Such a beautiful building. It’s sad to see these places torn down. So much character and craftsmanship; makes modern-day schools look “bland” and “cookie cutter”. That elementary school is a behemoth, considering it’s day and age. I wish more towns and cities would renovate buildings like these and preserve local history.
I went there in the mid 70s it was a great school then and should have never been torn down. It was still in good shape when they did. Crying shame and such a waste of money to replace something that didn't need replacing. I love my old SCHOOL. It was so much more than a learning center.
Apparently the city of Akron needs to learn some lessons about wasting their money on demolishing old schools and replacing them with newer and cheaply constructed buildings that only have a lifespan of 25-30 years
Those WERE some very BEAUTIFUL masonry carvings! It was very sad that they couldn't have preserved them in some way....to say nothing of re-purposing the building!! :(
If one of the architectural salvage outfits didn't get them someone should have contacted Olde Good Things when there was time. They will send a truck and crew to remove pieces like these. I recreate terracotta sculptures like these, here's a start to finish timelapse showing how the original models are made; th-cam.com/video/VXwdTKTErK8/w-d-xo.html Then after molds are made, comes the hand pressing work, every piece of terracotta on that school was made this way; th-cam.com/video/XPKkoQ9hxqw/w-d-xo.html I dont glaze my sculptures, but the ones on the school were, so that is another whole process and a second kiln firing.
To this day I’m still mad they tore the building down I’m 25 now and this used to be my elementary school I had a lot of fond memories as a kid in that building I’ll never forget
I know exactly what you mean. My sentiments are the very same. That building was still in really good shape. It NEVER should have been demolished. It should have been renovated, new windows, new HVAC, some tuck-pointing masonary work, etc. They could have made that school look like new again.
This is sad also to think the high school I went to in Stanwood, Washington will be demolished within the next 2 years and I will be sad to see it go since I attended that high school from 2013-2017
+Jason Louison My sentiments exactly. I love this soundtrack. It is so sad, haunting, and emotional all at the same time. Christopher Young, who is the one who composed and conducted the music is a true master and talent.
+Old School Fire Alarms I know y'all live in the north and of course the north doesn't value as much history as we folks in the south here do (we value plenty of history). Do they really have to destroy old buildings? Plus the art work looked great. Obviously I hope they all regret it one day!!!! Was it in awesome shape or in a little bad shape but could've been fixed.
Where I live in MI, we have several buildings in our school district that were built in the 1920s and 30s, and they include features like inlaid terrazzo flooring, Pewabic tiles, and ornate light fixtures and masonry carvings. The district has done an outstanding job in preserving and maintaining them. The buildings were expanded and upgraded several times over the years WITHOUT sacrificing their beauty or asthetic appearances!!
I would be heartbroken if my elem. school was demolished. luckily mine was built in '75, I don't live where rules of schools over 50 go, and that my grandparent's old school (rehabilitated for other purposes) are completely in good shape and in use. If I were you, I would bring home a little bit of those pieces of artwork on the building that weren't destroyed.
My old elementary school was built in 1913 (with some expansions and renovations). I was there for the 100 year anniversary. Unfortunately when I attended that school the fire alarm system was all really upgraded to a Silent Knight system (from the early to mid 2000’s). That school won’t be demolished any time soon. I revisited the school and it was still up and standing.
@@SomeDudeWithAnExitSign My elementary school was built in 1975 and the current system is an EST2 FACP complete with edwards smoke detectors, addressable 270-SPO pull stations and Cerberus Pyrotronics Mtl-S17-S Horn-strobes set to “hi-lo”. It also has a rauland (possibly rauland-borg) intercom system (maybe model 2522 I never confirmed) with a different fire tone that goes off simultaneously. There are also 10 inch Cerberus Pyrotronics bells on the exterior of the school. Since these aren’t original school’s instruction, I believe I know what used to be there. Around the school there are 18 pre-existing and unused beige Faraday 3430 6-inch bells. I think this was a part of a paging system that pre-dated the Rauland intercom. I highly doubt this but the only reason I think that is because one day, I distinctly remember the clocks were changed (daylight savings) and around 9 that morning one of these bells started ringing towards the cafeteria and would not stop. The bell on our wing pulsed on and off two times. Weird. We almost thought it was some kind of fire drill, I believe it was some kind of electrical problem.
Somewhere, in some alternate universe, all of these old buildings are still up, with their original fire systems and original architecture. I’d sure want to live there.
You are so welcome. What year did you graduate from Barber school? I attended Barber from 1966-1972. I loved this school too. The teachers were absolutely wonderful. Nothing but great memories for sure.
1970 - 1975 for me, then Goodyear Junior High. Everyone's favorite was the Halloween parade around the neighborhood. That would never be done these days.
Yes, I remember the Halloween parades also. I too went to Goodyear Junior High, then to East High School. Goodyear Junior is now closed and will be demolished in the not too distant future. I left Barber school in 1972 so I'm sure we saw each other at one time as children.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms, I don't wish to make assumptions, but was this school named after the preeminent 19th century architect, George Franklin Barber? I lived in a Barber house in Knoxville, TN many years ago and have always been a big admirer of his work. Thanks.
No, actually it was named after a fella who started a match stick company in 1847, in Barberton, Ohio. Later, his son, O.C. Barber took over the company. Much has been written about O.C Barber.
This was my elementary school that I attended as a young boy. It still bothers me to this day that it was demolished. This school could of easily been renovated to it's former glory.
I know that, I agree, they should've renovated it. I have a video of Garfield High School being demolished, I didn't go to Garfield, but I hate it when people demolish things. Me & my friend from High School talk about people renovating things. Why do we live in a "Throw it away & get a brand new one!!!!" Society?
That's terrible they did that. We still have some nice old school buildings still in use in Brockton, MA. None of them have their original fire alarm systems (in the 70s, many of them had Simplex 4207/4208 fire alarm systems installed with 4051+4050-80 horn/lights and 4251-30 break-glass pulls, but the original high school building recently had a fire alarm upgrade to a cheap-o Fire-Lite system with SpectrAlert Advance horn/strobes.)
This is so sad I moved away years ago and had no idea it was gone. I went to Barber from 1988 to 1993 and it was in great shape back then. I was always amazed by those carvings as a child. So much for visiting it when I move back to Ohio. My Jr high school Goodyear is gone now too apparently. It's going to be hard to visit Akron again with all the buildings I loved being torn down they had so much character. At least I know now not to even go to that side of town.
