Detroit, MI. Register as an alumni from Cass Technical High School and reunite with old friends and classmates. Wow my high school is gone, they tore it down. Despite the demolition of the old building, Cass Tech lives on in a new building. Naima Mora (born March 1, 1984) is an American fashion model and the winner of Cycle 4 of America's Next Top Model. [6][7] Departments in the 1922 building were grouped by floor; facilities included a foundry and machine shops that were used for training by Ford outside school hours, and the auditorium was used as a practice hall by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The interior had elaborate tilework, an ornate library, pool, gymnasium, auditorium, and more across its six buildings. Photo taken by Raygirl. Elizabeth Beale (www.elizabethbeale.com) for HistoricDetroit.org. This directory is not just composed of graduates of this school, as some of the famous people on this list didn't necessarily earn a degree from Cass Technical High School. Share your memories by posting photos or stories, or find out about your next class reunion! Offer subject to change without notice. Though Detroit Urbexs Cass Tech series failed to stop the schools demolition, it remains an important testimony of what the school used to be. [6][30][31] At the time of demolition, the school building was approximately 830,000 square feet (77,000m2) and weighed more than 100,000 short tons (91,000t). Caria Taylor, a member of Cass Tech High School's Class of 2021, used the isolation of COVID as an opportunity to develop her hobbies: reading, writing, and photography. In July 1942, the top of Detroits city hall was dwarfed by the more modern Penobscot Building in the background. The school also had an indoor pool and facilities for fencing, table tennis, indoor track and field, and ice skating and hockey. A victim of globalization, corporate greed, and the collapseof the industrial belt, Detroit was in rough shape by the 1970s. SIGN IN. All contents History is cyclical, and its affect on Detroit will be no exception. OC hosted a roundtable discussion about industry and workforce ready graduates. The brick and limestone Gothic building was large: eight stories fitting 4,400 students and 50 classrooms. Downtown Detroits essential architecture: A walking tour. The first class graduated in 1910 with only six or seven students, but by 1909 enrollment jumped to 700 students and a new wing was added to the Cass Union School to accommodate the increased enrollment. The old structure caught fire in 2007, and was eventually demolished in November 2011. Though I took two to three buses to get to school every day, my experience was great. [21], Cass Tech's track and field history goes back to 1926 when Eddie Tolan and his teammate Loving won the interscholastic track meet at Northwestern University. [19], There are beginner, intermediate, advanced and jazz band classes, as well as a marching band. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Ross rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, The Greatest Actresses Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting), The Funniest Female Comedians of All Time, The Greatest Singers of the Past 30 Years. [29] The school district listed the building for demolition later that year. In 2008, the band performed at Texas Southern University. Prominent graduates from Cass Technical High School include celebrities, politicians, business people, athletes and more. It was like a college in high school. When George Floyd was murdered, and racial justice protests swept across the country, she was out in the streets with her camera. I was amazed at the school. In the words of the inimitableLL Cool J: Dont call it a comeback. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. The original swimming pool, which was closed after the addition was added in the 1980s. The fire was in fact minor and the demolition was unrelated. (source), The remnants of a beauty parlor. In the foreground, the desintegrating old Cass Tech High School that is often featured in media reports on Detroit, eclipsing the snazzy new Cass Tech located immediately . Welcome! They may have planned to take everything when the school was going to be demolished, added Duce, but after the demolition got pushed back months, and then years, the items left behind lost all value and werent worth salvaging.. Glenn Tunstull (on crutches) celebrates with Cass Technical High School classmates at his send-off to NYC for college./Photo courtesy of Glenn Tunstull "For an ambitious 15-year-old entry into the highly regarded Cass Technical High School was like being tossed a life raft, wrapped in creativity. Don't miss a beat. Between the move and the time when the building was torn down, the once majestic building was left to decay. Demolition. Due to budget cuts, student population shifts, and building deterioration, around 200 public schools have closed in Detroit since 2000. The massive machinery that drove Cass Tech's elevators. History of Cass Tech High school from its founding to the present day. Pep band makes their way through a crowd. The swimming pool in the 1980s addition was supposed to be Olympic-size - but contractors used English measurement instead of metric. The Child-Eating Bunyip Haunts Australias Wetlands, Detroit Lives: Part 2 - Music, Motown