The East Rockport School District started in 1871 to meet the educational needs of early East Rockport settlers. When the settlement grew into Lakewood in 1889, the school district would become Lakewood City Schools, which grew rapidly alongside the city. As a result of the rapid growth, the town built multiple schools over the years to keep up with rising enrollment. Today, Lakewood has seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school, alongside unique facilities like Taft and Franklin School of Opportunity.
Franklin School would open in 1907 as a K-6 elementary school, starting with just four classrooms. As Lakewood grew, so too would Franklin. In 1915, four more classrooms were added alongside other facilities. An additional four rooms were added in 1921, and in 1951, a gymnasium was constructed. Between 1967 and 1970, a blacktop playground and other related facilities were also added. 1970 would also mark the 6th grade’s move out of Franklin and into the middle schools. In 2007, Franklin closed its doors as a school and began operating similarly to how Taft does today. In 2010, Roosevelt Elementary would be demolished and rebuilt, leading to Franklin being used temporarily in its place.
After Roosevelt moved out, Franklin would operate like Taft for a few more years until it became Franklin School of Opportunity in 2019. FSO is currently scheduled to move into Lakewood High School, following construction and renovation within the high school. It is unknown what will happen to the Franklin building, but it may join other schools in Lakewood that will likely be repurposed due to declining enrollment.
Coming in at 29,000 square feet, Franklin is small compared to Lakewood’s other buildings, with a roof, two floors, a gymnasium, and a basement. The second floor has classrooms, office-type rooms, and access to the roof through the ceiling tiles. The first floor is much like the second, with offices and classrooms throughout. The basement has janitorial rooms, maintenance rooms, a boiler room, and access to the gymnasium and stage within. The building’s warm lighting and interior colors invoke a nostalgic, liminal feeling, especially with everything still there.
Starting in 2005 as Lakewood City Academy, the alternative education program aimed to provide students with unique life situations and an education more suited to their needs. After moving into Franklin in 2019, Lakewood City Academy would transition to Franklin School of Opportunity. At FSO, students have the same teachers for each subject throughout their years there, as well as one-on-one education and support from trained and informed individuals, creating closer relationships and a family-like atmosphere.
After 118 years, Franklin School may finally shut down for good following FSO’s transition into LHS. The building served Lakewood well as a source of education, both traditional and alternative, as well as a refuge for Roosevelt during its reconstruction or when the Board of Education had a pigeon infestation. It’s unknown as of now what the fate of Franklin will be, but hopefully, its future will live up to its past.
Special thanks to our custodians and maintenance engineers, Troy Brookover and Tony Giulano for sharing stories and granting us access to all parts of the building. Other background information was provided by FSO Director, Terrilynn Bornino-Ewell, Lakewood Rangers Education Foundation Director, Terri Richards and central office staff, Fran Hanrahan and Chris Donahoe.
