO ITS EARLY EXPERIMENTAL USE OF THE PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THE 1930S-1940S. IT IS ALSO ELIGIBLE UNDER CRITERION A FOR ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE NEW DEAL PROGRAMS OF THE 1930S-1940S. IT IS ALSO ELIGIBLE UNDER CRITERIA C DUE TO THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OF THE PRIMARY BUILDINGS. THE FIRST BUILDINGS WERE CONSTRUCTED BY NEW DEAL PROGRAMS, IN THE 1930S AND 1940S. THE ARCHITECTS CHOSE TO BUILD THE MAIN BUILDING, DANIEL WEBSTER HIGH SCHOOL, IN THE ART DECO STYLE WHICH WAS POPULAR AT THE TIME. IT IS RARE FOR PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION (PWA) PROJECTS TO EXHIBIT ELABORATE ARCHITECTURAL STYLES AND DETAILING. THESE WERE OFTEN SIMPLE, HEAVY AND LACKED ORNAMENTATION. DANIEL WEBSTER HIGH SCHOOL IS EXEMPLARY EXAMPLE OF PWA ART DECO STYLE ARCHITECTURE BUILT IN 1938. THE STADIUM IS AN EXAMPLE OF A WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION (WPA) PROJECT. THE WPA HIRED LOCALS TO COMPLETE CIVIC PROJECTS TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION. THESE PROJECTS OFTEN INCLUDED SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES. THE SIGNIFICANT DATES FOR THIS DISTRICT ARE 1938 THE YEAR THE MAIN BUILDING AND GYM WERE CONSTRUCTED UNDER THE PWA, 1941 THE YEAR THE STADIUM WAS CONSTRUCTED UNDER THE WPA AND 1955, THE YEAR IT BECAME AN INTEGRATED SCHOOL. LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES ON JUNE 10, 2021.

Type: DISTRICT
Historic Function: EDUCATION: SCHOOL; RECREATION: SPORTS FACILITY
Current Function: EDUCATION: SCHOOL; RECREATION: SPORTS FACILITY; AGRICULTURAL: HORTICULTURAL FACILITY
Area of Significance 1: ETHNIC HERITAGE: BLACK; EDUCATION; POLITICS/GOVERNMENT
Area of Significance 2: ARCHITECTURE
Architectural Style: ART DECO; MODERN: NO STYLE
Architect: ARCHITECT: JOHN DUNCAN FORSYTH; ENGINEER: ARTHUR M. ATKINSON; ARCHITECT: WILLIAM H. WOLAVER; ARCHITECT: ROBERT KERR; LANDSCAPER: DOUGHTERY-VINSON; CONTRACTOR: COLEMAN, JOHNSTON, CLYMA, INC.
Year Built: 1938-1970            Original Site: YES
Condition: GOOD-EXCELLENT
Restricted: None
Documentation Source: None
Date Prepared: DECEMBER 2019