and Mansions. At that time, we were the only school with a gymnastics program so I got very involved with that. Check out photos of the building at Detroiturbex.com. No purchase necessary. The CTMB (marching band), under the direction of Sharon Allen, has performed for Patti LaBelle, Sinbad, and Jay Z as well as various college and university homecomings. In March 1935, Tolan won the 75, 100 and 220-yard events at the World Professional Sprint Championships in Melbourne, Australia to become the first man to win both the amateur and professional world sprint championships. Classrooms were left full of desks when the school district abandoned the landmark. Additionally, signs of new life in Detroit continue to spring up right along side the reminders of the citys blighted past, such as in the case of the new and old Cass Tech High Schools. [25], A new campus opened in May 2005 in an adjacent lot on Grand River Avenue to the north of the original building. I remember us hanging out at the police station across the street from school. Cass Technical High School serves 2,465 students in grades 9-12. Historic Briggs mansion in Boston-Edison lists for just over $1M. While Detroit architecture and culture has indeed suffered, much remains, and there are many who work fiercely to protect it. Learn more. [15] However, in 2019, Cass Tech was not among the 78 Michigan high schools with the highest average SAT scores. Its just not that clear-cut. Detroit Urbexs series was influenced by the work of photographer Camilo Jos Vergara, who has documented the evolution of American cities taking the exact same photograph over a period of time, sometimes over decades. Students work in the Cass Tech foundry about 1940. Now Detroit and its citizens are boldly setting the standard for reinvention, showing how a city can be changed not just for the better but for the different, considering the previous ideal didnt pan out so well. More information Patrick Krupa (www.patrickrupa.com) for HistoricDetroit.org The cafeteria in the 1980s addition Mark Hall for HistoricDetroit.org Sep 20, 2021 - Cass Tech High School (old) - Old photos gallery Historic Detroit. One of its recent projects focuses on Cass Technical High School, a building damaged by a fire in 2007 and later demolished in 2011. It was designed by Malcolmson & Higginbotham with additional architectural support from Albert Kahn. Technicians. 1900-1915. . This part of the website blends pictures from the past with the current state today. In addition to a specialized curriculum, Cass Tech offers college pathway courses in arts and communication, business management, marketing and technology, engineering, manufacturing and technology, health sciences, natural resources and agriscience, and human services. In March 2000, Detroit Public Schools announced plans to build an entirely new building directly north of Cass Tech. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Cass Technical High School (simply referred to as Cass Tech) is a magnet high school in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. The Detroit Museum of Artwas demolished in 1960 for the Hastings Expressway. I had an opportunity to see the new building in 2015. 2501 Second Ave. Detroit, MI 48201-2601. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Named in honor of Lewis Cass, the school was located on the top floor of the old Cass Union School, a three-story brick building built in 1861 on a farm donated by Lewis Cass. I got along with everyone. Photo Galleries. Students work on engines in a Cass Tech shop class. You would ride the bus to school arm to arm sitting on each other back, then wait in all these lines to get in the school. The school board argued that it would cost more to renovate the structure than to build a brand-new one, citing problems with the buildings outdated electrical, heating, and plumbing systems, the undersized gymnasium and library, as well as the leaking roofs. Detroit's March Toward Bankruptcy in 10 Pics, 'Destroying Detroit': 10,000 Homes to Bite Dust. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. People on this list must have gone to Cass Technical High School and be of some renown. Cass Tech High School (old) - Demolition photos gallery Historic Detroit R Rod kurowski 8 followers More information Cass Tech High School (old) - Demolition photos gallery Historic Detroit City Skyline Casino Hotel Wrecking Ball Demolition Photo Galleries High School Tech High School Tech More information . First, they photographed every room the old Detroit school, which was abandoned after a 2007 fire. Everything from Diana Ross to Lily Tomlin is included on this list. And, in the words of the former principal George Cohen, nostalgia doesnt fix the cracks.. Today theres a Meijer grocery store on the site. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Was a May Day Attack by Pilgrims a Practice Run for a Massacre? It was ultimately demolished in 2012. Cass students in one of the school's gyms. Explore and purchase photos of your local teams. [6][7], The former building, including the extension, was left vacant (with classroom fittings and supplies inside). Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. It was mostly white when us blacks started to come inthey began to leave soon after. Circa 1929. Renovation was deemed impossible and the decision . [17], In 1984, Cass Tech was honored by the U.S. Department of Education among 262 schools that should "shine as inspirational model for others," a list that included public and private schools. I remember the auditorium with graduation ceremonies, plays, and music functions. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Caria leaned on organizations such as . Like all stories told about a place by outsiders, those on the inside see things quite differently. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. RF T09F84 - High angle view of a vintage camera, film, photo paper and light meter. (source). Cass Tech High School (old) Students work on engines in a Cass Tech shop class. ], including the Symphony in B-flat by Paul Hindemith and La Fiesta Mexicana by H. Owen Reed. Cass Tech was a proud educational landmark in downtown Detroit. (source), In the foreground, the desintegrating old Cass Tech High School that is often featured in media reports on Detroit, eclipsing the snazzy new Cass Tech located immediately next door. Patrick Krupa (www.patrickrupa.com) for HistoricDetroit.org. (source). The Bishops Mansion, Detroits largest residence, sells for $2.7M. CASSmates SPECIAL EDITION T-Shirt. At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the automobile hadnt been invented. Video Center. View all items related to Cass Technical High School, 2023 Detroit Historical Society. 65.0% of the students are female.[1]. OCTECHS Top Ten 2023. Visit nh.gov for a list of free . To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Under his baton, the concert band performed twice at the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic, and played literature at a level far beyond that normally performed by a public high school band[according to whom? This CASSmates special edition t-shirt is available in sizes small to 3x. Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly; December 7, 1932) is an American actress best known for her roles in films of the 1970s, such as The Last Picture Show, The Exorcist, and Alice Doesn't Live .more #29 of 77 The Best Actresses to Ever Win Oscars for Best Actress #7 of 100 The Best Living Actresses Over 80 #47 of 76 The Best Oscar Hosts Ever What doesnt appear in the images, however, is how the old Cass Tech, with its classic and imposing architecture, made high-schoolers feel like they belonged to something great. Nearly every classroom in the school was left filled with desks, supplies and equipment. Students are required to choose a curriculum pathroughly equivalent to a college "major" in the ninth grade. After years of abandonment, the decay of Cass Technical High School has reached the point where familiar parts of the building are no longer recognizable. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Anne Church in Southwest Detroit a basilica. To get a sense of what it was like to go to some of these closed or demolished schools, we spoke with alumni who attended three of them. The group sifted through old photographs of the school's peak years, finding images of the vibrant community that occupied the classrooms throughout the 20th century. Atlas Obscura is proud to present this post as part of a partnership with the excellentPalladium Boots, who encourage you to explore your street, city, and the world. The Cass Tech auditorium in 1930. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. [citation needed] The marching band was also a part of the 2007 Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, but was not televised. Pictured here in 1905. All rights reserved. All Rights Reserved. Watch. The Cass Tech Technicians football team (also referred to as the Technicians) is a high school football program in Division 1 Public School League, representing Cass Technical High School. [32], As of 2022[update], approximately 2,400 students attended Cass Technical High School: 583 students in the ninth grade, 637 students in the tenth grade, 606 in the eleventh grade, and 575 in the twelfth grade. The group sifted through old photographs of the school's peak years . Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library. RM 2HTHMAD - 1970's photograph of children queuing with baggage luggage for school coach trip, Sweden. [citation needed], The school's Harp program was established in 1925. I have memories of running down the halls and writing my name on the walls. [6] In 1985, an addition on the south side was opened, designed by Albert Kahn & Associates, which included performing arts facilities, a new pool, and a student cafeteria, and a wing of the building was remodeled for computer and business classes. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. The largest residence in Wayne County is now the most expensive sale in Detroit this year. Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library. Population and industry in Detroit has declined remarkably in recent years. Advertisement Photo from 1910-1920. . [14] Cass Tech students' strong academic performances draw recruiters from across the country, including Ivy League representatives eager to attract the top minority applicants. Cass Tech's band practices on the auditorium stage. 