Calvin Coolidge Junior High School, which opened January 22, 1940, at the beginning of the second semester, was the result of plans made by the Board of Education in 1929, when the junior high program was started in Moline.

Economic conditions made it necessary to build the central part of the present building in 1933 to temporarily house the elementary pupils of Roosevelt district. This part of the building was constructed with the help of a Works Progress Administration (WPA) grant. In 1938, bonds were voted on by the people and the WPA grants were obtained to complete the junior high and to build a new Roosevelt elementary school on adjoining land to the east. The new elementary building was opened in September, 1939, but Open House and inspection was delayed until it could be held jointly with Coolidge.

Coolidge was designed to correspond with John Deere Junior High in plan and size, but it had important features not found in the older building. Among these were acoustic ceilings, a specially designed music room and a place to park bicycles.

There were 37 classrooms in addition to the auditorium, double gymnasium, cafeteria, and library. The total cost of the entire building and its equipment was $650,000.

The first enrollment was 418 pupils. The staff consisted of 14 full-time teachers, six part time teachers, a librarian, and a study hall teacher. It seemed like Coolidge was too big to be filled. Today all the rooms are used by 753 pupils and 42 staff members.

In 1946, the 10th grade was added to the 7th, 8th and 9th grades. The four grades continued here until 1953 when the 10th grade returned to the senior high. Enrollment continued to increase until by 1960 there were 1200 pupils attending Coolidge. It became necessary to hold double auditorium programs, use the stage dressing room for classes, and have traveling teachers and traveling science laboratories.

To relieve this situation, Woodrow Wilson Junior High School was to have been completed by the fall of 1961, but was delayed by a strike. Since the Wilson faculty had already been appointed, Coolidge and Wilson went on a double shift schedule at Coolidge. Coolidge pupils and teachers met for a shortened six period day from 7:15 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. They had to vacate the building by 12:30 so that the Wilson pupils could enter and be ready for classes from 12:45 p.m. until 5:45 p.m. Fortunately, this lasted only the one semester as Wilson opened on January 29, 1962.

Today on its 25th anniversary, Coolidge looks ahead to continued years of service to the students who enter its doors; a service based on the best use of all the best things the future holds for all of us.

* * * * *

In recognition of the 25th anniversary of the opening of Calvin Coolidge, the P.T.A. and staff held a Tea and Open House from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 26th 1965.

Erick G. Erickson, Chairman
T. B. Mirfield
Martin Traub
Louis Paradise

* * * * *

Janitor Staff:
Ira Crawford      Charles Dorrance      Sam Christopher

* * * * *

The preceding text was transcribed by J.L. McKenzie on August 6, 2002 from a pamphlet called "Calvin Coolidge 25th Anniversary 1940 - 1965" which was produced by the Calvin Coolidge P.T.A. in 1965.