Franklin School, Public school building in Franklin Square, Washington DC, United States.
Franklin School is a public school building in Franklin Square, Washington, D.C., constructed in the German Rundbogenstil architectural style of the nineteenth century. The structure features red brick walls, rounded arches, and a prominent central tower designed by architect Adolf Cluss.
Constructed between 1865 and 1869, this facility represented the first implementation of free public education for all in Washington, D.C. during the post-Civil War period. This initiative marked a turning point in the city's educational policy.
The building houses a great hall with original architectural frescoes and twin staircases that reflected nineteenth-century gender separation practices. This spatial arrangement shows how schools embedded everyday social customs directly into their design.
The building now houses the Planet Word Museum, which opened in 2020 and focuses on language education through interactive exhibitions. Visitors can explore the interior and experience the original architecture alongside the museum's offerings.
Alexander Graham Bell conducted his first wireless communication experiments here in 1880, using light beams to transmit voice messages with his photophone invention. These experiments marked an early milestone in the history of wireless communication technology.
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