Return to School Four: A "Haunted" Annie Lytle Public School Clean-up

Caked in filth after cleaning up a classroom. 

I recently wrote about my "Haunted" School Four explorations. Soon after I received an invite to help clean-up the school so it can be bought and preserved for future generations. Of course I jumped on the opportunity!

Again when I first pulled up I saw cops, this time walking in to the school. I saw cars and coolers of gatorade within the fenced school area and felt safe to venture in. After snapping a few photos of the previously unexplored downstairs I met with the clean-up organizers and signed in to get cleaning.

Here's a look at the incredible downstairs cafeteria, I believe.

It had a breathtaking brick fireplace.

I can't imagine a public school with a brick fireplace in the cafeteria. Things were different 100 years ago!

Here's the hallway leading to the only exit, again, you can see how teens would be terrified sneaking in here in the pitch blackness. Definite draw to this exploration.

I peeked again at the auditorium from the second floor this time, the roof collapsed from a fire started by transients. From my research the majority of the damage began after this school was condemned, such a sad waste of resources.

Another interesting peek outside in the schoolyard.

A favorite spot is this hallway on the left wing with plants reclaiming their territory.

A room cleaning in-progress.

An amazingly clean room! The last time I was in this room it was cluttered with debris!

Now you can actually see the beautiful old wood flooring.

The graffiti is another story but it does add an interesting dimension to the school. While cleaning we discussed the potential future for School Four, the idea of it becoming an "art building" where artists could paint murals for public enjoyment came up.

The light shining through the boarded windows was incredible. I've never seen anything like it outside of Michael Jackson's Can You Feel It music video!

Dust masks are highly recommended to protect yourself from the clouds of dust floating in the air as you clean up years of debris and filth.

It was rewarding to watch the floor emerge.

This was in the room's closet, the sunbeam! Incredible.

I followed it to the corner and was excited to find...

Loads of vintage paper ephemera! I was hoping any would be 100 year old relics from the school's time in session but most were from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Still quite the mystery, what was this stuff doing in here? You can see lots was burned from various fires throughout the school's condemned history. Note my boots at the bottom there, when I came in they were a warm chocolate brown!

Sudden Change on the wall is right, amazing what a few people and a little time can do to a room.

A few volunteers are trying to clean this school so the current owner has a better chance of selling it.

And preserving the rich history that it represents.

Come check out the clean-up group on Facebook if you're local and want to help, they host clean-ups once a week most of the time. It's one way to see this beautiful school legally!

What do you think they could turn this school into? What would you do with it if it was yours. I've had a dream or two about living in it since I've visited...

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