{"nrhp_refnum":"86003282","name":"Fleischer, Helen, Vocational School","other_names":["Stoddart--Fleischer School"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Thirteenth and Brandywine Sts.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Philadelphia","county":"Philadelphia","state":"PA","lat":39.96317692100007,"lon":-75.15956033799995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1986-12-04","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A five-story brick and limestone school building at 21st Street and the Parkway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, built 1925-1927 as the Stoddart-Fleischer Jr. High School and later known as the Helen Fleischer Vocational School. Its architect was John D. Cassell, identified as Superintendent of Buildings.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is an important work by John D. Cassell during his tenure as Superintendent of Buildings, and that it is large and impressively detailed. It was designed as a vocational training school for girls and is described as the only vocational training school created exclusively for women built between 1900 and 1945. Its square plan with a central light court is also noted.","narrative":"Built between 1925 and 1927 at 21st Street and the Parkway in Philadelphia, this five-story brick and limestone school was designed by John D. Cassell, then Superintendent of Buildings for the Philadelphia School District. It rises across seven bays and rests on a limestone base. Its main entrance is a large Gothic compound arch supported by limestone columns, with applied pilasters rising through the upper floors and carved limestone lanterns above the roofline. The building is arranged around a square plan with a central light court. It was designed as a vocational training school for girls, reflecting the district's commitment to educational opportunities for women. The nomination describes it as the only vocational training school built exclusively for women between 1900 and 1945, and it is significant for education and architecture.","period_of_significance":"1925-1936","architect_builder":"John D. Cassell","architectural_style":"Academic Gothic","criteria":[],"status_note":"The form lists the present use as school and the condition as good.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:32.935091-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/86003282.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86003282/92008bf9d5-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86003282/92008bf9d5-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Smallbones","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fleischer_Vocational_Philly.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Smallbones</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fleischer_Vocational_Philly.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71993777","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkway_Center_City_Middle_College","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5702255"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/philadelphia/fleischer-helen-vocational-school-86003282/"}