Takoma Park Middle School - History

History

Takoma Park Middle School's foundations stretch back to the historic Takoma-Silver Spring School, which was located on a 3.8-acre campus at the corner of Philadelphia Avenue and Chicago Avenue in suburban Takoma Park, Maryland. In the late 1920s, T-SSHS expanded to consist of the middle grades 7 through 9, and by the early 1930s, grades K through 12. Due to an ever growing population, the high grades (10 through 12) left the school to form Montgomery Blair High School in 1935. By the end of the 1930s, further population growth fueled the need for a new junior high school; as a result, the middle grades relocated from Takoma-Silver Spring School to the new Takoma Park Middle School in March 1940. Takoma-Silver Spring School was then renamed Silver Spring Intermediate School (SSI), which served as an elementary school until 1972, not to be confused with Silver Spring International Middle School. In 1992, the historic SSI building was demolished and the former school campus became a community park.

Several additions were made to the original Takoma Park Middle School building throughout the twentieth century. Six classrooms were added August 12, 1941. In December 1941 an estimate was made for a 3-classroom and shop addition, but this construction was delayed by war-time shortages. The next additions did not occur until September 1949: 7 classrooms, a library, office and gymnasium. In 1961, four teaching stations and an office were added. Lastly, in 1966 a new Library was added. In 1997, the original 60-year-old building was demolished and rebuilt.