Thomas K. Finletter School, education building
Thomas K. Finletter School is a school building in Olney, Philadelphia, built in 1930 and still serving students today. The three-story yellow brick structure has eight bays, a raised basement, and a distinctive arched entrance with colorful terra cotta trim in the Art Deco style.
The school building was designed by architect Irwin T. Catharine and built between 1929 and 1930. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, and a separate building for younger students was added in 1997.
The name honors Thomas K. Finletter, a judge who was important to the neighborhood. The colorful terra cotta panels at the entrance and geometric forms shape how the building looks and feels when you visit.
The building stands on North Front Street in a quiet, residential neighborhood with other historic structures nearby. Since it is protected as a historic place, any changes to the building must follow rules that preserve its original character.
In 1997 a separate kindergarten building called the Thomas K. Finletter Little School House was added to serve students in kindergarten through second grade. This newer structure sits alongside the original building that is nearly a century old.
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