Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Entrance is based on test scores and middle school grades. Photo Galleries. History of Cass Tech High school from its founding to the present day. In loving memory ..Detroit Redford High School, Revisit these 5 Curbed Detroit stories that have nothing to do with coronavirus. More information In the early twentieth century, Detroit had three high schools and a city-wide graduation rate of 35 percent. [5], The school was founded in 1907 on the third floor of Cass Union School on Grand Union Avenue, subsequently moving to its own wing. In 2017, the building suffered severe damage from a fire in its auditorium. Its like a ghost town, right in the middle of what used to be life. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. The Slate Group LLC. After that school was mostly destroyed by a fire, a building for Cass Tech was built on the site and opened in October 1912, but was soon overcrowded. Atlas Obscura is proud to present this post as part of a partnership with the excellentPalladium Boots, who encourage you to explore your street, city, and the world. Glenn Tunstull (on crutches) celebrates with Cass Technical High School classmates at his send-off to NYC for college./Photo courtesy of Glenn Tunstull "For an ambitious 15-year-old entry into the highly regarded Cass Technical High School was like being tossed a life raft, wrapped in creativity. He set world records in the 100-yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events. Don't miss a beat. Although my parents didnt attend, they understood about it being a college prep and pushed me to go. Tomlin started her career as a stand-up comedian as well as performing Off-Broadway. Paul Hitz (www.paulhitzphotography.com) for HistoricDetroit.org. These images were then combined with more recent snapshots of the school's ruinous last years, revealing the empty halls and untouched equipment that were left to decay. Elizabeth Beale (www.elizabethbeale.com) for HistoricDetroit.org. Video Center. I remember the auditorium with graduation ceremonies, plays, and music functions. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. The building is still standing but deteriorated from fires, scraping, and vandalism. Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library. Share your memories by posting photos or stories, or find out about your next class reunion! Students work in the Cass Tech foundry about 1940. Built in a style of gothic construction at the beginning of the 20th century, Cass Tech was a symbol of success for one of Detroits only magnet schools; it was demolished in 2011. The group sifted through old photographs of the school's peak years . Nearly every classroom in the school was left filled with desks, supplies and equipment. [29] The school district listed the building for demolition later that year. They had a lawn area and we use to gather around over there. I was amazed at the school. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. To "raise awareness of the social and economic challenges the city of Detroit," the folks at Detroiturbex decided to tell the story about an abandoned Lewis Cass Technical High School with the help of superimposed then-and-now photos. Detroit's March Toward Bankruptcy in 10 Pics, 'Destroying Detroit': 10,000 Homes to Bite Dust. Redford High, before it was demolished. Comedian, Theatrical producer, Television producer, Record producer, Television producer, Film Producer. The Detroit Boat Club, located on Belle Isle, was the first poured concrete building ever erected. When it was announced that the school would close following the 2006-2007 school year, there were a little over 1,000. The CTMB (marching band), under the direction of Sharon Allen, has performed for Patti LaBelle, Sinbad, and Jay Z as well as various college and university homecomings. Though I took two to three buses to get to school every day, my experience was great. Cass Tech was a proud educational landmark in downtown Detroit. It was hugeit took almost a whole square block. The hallway would be packed, the lunchroom would be packed, but you loved it. A new building nearby on Second Avenue was designed in Collegiate Gothic style by Malcolmson and Higginbotham with Albert Kahn as construction architect; construction began in 1916,[6] the cornerstone was laid in 1917,[7] and after delays caused by World War I austerity measures, the building opened in September 1922. Explore and purchase photos of your local teams. (source). The school brought us a sense of community, because everyones got problems but school was the outlet. The largest residence in Wayne County is now the most expensive sale in Detroit this year. The ruins of a similar first-wave industrial complex. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Check out photos of the building at Detroiturbex.com. CORRECTION: A previous version incorrectly stated that the Cass Tech building was demolished as a result of a fire in 2007. When you went through the second set of double doors, the school opened into many different hallways. Photos of Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan, whose alumni include Diana Ross and Jack White School moved to new building in 2005 which left original facility empty and it. Richard L. LaVoie 06/10/1944 - 03/21/2023 Richard L. LaVoie was born in 1944 in Detroit, MI to parents, Harold and Stella LaVoie. It played a pivotal role in our trajectory. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Ross rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, The Greatest Actresses Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting), The Funniest Female Comedians of All Time, The Greatest Singers of the Past 30 Years. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Photo from 1910-1920. Cass Tech could hold about 5,000 studentsthats about 1,500 kids in every grade. The Now/Then section about Cass Tech was started back in 2010, before demolition work had begun, a Detroit Urbex contributor who goes by the name Albert Duce explained. [citation needed] In 2010, the CTMB participated in Norfolk State University's Homecoming and won first place in the McDonald's Battle of the Bands. Old Cass Tech and Michigan Central Station. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Architecturally, I thought it was beautiful. It also occupied an opulent building designed by renowned local firm Donaldson & Meier in the Mediterranean Revival-style. Architecture. Cass Tech. Register as an alumni from Cass Technical High School and reunite with old friends and classmates. The brick and limestone Gothic building was large: eight stories fitting 4,400 students and 50 classrooms. Back then, the Cass Corridor had a lot of homeless peopleyou would step over them just get to school. Patrick Krupa (www.patrickrupa.com) for HistoricDetroit.org The cafeteria in the 1980s addition Mark Hall for HistoricDetroit.org ALUMNI Registration In 2008, the band performed at Texas Southern University. This Cass Tech Fine-Art photograph is a photo picture print of a building that holds many memories for the thousands of City of Detroit Cass Tech High School graduates who have walked its corridors. All these neighborhoods were occupied, now all of houses in the neighborhoods are gone. In an NPR interview, Jack White of the White Stripes, one of the schools most famous alumnus, articulated this sentiment: Going to school there at 14 was like all of a sudden you were going to Harvard or something, he said. I had an opportunity to see the new building in 2015. The school board argued that it would cost more to renovate the structure than to build a brand-new one, citing problems with the buildings outdated electrical, heating, and plumbing systems, the undersized gymnasium and library, as well as the leaking roofs. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Group, a Graham Holdings Company. It was mostly white when us blacks started to come inthey began to leave soon after. The original swimming pool, which was closed after the addition was added in the 1980s. Yearbook photos of Diana Ross from Cass Technical High School Diana Ernestine Earle Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. What Ill always take with me is basketball, the camaraderie and cheering. Students work on engines in a Cass Tech shop class. 1900-1915. CASSmates SPECIAL EDITION T-Shirt. 2501 Second Ave. Detroit, MI 48201-2601. Lewis Cass Technical High School, demolished in 2011, was one of Detroit's largest high schools. Cass Tech was abandoned by the school districts with tons of school supplies, computers, musical instruments and more left behind. Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. "Red, White, and Cool", Learn how and when to remove this template message, Detroit Public Schools Community District, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, "Search for Public Schools - Cass Technical High School (260110304669)", "Whitmer strips name of slave owner Lewis Cass from state office building", "Cass Technical High School After Closing", "WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: March 28, 2011 THROUGH April 1, 2011", "Michigan MPS Cass, Lewis, Technical High School", "Cass Tech will lose some less popular classes", "The 78 Michigan public high schools with best results on 2019 SAT", "Drum roll: Cass Tech marchers raise enough money to play D.C.", http://michigan-football.com/bb/casstech.html%7C, https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=taMxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XKwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=894,4865755&dq=cass+tech+football&hl=en%7C, https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QCNAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=i1gMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1499,5915116&dq=cass-technical&hl=en%7C, "Old Cass Tech catches fire: Blaze can't douse hopes of those who want to save it", "The Life and Death of an Iconic Detroit High School", "Cass Tech High School Detroit, MI: Total demolition/abatement", "Modern Furniture & Contemporary Designers, Furniture Store", "Iconic textile designer Ruth Adler Schnee going strong", "Why the Whitney's Humanist, Pro-Diversity Biennial Is a Revelation", "Funeral Details for Arthur Fields - Ira Kaufman Chapel", http://www.trombone-usa.com/rosolino_frank.htm%7CFRANK, "Pat Ivey Strength and Conditioning coach at Mizzou", Cass Tech High School at Detroiturbex.com, Cass Technical photos circa 2009 at Silentbuildings.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cass_Technical_High_School&oldid=1152682443, March 1926: 1st Place National Champions, This page was last edited on 1 May 2023, at 17:30. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. It had a capacity of 3,600 students and was connected to the High School of Commerce, which opened earlier the same year in Cass Tech's former building, by Victory Memorial Arch, a pedestrian bridge over Main Street that was a memorial to students killed in the war. Collect, curate and comment on your files. This list of distinguished Cass Technical High School alumni is loosely ordered by relevance, so the most recognizable celebrities who attended Cass Technical High School are at the top of the list. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. An aerial view of Cass Tech on April 17, 2009. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 163 Cass Technical High School Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 163 Cass Technical High School Premium High Res Photos Jumping out the windows to get out of the classrooms, since it wasnt that far down. In the Spring of 2006 the new Cass Tech High School, being built next door (out of view to the right side of this photograph) opened its doors. Somehow this midcentury gem is still on the market. No purchase necessary. Opened in 1907, the original Cass Technical High School, commonly referred to as Cass Tech, was located at 2501 Second Avenue in Detroit. The Child-Eating Bunyip Haunts Australias Wetlands, Detroit Lives: Part 2 - Music, Motown and Mansions. Although I hated to see it demolished, the building isnt what makes us great. An Abandoned Detroit School, Now And Then. Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer and producer. In the Cass Tech project, images Duce took of the destroyed school were layered with photos from the 1980s and 1990s that came from a box of negatives found in the old yearbook room.