Obscure question for those who grew up near Douglas Park

[HAP33030]

I attended grades 2-5 there (56-60). It was called Merrick Demonstration School back then and was touted to have the 6 best teachers in the state and a very long waiting list. It was on the street just south of "The Colliseum". It only had one class for each grade when I started but by 5th grade had increased to 3 classes for each grade.

[miami_zed]

I'm too young to remember that, but I remember growing up in a neighborhood around douglas park and my parents would always take me there as a kid. I loved that wooden playground....too bad they replaced it

[WINTERFRONT]

My grandma told me that it used to be an elementary school before.

[breezeonby]

I attended this school in 1955, when 1st grade was when you entered school. I loved this school. I remember (so long ago) planting flowers outside the class window and watching them grow, learning spanish (even way before the before) and enjoying my class - what a great school - to me it has always been the prerequisite to Nova -

[breezeonby]

I went to this school in 1955 - it was a great school - I really loved their teaching techniques - and then, after DDE, came Nova - wish my daughter had the opportunity of going here

[Linda Cantley]

Yes, that was Dade Demonstration School; a Dade County School. I attended during the 50's and do not know when it converted. My understanding is that it was called a 'demonstration school' because students here were the first to receive new county services or experimental ideas being offered to elememtary school children. I recall that each classroom had a lovely patio and the cafeteria food was actually decent. Hope this helps.

[Sailorman420]

I've live all my life around this neighborhood surrounding Douglas Park 40+ years. What's now called the the English Center back in mid sixties and late seventies the school was named Dade Elementary School. I attended from first grade all the way to sixth grade. My first crush was a teacher with long blonde hair by the name of Mrs Perez . Till this day I've never forgotten her name . I also remember the Art teacher Mr Green which was very strict with his students. And the unforgettable football game held on field named Bubble Gum bowl due gum dropped on the field. All players wore plain white with
there last name written with black markers. Brings back childhood memories that can't be forgotten.

JT

[gnorcrosst]

Here's some clarification: I went to Coral Gables Elem in 1st grade, then Dade Demonsration in 2nd. It was as if it were part of Douglas Park – no particular boundaries evident. I lived on 27 Lane, just across Douglas Road (37th Ave) &, of course, in those days ('55), walked to & from school unaccompanied every day. I was there for just one year. Then in 3rd grade –*because we moved to a large apartment on Santillane, closer to 8th St in Coral Gables – I went back to Coral Gables Elementary for two more years. The county (I suspect) adjusted school zones a bit & in 5th grade, I was sent to Merrick Demonstration School (which was actually several blocks closer to home but by then, wasn't much of a "demonstration school" anymore – but a regular elementary school that regular kids could go to! My very oldest friend (to this day) had been going there since he began school. His folks had needed to register him & his twin brother even before they were born.) So I was at Merrick for 5th & 6th grades, which was, as someone had mentioned, directly next to the Coliseum – variously a bowling & ice skating venue. Looking back at the aerial images, I see that's gone too! Coral Gables Elementary now appears to be a private school of some sort(?). Not entirely sure. Just going but the name on the maps. What is still the Coral Gables Women's Club, used have the Public Library adjoining it. Across the street. toward Ponce, was the Antilla Hotel. Nobody remembers THAT!!

[Jerri Willett]

I went to Dade Demonstration School in 4th and 5th grade: 1954-1955 and 1955-1956. In those Days, the school had a close relationship with the University of Miami (which I know because my Grandfather, who had been part of the development of Coral Gables, including the development of the University), the teachers were particularly good. I remember visitors from all over the world--particulary from Japan- came to see how our teachers were teaching. In fourth grade, our teacher Mr. Marshall took us to the local supermarket to explore how food was stored, marketed and distributed. In our classroom, we set up our own market with boxes and cans on the classroom shelves and a register on the table that we used to price the items we "sold," all of which was part of our math studies. We also learned about nutrition and what was good for us to eat. Outside, we planted a garden to grow vegetables, fruit and flowers. In fifth grade, we had a female teacher (I've forgotten her name because I lost the class photo). She focused on History, Poetry, Music and Geography. Each subject was hands on. For history, I learned about James Town and wrote and enacted a play with my classmates. I loved listening to the teacher reading Poetry (e.g. Edgar Allan Poe). For Georgraphy, our teacher turned our classroom into Brazil and we learned about their culture and music.
I left Dade Demonstration, when our family moved to a new house out of the Dade Demonstration School neighborhood. But I never forgot all I learned there.