Goodyear Jr. High School is still standing but is not being used. All the windows on the first floor are boarded up. It too will be demolished in the not too distant future. Thank you for watching and for your comments.
This was a lovely building. More schools should be built like that. I love my school, and the campus is beautiful, but it just doesn't have that old school charm.
Such a beautiful building Gone, never to be seen again. A crying shame that all these old buildings are being torn down. They’re way prettier than the new crappy schools with new complicated addressable alarm systems. Instead of a solid, reliable alarm system that saves lives.
ill be honest i dont like the old fire alarms one of my biggest fears is fire alarms even the spectralert classics at my high school that was built in the 60s scares the crap out of me but yes older schools are just much better than a school from like 2017 or something the middle school i attended was built in 2008 and still looked quite nice the high school my dad graduated from in 92 was demolished the new school is so boring looking
I feel this pain. The schools I went to kindergarten in was an old building, and it's currently being demolished. My elementary was an old building that still had old Edwards Adaptorhorns from the 60s in it when I was there before moving schools isn't demolished yet, but it's probably next in line after my school from kindergarten is done. The junior high I wish I had the chance to check out ended up being demolished, and it was a 200 year old building, and I was honestly disappointed I didn't get the chance to see it because I love older buildings. Being an early gen Z from the early 2000s was nice because I some what experienced the last moments of the things from the late 1900s era. I literally had a dream last night that I was able to take home all of the Edwards Adaptorhorns from my Elementary school before it got taken down. I wish I could do that in real life.
It’s sad to see this school being torn down I was torn up because when I was in elementary school I went to a old historic school called garth elementary school and it’s the oldest school in the county and the town at first it was a high school back in the day and now it’s a elementary school and it’s been there since 1925 and I went all the way to from kindergarten to 5th grade and it’s got four level in the building and you should come tour or do a video of it because that got some old school simplex fire horn and alarm as well you should come tour this school it’s in downtown Georgetown Kentucky it’s in a small country town
Thank you for visiting my You Tube channel and for your comment about Garth elementary school. It sounds like a really beautiful, historic school. I'll look into it.
did you take the carving at 10:27? If I could haul it I would take it before it goes to the landfill. It looked loose. Most but unfortunately not all demolition companies usually say that you can have whatever you want from the wreckage.
Unfortunately, George Barber elementary school was demolished in 2008, that was 13 years ago. Only a few of the original terra cotta carvings were saved and incorporated inside the new school building. All the other carvings, including the one at 10:27, were all hauled to a landfill where they are buried. The majority of the carvings were destroyed beyond repair during the demolition process.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms well in 2028 or between 2028 and 2040 when the current George Barber School gets demolished. I will say good riddance for you if you are not around anymore. Otherwise we can Both watch and say good riddance. I have a fear of Central Grade School being demolished and me not being able to save any of the carvings and other architectural adornments. I would cry. I would mock the cheap ass school that has a 20 year lifespan that replaces it and if it happens now In 2041 when it gets replaced again I will say "good riddance"
@@firealarmtechguy4444 I know that's right. It is so pathetic what they replace these beautiful, old schools with. Nothing but cheap materials and construction.
Same with my high school which was built in the 60s but at the same time it has some renovations my dads high school that he graduated from in 92 was demolished
I understand that buildings do outlive their usefulness, but it's a crying shame that there was no effort to do any architectural salvage. There were some beautiful and irreplaceable masonry and terracotta sculptures that could've and should've been saved that are now lost forever. 😪
You are so right. There were just a few pieces that were salvaged and incorporated into the new school that was built on the same site. But the majority (I'd say about 95% ) of the terra cotta sculptures were destroyed and ended up in a landfill. This school could have easily been renovated for half the cost of what it cost to build the new school. But because of politics and some other factors that would take too long to mention here, the old school was demolished. If you really think about it, the school was not really that old. We unfortunately live in a "just throw it away" culture.
I know what you mean. My alma mater was razed this summer. I graduated from Groveport-Madison High School in 1982. I think that building was constructed circa 1970. Fortunately, the original school in the actual village of Groveport was saved from the same fate. It housed the Freshman class when I attended, but when it was built in the early part of the last century, it actually served the entire K-12 population.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms Just curious, what was the town's justification for taking the twice as costly option while also destroying a priceless part of history?
If the school district opted to build a new school, the state of Ohio would fund a large majority of the construction cost. That is one reason why the district decided to build a new school. However, because the new schools are built with such inferior building materials, they on average only have a 30 year lifespan before major repairs and maintenance issues will arise. So in the long term, it will actually end up costing more money to keep the newer schools going. The old school that was demolished could have easily been renovated for half the cost of the new school and would have lasted twice as long. There are some other reasons too why the district opted to build new verses renovating the old, but it would take to long to explain it all here.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms even with the asbestos abatement, I would still think it would have been cheaper to remodel rather than demolish and build something new. My high school was built in 1912, and to this day, is standing strong.
+Travis R. Why you asked? Because we unfortunately live in a throw-away society. Instead of renovating this beautiful, historical building, the powers to be were misled into believing it would be cheaper to demolish and build a brand new school. Which of course is a lie and deception at it's best. We could learn a great deal from our European friends who cherish their history and old buildings.
+Travis R. Hello Travis, I do not think you were being rude. Your question and concern is one I share too and think it was an excellent observation on your part. You are obviously an intelligent and compassionate person. Thank you for watching and for your comments.
I was privileged to live up the street from there and went school there. '63-68. Mirs Dean-- Kindergarten 1st---Mrs. RHODES 2nd---Miss Rogers 3rd---Mrs. Fletchman (?) 4th-- Miss Stokes 5th---Mrs. Banks 6th---Mrs. Seay
Sad to see the school getting demolished. I know some reasons why old buildings get demolished (asbestos,mold, and other stuff). I was pissed when a McDonald’s go demolished (that McDonald’s was my childhood) along with an old McDonald’s (which was the 3rd oldest McDonald’s in America at the time) which was a part of McDonald’s history for a soulless box with a small play place (not as good as the old one). If my elementary school got demolished I would be Pissed.
