To help celebrate 150 years of St. Paul schools, Irving School will be the featured ice sculpture in Rice Park.
A year of celebrating the 150th anniversary of the St. Paul public school system kicks off with this year's Winter Carnival, where one of the district's early schools will be the featured ice sculpture on display in Rice Park.
Irving School, named for the writer Washington Irving, was built in 1885 at the corner of Grand and Grotto. It was chosen for commemoration in ice because of its distinctive architecture, said Kris Emerson, the district's special events coordinator.
The lead ice carver will be Paul Hughes. Larry Fischer, who worked on last year's state Capitol ice sculpture, will again be master carver.
The school district itself got its start 30 years before Irving School was built.
In March 1856, paperwork was filed to form the district, Emerson said, and the first board of education meeting was held June 10. Among the agenda items: Hiring teachers at a salary not to exceed $35 per month.
In addition to honoring the district with the sculpture, the carnival is featuring St. Paul Public Schools student performers in its noontime "Showcase" series in Landmark Center, Emerson said.
The carnival events are the first of several planned throughout 2006 for the district's sesquicentennial.
A weeklong series of ice cream socials is being planned for the end of the school year, Emerson said, and organizers are talking about a parade and picnic in the fall.
Those are in addition to celebrations at individual schools and in the community that will be linked to the anniversary, she said.
Further details will be available on the district's Web site at http://www.spps.org/, and anyone who wants more information or is interested in serving on a committee to plan 150th-anniversary events is asked to call Emerson at 651-767-8234.
Copyright 2006 Pioneer Press.
