Video Link: https://youtu.be/nGEcAQpnd-4

The gothic revival giant looms over this North Philadelphia neighborhood with soaring arched windows, towers, and intricate stone carvings. Architect Irwin T. Catharine designed the building in 1926. Catharine was the chief architect of Philadelphia public schools from 1920 until his retirement in 1937. We explored another Catharine school Technology Communications High School or originally opened as George Wolf School. Thomas Fitzsimons Junior High School was added to the national register of historic places in 1988. The school was named after Thomas FitzSimons, who was a signer of the Constitution of the United States.

By 2005 the school had been converted into an all-male middle and high school under the management of Victory Schools, a for-profit company. After the change, the school reported an increase in assaults targeting students and teachers. For the 2009-2010 school year, Victory Schools had been released of their responsibility, and the school was once again under the control of the Philadelphia School District. Budgetary issues and political unrest within the school district negatively impacted Fitzsimons, and the plans to open as a Promise Academy never happened. Fitzsimons did operate as a comprehensive neighborhood school adopting some of the reform measures associated with the Promise Academy model.

In 2012, the high school earned AYP or Adequate Yearly Progress in two educational categories. During the summer of 2012, DuBois Collegiate Academy, a charter school, was housed in the Fitzsimons building. In 2013, the school district permanently shut down Fitzsimons and 23 other schools in a sweeping wave of school closings, the largest in the city’s history.

Almost a decade later, the time has not been kind to Fitzsimons; while the vandalism was limited, these hallowed walls are not unscathed by the natural decay of time. According to one property listing, the property is under contract; hopefully, it is not too late for this impressive structure. Until next time explores, stay safe.