Inventory - MSS 362 - FEMA - Charles J. Colton School Collection - Library Guides at University of New Orleans

FEMA – CHARLES J. COLTON SCHOOL COLLECTION

(Mss 362)

Inventory

Earl K. Long Library

University of New Orleans

October 2010

Summary

Size: 0.25 linear foot

Geographic

locations: New Orleans, Louisiana

Inclusive dates: March 8 – March 29, 2010

Summary: Photographs by Will Crocker from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) documenting Charles J. Colton School (2300 St. Claude Avenue, New Orleans, La. 70117), which has been rehabilitated as a result of a FEMA-funded project.

Source: Gift, 2010

Access: No restrictions

Copyright: Physical rights are retained by the Earl K. Long Library, University of New Orleans.

Citation: FEMA – Charles J. Colton School Collection, Earl K. Long Library, University of New Orleans

Historical Note

Charles J. Colton (1868-1916), a lawyer and writer, served on the Orleans Parish School Board from 1904 until 1915. During his tenure, he worked to improve education and is credited with inaugurating spelling bees between classes and schools and with promoting athletic activities. The first school named after him, in 1918, was an evening school for foreign-born residents, located on St. Philip Street between Royal and Bourbon. In the late 1920s, the Board decided replaced McDonogh Schools No. 2 and No. 3 with a single school and named it in honor of Colton, who had resided nearby.

Designed by architect Edgar A. Christy and located at 2300 St. Claude Avenue, Colton Elementary School opened in 1929. It became a junior high school in about 1953. Although Colton School reopened shortly after Hurricane Katrina (2005) devastated its neighborhood, decreased enrollment led to its closure at the end of the 2007 school year. Although no longer operating as a school, in 2008 Colton reopened as the home of Studio at Colton, a program of the Creative Alliance of New Orleans (CANO). More than 150 students, mostly enrolled in Recovery District high schools, visit Colton several times each week to learn about such subjects as jazz music, printmaking, and fashion design.

According to its web site, “The purpose of Studio at Colton School is to create an innovative and educational working studio and presentation environment that will provide both studio and exhibition space to facilitate the creative activity of New Orleans area artists of all disciplines and students in a collaborative workshop environment. This program aims to showcase the creative products of the region and to help students improve their creative skills and work habits as well as expand their performance and career expectations. The program also aims to foster exploration of new media, innovation, and expanded networks of collaboration between creative disciplines in the greater New Orleans area. These collaborative efforts are expected to result in important new work and to expand opportunities for the creative sector of the region's economy. The Program is intended to communicate to the global marketplace the skills, talents, and creative products and trends of the Greater New Orleans region.”

Sources: “About Studio at Colton,” http://www.meetup.com/studioatcolton/about/, accessed October 9, 2010; Donald E. Devore and Joseph Logsdon, Crescent City Schools: Public Education in New Orleans, 1841-1991 (New Orleans: Orleans Parish School Board, 1991); Robert Meyer, Jr., Names Over New Orleans Public Schools (New Orleans: Namesake Press, 1974); Darren Simon, “Colton Middle School Thrives as Arts Center,” New Orleans Times-Picayune, March 9, 2009.

Container List

Series I. Exterior photographs

Black-and-white, 8-by-10-inch glossy photographs of the exterior of Colton Elementary School, 2300 St. Claude Avenue, Faubourg Marigny Historic District, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. All photographs were taken by Will Crocker on March 29, 2010. The time of day of each photo is in parentheses at the end of the entry.

Folder 1

362-1 Exterior from St. Claude median at Spain St. View facing southwest. (8:37 a.m.)

362-2 Exterior from St. Claude and Spain St. View facing southwest. (9:00 a.m.)

362-3 Exterior, east façade. View facing west. (9:20 a.m.)

362-4 East façade detail showing windows and cast cement. View facing west. (9:30 a.m.)

362-5 Exterior, east façade showing two types of windows. View facing west. (10:00 a.m.)

362-6 Exterior, corner from N. Rampart and Spain St. View facing southwest. (10:15 a.m.)

362-7 Exterior, corner from N. Rampart and Spain St. View facing northwest. (10:30 a.m.)

362-8 Exterior, south façade, detail of copper leader head. View facing northwest. (10:43 a.m.)

