Herman Ridder JHS, Bronx

Herman Ridder Junior High School in the Bronx was being renovated when I visited as part of the the 8th World Congress on Art Deco in 2005 so I had to be a bit creative to avoid the hoardings and scaffolding.

This photo shows the top of the multi-stepped tower including the Mayan style decorative friezes around the circular crown, the panels above the windows and the large urns on top of the square columns.

Notice also the subtle use of colour in the small marbled pink panels.

One of the main features of the tower are the stylised figures flanking the windows. I presume they represent students as they could be wearing school robes and seem to be holding open books.

The school was designed by Walter C Martin and dates from 1929-31.

I remember there were some deco features inside the school building but the tiles on walls at the stairways really stood out for me.