Warren G. Harding Junior High School - Philadelphia, PA - People-Named Places on Waymarking.com

Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th President of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death from a heart attack or stroke in 1923. This is the same year the school was dedicated. He was a Republican from Ohio, and was an influential newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate (1899–1903) and later as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio (1903–1905) and as a U.S. Senator (1915–1921).
About the Building

The building is in the Frankford section of Philly. It is a few miles from both the Betsy Ross and Tacony-Palmyra Bridges. Because the school has struggled academically and the majority of students are below basic in reading and math, they have been assigned Empowerment School status. This means you better make improvements or else! The school district pretty much tells the school what to do, how to do and when to do it. It is not the best condition to teach in when they district is constantly on your back.

The outside is in the Colonial Revival style. There are some pretty cool columns in the front and the name of the school is in the stone above the entrance. The best part of the school can be found in the inside. There is a marble staircase on the left and right which leads upstairs to the main office. The auditorium is absolutely beautiful with its huge ceilings, molding and frieze art. Original sconces still hang on the side walls. There is a huge mosaic on the second floor just outside the office created by Network Arts.

The classrooms are just as they were in the 20s. Original wood floors, molding, desks, doors, bathrooms, fountains are still in existence. A careful review of the school's archives and tis pictures reveals very little has changed since the 20's. The classrooms were used in the 40s for the war drive. Everything from scrap metal collection to blood collection went on in the school. Essentially, the school used to be the center of the universe for Frankford families. Today, locals take joy in defacing the building with graffiti and destroying it with vandalism. Any attempt to beautify the building is met with destruction. Such is the neighborhood.

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