1880
1881
1882
1883
SEPTEMBER 30, 1883
In September 1883, a school district regulating schools within the city of New Tacoma was incorporated. The First ward school (later renamed Lowell School), which was a part of Old Tacoma, was not a part of this original district.
NOVEMBER 13, 1883
This is an extensive article about the newly-built Central School. While it doesn’t discuss the First ward (Lowell) school, it gives a good idea about the state of education in the cities of Old and New Tacoma at this time.
1884
JULY 3, 1884
First ward (Lowell) school children attend an opera performance.
JULY 12, 1884
AUGUST 8, 1884
1885
MAY 17, 1885
A list of high-achieving students of the First ward (Lowell) school.
H.M. Lillis was the principal at this time.
JUNE 28, 1885
Another list of high-achieving students of the First ward (Lowell) school.
At this time, the school included grades 1-7. Principal Lillis taught the 1st-3rd grades, while L.S. Anderson taught grades 4-7.
SEPTEMBER 2, 1885
Voters in the West Tacoma school district in the First ward approved a tax in support of the school.
SEPTEMBER 15, 1885
1886
SEPTEMBER 3, 1886
SEPTEMBER 21, 1886
1887
JUNE 3, 1887
OCTOBER 11, 1887
An article about the rising student populations in Tacoma schools. The first ward is still not included in the Tacoma school district.
“The present school district of Tacoma does not comprise the first ward or “Old Town,” inasmuch as the residents of that portion of the city having the Tacoma mill and other large industries did not care to be joined to the same district as Tacoma when it was young and not self-sustaining, but now the conditions have changed and the revenues are largely in excess of the expenditures and at no distant day the first ward will be included by common consent in one district, composed of the First, Second, Third and Fourth wards. In these latter three wards there are four houses completed and occupied, while another now being erected on south K street will be ready for occupancy by November 15th.”
1888
MAY 4, 1888
An article about how great Tacoma’s schools are.
H.M. Lillis is listed as the Principal, with assistants Matthew Stewart and Jennie Barnett.
OCTOBER 19, 1888
Although the numbers do not include the students at the First ward school, they show how quickly Tacoma’s population grew between 1800 and 1888.
1889
AUGUST 30, 1889
An article clarifying the date for the first day of school, 1889.
The Principal of the First ward school is now Mr. Stewart. It is unclear who Mr. Stewart is – it could be Matthew Stewart, who was listed as one of Principal Lillis’ assistants in 1888, or it could be J. P. Stewart, who was a teacher in the original First ward school building when it was still a one-room school house.
OCTOBER 16, 1889
DECEMBER 2, 1889
DECEMBER 4, 1889
New school laws are enacted.
Among other requirements, public schools must be maintained for a minimum of 8 months per year, teachers must pass examinations before being employed, instruction must be in English, etc.
Lowell Elementary School History Project 