LENOX ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
6715 Minnetonka Blvd.

Lenox Elementary School was located on land that had been Jemina Goodrich’s farm. The four room school was built in 1925. The architect was Stebbins, Haxby, and Bissel. At first, only three rooms were used.

The Lenox PTA was the first PTA in the Park, starting on September 16, 1929 with 40 members. (The group was formally organized as a PTA in 1937.) The group sponsored card parties, dances, and other fundraisers to provide the students and teachers with amenities that the school board couldn’t afford. Members actually prepared hot lunches for students before the hot lunch program began; the cost was 2 cents. In the 1930s and '40s, the ladies canned fruits and vegetables for students’ lunches. In 1947, 638 quarts of fruits and vegetables were canned by PTA mothers.

The school patrol boys were often mentioned as recipients of PTA funds. In 1937, the 12 boys received tickets to the Shrine Circus. In later years they received raincoats, mittens, and leggings.

The PTA also sponsored Bluebird groups (1944) and Brownies (1945), Boy Scouts (1948) and Mohawks.

In 1939, the PTA was successful in getting a street light erected in front of the school. During the War, members helped with the food rationing effort by passing out 3,000 booklets on the subject.

In 1946, 16 more classrooms were added. Children attended Lincoln School while construction was underway. The school reopened in the fall of 1947.

Click here for a picture from 1948.

1951 saw the first PTA Carnival, a popular fundraiser for many schools. Proceeds paid for 12 phonographs. The PTA also paid for pianos for the school. Clothing and toys were collected and sent to children in Korea.

In the years from 1954-1957, enrollment surpassed 1,000 students. In 1959, there were over 500 members of the PTA.

1958-59 Census: 591 students, 21 teachers.

1960-61 reflected the cold war with a slide show called “Communism on the Map” presented by Mr. Richard Heffernan, former FBI agent. The presentation was followed by a film “Operation Abolism.” That year there were 650 students.

In 1963 we see Lenny Lenox, a stuffed dog, presented to the classroom with the highest percentage of PTA membership. Or was that Mrs. Lenny Lenox?

1964-65 Census: 690 students, 23 teachers.

1966-67 Census: 711 students, 25 teachers.

In a sign of the times, a 1968 talk entitled “Are You and Your Child Tuned in on the Same Channel?” was given by Dr. Leonard Bart, Professor of Speech Communication at the U of M.

The school was remodeled in 1968.

In 1972, the building was decommissioned as a school. By 1976 it was empty, but on September 27, 1979 it was dedicated as the home of the St. Louis Park Senior Center.

See the school district’s web site at http://www.slpschools.org/

2008

LENOX PRINCIPALS

Miss Kuske
Miss Heinrichs 1933-1946

Miss Beck 1947-1962

Mr. Posthumus 1962-1964

Mr. Sandberg 1964
 

The Historical Society has the following materials from Lenox School:

PTA MATERIALS:

Scrapbook 1929
Lenox Flashes circa 1936
Yearly Summaries 1940-59
Minutes 1957-1975
Fliers 1935-44

CLASS PICTURES

1924-28, 1956-57, 1958-59, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1966-67, 1968-69, 1969-71, 1973-75

PTA SCRAPBOOKS

1958-59, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.