362-9 Exterior, south façade detail of windows and brick. View facing northwest. (11:00 a.m.)

362-10 Exterior from the corner of Mandeville and N. Rampart. View facing northeast. (11:15 a.m.)

362-11 Exterior from the corner of Mandeville and N. Rampart. View facing east. (11:35 a.m.)

362-12 Exterior from the corner of Mandeville and N. Rampart. View facing northeast. (4:25 p.m.)

362-13 Exterior west façade from Mandeville St. View facing northeast. (4:37 p.m.)

362-14 Exterior detail of northwest corner from Mandeville St. and St. Claude Ave., masonry element. View facing southeast. (4:53 p.m.)

362-15 Exterior from corner of Mandeville and St. Claude Ave. View facing southwest. (5:15 p.m.)

362-16 Elevation from St. Claude Ave. View facing south. (5:30 p.m.)

362-17 Elevation close up from St. Claude median with a 10’ scale device. View facing south. (6:00 p.m.)

362-18 Elevation close up from St. Claude median. View facing south. (6:00 p.m.)

362-19 Elevation detail. View facing south. (6:00? p.m.)

Folder 2

Negatives of 362-1 – 362-19.

Series II. Interior photographs

Color, 8-by-10-inch glossy photographs of the exterior of Colton Elementary School, 2300 St. Claude Avenue, Faubourg Marigny Historic District, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. All photographs were taken by Will Crocker. Those in Folder 3 were taken on March 8, 2010; those in Folder 4 were taken on March 16, 2010. The time of day of each photo is in parentheses at the end of the entry.

Folder 3

362-20 Skylight, first floor. View facing north. (9:28 a.m.)

362-21 Classroom, second floor. View facing northwest. (9:45 a.m.)

362-22 Classroom, second floor. View facing northwest. (9:54 a.m.)

362-23 Classroom storage, second floor. View facing east. (9:55 a.m.)

362-24 First floor skylight shot from second floor window. View facing southeast. (10:03 a.m.)

362-25 Classroom, third floor. View facing northeast. (10:11 a.m.)

362-26 Girls’ restroom, third floor. View facing northeast. (10:21 a.m.)

362-27 Corner hallway, third floor. View facing northeast. (10:27 a.m.)

362-28 Corner hallway, third floor. View facing northeast. (10:29 a.m.)

362-29 Original door and transom, third floor. View facing south. (10:34 a.m.)

362-30 Classroom, third floor. View facing southeast. (10:43 a.m.)

362-31 Divided stairway, third floor. View facing east. (10:57 a.m.)

362-32 Divided stairs, second floor. View facing northwest. (11:01 a.m.)

362-33 Divided stairs, second floor. View facing south. (11:10 a.m.)

362-34 Stairs, first floor. View facing southwest. (11:18 a.m.)

362-35 Main entrance. View facing northeast. (11:23 a.m.)

362-36 Main entrance, terrazzo floor, first floor. View facing southeast. (11:25 a.m.)

362-37 Marble stairs, main entrance. View facing southeast. (11:34 a.m.)

362-38 Principal’s office, second floor. View facing west. (11:43 a.m.)

362-39 Classroom storage closet, second floor. View facing north. (11:57 a.m.)

362-40 Restroom, third floor. View facing east. (12:03 p.m.)

362-41 Classroom with original slate chalkboard, second floor. View facing northeast. (12:09 p.m.)

362-42 Auditorium. View facing southeast. (12:21 p.m.

362-43 Auditorium. View facing northeast. (12:24 p.m.)

362-44 Auditorium. View facing west. (12:33 p.m.)

362-45 Auditorium. View facing west. (12:41 p.m.)

Folder 4

362-46 Principal’s office. View facing northwest. (1:42 p.m.)

362-47 Principal’s office. View facing southeast. (1:44 p.m.)

362-48 Classroom, second floor. View facing west. (1:55 p.m.)

362-49 Classroom, second floor. View facing northwest. (1:56 p.m.)

362-50 Door to principal’s office, second floor. View facing northwest. (1:58 p.m.)

Index Terms

Charles H. Colton School (New Orleans, La.)

Colton School (New Orleans, La.)

Crocker, Will

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Hurricane Katrina, 2005

Schools—Louisiana—New Orleans

MSS 362 - FEMA - Charles J. Colton School Collection: Inventory