What is the history of the Washburne Trade School?

Answer 1

I attended Washburn Trade School from 1990 to 1991. I took the chef training program, which was 22 months, and consisted of five phases: 1) intro to french cooking, 2) soups salads and appetizers, 3) pastries and baking, 4) entree's, and 5) advanced cooking techniques.

other couses offered were auto-mechanics, auto-interior, painting, electrician, refrig & a/c, and others.

Washburne Trade School was indeed on Sedgwick and Division. My family owned Kay's Department Store at 333 W. Division St. which my father and some of his war WWII buddies opened somewhere around 1947. I actually went to it for a week, in 1954, after I graduated from Manierre Elementary school on nearby Hudson St. I transfered to Waller HS. Washburne Voc. was located across the street from the Cabrini Green projects at the time, and it was a very violent place. It was also across the street from the Oscar Meyer meat company. They also nade a movie about it years later which I believed was called Coolidge High (which was what they renamed Washburne.

washburne trade school was located on division street and the corner of sedgwick. as the name implies it was a trade school, some of the trade courses were linotype shop, typesetting, auto shop, chief training, typing etc. the Chicago tribune and the sun times sent some of their employees to washburne to further their edication in their field.

I believe Washburne was on the corner of 26th and Kedzie. Although abandoned, the signage is still visable.

Washburne was later rename Edwin G Cooley, the movie "Cooley High" was made in 1975. The area itself was made up of mostly Italian/Americans and start changing to African/Americans in the early 50's, by the late 50's The Cabrini Ext. were builted to supplement The Cabrini Row Houses

Washburn trade school was originally the "old" Lane Tech, until Lane moved to the new building currently at Western and Addison. I believe that the famous swimmer Johnny Weismiller went to the old Lane Tech.