Looking back: A history of supporting Albert Lea’s schools

Published 12:10 pm Wednesday, August 26, 2020

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Students from Albert Lea College conduct an experiment in the science lab. The college (1885-1916) was where Lakeview School is today. - Photo courtesy Freeborn County Historical Museum

Ramsey, an elementary school at the corner of South Newton Avenue and East Fourth Street, was built in 1903. It replaced the Third Ward School. After several additions and modifications, the building ceased serving as a school in 1980. - Photo courtesy Freeborn County Historical Museum

About 1907, this class of seventh-graders paused from their studies to pose for this photograph. - Photo courtesy Freeborn County Historical Museum

Albert Lea’s primary school was on West Clark Street. After classes were no longer held in the building, it was moved to Madison Avenue near Third Street and converted to housing units. - Photo courtesy Freeborn County Historical Museum

In 1923, these fourth-graders proudly gathered at the entrance of Ramsey school for their class picture. - Photo courtesy Freeborn County Historical Museum

After the college closed, the building was opened as an elementary school in 1921. Abbott School hosted students for many decades until it closed in 1966. - Photo courtesy Freeborn County Historical Museum

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Looking Back by Linda Evenson

Albert Lea’s first school session started on Dec. 5, 1857, in a structure originally built as a store. From a small beginning, the education of students has been a continuous process for the community. School buildings, public and private, have populated the city’s landscape for generations.

Albert Lea’s history has included primary, elementary, middle, junior high and high schools plus business schools, a junior college and colleges. In the 101 years following that first class, some past and present schools have included the primary school, Ramsey (Third Ward), New Denmark, Northside, Abbott, Oakwood, Lincoln, Central, St. Theodore, Halverson, Hawthorne, Sibley, Southwest, St. Mary, Albert Lea High School, Luther Academy, Albert Lea Business College, Naeve Hospital School of Nursing, Albert Lea Junior College and Albert Lea College for Women.

The school block on West Clark, West Avenue and Water Street experienced a major transformation from 1938 to 1940. Through the Public Works Administration program, Lincoln School, the Practical Arts building and the auditorium were constructed and the junior high remodeled. The cost of the project was $546,000. Dedication of the buildings was on March 4, 1940. More than 3,000 people attended the event.