Here in new england a lot of stuff is very old in my town a lot of buildings are historic like houses and my high school that i attend now was built in the 60s it looks newer though probably renovations but historic buildings are pretty cool
@@nebulavortex3531 yeah. My District usually demolished these older buildings for new ones. I know a staff member who went to a high school in my district that was built in 1925 and it got demolished in 2018 or 2019 (because it wasn’t really safe because due to not having earthquake protection, and there was another reason but I forgot) and got rebuilt. The staff member says she has been there and it looked like a prison. Then there’s my old school district, which has a lot of old buildings but there slowly rebuilding them all. There are 3 high schools left that district were built before the 21st century which the rest would be renovated soon or rebuilt. The elementary schools hasn’t been touched real much, my elementary school is over a hundred years old and it’s still standing. The districts in the Portland (Oregon) Metro area are not good at preserving old schools. There is only one of them that has a bunch of old buildings due to them being a big district and not having enough money to renovate all of the schools. I’m glad NewEngland keeps there old historic buildings. Because in Oregon we don’t.
If you are reading this Elijah they had to take it down it’s time was up and that building was very old sadly old things are taken down and new ones are placed in Update: My bad you were right they tore it down for no reason I guess I didn’t read the replies that much
I would love to know if your mother has any pictures of the school building. I'm planning on doing a new video and need all the pictures I can get. Thank you for watching and for your comment. I attended Barber School from 1967-1972
It's sad how many of these buildings are getting demolished. It especially sad when the demolished buildings only get replaced with parking lots or fields. I'd wish historic preservation laws become more strict and developers/cities stop being fixated on trying to make more money and become more fixated on keeping these buildings there for many generations to enjoy. Some say that it's less costly to rebuild, but in the big picture, that new building is just going to have to be rebuilt again. I think it's better to just keep the original in good shape than to keep rebuilding the school, as the new buildings will eventually have similar issues as old buildings today have and possibly worse since a lot are built using veneer on the outside and worse construction techniques. Our society is way too much of a throw-away society. Also, I enjoy your videos, keep it up!
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms I find it surprising that there are buildings like this that have no protection on them while buildings half the age and with less inspiring architecture in the UK are protected, for comparison the CIS tower (1962) in Manchester that is Grade 2 listed. www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.4872138,-2.2386309,3a,75y,160.91h,126.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQ5qCoyjgG0U9Tc4U8gNmoQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
This is just sad.. Modern buildings only last a year after they are built And old buildings last at least 60 or 90 years ater they are built unless they tear it down
+Signals and Trains Yes, the fire alarm system was removed before the building was destroyed. It is now in safe storage and will be placed in a fire museum.
How did u feel When. U saw this school getting delmoshied if I saw my school which was built between prolly 1965 1967. I would cry. That was the most pretty school I saw in that video
It was a very sad day for me to see my school being demolished. It was like watching a very close and dear friend dying. I still get very upset every time I think about it. Thank you for watching and for your comment.
My high school I went to in Stanwood Washington is being demolished next year and it will be sad the day they start demolishing it. The new school will be better than the old one but it will feel wrong without the current school there since I went to school in the building that is being demolished starting next year
Why do they have to destroy all buildings?! Well to tell you something, some of the old schools are many of the other schools in Alabama are still around. There is one that got destroyed, but there was a reason I had to go, the old Tuscaloosa county high school was in bad shape and it had to go and people wanted to save it but not successful. There is no new school being built. It will use as grass for children to play on at Echols middle school. But I hope there's a lot of schools around.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms Are those said terra cotta ceramic reliefs the only artificats from the original Barber School incorporated on the existing building today?
+A2Z Telephone and Fire Alarm This school was unfortunately demolished to make way for a new school. It was said that it would be cheaper to build a new school then to renovate the old one. As in most cases, politics played a big role in getting this beautiful old school demolished. The truth is, it would not have cost nearly as much to renovate the old school as it did to tear it down and build a completely new school building.
+Old School Fire Alarms Hey it's me. There is an old high school in Alabama here in Geiger. It was built (I think) from 1911 to 1912 and believe it or not it's standing! 😇 because I think we Alabama folks keep all Buildings up (especially if it's in the countryside). It's good looking although they're trying to do some work on it but we tend to sometimes have dinner there. The upstairs part looks kind of rough (I think it's just an auditorium) The downstairs part looks fine (The big tall hallway. The kitchen. The library (along with old book I believe). The room where we eat. And another room (which I believe is the classroom). And I think it has two bathrooms. www.dankalal.net/2003trip8/photo073.JPG
+Thomas Long Hello Thomas, thank you for the information on the old high school in Geiger and for the great picture. What a great old school. So happy to see it still standing !!
+Old School Fire Alarms I don't think it can an old fire alarm. I hope they keep it for eternity or until I'm gone to heaven (hopefully). All I want it to do is stay in my life. The upstairs looks rough but downstairs looks pretty fine. People tend to have dinners there to raise money to get work on it. I love an Alabama and on the countries they tend to value old buildings and not tear them down unless they're in horrible shape. As a matter fact, the old Tuscaloosa County high school was torn down and it was in horrible shape. No new school has been built there but grass for Echols middle school kids. Please note: the school is closed but people tend to have dinner there sometimes (even I go there). Also I didn't go to the school I went to a different school. It closedown long ago. But I love it and hopefully they can fix it completely and I hope it stays up either forever or when I'm gone to heaven.
In my opinion, the new school looks like crap compared to the old one. Just google George Barber School in Akron, Ohio. You will find pictures of the new school.
No, it is not a painting but in fact an authentic picture of the school that was taken in March of 1955. At the time, the school had all of it's original windows intact. In the 1970's, many of the windows were bricked in to conserve energy. I personally feel that this ruined the appearance of the building. The 1955 picture was the only photo I could find that shows how the school originally looked in all it's glory. Thank you for your question and interest.
The music was in my father's musical archive collection and was recorded sometime in the 1980's. Unfortunately he did not document the name or the composer.
