Goodrich School

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, most schools just sort of appear in a county's history, quiet as a cornerstone. But Goodrich School has a story with a little more shape to it.

This is one of the few existing area schools known to have been created through the Federal Works Progress Administration, the WPA. Think about what that means. The WPA was a program reaching into rural corners of America, and it reached right here into Polk County.

Construction on the Jeffersonian style building began May 2, 1934, under architect Emory S. White. And here's a detail worth savoring: County Commissioner and School Trustee W.

R. Armitage sold the property to the school district himself. One man wearing two hats, and he made it happen.

Now, when that building came together, it wasn't just a place to put desks and chalkboards. That auditorium, in particular, became something the community held onto with both hands. Various public events found a home there, and the people of Goodrich found a reason to gather.

This was all part of a larger moment, a time that focused on the development of rural schools, on reaching the places that might otherwise be left waiting. Goodrich School didn't just serve that moment, though. It's still serving.

Still a center. Still a gathering place. Some buildings hold a community up, and some communities hold a building up.

Out here in Polk County, it looks like both are true.

What the marker says

GOODRICH IS ONE OF THE FEW EXISTING AREA SCHOOLS KNOWN TO BE CREATED THROUGH THE FEDERAL WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION (WPA). CONSTRUCTION OF THE JEFFERSONIAN STYLE BUILDING BEGAN MAY 2, 1934 UNDER ARCHITECT EMORY S. WHITE WHEN COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND SCHOOL TRUSTEE W. R. ARMITAGE SOLD THE PROPERTY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SINCE ITS COMPLETION, THE AUDITORIUM IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF PRIDE, HOUSING VARIOUS PUBLIC EVENTS. CREATED DURING A TIME WHICH FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL SCHOOLS, GOODRICH CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A CENTER AND GATHERING PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY.