Carr School

Carr School History

Designed by St. Louisian architect William B. Ittner in 1908, the Carr School is a small but remarkable building on the city's north side. The Craftsman-style elementary school utilizes a U-shaped plan, forming a simple playground inside the two wings. The unique shape of the building which kept it from being too cramped on the small city lot it occupied. The school district had a relatively low budget to build the facility, and so Ittner kept the layout quite modest, omitting an auditorium and intended the basement rooms be used as playrooms rather than gymnasiums. On each wing, classrooms were kept on one side and hallways on the other, which allowed for plenty of natural light and air. The intricate use of brick, mosaic tile, and red tile roofing on the exterior finish off the school's design with elegance.

The school was shuttered in 1978, and has been left in disuse since. Water intrusion has begun to severely damage the interior, however the building's fireproof concrete floors and solid exterior construction continues to retain its dignity. The Carr School is on the Landmarks Association's list of the most endangered buildings in St. Louis, and is continually threatened with demolition.