Sulzberger, Mayer, Junior High School
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
A three-story brick school on a raised stone basement at 701-741 North 48th Street in Philadelphia, built in 1923-1924 for the School District of Philadelphia. Its front is shaped in a shallow W, with a projecting central pavilion bearing the school's name in a stone course above the third floor, and a stone first floor with arched entrances. Brick pilasters with stone caps separate the recessed upper windows, and a stone cornice runs beneath the brick parapet. The building was designed by Irwin T. Catharine as the JHS-4 model, and it was one of eight identical schools erected from that design between 1922 and 1924. The School District had begun building schools designed specifically as junior high schools after World War I, and this building is regarded as representing that change in both teaching practice and school architecture. It is large for its era and retains excellent integrity. Its listing rests on its place in the history of education and school architecture in Philadelphia.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school represents the School District's 1920s program of building schools designed specifically as junior high schools, an innovation in educational practice and in the architectural response to it. It is also cited for its excellent integrity. The document lists National Register Criteria A and C, under architecture and education.
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 88002328, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 701--741 N. 48th St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002328 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1923-1924 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (architect); Michael Melody & Son & Co. (builder) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current use as a school is listed in the form as present school use. |
| Acreage | 2.6 |
| Within district | Fairmount Park |
| Coordinates | 39.96471, -75.21577 (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 88002328.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6797078
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.