2023 So present was this dream that much of the art, culture and history of Detroit was paved over with auto money in a race to escape the city of tomorrow. The past few decades haven't treated Detroit well. The Detroit Boat Club, located on Belle Isle, was the first poured concrete building ever erected. The school brought us a sense of community, because everyones got problems but school was the outlet. Scroll through the images below and let us know what you think of Detroiturbex's project in the comments section. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking news. An Abandoned Detroit School, Now And Then. This t-shirt will be a great addition to your CT Vibe wardrobe. [18], In 2006, Cass represented DPS at the National Academic Games Olympics and won the Team Sweepstakes award. The Slate Group LLC. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. In 2005 the main building was abandoned with the remaining students occupying an adjacent addition. In his full career as a sprinter, Tolan won 300 races and lost only 7. The rest of the story is familiar; mid-century found Detroit in full swing as Motor City USA, a modern metropolis, a shining light for the future of the midwest. Martindale appointed Comfort principal of Cass Technical School, and in 1907 the school opened with an enrollment of 110 students. A 1,000-seat auditorium was added in 1930. Pictured are three murals comprising the Spirit of the Northwest, by artist Gari Melchers. Odessa Career & Technical Early College High School ECISD Home. It had a capacity of 3,600 students and was connected to the High School of Commerce, which opened earlier the same year in Cass Tech's former building, by Victory Memorial Arch, a pedestrian bridge over Main Street that was a memorial to students killed in the war. Comments (-1) OCTECHS Newsletter: Champions Chronicals. The Main Building of the Detroit Public Library as it appears today. I attended because I had a first cousin who also graduated from Cass. Cass Technical High School placed in the top 50% of all schools in Michigan for overall test scores (math proficiency is bottom 50%, and reading proficiency is top 20%) for the 2020-21 school year. The Triangle Society is committed to maintaining that legacy by providing financial support to Clubs, organizations, athletic and academic programs at Cass. The most striking aspect of the Now and Then series is that the classrooms remained almost unchanged after the building was abandoned, still equipped with computers and furniture. Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Looking north up Grand River on April 17, 2009, at Cass Tech and its 1980s addition. Several years after the original Cass Tech High School in downtown Detroit was abandoned, a local photographer sifting through the ruins found decades of the school . From a bridge to Canada to a building that could change the skyline, here are the biggest development projects in the works in Detroit. In the Cass Tech project, images Duce took of the destroyed school were layered with photos from the 1980s and 1990s that came from a box of negatives found in the old yearbook room. Cass Tech won the 2011, 2012 and 2016 MHSAA Division I state championships. It was huge: eight stories with an elevator that been around for decades. A lot of memories come back when I go past it. It remains one of few magnet schools in Detroit. One of the most photographed landmarks in Detroit is a monument to the labor movement in Michigan. Cass Tech Lives. I also played tennis. Comments (-1) SPIRIT Club Minutes. They were beginning to integrate Redford when I started there. Sep 20, 2021 - Cass Tech High School (old) - Old photos gallery Historic Detroit. To mark the contrast of the school both during its prime and demise, Detroit Urbex created a nostalgic photomontage of Detroits urban remodeling, available as an online archive. We regret the error. Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library. In 2000, the Detroit Public School District announced plans for construction of the current modern Cass Tech building, which was built in 2004. Confronting Satan in a Dark Spanish Castle. Although I hated to see it demolished, the building isnt what makes us great. The specter of Michigan Central Station has become emblematic of the dichotomy between Detroits past and present state. The loss of these schools can be felt in many ways: increased transit times for students commuting to schools farther away, absence of a neighborhood anchor, presence of a large abandoned building near homes. Pinterest. In 2007, a large fire broke out in the old Cass Tech building and it was finally demolished in 2011. [citation needed] In 2010, the CTMB participated in Norfolk State University's Homecoming and won first place in the McDonald's Battle of the Bands. Named in honor of Lewis Cass, the school was located on the top floor of the old Cass Union School, a three-story brick building built in 1861 on a farm donated by Lewis Cass. What Ill always take with me is basketball, the camaraderie and cheering. Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library. But slowly, the world caught up and Detroits city of tomorrow became more and more a relic of the past. While the new building was set to cost $98 million, the old schools restoration was expected to total $117 million. After that school was mostly destroyed by a fire, a building for Cass Tech was built on the site and opened in October 1912, but was soon overcrowded. Built in a style of gothic construction at the beginning of the 20th century, Cass Tech was a symbol of success for one of Detroits only magnet schools; it was demolished in 2011. Luckily it was not only a place of tranquility and learning, but a safe zone. Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer, actress, and record producer. Abandoned Detroit School Given Life Through Photos Lewis Cass Technical High School, demolished in 2011, was one of Detroit's largest high schools. Richard L. LaVoie 06/10/1944 - 03/21/2023 Richard L. LaVoie was born in 1944 in Detroit, MI to parents, Harold and Stella LaVoie. Areas of study include among others arts and communication, business management and marketing, engineering and manufacturing, human services, and science and arts. Michigan; Cass Tech High School; . Utilizing images of the school in its heyday transposed over photos of the neglected building, Detroiturbex succeeds in evoking a state of Detroit's decline. The Detroit skyline and boats on the Detroit River as seen from Windsor, during the heyday of rum-running. Detroits 10 best social media accounts for architecture and homes, Locations in Detroit with ties to Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton, Pope designates Ste. He set world records in the 100-yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events. The original building was designed Burrowes & Eurich, but there were multiple additions over the subsequent decades. In 1950 Detroit was the city of tomorrow. All rights reserved. Check out more photos at historicdetroit.org. Demolition began in December 2010 and was completed in August 2011. The High School of Commerce - a former home of Cass Tech High - is demolished in August 1964 to make way for Interstate 75. But they wouldnt bother us. And when you would go outside to the back, there was the baseball field, basketball courts. The Now/Then section about Cass Tech was started back in 2010, before demolition work had begun, a Detroit Urbex contributor who goes by the name Albert Duce explained. From stand out skyscrapers to incredible lobbies, heres your guide to the seeing as much of the best downtown architecture possible. [7] The 1922 building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in March 2011. Heres where that careful what you wish for piece comes in. The building is there but its dilapidated, its burned down. Nothing but burnt down homes and empty lots. [16] In 2021, U.S. News ranked Cass Tech 84th among Michigan high schools, and reported a 62.9% percentile score on the SAT. The original Cass Technical High School was built in 1922, and for over 80 years, the drab, antiquated eight-story structure was full of thousands of secondary school students.. A 3D look inside the 1922 building. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe . . When it was announced that the school would close following the 2006-2007 school year, there were a little over 1,000. As a child, he proved himself an apt learner . Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. It was established in 1907 and is part of the Detroit Public Schools Community District.It is named after Lewis Cass.. Until 1977, Cass was Detroit's only magnet school and the only non-neighborhood enrollment school in Detroit. Everythingsonsaletoday As a building on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, the original structure was left in place, however a large fire gutted it in 2007. It remains lovingly cared-for, murals included. Us going down to the basement and security come after us. Architecturally, I thought it was beautiful. Photo from the Detroit Free Press archives. CORRECTION: A previous version incorrectly stated that the Cass Tech building was demolished as a result of a fire in 2007. Old Cass Tech and Michigan Central Station. Somehow this midcentury gem is still on the market. The derelict cornerstones of the same city hall lie cast aside. I have gone back recently and man. Heres what they had to say. In 2005 the main building was abandoned with the remaining students occupying an adjacent addition. First opening as Cass Union School, it moved to its Second Avenue location in 1922. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. As a result schools and homes which were quickly built to support a growing industry in the 20s and 30s have since been abandoned, subject to arson or demolished. Comedian, Theatrical producer, Television producer, Record producer, Television producer, Film Producer. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. Applications continued to surge until finally the City Council was able to find the money for a new building for Cass Tech. The police never bothered us. These images were then combined with more recent snapshots of the school's ruinous last years, revealing the empty halls and untouched equipment that were left to decay. Some have a story, but we have a legacy. This Cass Tech Fine-Art photograph is a photo picture print of a building that holds many memories for the thousands of City of Detroit Cass Tech High School graduates who have walked its corridors. 1 of 21 Detroiturbex Abandoned Detroit School Given Life Through Photos I was never fearful going to school because all of them respected Cass Tech as place of higher learning and knew that us kids came from miles away in the dark to go to school each day.