Emerson's History

 

In 1895 Emerson became the third school in Berwyn on a block wide plot of land fronting on 31st Street between Irving

(now Kenilworth) and Harold (now Clinton) Avenues. The new building was completely equipped as a grade school as stated

by the Berwyn and LaVergne Directory of 1896. Indeed the Emerson School, a new eight room building, is regarded as one of the finest school buildings, in the completeness of its appointments, in Cook County. Additions were built in 1931, 1956, and a new structure replaced the original building in 1960. Emerson housed the district offices in 1901 when Berwyn became a village and the school district was no longer part of Cicero District 8. The Board of Education offices moved to Hiawatha in 1928. They then moved along with the administrative offices into Emerson for a time. In 1990s the offices were then moved to their present location at the LaVergne Center. Click on the thumbnails to see a larger view.