Southside School, also known as "Southside Elementary School", listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Southside School is a school building in Sarasota, Florida, built in the Mission Revival style with curved arches, textured stucco, and red-tile roofs. It features a central courtyard, open-air hallways, and large windows that flood all spaces with natural light.
The school was built in 1926 during Florida's land boom as families moved to Sarasota, with architect M. Leo Elliott designing it. It survived the Great Depression and continues to serve as an elementary school for the community today.
The school's name reflects its location on Sarasota's south side and embodies Spanish-Mexican architectural traditions through its Mission Revival style. The open courtyard and airy corridors show how schools were designed as gathering places central to neighborhood life.
The school building is easily visible from outside and located on Webber Street, where its architectural details can be clearly seen. The surrounding area with shops, restaurants, and Sarasota Memorial Hospital nearby makes the site accessible and convenient to combine with other stops.
Teachers opened transom windows above doors using long poles to keep air fresh, a practical method from the pre-air-conditioning era. These details show how school buildings were naturally ventilated before modern systems became available.
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