The elementary school i went to was very old and made of wood and i was one of the last classes to finish elementary school there it was built in the 50s and its abandoned now and my high school that i currently go to us from i think 1968 i hope they dont tear it down as much as i dislike school its a nice looking school brand new modern schools look boring just like cars you see dodge back in the 60s much better cars built to last even though im 15 im into a lot of old stuff
It is kind of a long story, but in short, the school district received money from the State of Ohio for the purpose of replacing old schools. The district had a limited time to take the money to use it only for rebuilding schools. So instead of not rebuilding, they took the money and replaced their oldest schools. There is absolutely no question that this particular school could easily have been renovated for half the cost of what it took to tear it down and rebuild a brand new school. But you have to remember we live in a, "Just throw it away and get a new one" society. Just because something is new doesn't necessarily mean it is better or will last longer.
+Grey Gibson Thank you Grey for watching and for your sentiments. I feel the very same way. This was such a beautiful building that could have been renovated instead of wastefully destroyed. But we now live in a throw-away society with just a "throw it away" mentality. We could learn a great deal from our European neighbors who cherish and preserve their old buildings.
+Old School Fire Alarms If Ohio has become a throw away society. Well we Alabama folks tend to keep up old building (especially if it's the countryside) and not tear them down unless their in bad shape. Although a few of the small buildings next to the downtown Tuscaloosa bridge was destroyed to build something new but their building new things but tend to keep almost all of every of the downtown buildings. Besides their are old buildings here in Alabama that could of been built years ago but still have them. I guess Ohio has become a throw away society but you can visit Alabama in Sumter county because theirs a lot of old building (especially that old Geiger school I showed you).
+Old School Fire Alarms Hey man it's me again. Here's the north Salem high school in Oregon (I believe) and it was built in 1906 (I believe) and it stands. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NorthSalemHS.jpg
Hi Thomas, WOW...What a beautiful old school and great renovation job!! Now that's what I'm talking about. More school districts across the U.S. need to do the very same thing to their old school buildings instead of tearing them down. Thank you again for the wonderful picture.
+Old School Fire Alarms Well i guess Ohio is a throw away society but there's still a lot of old schools around USA and in Alabama here there's old schools standing (although they tore down the old Tuscaloosa county high but the place was planted with grass and I think only part of the building is part of Echols middle school now but the rest is gone). But you should come to the south and see all kinds of old schools infact we southern folks tend to value old building (especially) great historical ones.
What a waste this was a waste of a good school they could have repurposed the building not knocked it down and my elementary school was torn down and rebuilt that was crazy it was a good school too but as they say out with old and in with the new they should have repurposed this school an my old elementary school
I was crying when I was video taping the demolition of this beautiful school I attended as a child. It was and still is very depressing every time I think about it.
I think they should of left this school alone. Thank god Firestone park elementary is still here. "Make way for a new school" bull crap. Sadly an another building forever gone.
+Old School Fire Alarms making way for a new school is absolutely NO excuse for tearing down these old beautiful buildings. And thanks for replying to my comment.
Now I wish it was listed on the nation regester of historic places so this school would still actually be here. Even tho I have never seen any these schools in person but I want to.... Some day.
+DethklawExodus No it's cheaper to tear it down and build a new one. They couldn't just remodel it. Well there are old schools and building in Alabama here and they are still standing but some get torn down (not a lot).
I DECLARE PRESERVATION OVER MODERNIZATION
this comment deserves a pin
@@theray2009 NGL I don't feel as strongly about this as I did 6 years ago.
YES!!!!!
AGREE!
Such a beautiful building. It’s sad to see these places torn down. So much character and craftsmanship; makes modern-day schools look “bland” and “cookie cutter”. That elementary school is a behemoth, considering it’s day and age. I wish more towns and cities would renovate buildings like these and preserve local history.
You took the words right out of my mouth!!! I agree 100%. Thank you for watching and for your great comment.
It’s sad to see such an old historic building go down like that.
I went there in the mid 70s it was a great school then and should have never been torn down. It was still in good shape when they did. Crying shame and such a waste of money to replace something that didn't need replacing. I love my old SCHOOL. It was so much more than a learning center.
Thank you Doug for watching and for your comment.
Apparently the city of Akron needs to learn some lessons about wasting their money on demolishing old schools and replacing them with newer and cheaply constructed buildings that only have a lifespan of 25-30 years
Reupload May 21 2014
Play the fire alarm video for this school and this video at once for a very emotional feel.
Building restorations to old schools especially could have opened up further job opportunities to people who have been looking for jobs.
Those WERE some very BEAUTIFUL masonry carvings! It was very sad that they couldn't have preserved them in some way....to say nothing of re-purposing the building!! :(
I wish that to. If only I can change time (which I'm hoping to do).
If one of the architectural salvage outfits didn't get them someone should have contacted Olde Good Things when there was time. They will send a truck and crew to remove pieces like these.
I recreate terracotta sculptures like these, here's a start to finish timelapse showing how the original models are made;
th-cam.com/video/VXwdTKTErK8/w-d-xo.html
Then after molds are made, comes the hand pressing work, every piece of terracotta on that school was made this way;
th-cam.com/video/XPKkoQ9hxqw/w-d-xo.html
I dont glaze my sculptures, but the ones on the school were, so that is another whole process and a second kiln firing.
Those dumb idiots are destroying America’s pride and glory piece by piece
Wish they could of tooken some of the special stones out and build them into the new school.
To this day I’m still mad they tore the building down I’m 25 now and this used to be my elementary school I had a lot of fond memories as a kid in that building I’ll never forget
I know exactly what you mean. My sentiments are the very same. That building was still in really good shape. It NEVER should have been demolished. It should have been renovated, new windows, new HVAC, some tuck-pointing masonary work, etc. They could have made that school look like new again.
This is sad also to think the high school I went to in Stanwood, Washington will be demolished within the next 2 years and I will be sad to see it go since I attended that high school from 2013-2017
The soundtrack just completes the emotions felt throughout the video :(
+Jason Louison My sentiments exactly. I love this soundtrack. It is so sad, haunting, and emotional all at the same time. Christopher Young, who is the one who composed and conducted the music is a true master and talent.
+Old School Fire Alarms
I know y'all live in the north and of course the north doesn't value as much history as we folks in the south here do (we value plenty of history). Do they really have to destroy old buildings? Plus the art work looked great. Obviously I hope they all regret it one day!!!! Was it in awesome shape or in a little bad shape but could've been fixed.
