Cole School Teacherage – Blanchard

Address:	Vicinity of Blanchard, Oklahoma	County:	McClain
Started:		Completed:	1937
Agencies:	WPA	NRHP:	No

Current Usage:

Description:

A single story bungalow, the Cole Teacherage is rectangular (30′ X 28′) and is constructed of unrusticated sandstone randomly laid. The masonry is rather crude. Now covered with composition shingles, the roof is gabled, with a cross gable that, supported by two shafts, extends over a symetrically placed front porch. The gable ends are covered by clapboard siding. Singly placed window openings, with pre-formed concrete sills, contain original wood sash windows.
The Cole Teacherage symbolized the commitment of the WPA to furthering quality education, even in rural and remote regions. Small school districts had real difficulty in attracting qualified teachers because of the absence of suitable housing. At Cole, as elsewhere, modern teacherages signaled the genesis of modern education. Architecturally the structure is unique in the Cole community in terms of type, materials and nature of workmanship. It is notable as a WPA structure because sandstone teacherages were not all that common. Finally, construction of the facility provided needed employment opportunities for agriculture workers who had been deprived of any economic security and self respect by the duration of the national depression.

VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION: Proceeding two and one-half miles south and four and one-half miles east of Blanchard on state highway No. 74B, turn south on an unpaved road and go one-fourth mile to the teacherage site on the west, it occupying a tract that begins in the NE corner of the SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Sec. 12, T 7 N, R 4 \V and goes 208 feet south, 208 feet west, 208 feet north and 208 feet east.