The schools of Carmel, Indiana have always reflected its slot in the state’s pecking order, but none were more telling than the 1921 building. “Old North” was a classic Hoosier K-12; from the brick and limestone exterior to the cramped interior gymnasium. This small town on Indy’s north side slowly evolved into a middle class suburb, and this building helped get it there.
Occupying the property’s northwest corner, Old North was dwarfed by the post-consolidation factory I attended. During its retirement years, I played my youth hoops games in the gym and imagined all the Chuck Taylors and hot winter crowds that came before me. Old school Indiana hoops is no joke, and it happened in that building.
Prior to it’s demolition in the early 1990s, I captured it using a classic pinhole camera – Quaker Oatmeal box and all. If you have access to a darkroom, I urge you to build one and do some experimenting. It’s a great way to learn more about perspective, distortion, paper negatives, and ad-hoc darkroom techniques.
My mother went to school there. I don’t believe I ever made it inside. It looks like most of the current schools in Portland….which is kinda sad.