THE HISTORY OF BATTLE CREEK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
In 1907, the contract with the architect and contractor was signed, the cornerstone was laid in 1908 and on September 1, 1909 the new Battle Creek Central opened its doors to new students.
According to the description of the high school from the Public Schools website, The new building is built of stone with strong steel supports, is three stories high and is surmounted by a huge dome. In form it is a gigantic letter E, the main building, which is two hundred forty-two feet long, forming the back of the letter and fronting on Van Buren Street. It stands only a little way back from the street. A broad stone entrance way with two flights of steps leads up the terraced lawn to the front entrance, or, rather, entrances, since there are three double glass doors.
There is a small vestibule connected by glass doors with the main hallway. A broad marble staircase, flanked at the top by tall white pillars, leads up to the second floor. , The walls are decorated in dark brown and tan and white marble. Upon these walls will be placed the mural decorations now being painted by Mr. Harry Gage. One will portray the earliest known literature in Michigan, the recording of the Indian warriors' names as they return from battle; the other, the earliest known industry or art in Michigan, the mining of copper by the Indians, one of the chief figures in this picture being the medicine man. These novel scenes will fill the void with something at once ornamental, entertaining and historically true.
Double doors open from the main corridor to the balcony of the gymnasium, which occupies the first floor and basement of the central wing. On the balcony is the rubber running track. The balcony is connected by a spiral staircase with the gymnasium, which is large enough, as it was estimated at the alumni banquet (at which three hundred people were accommodated at table), to seat over five hundred comfortably. On the east side, just off from the gymnasium, are the boys' lockers and baths; on the west side, those for the girls. Around the walls is the apparatus for the different feats, racks for the Indian clubs, dumb bells and wands, baskets for basketball, and the heavy mats used to protect the floor from the hard knocks the students delight in dealing it. From the ceiling are suspended the trapeze and the hand rings. In one corner stands the piano. The floor is marked for basketball and indoor baseball.
In the west wing is the domestic science department, comprising two kitchens, a general supply room and a large sewing room. On the second floor at the head of the marble stairway is the large assembly room, used as the sophomore and freshmen session room and as a general study room. Here the entire school congregates for chapel on Monday morning, for mass meetings and special (general) talks. The most important feature of the room is the immense stage, where the French and Senior plays will hereafter be held, and which will be provided from time to time with special facilities for these events. A large curtain is being painted and has been promised ; for the Senior plays. The room, together with the balcony at the back, has a seating capacity of over eight hundred, there being three hundred eighty-six seats in the room.
On the third floor there were eleven or twelve classrooms, the Junior session room at the west end of the corridor, at he east end, each with the seating capacity of over a hundred ; the teachers' rest room and the library.
The fourth floor comprised two very high Large ROOMS CALLED "arch rooms" used for the mechanical and free-hand drawing classes. The fifth floor is the dome itself, reached by a narrow winding staircase that was used by the astronomy classes. It was constructed that it would revolve and allowed opportunity for the study of the celestial field
In 1921 the Vocational School was opened to students. This building was entered from West Street and was connected to the high school by a bridge. During the summer of 1959-60 the Vocational building and the high school were joined by the addition of the Administration unit. At this time the bridge connecting the two buildings was removed and the elevator serving both buildings was installed.
This aerial view of high school shows the vocational building in the top left hand corner, the high school building facing Van Buren Street with the old high school now being used as the junior high school in back.
The old high school was torn down in the thirties after the completion of W.K. Kellogg Junior high and the Kellogg Auditorium. Construction of the tunnel connecting the high school with the new auditorium began in 1932. The auditorium in the high school became the library.
In 1955 the homemaking area was renovated. Between 1955 and 1963 the high school has had several renovations such as renovation of the science labs, counselor's offices, library and the removal of the observation base (the dome).
The Battle Creek Sanitarium had built the field house; during World War II the Army acquired both the field house and the sanitarium. The name was changed to Percy Jones hospital. The high school rented the gym for varsity basketball games for several years. When the Army declared the building as surplus it was purchased by the School District and an extensive renovation was done in 1959.
With the completion of the field house, gym classes now included swimming and bowling. The gym located in the high school building became the Bearcat Room, now used for dances, lunches for those who bring their own lunch and after school club meetings.
The sky walk was installed in October 1964. Still walking back to the high school in the winter was not a fun thing to do.
Could not find any information about the creation of the school store.
Map of the high school as it was in 1967
1973, the new Music Building was opened. It contains large choir an band rooms, plus many small sound proof practice rooms, music storage and a piano teaching lab. The old music building, located on the corner of Champion, College and Calhoun Street, that has served the community as a fire station, the G.A.R. Hall and Battle Creek Collage was demolished.
In 1977 construction was started for the new McQuiston Learning Center. Also that year the tunnel connecting the high school to WK. Auditorium was sealed off at e end and used as set and costume storage.
The 90's brought some more changes to Central. Springfield schools were now apart of Battle Creek Schools and the Springfield high school was closed. Their students now came to Central. In May of 1999, a fire broke out in the ceiling of the Bearcat Room. The Bearcat Room an the library were unsalvageable. In 2000 the new cafeteria (Bearcat Room) and Media Center (library) were open for student use.
So what is new for Central?
The much-cherished building needed renovation and expansion - the school district wanted to increase capacity from 1,200 students to 1,500 to accommodate ninth-graders but local residents were adamant that the school not be replaced. The school district determined that the building - a central part of the community's heritage - should remain downtown and continue to capitalize on its highly visible location.
The design team sought to respect the building's original architecture and stay true to the early 20th-century design concepts. The architects carefully reviewed old photos and drawing details as they worked to incorporate modern educational components and functionality while reviving the building's historical integrity. The facility's award-winning media center, which was expanded by 11,000 square feet, features 18-foot-high windows that were replicated in the new construction, along with ornate plaster pilaster and capital details. The multi-storied addition also features a 500-seat cafeteria in the basement and a large service elevator. While the addition complements the existing architectural vernacular, the facility accommodates its many programmatic functions successfully. As a result, this historic building continues its vital presence in downtown Battle Creek.
The new addition will double the size of the high school. Phase I includes the following:
Renovations to the historic Central High School building,
Multipurpose "ALUMNI HOUSE" addition with natatorium,
Consolidation of nearly all BCC athletic facilities on one central campus,
Renovations to the historic BCC Field House building including an elevator.
Drawing of the high school after the new addition
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