Where I live in MI, we have several buildings in our school district that were built in the 1920s and 30s, and they include features like inlaid terrazzo flooring, Pewabic tiles, and ornate light fixtures and masonry carvings. The district has done an outstanding job in preserving and maintaining them. The buildings were expanded and upgraded several times over the years WITHOUT sacrificing their beauty or asthetic appearances!!
Lucky.
@@TomTom-dq2id they are trying to be more compliant to the Americans with disabilities act.
I would be heartbroken if my elem. school was demolished. luckily mine was built in '75, I don't live where rules of schools over 50 go, and that my grandparent's old school (rehabilitated for other purposes) are completely in good shape and in use. If I were you, I would bring home a little bit of those pieces of artwork on the building that weren't destroyed.
mine was made in 1907
My old elementary school was built in 1913 (with some expansions and renovations). I was there for the 100 year anniversary. Unfortunately when I attended that school the fire alarm system was all really upgraded to a Silent Knight system (from the early to mid 2000’s). That school won’t be demolished any time soon. I revisited the school and it was still up and standing.
@@SomeDudeWithAnExitSign My elementary school was built in 1975 and the current system is an EST2 FACP complete with edwards smoke detectors, addressable 270-SPO pull stations and Cerberus Pyrotronics Mtl-S17-S Horn-strobes set to “hi-lo”. It also has a rauland (possibly rauland-borg) intercom system (maybe model 2522 I never confirmed) with a different fire tone that goes off simultaneously. There are also 10 inch Cerberus Pyrotronics bells on the exterior of the school. Since these aren’t original school’s instruction, I believe I know what used to be there. Around the school there are 18 pre-existing and unused beige Faraday 3430 6-inch bells. I think this was a part of a paging system that pre-dated the Rauland intercom. I highly doubt this but the only reason I think that is because one day, I distinctly remember the clocks were changed (daylight savings) and around 9 that morning one of these bells started ringing towards the cafeteria and would not stop. The bell on our wing pulsed on and off two times. Weird. We almost thought it was some kind of fire drill, I believe it was some kind of electrical problem.
Somewhere, in some alternate universe, all of these old buildings are still up, with their original fire systems and original architecture. I’d sure want to live there.
Oh how I do hope you are right. Because that is where I want to be too.
1:55 sad this was torn down that sculpture of the blonde haired boy is old and beautiful.
+Gregor Krause I appreciate your comment and thank you for watching. I agree, that was a beautiful sculpture indeed.
+Old School Fire Alarms
Hope to change time?
First grade through sixth - LOVED George Barber Elementary. I am so sad to learn it is gone. Thank you for posting the photos!
You are so welcome. What year did you graduate from Barber school? I attended Barber from 1966-1972. I loved this school too. The teachers were absolutely wonderful. Nothing but great memories for sure.
1970 - 1975 for me, then Goodyear Junior High. Everyone's favorite was the Halloween parade around the neighborhood. That would never be done these days.
Yes, I remember the Halloween parades also. I too went to Goodyear Junior High, then to East High School. Goodyear Junior is now closed and will be demolished in the not too distant future. I left Barber school in 1972 so I'm sure we saw each other at one time as children.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms, I don't wish to make assumptions, but was this school named after the preeminent 19th century architect, George Franklin Barber? I lived in a Barber house in Knoxville, TN many years ago and have always been a big admirer of his work. Thanks.
No, actually it was named after a fella who started a match stick company in 1847, in Barberton, Ohio. Later, his son, O.C. Barber took over the company. Much has been written about O.C Barber.
I'm so sad they tore this down, I was 6 years old when they demolished it. Old Buildings are better than what we have now
This was my elementary school that I attended as a young boy. It still bothers me to this day that it was demolished. This school could of easily been renovated to it's former glory.
I know that, I agree, they should've renovated it. I have a video of Garfield High School being demolished, I didn't go to Garfield, but I hate it when people demolish things. Me & my friend from High School talk about people renovating things. Why do we live in a "Throw it away & get a brand new one!!!!" Society?
@@FrozenFan765 I've been trying to figure that out for a long time.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms Ikr (I know right). Btw long time no see
@@bigsebby3799 Hope everything is going well with you.
I have no sentimental attachment to this building, but I’m still torn up at this video. Well done good sir.
That's terrible they did that. We still have some nice old school buildings still in use in Brockton, MA. None of them have their original fire alarm systems (in the 70s, many of them had Simplex 4207/4208 fire alarm systems installed with 4051+4050-80 horn/lights and 4251-30 break-glass pulls, but the original high school building recently had a fire alarm upgrade to a cheap-o Fire-Lite system with SpectrAlert Advance horn/strobes.)
We still have a lot of old buildings here in Rhode Island everything is old in New England its pretty cool
This is so sad I moved away years ago and had no idea it was gone. I went to Barber from 1988 to 1993 and it was in great shape back then. I was always amazed by those carvings as a child. So much for visiting it when I move back to Ohio. My Jr high school Goodyear is gone now too apparently. It's going to be hard to visit Akron again with all the buildings I loved being torn down they had so much character. At least I know now not to even go to that side of town.
Goodyear Jr. High School is still standing but is not being used. All the windows on the first floor are boarded up. It too will be demolished in the not too distant future. Thank you for watching and for your comments.
This was a lovely building. More schools should be built like that. I love my school, and the campus is beautiful, but it just doesn't have that old school charm.
Such a beautiful building Gone, never to be seen again. A crying shame that all these old buildings are being torn down. They’re way prettier than the new crappy schools with new complicated addressable alarm systems. Instead of a solid, reliable alarm system that saves lives.
So very true what you have written.
ill be honest i dont like the old fire alarms one of my biggest fears is fire alarms even the spectralert classics at my high school that was built in the 60s scares the crap out of me but yes older schools are just much better than a school from like 2017 or something the middle school i attended was built in 2008 and still looked quite nice the high school my dad graduated from in 92 was demolished the new school is so boring looking
I feel this pain. The schools I went to kindergarten in was an old building, and it's currently being demolished. My elementary was an old building that still had old Edwards Adaptorhorns from the 60s in it when I was there before moving schools isn't demolished yet, but it's probably next in line after my school from kindergarten is done. The junior high I wish I had the chance to check out ended up being demolished, and it was a 200 year old building, and I was honestly disappointed I didn't get the chance to see it because I love older buildings.
