Harms Elementary School

**sw_kid** · March-20-19, 09:49 PM

Detroit Public School is considering changing the name of Harms School on Central Avenue in southwest Detroit in order to better reflect the current Hispanic population of southwest Detroit.

The school is named for Theodore Harms who was a German immigrant businessman and the Superintendent of the Delray Board of Education in the early 1900’s. His son William became the Superintendent after Theodore and got the approval from the Detroit Public School Board of Education to name the school in order to honor his father in 1915.

This is nonsense. A name change is NOT necessary. DPS should respect and celebrate our local history. The Harms family were not controversial and by the way, immigrants themselves.

Shame on DPS for considering this frivolous change.

**Zacha341** · March-21-19, 03:57 AM

Hmm... what is the proposed name? Link....?

**Meddle** · March-21-19, 05:35 AM

Does anybody really know what name it is?

Does anybody really care ... about names?

Personally I don't think any public facility or place should be named after any person, living or dead. Why? Just exactly because of this. Somebody somewhere will end up getting flusterated over it, no matter what.

Had it just been originally named Delray Elementary, or SW Elementary ....

**jcole** · March-21-19, 05:54 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Does anybody really know what name it is?

Does anybody really care ... about names?

Personally I don't think any public facility or place should be named after any person, living or dead. Why? Just exactly because of this. Somebody somewhere will end up getting flusterated over it, no matter what.

Had it just been originally named Delray Elementary, or SW Elementary ....

HOW many "Detroit Elementary"s would that make?

**renf** · March-21-19, 08:02 AM

Is there an objection to the Canadien government using Gordie Howe's name for the new bridge they are building into the Springwells neighborhood?

**Honky Tonk** · March-21-19, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by renf

Is there an objection to the Canadien government using Gordie Howe's name for the new bridge they are building into the Springwells neighborhood?

No, THAT'S sports! WHOO, WHOO, WHOO, GO TEAM!!!! Let's have more beer...

**Zacha341** · March-21-19, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Does anybody really know what name it is?

Does anybody really care ... about names?.....

Hah! So, in keeping with that sentiment lets just go with PS Elementary 41, PS HS 42, etc.!!

**Meddle** · March-21-19, 10:02 AM

^^^ Works for NYC and they're the greatest city in history that everyone should emulate right? Or so I hear. Never been there. Never will be.

Seriously though, just use more geographical or regional names. And yes, I oppose the bridge name which should be something far more generic.

**Zacha341** · March-21-19, 10:25 AM

^^^ Indeed... it was just a joke...

... I for one, am not pushing NYC. Hah.

**sw_kid** · March-21-19, 10:43 AM

proposed names are:

Benito Juarez
Victoria Soto
Diego Rivera

**Bham1982** · March-21-19, 11:05 AM

They should name it Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Elementary and watch millions of Cultists' heads simultaneously explode.

Though, seriously, I have no problem with the proposal. This is now a Mexican neighborhood and nothing wrong with naming a school with something more relevant [[i.e. Mexican or Mexican American person of note). Diego Rivera Elementary sounds great.

**Zacha341** · March-21-19, 11:21 AM

^^^ Including the cultists for AOC as well LOL!

Whew! I mean I've heard of folks ascending lightening fast but goodness.

A school too? --

--!

**Wesley Mouch** · March-21-19, 11:40 AM

Seems like a mistake. German immigrants have done quite well in the USA and are completely assimilated into their adopted country. Seems like a great lesson for newer immigrants.

Is the idea that today's Hispanic youth can't learn from considering the accomplishments of someone who's not Hispanic? That makes no sense at all.

What makes DPS want to do this? They might instead consider a brochure or book celebrating the Harms and holding them up as role models.

**Bham1982** · March-21-19, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Seems like a mistake. German immigrants have done quite well in the USA and are completely assimilated into their adopted country. Seems like a great lesson for newer immigrants.

Actually, German immigrants assimilated much slower than Mexican immigrants and were hated by much of mainstream America as too foreign. They were taught in German in most public schools in most German-heavy parts of the U.S. until WW2. It looks like yesterday's immigrants need a lesson from the immigrants of today.

Ever heard Lawrence Welk? He's American born, son of immigrants, but sounds straight out of Heidelberg because his American public schools taught in German [[until anti-German sentiment during WWII ended such practices).

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Is the idea that today's Hispanic youth can't learn from considering the accomplishments of someone who's not Hispanic? That makes no sense at all.

Using that [[non) logic I guess yesterday's German folks couldn't learn from others who weren't German. Those libtard snowflakes needed German-named schools. What bad hombres, likely murderers and rapists! Sad! Too bad there wasn't a "big, beautiful wall" across the Atlantic keeping them out!

**Gistok** · March-21-19, 12:35 PM

Many years ago I went to Finney Jr./Sr. High School [[when it was still mostly white students)... and we never even knew who Jared W. Finney even was... now that is no longer a problem, since the school has been demolished and the rebuild is no longer named for him.

Some schools are named for now obscure people... let them rename them... Cobo Hall is soon to be renamed... but for other reasons than obscurity. Some suburban schools are named for former school district superintendents... another good reason for a rename.

And yeah Bham1982... shame on them for renaming Germantown to Greektown!!

Also... even today German is the 2nd most spoken language in North Dakota... where Lawrence Welk is from. Similar to Minnesota and the Scandinavian's....

**Meddle** · March-21-19, 12:47 PM

Or the Yoopers. Nobody really knows what language they speak.

