George J. West Elementary School was built as the Beaufort Street Grammar School in 1916. Its Gothic detailing, a nod toward the increasing popularity of the enclosed quadrangular English medieval college as an academic model, was seen first in Providence Public Schools in this building. Architects Murphy, Hindle & Wright, specialists in ecclesiastical architecture, provenders of designs for many early twentieth-century church complexes within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, were a logical choice for such a commission.
This three-story-on-high-basement, flat-roof, red-brick, Tudor style building with castÂ-stone trim originally included only the central portion of the building and was later expanded by construction of identical wings on either side.
The Facilities Master Plan for the Providence Public Schools, by educational planner DeJONG, recommended that George J. West be replaced by a new school. In 2007, PPS included this school on the Most Endangered Properties list.
George J. West is important as a neighborhood landmark, an ample presence on a significant open space in this densely built early twentieth-century residential neighborhood. It projects a powerful architectural statement not easily replaced. As of February, 2019, the building continues to serve the community as an elementary school.
I attended there when it was a Junior High. I then attended Mt Pleasant High.that should have been the middle 1950s. Lot of memories there. Happy it is still standing.
I was the first 6th grade graduation class as an ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1983..my late dad attended there in the 50s as a junior high school..
I went there in the 70’s! I miss that school!
I attended for 6th and 7th grades, that was 1973 to 1975, had my first kiss the last day of 7th grade in that building.