Being an early gen Z from the early 2000s was nice because I some what experienced the last moments of the things from the late 1900s era.
I literally had a dream last night that I was able to take home all of the Edwards Adaptorhorns from my Elementary school before it got taken down.
I wish I could do that in real life.
Thank you for your comment, I enjoyed reading it.
I love old fire alarms
And old schools .
should have tried to petition to make that school a historic landmark.
Carl Hezel I would say that would be also like an museum but not since the demolition:
What a beautiful school! Sad to see it go...
It’s sad to see this school being torn down I was torn up because when I was in elementary school I went to a old historic school called garth elementary school and it’s the oldest school in the county and the town at first it was a high school back in the day and now it’s a elementary school and it’s been there since 1925 and I went all the way to from kindergarten to 5th grade and it’s got four level in the building and you should come tour or do a video of it because that got some old school simplex fire horn and alarm as well you should come tour this school it’s in downtown Georgetown Kentucky it’s in a small country town
Thank you for visiting my You Tube channel and for your comment about Garth elementary school. It sounds like a really beautiful, historic school. I'll look into it.
Isn't that in Georgetown?
This is extremely sad to see this beautiful school be demolished
did you take the carving at 10:27? If I could haul it I would take it before it goes to the landfill. It looked loose. Most but unfortunately not all demolition companies usually say that you can have whatever you want from the wreckage.
Unfortunately, George Barber elementary school was demolished in 2008, that was 13 years ago. Only a few of the original terra cotta carvings were saved and incorporated inside the new school building. All the other carvings, including the one at 10:27, were all hauled to a landfill where they are buried. The majority of the carvings were destroyed beyond repair during the demolition process.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms well in 2028 or between 2028 and 2040 when the current George Barber School gets demolished. I will say good riddance for you if you are not around anymore. Otherwise we can Both watch and say good riddance. I have a fear of Central Grade School being demolished and me not being able to save any of the carvings and other architectural adornments. I would cry. I would mock the cheap ass school that has a 20 year lifespan that replaces it and if it happens now In 2041 when it gets replaced again I will say "good riddance"
@@firealarmtechguy4444 I know that's right. It is so pathetic what they replace these beautiful, old schools with. Nothing but cheap materials and construction.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms just like how cds and vinyls are being replaced by the internet im 15 and i buy cds and vinyls bc i like old things
Sometimes I'm worried that this could be my high school, it was built in 1958 but still in good shape (in spite of what everyone says).
Same with my high school which was built in the 60s but at the same time it has some renovations my dads high school that he graduated from in 92 was demolished
@@nebulavortex3531 When was your father's school built?
I understand that buildings do outlive their usefulness, but it's a crying shame that there was no effort to do any architectural salvage. There were some beautiful and irreplaceable masonry and terracotta sculptures that could've and should've been saved that are now lost forever. 😪
You are so right. There were just a few pieces that were salvaged and incorporated into the new school that was built on the same site. But the majority (I'd say about 95% ) of the terra cotta sculptures were destroyed and ended up in a landfill. This school could have easily been renovated for half the cost of what it cost to build the new school. But because of politics and some other factors that would take too long to mention here, the old school was demolished. If you really think about it, the school was not really that old. We unfortunately live in a "just throw it away" culture.
I know what you mean. My alma mater was razed this summer. I graduated from Groveport-Madison High School in 1982. I think that building was constructed circa 1970. Fortunately, the original school in the actual village of Groveport was saved from the same fate. It housed the Freshman class when I attended, but when it was built in the early part of the last century, it actually served the entire K-12 population.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms Just curious, what was the town's justification for taking the twice as costly option while also destroying a priceless part of history?
If the school district opted to build a new school, the state of Ohio would fund a large majority of the construction cost. That is one reason why the district decided to build a new school. However, because the new schools are built with such inferior building materials, they on average only have a 30 year lifespan before major repairs and maintenance issues will arise. So in the long term, it will actually end up costing more money to keep the newer schools going. The old school that was demolished could have easily been renovated for half the cost of the new school and would have lasted twice as long. There are some other reasons too why the district opted to build new verses renovating the old, but it would take to long to explain it all here.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms even with the asbestos abatement, I would still think it would have been cheaper to remodel rather than demolish and build something new.
My high school was built in 1912, and to this day, is standing strong.
Why would they demolish such a nice piece of history like this?
+Travis R. Why you asked? Because we unfortunately live in a throw-away society. Instead of renovating this beautiful, historical building, the powers to be were misled into believing it would be cheaper to demolish and build a brand new school. Which of course is a lie and deception at it's best. We could learn a great deal from our European friends who cherish their history and old buildings.
was not trying to be rude about it. i was just curious was all. i like old building like this
+Travis R. Hello Travis, I do not think you were being rude. Your question and concern is one I share too and think it was an excellent observation on your part. You are obviously an intelligent and compassionate person. Thank you for watching and for your comments.
I was privileged to live up the street from there and went school there.
'63-68.
Mirs Dean-- Kindergarten
1st---Mrs. RHODES
2nd---Miss Rogers
3rd---Mrs. Fletchman (?)
4th-- Miss Stokes
5th---Mrs. Banks
6th---Mrs. Seay
I say keep old schools and their fire alarm systems
Sad to see the school getting demolished. I know some reasons why old buildings get demolished (asbestos,mold, and other stuff). I was pissed when a McDonald’s go demolished (that McDonald’s was my childhood) along with an old McDonald’s (which was the 3rd oldest McDonald’s in America at the time) which was a part of McDonald’s history for a soulless box with a small play place (not as good as the old one). If my elementary school got demolished I would be Pissed.
Here in new england a lot of stuff is very old in my town a lot of buildings are historic like houses and my high school that i attend now was built in the 60s it looks newer though probably renovations but historic buildings are pretty cool
@@nebulavortex3531 yeah. My District usually demolished these older buildings for new ones. I know a staff member who went to a high school in my district that was built in 1925 and it got demolished in 2018 or 2019 (because it wasn’t really safe because due to not having earthquake protection, and there was another reason but I forgot) and got rebuilt. The staff member says she has been there and it looked like a prison. Then there’s my old school district, which has a lot of old buildings but there slowly rebuilding them all. There are 3 high schools left that district were built before the 21st century which the rest would be renovated soon or rebuilt. The elementary schools hasn’t been touched real much, my elementary school is over a hundred years old and it’s still standing. The districts in the Portland (Oregon) Metro area are not good at preserving old schools. There is only one of them that has a bunch of old buildings due to them being a big district and not having enough money to renovate all of the schools. I’m glad NewEngland keeps there old historic buildings. Because in Oregon we don’t.
