George Washington School opened to students on February 22, 1923, which was, appropriately, Washington’s birthday. The opening was eagerly anticipated by students and parents alike, since it was built to accommodate students who lived west of Woodward, thereby easing the overcrowded conditions at the old Central School on East Nine Mile (the former Board of Education Building and currently the Foley and Mansfield law firm). A special bond to build the new school was purchased in 1918, and in 1922 the school was built on the old Ferndale Park grounds.

Evelyn Wilson, a former teacher and principal at Washington School from 1922–1945, described the scene on that first day in an essay titled “Just Memories” in her typewritten manuscript on file in the Ferndale Historical Museum archive.

"Six rooms only were furnished. Members of the first staff were Lora Bogert, Betty Bennett, Florence Roberts, Mae Kriekard, Margaret Burnham, Hazel Stace, Anne MacNeven, and Evelyn Wilson. We were provided with only the most essential equipment and supplies. There were few books other than textbooks, no pictures or visual aids, no record player, no playground apparatus. We did have one piano and movable seats."

Washington School served the students of Ferndale for several decades, with many important achievements. In 1987, it was recognized as one of the 20 most improved schools in the state; it also earned an Exemplary Writing Program Award that same year. In 1990, it was named one of 15 Exemplary Michigan Schools.

The largest number of students to ever attend was 420. Washington School provided a number of after-school programs and clubs, but in addition to the usual activities such as sports and dramatics, it also boasted a gun and pistol shooting range in its basement and in 1952 became the home of the Ferndale Junior Rifle Club. It also maintained an ice rink during the winter months.

Washington School closed its doors on June 15, 2000. That same year, the City of Ferndale agreed to lease the building from the school district for 30 years at a cost of $1 per year, and it became the new home of the Gerry Kulick Community Center on September 22, 2001.

The new community center housed the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and offered several programs there: fitness facilities, travel advice, activities for seniors, play apparatus and games for kids, teen events, plus classes & crafts for all ages.

The Kulick Community Center was closed in the spring of 2020 due to safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was set to undergo $25,000 in structural repairs before reopening in the fall of 2021 but sustained significant damage during a storm in July of that year, causing a portion of the roof over the boiler room to cave in, closing the building indefinitely in October 2021, and putting the community center’s future in jeopardy.

In September 2022, the city terminated its lease with the school board and in July of 2023 school board Superintendent Bobbie Goodrum announced that the building was not structurally sound and would be demolished.

After more than 100 years, the building at 1201 Livernois that served the Ferndale community so well is still standing, but its future is very much in question.

CHIMNEY SWIFTS
The chimney at the Kulick center is a stopover point during migration of chimney swifts. September is the best time to see them swooping in and around the chimney during the night. The Kulick Center is on the official map along with more information HERE

SEE ALSO

An archive of studies, findings, and decisions related to the facility closing is HERE

The history of Roosevelt School, with a very similar vintage and design is available HERE

Recap of Ferndale Public Schools: HERE

The museum has several scrapbooks, clip, and many photographs from Washington School over the years - stop by the museum to see more!

NOTE: This article originally appeared in the Fall 2023 Crow's Nest newsletter.

If you have memorials, photos, or memories to add please contact: info@ferndalehistoricalsociety.org