Mann, William, School
Why it's listed
Built in 1923 and 1924 at 54th Street in north Philadelphia, this three-story brick school sits on a raised brick basement and is in the Colonial Revival style. It was designed by Irwin T. Catharine and is one of eight elementary schools erected from School Board Type Number 137 plans during an early 1920s building program by the School District of Philadelphia. The design follows standards set by H. deCourcy Richards, who served as Chief Designer, and resembles the Patterson, Thomas and Fell Schools of 1920 to 1922. Its facade has stone arched surrounds on the first level, a double stone cornice, and a brick parapet carved with the school's name. A projecting entrance pavilion with double pilasters and a large arched opening marks the side elevation. The building is listed as part of the Philadelphia Public Schools Thematic District under Criterion C, for its architecture, with windows replaced around 1986 noted as an alteration.
Significance in brief: The building is one of eight elementary schools built from School Board Type Number 137 plans during the district's early 1920s building program. It is nominated as part of the Philadelphia Public Schools Thematic District under Criterion C for architecture, and the form notes that its windows were replaced around 1986 but judges the building still warrants listing.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88002297, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1835--1869 N. 54th St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002297 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1923-1924 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (architect or engineer); the form does not name a separate builder |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Windows replaced around 1986; condition recorded as good to fair. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Within district | Fairmount Park |
| Coordinates | 39.98540, -75.23129 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88002297.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8015094
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.