Why they think it is fun to demolish these architects with ugly new buildings 😡😡
If you are reading this Elijah they had to take it down it’s time was up and that building was very old sadly old things are taken down and new ones are placed in
Update: My bad you were right they tore it down for no reason I guess I didn’t read the replies that much
man was this a good school 1929 1985 1979 1960s 2008
My mother taught school there as a teacher in the late 1940's
I would love to know if your mother has any pictures of the school building. I'm planning on doing a new video and need all the pictures I can get. Thank you for watching and for your comment. I attended Barber School from 1967-1972
It's sad how many of these buildings are getting demolished. It especially sad when the demolished buildings only get replaced with parking lots or fields. I'd wish historic preservation laws become more strict and developers/cities stop being fixated on trying to make more money and become more fixated on keeping these buildings there for many generations to enjoy. Some say that it's less costly to rebuild, but in the big picture, that new building is just going to have to be rebuilt again. I think it's better to just keep the original in good shape than to keep rebuilding the school, as the new buildings will eventually have similar issues as old buildings today have and possibly worse since a lot are built using veneer on the outside and worse construction techniques. Our society is way too much of a throw-away society.
Also, I enjoy your videos, keep it up!
Thank you so much for your comment, and of course I agree with everything you said 100%.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms I find it surprising that there are buildings like this that have no protection on them while buildings half the age and with less inspiring architecture in the UK are protected, for comparison the CIS tower (1962) in Manchester that is Grade 2 listed. www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.4872138,-2.2386309,3a,75y,160.91h,126.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQ5qCoyjgG0U9Tc4U8gNmoQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
Saddest thing ever....
This is just sad..
Modern buildings only last a year after they are built
And old buildings last at least 60 or 90 years ater they are built unless they tear it down
MAKES ME SOOO SAAAAAD
Did you get to take the fire system before it was destroyed?
+Signals and Trains Yes, the fire alarm system was removed before the building was destroyed. It is now in safe storage and will be placed in a fire museum.
Wonderful
Old School Fire Alarms I wanna see those old alarms.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms Any updates on where they are now?
@@RXRMidwest The fire alarm system from this school is still in storage. It has not found a home yet.
How did u feel
When. U saw this school getting delmoshied if I saw my school which was built between prolly 1965 1967. I would cry. That was the most pretty school I saw in that video
It was a very sad day for me to see my school being demolished. It was like watching a very close and dear friend dying. I still get very upset every time I think about it. Thank you for watching and for your comment.
Old School Fire Alarms I know how u feel I don’t understand why would someone destroy such a good school
My high school I went to in Stanwood Washington is being demolished next year and it will be sad the day they start demolishing it. The new school will be better than the old one but it will feel wrong without the current school there since I went to school in the building that is being demolished starting next year
This is sad...
Why do they have to destroy all buildings?! Well to tell you something, some of the old schools are many of the other schools in Alabama are still around. There is one that got destroyed, but there was a reason I had to go, the old Tuscaloosa county high school was in bad shape and it had to go and people wanted to save it but not successful. There is no new school being built. It will use as grass for children to play on at Echols middle school. But I hope there's a lot of schools around.
Did they even try to save any of the old stone carvings/ Probably not.
Very few of the terra cotta ceramic reliefs were saved. The few that were saved were incorporated into the new school on the inside of the building.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms Are those said terra cotta ceramic reliefs the only artificats from the original Barber School incorporated on the existing building today?
@@sigglass2183 Only a few of the original terra cotta reliefs were saved and placed on the inside of the school.
What year did the school close?
This school closed at the end of school year 2007. Thank you for watching and for your question.
Where can I get this soundtrack?
This sound track came from my father's audio collection that was dated 1983. Unfortunately he did not write down the name of the musical score.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms oh . It sounds hauntingly amazing
@@firealarm2903_ Yes, I agree 100%
@@firealarm2903_ This is the soundtrack from Flowers in The Attic
That's sad
so sad ; ( I loved its fire alarm system ; (
+Damonlive783 williams the alarm system was saved dint worry.
+Roush Hawley
Yeah but they just had to destroy that beautiful building. Couldn't use it for movies or TV shows set and 20th century.
Roush Hawley so you mean that they might sell them or put them in another school?
+Damonlive783 williams
You it could still be used as a school but they can films movies there. Could of.
Why did the demolish it, very sad. They could of just restored it. Did you try to get them to stop demolition.
+A2Z Telephone and Fire Alarm This school was unfortunately demolished to make way for a new school. It was said that it would be cheaper to build a new school then to renovate the old one. As in most cases, politics played a big role in getting this beautiful old school demolished. The truth is, it would not have cost nearly as much to renovate the old school as it did to tear it down and build a completely new school building.
+Old School Fire Alarms
Hey it's me. There is an old high school in Alabama here in Geiger. It was built (I think) from 1911 to 1912 and believe it or not it's standing! 😇 because I think we Alabama folks keep all Buildings up (especially if it's in the countryside). It's good looking although they're trying to do some work on it but we tend to sometimes have dinner there. The upstairs part looks kind of rough (I think it's just an auditorium) The downstairs part looks fine (The big tall hallway. The kitchen. The library (along with old book I believe). The room where we eat. And another room (which I believe is the classroom). And I think it has two bathrooms.
www.dankalal.net/2003trip8/photo073.JPG
+Thomas Long Hello Thomas, thank you for the information on the old high school in Geiger and for the great picture. What a great old school. So happy to see it still standing !!
+Old School Fire Alarms
I don't think it can an old fire alarm. I hope they keep it for eternity or until I'm gone to heaven (hopefully). All I want it to do is stay in my life. The upstairs looks rough but downstairs looks pretty fine. People tend to have dinners there to raise money to get work on it. I love an Alabama and on the countries they tend to value old buildings and not tear them down unless they're in horrible shape. As a matter fact, the old Tuscaloosa County high school was torn down and it was in horrible shape. No new school has been built there but grass for Echols middle school kids. Please note: the school is closed but people tend to have dinner there sometimes (even I go there). Also I didn't go to the school I went to a different school. It closedown long ago. But I love it and hopefully they can fix it completely and I hope it stays up either forever or when I'm gone to heaven.
