Fannin, James W., Elementary School

James W. Fannin Elementary School, at the far eastern boundary of old East Dallas, is one of Dallas's oldest and most intact educational institutional buildings. Though the impressive 3-story brick school building defies easy classification as an example of a single architectural style or movement, it displays Late Gothic Revival features and retains much of its original 1915 character. Therefore, it is nominated to the National Register in the area of Architecture and is associated with the historic context, The Development of East and South Dallas: 1872-1945.

Fannin School was the second part of a two-building complex that was named for James W. Fannin. The first school building, which faced San Jacinto Street, was constructed in 1908 during a population boom that took Dallas from a city of 42,638 in 1900 to 158,976 by 1920. The proliferation of streetcar suburbs in East Dallas during the first decades of the century resulted in increased numbers of school-aged children in the area and prompted the construction of the second Fannin School in 1915 on the northern half of the block. It is the second school, which faces Ross Avenue, that remains standing. The 1921 Sanborn map of the area shows both buildings in use as "Fannin Public School" but the earlier school building was demolished in the 1980s.

Unabated growth in the East Dallas area continued through the 1920s, prompting the school board to acquire the private residence to the east of the complex, at 4830 N. Ross, for use as a library and music room by Fannin Elementary students. The lot on which the extant, ca. 1912, 2-story brick-veneer house is sited, was the only lot on the block not related to Fannin School when the school system purchased it about 1928. Since that time all of block 702 has been used for educational purposes. The house is connected to the school by a walkway and is used as offices and meeting rooms by the P.T.A.

R.S. Randell was the principal of Fannin School when the new building opened in 1915. He was succeeded the following year by Julius Dorsey, who later served as superintendent of the Dallas Public School system. Later principals include E.B. Comstock (1920) and S. E. Gideon (1935). Fannin School continues to be used by the Dallas Independent School District as an elementary school.

Today, the James W. Fannin Elementary School is one of Dallas' oldest educational buildings. Although many of the city's historic schools are extant, relatively few have survived with their historic integrity intact. The James W. Fannin Elementary School is one such example, despite the recent completion of a major addition to the rear. The school is also significant for its eclectic architectural design, which has elements that are suggestive of the Gothic Revival style. Most of the city's schools built during the first part of the 20th century displayed classically influenced detailing, yet the Fannin School is unique for its Gothic Revival-inspired design.

The school's original designer was the well-known architectural firm, Lang & Witchell, one of Dallas' most prolific architectural firms during the early 20th century. Lang and Witchell were commissioned to design numerous buildings throughout Texas' larger cities, and several are listed in the National Register, including the Beaux Arts-style Harris County Courthouse (1902-10) in Houston, and the Sullivanesque-detailed Sanger Brothers Building (1910) in Dallas. The firm was one of the largest and most influential in the state during the early 20th century, and its work is most visible in Dallas. William McDonald noted in Dallas Rediscovered: "Between 1910 and 1942, the firm dominated Dallas construction and made such a profound and indelible visual impact that its influence still constitutes a major portion of the Dallas skyline" (McDonald, 1978:92). Therefore, it is not surprising that Lang & Witchell presented an innovative design for the Fannin School.

The Prairie School-influenced house, which is attached to the school building, has been associated with the school as early as 1921 when Sanborn maps noted that the house was converted into a music room and library for the school. Consequently, the house is considered a contributing element, unlike the temporary classroom building to the rear of the property, which is classified as a noncontributing element.