History of Closed Torrance Schools
October 23, 2002
Crenshaw Elementary School was located at 18620 Crenshaw Blvd and was constructed of tilt-up concrete. The school opened in 1951 serving North Torrance, for students in grades K-8. The school housed as many as 1163 students during its peak enrollment. It was closed in 1972 due to declining enrollment.
Principals:
Rolbert Dexter (1951-1952)
Margaret Denmarsh (1952-1953)
Earl Eckert (1954-1960)
Hugh Dooley (1960-1968)
Grant Logan (1968-1972)
GREENWOOD SCHOOL (1951 – 1984)
Greenwood Elementary School was located at 1622 Greenwood Avenue and was constructed of frame stucco. The school had its own principal for the years 1951 to 1953, and after that time was operated jointly with Fern Elementary. The school was closed in 1984 and was purchased by the City of Torrance to be operated by the Torrance Parks and Recreation Department.
Principal:
Ron Ellerman (1951 – 1953)
HILLSIDE SCHOOL (1955 - 1976)
Hillside Elementary School was located at 25600 Crenshaw Boulevard and served Victoria Knolls and the southern part of Torrance, for students in grades K-8. It was constructed of frame stucco. During its peak enrollment period, it served as many as 724 students. It was closed in 1976 due to declining enrollment.
Principals:
Robert Allen (1955-1959)
John Strom (1959-1963)
John McGee (1963-1969)
Cecil Paschall (1969-1971)
William Zecher (1971-1976)
MEADOW PARK SCHOOL (1951 – 1973)
Meadow Park Elementary School was located at 3860 West 230th Street, serving the Meadow Park area for students in grades K-8. It was constructed of frame stucco. During its peak enrollment period, it served as many as 1385 students. It was closed in 1973 as an elementary school, but continued to operate as an adult education school until 1987.
Principals:
Herbert Farris (1954-1959)
D. Boone Kirks (1959-1973)
SEPULVEDA SCHOOL (1956 – 1979)
Sepulveda Elementary School was located at 4600 Merrill Street and was constructed of frame stucco. The school opened in 1956 serving the Southwood area for grades K-8. The school housed as many as 732 students during its peak enrollment. It was closed in 1979 due to declining enrollment.
Principals:
Rolbert R. Dexter (1956-1961)
William J. Clary (1961-1963)
Leroy Steffey (1963-1967)
Hugh Dooley (1969-1979)
PERRY SCHOOL (1905 – 1981)
Perry School was located at 17831 Prairie Avenue, and was named for pioneer railroad official Mr. Perry. Perry School was founded in 1905 and was part of an independent school district with a three-member school board. The school was constructed of wood and had a bell tower, which was used to call farm children in the northeast area to school. The original school was expanded in 1924 and again in 1938. It became part of the newly formed Torrance School District in 1947. A new school plant was built in 1964 and was constructed of concrete. The school was changed from a K-8 to a K-5 school in 1969. The school housed as many as 1060 students during its peak enrollment. The school was closed in 1981 due to declining enrollment. (The bell that was on the original school is now located in the Historical Society Museum.)
Principals:
J. R. Lamont (1941-1946)*
Ray Reel (1946-1947)*
Robert C. Morton (1947-1950)
Lester Foster (1950-1955)
John Strom (1955-1959)
Robert Allen (1959-1962)
Joe T. Brandon (1962-1967)
Leroy Steffey (1967-1981)
(*Under Perry School District)
EL NIDO SCHOOL (1951 – 1957)
El Nido School was located at 4202 West 186th Street and was originally constructed as wooden bungalows. It first opened in 1951 in the El Nido tract, then an unincorporated area, and was later annexed to the City of Torrance. In its beginning years, the principalship was combined with that of Crenshaw Elementary School. This school was closed in 1957 and rebuilt as Columbia School.
Principals:
Rolbert Dexter (1951-1952)
Margaret Denmarsh (1953-1954)
Roland K. Petrat (1954-1955)
Lester Foster (1955-1957)
COLUMBIA SCHOOL (1959 – 1988)
Columbia School was located at 4202 West 186th Street and was constructed of frame stucco. The school opened in February of 1959 and was used primarily for severely mentally retarded children. The school was originally named for nearby Columbia Broadcasting aerial and park. This school was transferred to a county-run program in 1980 and closed in 1988. The peak enrollment was 164 students in 1969.
Principal:
Lester Foster (1958-1980)
MADISON SCHOOL (1960 – 1969)
Madison School was located at 17515 Amie Avenue and was comprised of temporary steel bungalows. The school was opened in 1960 to help handle a temporary enrollment surge for grades K-8. The buildings were later moved to Hull School. This school was named after President James Madison. The school was closed in 1969 due to declining enrollment. The peak enrollment was 473 students in 1961.
Principals:
John McGee (1960-1963)
John Strom (1963-1969)
PARKWAY SCHOOL (1957 – 1978)
Parkway School was located at 2200 Via Riviera and was constructed of frame stucco. The school opened in 1957 and served the far western part of Hollywood Riviera. The school was named for its location near the old Hollywood-Palos Verdes Parkway. It was originally built as a K-8 school but was turned into a K-5 school in 1971. The school was closed in 1978 due to declining enrollment. The peak enrollment was 692 students in 1962.
Principals:
Tony Baratta (1957-1963)
Edward J. Richardson (1963-1968)
David Woodruff (1968-1974)
Vincent DiFiore (1974-1975)
William Colby (1975-1978)
CARL STEELE SCHOOL (1955 – 1983)
Steele Elementary School was located at 19300 Inglewood Avenue serving West Torrance and was constructed of tilt-up concrete. The architect who designed this school was George F. Schreiber. The school was named after labor leader Carl Steele, a member of Torrance’s first Board of Education, serving from 1947 until 1953. The school housed as many as 1,200 elementary pupils each year. His daughter, Maxine Wanbaugh, and granddaughter, Carolyn Slade, also taught for the Torrance Unified School District.
Principals:
Roland K. Petrat (1955-1960)
John Kasser (1960-1967)
Joe T. Brandon (1967-1981)
Nancy Raiche (1981-1983)
GRACE WRIGHT SCHOOL (1967 – 1986)
Wright Elementary School was located at 3915 Spencer Street serving West Central Torrance and was constructed of brick. The architects who designed this school were Donley, Bundy & Associates. The school was named for Grace Wright, a member of Torrance’s first Board of Education, serving from 1947 until 1961. The school housed as many as 500 elementary pupils each year through 1979 and was then converted to use for adult education classes until 1986. Her daughter, Judith Raphael, also taught for the Torrance Unified School District.
Principals:
William Leahy (1967-1969)
Paul Harenski (1969-1971)
Clark Merrill (1971-1977)
William Zecher (1977-1978)
Nancy Raiche (1978-1979)