**dtowncitylover** · March-21-19, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by sw_kid

proposed names are:

Benito Juarez
Victoria Soto
Diego Rivera

I like any of them. Diego Rivera and Victoria Soto seem the most fitting.

Victoria Soto was one of the teachers killed at Sandy Hook. What an honor that would be!

**archfan** · March-22-19, 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by sw_kid

proposed names are:

Benito Juarez
Victoria Soto
Diego Rivera

While the other two may be inspiring, I like Diego Rivera for the local connection. Of course, his politics would make more heads explode than if they picked AOC.

Not that anyone will [[or should) ask me.

**jcole** · March-22-19, 08:02 AM

Does anyone really think any kid really cares who their elementary school is named for? I went to Burbank and I THINK it was named for Luther Burbank, but back then I didn't care if it was named for Burbank, CA.
There wasn't like a point of pride between schools. "My botanist can beat up your artist"

**Danny** · March-22-19, 10:01 AM

When Black folks took over DPS they name each school building after famous African American heroines.

For example George Custer Elementary was changed to Thurgood Marshall School.

2. Haley Magnet Middle School was changed to Paul Roberson and Malcolm X Academy.

3. Then you have Martin Luther King High School

4. Mary Bethune Academy

5. Phillip Randolph School

6. Coleman A. Young Elementary

And many more.

So if DPS want to change Harms Elementary to Gael García Bernal Academy or any Hispanic famous heroines they more than welcome. It's their call.

By the Way. When White Folks were running DPS, long ago They have their schools named famous and racist heroes!!!

**poobert** · March-22-19, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by sw_kid

Detroit Public School is considering changing the name of Harms School on Central Avenue in southwest Detroit in order to better reflect the current Hispanic population of southwest Detroit.

The school is named for Theodore Harms who was a German immigrant businessman and the Superintendent of the Delray Board of Education in the early 1900’s. His son William became the Superintendent after Theodore and got the approval from the Detroit Public School Board of Education to name the school in order to honor his father in 1915.

This is nonsense. A name change is NOT necessary. DPS should respect and celebrate our local history. The Harms family were not controversial and by the way, immigrants themselves.

Shame on DPS for considering this frivolous change.

Frivolous indeed. It isn't the worst idea in the world, but...why, really?

What no one has mentioned is that this will cost money. Signage, collateral, branding design. Money not spent educating students but playing to politics.

Will this name change result in one more student being better educated? I suppose if they're motivated by the name, but as many here mentioned, that doesn't usually come into play.

It is important to retain, even subconsciously, who we are and where we came from, and that our places have meaning. 19th century white judges no longer populate the Woodward corridor [[in Detroit, anyway - I'd venture that some 19th century white judges might still live along the Woodward corridor in Oakland County) but it is still an important piece of our shared history. Harms is an obscure example but still part of our history.

**Wesley Mouch** · March-22-19, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

When Black folks took over DPS they name each school building after famous African American heroines.

For example George Custer Elementary was changed to Thurgood Marshall School.

2. Haley Magnet Middle School was changed to Paul Roberson and Malcolm X Academy.

3. Then you have Martin Luther King High School

4. Mary Bethune Academy

5. Phillip Randolph School

6. Coleman A. Young Elementary

And many more.

So if DPS want to change Harms Elementary to Gael García Bernal Academy or any Hispanic famous heroines they more than welcome. It's their call.

By the Way. When White Folks were running DPS, long ago They have their schools named famous and racist heroes!!!

Danny, I pretty much agree with you. Its their call.

That doesn't make it a wise decision.

When 'Black folks too over' DPS, the decision to rename appeared to my lily white dupa to be mostly driven by Black Pride.

Today, in this decision, its hard not to see this as political. Maybe that's my failing.

When something new is built, by all means choose a name that reflects the best of the community of the creators. Renaming existing buildings because you think it helps the kids is a mistake. Building naming isn't a 'prize'. Renaming isn't a success. Its selfish. Its doesn't broaden horizons. its inward looking. Better to look to celebrate people of quality. Choosing names because they 'reflect the community' is lazy. Hispanic students can learn a lot from the legacy of Coleman A. Young. It would be a shame to see CAY's name removed because the new Hmong population of the east side thinks Hmong Pride is valuable.

Thanks, Danny, for making me think a bit more on this.

**Zacha341** · March-22-19, 12:10 PM

Interesting subject for sure. Not all black schools names were CHANGED to honor important black figures. Some were started so named. For example the DPS Career Techs name in honor of Randolph, Cornelius Golightly, Crockett etc.

**EastsideAl** · March-22-19, 02:40 PM

Seems like a non-issue to me, unless there's some remaining Harms family connection to SW Detroit that I don't know about. German immigrants were very important to 19th century Detroit and the growth of many of our early institutions [[think Dr Herman Kiefer), but those days have long passed. School names are changed or replaced all the time, and Mr. Harms, as notable a local figure as he may have been in his time, does not seem like such an irreplaceably important figure in our history that there should be much stress over the relatively trivial renaming of a school to be more reflective of the people who live in the area today.

**p69rrh51** · March-23-19, 12:31 PM

I am not a fan of renaming public buildings. New buildings should be named for those listed above, but since Malcomson & Higginbotham's excellent designs have proven very durable there has been no need to build new schools in many areas. If the school is to be renamed I would vote for a figure with a connection to the city, Diego Rivera.

Designed by Malcomson & Higginbotham. Theodore Harms Elementary School, 2400 Central built in 1927 Detroit Public Schools/Southwest, Detroit, MI. Includes an image of the building from Wayne State University's Virtual Motor City Collection, circa 1930.