Walnut Hills High School

Reverse reads: "Cinci., O., Oct. 11, 1937. Walnut Hill High School." The school was the third district public high school established in the city of Cincinnati, following Hughes H.S. and Woodward H.S., and was opened in September 1895 on the corner of Ashland and Burdett Avenues in Cincinnati. As a district high school, it accommodated the conventional four years (grades 9-12). It began with 20 teachers and 684 students. In 1919 Walnut Hills became a classical high school (college-preparatory school) and was expanded to accommodate six years (grades 7-12). Students were drawn from the entire city, rather than from a defined district within the city. As a classical high school, its organization was modeled on eastern college preparatory schools in general, and on Boston Latin School in particular. A new building on Victory Boulevard (now Victory Parkway) was built on 14 acres (57,000 m2) acquired from the Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati and was occupied in 1931. Designed by architect Frederick W. Garber's firm it remains in use today. The facility was designed for 1700 students and included 31 class rooms, 3 study halls, choral harmony and band rooms, a general shop, a print shop, a mechanical drawing room, 2 swimming pools (separate swimming for boys and girls), a library, a large and a small auditorium, and a kitchen for teaching cooking (with pantry and adjacent living room and dining room)[6]. The front of the building was inspired by Thomas Jefferson's designs at the University of Virginia and modeled after University of Virginia's library building, including the iconic, domed library at the center of the structure. Examples of Cincinnati's famous Rookwood Pottery are to be found throughout the building, including the masks of comedy and tragedy adorning the proscenium arch of the large theatrical auditorium. The school's original Ashland and Burdett location became the Burdett School in 1932, which was closed in 1979. Abandoned for many years, the building was renovated in 2005 as the Schoolhouse Lofts