Jean Ward Collection on the Lake Harriet School

Collection

Identifier: M/A 0239

Staff Only

Description of Contents

Types of material in collection include correspondence, newspaper clippings, meeting minutes, studies, statistics, and reports prepared by the activists organizations, School Board, City Planning, Jean Ward and others. Includes floor plans for the building in 1956 and revisions for the community center design.

Dates

1970 - 1982

Creator

Ward, Jean (Jean W.) (Person)

Access Restrictions

The collection is available for use in Special Collections during the department's open hours.

History

Community supporters of Lake Harriet school fought Minneapolis Public School Board (MPS Board) in a long drawn out battle to keep the Lake Harriet School open as a school and when that battle was lost, the neighbors of the school sought to save the building by converting it for use as a community center. Lake Harriet School Community Center, Inc. organized after the 1979 closing of LH School. Site was to be developed as a community center for educational, artistic and recreational purposes. Both battles were ultimately lost. The highly organized, well-spoken and well-written parents of the school children waged the fight from approximately 1970 to 1982. Parents included Michael Miller, Sara Stout, Jean Ward and others.