Brief History of Schools on Capitol Hill

In 1890, the first grade school opened on Capitol Hill. This school would eventually become known as the Lowell School, and in 1902, there were over 450 students attending, and 8 different grades.

New trolley lines opened in the early 1900s, providing direct access from Capitol Hill to new schools, like the University of Washington.

Within Capitol Hill's Stevens Neighborhood, there were many Catholic schools, drawing more affluent citizens to the area and eventually leading to a concentrated Catholic neighborhood.

Capitol Hill was also home to the first building in Seattle that was specifically built to be a high school. In 1902, Seattle High School opened (later renamed as Broadway High School). This building was initially controversial due to its size and location, but within a year, the building was at capacity. In 1903, the graduating class had 103 graduates, which, at the time, was the largest graduating class in Seattle's history. Part of this building is now part of Seattle Central Community College's campus.

Seattle Central College began at about the same time as soldiers came back from World War II, and was created with the purpose of providing higher education for soldiers of all races. During the 19060s civil rights movement, the campus was a hot spot for protests.

Aspects of Education on Capitol Hill

Seattle Public School District

Having a public school system is typically considered an asset, as it helps most children advance their education in a uniform way. This is true, as students learn and are more prepared for higher education or future careers, but the Seattle Public Schools are not as great as they appear to be.

As with most schools in large cities, the Seattle school district faces the usual threats: homeless folks threatening students, close calls with school shootings, issues with transportation and staffing. But Seattle Public Schools seems to have way more problems than your average school system.

With the ongoing pandemic, the schools have had to combat Covid safety measures in addition to providing quality education. This hasn't been easy, and along with many other school districts in Washington, Seattle's public schools went to a virtual platform for a while. Now that students are back in the buildings, new Covid cases are rising and threatening the lives of disabled and immunocompromised students, preventing them from receiving the same education as their peers.

Seattle Public Schools have also had students come forward with concerns over reports of sexual assault and harassment, especially since many of these cases have been mishandled by school officials. In the beginning of December 2021, over 100 students protested in front of the Seattle Public School board, one of many protests taking place this fall in Seattle and across the country. Stories from survivors show not just how bad the event was, but how it was made worse by the school during their investigations.

Problems among the students are not the only ones within the school district. Staffing shortages and burnout have led to unexpected school closures, and teachers have protested and gone on strike in schools throughout the last few years. The district has had trouble cooperating with the teachers' union, and has often made choices that are unpopular with the community. Due to these strikes and shortages, students have had extra days off of school, and some students have been unable to get to their building during bus driver shortages.

Overall: Is Education an Asset or Barrier?

Education is a necessary service for the community. Having public education and places to learn and grow is very important for the development of younger kids, and higher education helps prepare students for future careers. Even though the education system has problems, it is an asset to the community, as it helps the population learn to develop opinions and critical thinking skills.