+Old School Fire Alarms well that is to bad.
This is so sad I wonder what the new one looks like
In my opinion, the new school looks like crap compared to the old one. Just google George Barber School in Akron, Ohio. You will find pictures of the new school.
It's kinda sad and not sad at the same time to me
(Cries) S-So S-S-Sad!!!!
Is the picture that says circa 1955 a painting?
No, it is not a painting but in fact an authentic picture of the school that was taken in March of 1955. At the time, the school had all of it's original windows intact. In the 1970's, many of the windows were bricked in to conserve energy. I personally feel that this ruined the appearance of the building. The 1955 picture was the only photo I could find that shows how the school originally looked in all it's glory. Thank you for your question and interest.
Old School Fire Alarms oh okay, it looked like a painting but it is just a normal picture, I don't know why it looks that way?
This is definetly a sad music that would mean there is no way to bring it back.
The windows that did not get bricked in were they replaced or the same windows since the building went up?
The windows that did not get bricked in were replaced with new windows in the 1970's. Thanks again for a great question.
There's finally talk in Ontario to lower the historic site thresholds from 100 years to 75.
Who made this song?
The music was in my father's musical archive collection and was recorded sometime in the 1980's. Unfortunately he did not document the name or the composer.
This is the soundtrack from Flowers in The Attic. Christopher Young
The elementary school i went to was very old and made of wood and i was one of the last classes to finish elementary school there it was built in the 50s and its abandoned now and my high school that i currently go to us from i think 1968 i hope they dont tear it down as much as i dislike school its a nice looking school brand new modern schools look boring just like cars you see dodge back in the 60s much better cars built to last even though im 15 im into a lot of old stuff
This saddens me
It saddens me too, very much so.
Truly a waste of a beautiful old building ever heard of expansions
Wow that school is in good condition... so why did they demolish it??????
It is kind of a long story, but in short, the school district received money from the State of Ohio for the purpose of replacing old schools. The district had a limited time to take the money to use it only for rebuilding schools. So instead of not rebuilding, they took the money and replaced their oldest schools. There is absolutely no question that this particular school could easily have been renovated for half the cost of what it took to tear it down and rebuild a brand new school. But you have to remember we live in a, "Just throw it away and get a new one" society. Just because something is new doesn't necessarily mean it is better or will last longer.
Old School Fire Alarms that is just sad 😢 I wish i could go to that school
I just saddens me so much that this gorgeous building has to be demolished
+Grey Gibson Thank you Grey for watching and for your sentiments. I feel the very same way. This was such a beautiful building that could have been renovated instead of wastefully destroyed. But we now live in a throw-away society with just a "throw it away" mentality. We could learn a great deal from our European neighbors who cherish and preserve their old buildings.
+Old School Fire Alarms
If Ohio has become a throw away society. Well we Alabama folks tend to keep up old building (especially if it's the countryside) and not tear them down unless their in bad shape. Although a few of the small buildings next to the downtown Tuscaloosa bridge was destroyed to build something new but their building new things but tend to keep almost all of every of the downtown buildings. Besides their are old buildings here in Alabama that could of been built years ago but still have them. I guess Ohio has become a throw away society but you can visit Alabama in Sumter county because theirs a lot of old building (especially that old Geiger school I showed you).
+Old School Fire Alarms
Hey man it's me again. Here's the north Salem high school in Oregon (I believe) and it was built in 1906 (I believe) and it stands.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NorthSalemHS.jpg
Hi Thomas, WOW...What a beautiful old school and great renovation job!! Now that's what I'm talking about. More school districts across the U.S. need to do the very same thing to their old school buildings instead of tearing them down. Thank you again for the wonderful picture.
+Old School Fire Alarms
Well i guess Ohio is a throw away society but there's still a lot of old schools around USA and in Alabama here there's old schools standing (although they tore down the old Tuscaloosa county high but the place was planted with grass and I think only part of the building is part of Echols middle school now but the rest is gone). But you should come to the south and see all kinds of old schools infact we southern folks tend to value old building (especially) great historical ones.
Saw fire alarm vid. Loud as heck and if it goes of you know it means fire get out of here and right this minute .
sad to her that this school demo ilshed 10 year old 2008
What a waste this was a waste of a good school they could have repurposed the building not knocked it down and my elementary school was torn down and rebuilt that was crazy it was a good school too but as they say out with old and in with the new they should have repurposed this school an my old elementary school
My mom was Born 37 years before destruction
What a depressing sight
I was crying when I was video taping the demolition of this beautiful school I attended as a child. It was and still is very depressing every time I think about it.
@@OldSchoolFireAlarms 😭😭
Awe
Why build something if there gonna demolish it
I agree, but sadly we live in a "throw away" society.
Old School Fire Alarms yep 😔
:(
I think they should of left this school alone. Thank god Firestone park elementary is still here. "Make way for a new school" bull crap. Sadly an another building forever gone.
I agree with you 100%. Thank you for watching and for your great comment.
+Old School Fire Alarms making way for a new school is absolutely NO excuse for tearing down these old beautiful buildings. And thanks for replying to my comment.
Was this considered to be a historic school too like historical places?
Unfortunately this school was never listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If it had been, by law it could not have been destroyed.
Now I wish it was listed on the nation regester of historic places so this school would still actually be here. Even tho I have never seen any these schools in person but I want to.... Some day.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
RIP George Barber Elementary.
1929-2008
It’s really sad but things has to move on to life.
Correction 1929 - 2008
Oops!
I was born at Year of Destruction
/ Cat of the sirens恥ずかしそうな猫 me too
I was born 1 year after demolition
I was also born in 2008
I was born 2 years before the demo
what a waste
Yeah and they just couldn't remodel it. What has the society become?
I think they just wasted more money demolishing it
+DethklawExodus
No it's cheaper to tear it down and build a new one. They couldn't just remodel it. Well there are old schools and building in Alabama here and they are still standing but some get torn down (not a lot).
Yes.... The biggest waste that I have ever seen in my life :'(
🤬😭
This is just wrong.