{"id":3543,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:58:11","latitude":45.9887146894709957223312812857329845428466796875,"longitude":-112.495223522055312059819698333740234375,"title":"Whittier Grade School","subtitle":"","fullsize":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/97fa622aca77d18338ccd0a6068b4474.jpg","address":"","all_locations":[],"zoom":16,"creator":["Story of Butte"],"description":"The seven room Wendell Phillips School was built in 1903. It served as a school for a number of years until it was enlarged and eventually used as the trade school for incorrigible boys.<br />\r\n<br />\r\nThe building became Whittier Elementary School in 1917, when a new trade school, the Cleveland School, was built.<br />\r\n<br />\r\nOn February 2, 1953, two Whittier students set fire to the building and destroyed it. Students were temporarily housed at the Civic Center on Harrison Ave; the 1953 8th grade class graduated from the Civic Center.<br />\r\n<br />\r\nThe school was rebuilt on the same site in 1954. In 1963 another new section was added. Today, Whittier remains an active public elementary school.<br />\r\n<br />\r\nGeorge Parrett served as the Whittier School principal from 1978-1998, and the park behind the school is named after him. Whittier’s gym, named for Kenneth Julson, principal from 1945-1968, at one time hosted all the city’s elementary basketball games due to the size and seating for spectators.","sponsor":"Superfund Advisory and Redevelopment Trust Authority and The Foundation for Montana History","accessinfo":"","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":["<p><em>Where We Went to School, 1866-2015</em><strong>, </strong>Wilma Blewett Puich</p>"],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/97fa622aca77d18338ccd0a6068b4474.jpg":{"id":5831,"mime-type":"image/png","title":"Wendell Phillips School, 1903-1917","description":"George Parrett","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/97fa622aca77d18338ccd0a6068b4474.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/65e96351dbc6575b9d15e38a7997c115.jpg":{"id":5861,"mime-type":"image/png","title":"Whittier, 1917-1953","description":"Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/65e96351dbc6575b9d15e38a7997c115.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/a92c133432362f778b38ce4493c936cf.jpg":{"id":5833,"mime-type":"image/png","title":"Civic Center, 1953-1954","description":"Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives<br />\r\n<br />\r\n","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/a92c133432362f778b38ce4493c936cf.jpg"},"https://storyofbutte.org/files/fullsize/fccd4b38606b8123fff893fb82693966.jpg":{"id":5834,"mime-type":"image/png","title":"Whittier, 1954-Present","description":"Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives","thumbnail":"https://storyofbutte.org/files/square_thumbnails/fccd4b38606b8123fff893fb82693966.jpg"}}}