I missed two schools that might also be closed in the St. Louis Public Schools’ plans for reduction of its footprint. They are Mann and Buder. I looked at Mann way back in 2009, when ironically it was threatened with demolition. Despite being fully enrolled with strong test scores, the District has still proposed its closure.
Susan R. Buder Elementary School is the other school, also fully enrolled with excellent test scores that is threatened with closure.
It’s just off the commercial strip along Macklind Avenue.
Susan Rassieur Buder was a philanthropist who gave money for various amenities particularly geared towards children. Of particular interest to me was the one hundred acres along the Meramec River for recreation; I am curious whatever became of that bequest.
The school is a great example of Rockwell Milligan’s style, with his more flamboyant use of various Northern Renaissance and Late Sixteenth Century decorative motifs.
The front doors might be original.
The banded columns are rare in St. Louis architecture.
The cornerstone is located on the plinth of the columns.
While there’s some deterioration, we can still see the words “Assembly Room” over a side door; such an arrangement was not rare in Ittner and Milligan schools.
Nor was it rare for libraries to be in the basement of schools. Of course, now Buder Library has its own freestanding building.
Outside the central portal, the architecture is primarily Tudor Revival.
As is typical in this period of schools, there are wings that bracket the main trunk of the school.
Buder was my old elementary school…i was president of the school in 1987..voted in by the students..lol…..that would be ashamed if they tore it down…
I found this info on the 100 acres that was donated.
The original tract of 139 or 140 acres was given to the City of St. Louis in 1917 and 1918 by Gustavus A. Buder and his wife Lydia for use as a bathing beach and other park purposes. Because the City never developed the property as required, G. A. Buder provided in his will that his executors reclaim it. He died in April 1954, and that December, G. A. Buder, Jr. was able to deed it to St. Louis County. The deed stipulates that the park is “to be named and at all times known as Lydia D. Buder Park.”
Yes, that is the original pair of front doors most surely and the structure is fine and intact . To let go of it with no preservation deed restrictions in place is an indictment of the current Board as a group of culturally challenged , if not crude people . Are they supposed to be in education ? These buildings are masterpieces of highly educated American architects and a credit to our Public School System . Re Purpose for quality use but NO Demo.