Abo Elementary School
Encyclopedia
Abo Elementary School in Artesia
, New Mexico
, United States
, was the first public school in the United States constructed entirely underground and equipped to function as a fallout shelter
. Designed at the height of the Cold War
and completed in 1962, the school had a concrete slab
roof which doubled as the school's playground. It contained a large storage facility with room for emergency rations and supplies for up to 2,160 people in the event of nuclear warfare
or other catastrophe
. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1999.
design and to further knowledge about the long-term effects of life underground in a shelter environment. The U.S. civil defense film Duck and Cover
was produced with students in mind, in the hopes that they would learn how, in the event of a nuclear blast, to be shielded from glass and blast waves using desks and chairs. However, educators, school administrators, and government officials soon realized that such measures would be inadequate, especially if a school received a direct hit from an atomic blast or was within the immediate blast radius of the weapon. One official argued that his school district was "in no position to guarantee physical protection… from a thermonuclear explosion or radioactive fallout." Many state departments of education viewed the school shelter plans as "worthless." California's Department of Education, for example, was given designs intended to reduce radiation levels inside the school to 1/100 the level outdoors. These plans were rejected. When the California Department of Education then specified protection which would increase the protection factor to 1/1,000, it judged the costs to be too high, and the plans were rejected. Other departments of education and administrators rejected such plans because of their concern for the psychological well-being of their students, who, they believed, would be "constantly reminded of the possibility of a nuclear war" if kept in such a school for extended periods of time.
Architect Frank Standhardt, in designing the school said, "I consider my profession derelict on civil defense. We've had ten years of grace and done nothing about it." Standhardt had built multiple aboveground windowless schools before Abo, believing them to positively influence pupils' ability to concentrate. He also cited reduced maintenance costs since there were no windows. Construction cost estimates were inconsistent: a Time magazine article (September 5, 1960) quotes Standhardt as estimating the costs at ten percent above the cost of an average above-ground school, while Loretta Hall in Underground Buildings: More than Meets the Eye suggests a cost at thirty percent. Regardless, the U.S. Office of Civil Defense contributed the excess cost, assuming that it would benefit from any empirical testing performed on the students in the underground environment.
Standhardt designed the school in such a way as to make every element serve multiple purposes. In order to reduce cost of concrete, for example, the concrete shell roof of the school would double as a basketball court, and the drinking wells were designed to pump water into the air conditioning systems during peacetime. Two-way radio systems, Geiger counter
s, and fire fighting equipment were also built into the design.
Outside of Artesia, Abo Elementary School was condemned by many councils and groups, some of whom rejected the concept of an underground school entirely. Notwithstanding, the President of Artesia's Board of Education, C.P. Bunch, called the school "more a matter of insurance than fear", and expressed hope that future schools built in Artesia would follow its example. Federal studies concluded that the students suffered no long-term effects from their time in Abo, and many students who suffered from chronic allergies or asthma were transferred to Abo as its advanced air filtration systems reduced the impact of dust storms and allergens. Indeed, these studies concluded that many students' health improved as a result of extended time in the school.
Artesia, New Mexico
Artesia is a city in Eddy County, New Mexico, United States, centered at the intersection of U.S. Route 82 and 285; the two highways serve as the city's Main Street and First Street, respectively...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, was the first public school in the United States constructed entirely underground and equipped to function as a fallout shelter
Fallout shelter
A fallout shelter is an enclosed space specially designed to protect occupants from radioactive debris or fallout resulting from a nuclear explosion. Many such shelters were constructed as civil defense measures during the Cold War....
. Designed at the height of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and completed in 1962, the school had a concrete slab
Concrete slab
A concrete slab is a common structural element of modern buildings. Horizontal slabs of steel reinforced concrete, typically between 10 and 50 centimeters thick, are most often used to construct floors and ceilings, while thinner slabs are also used for exterior paving.In many domestic and...
roof which doubled as the school's playground. It contained a large storage facility with room for emergency rations and supplies for up to 2,160 people in the event of nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
or other catastrophe
Disaster
A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard that has come to fruition, resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment...
. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1999.
Background
Abo Elementary School was built partly in order to further the development of American fallout shelterFallout shelter
A fallout shelter is an enclosed space specially designed to protect occupants from radioactive debris or fallout resulting from a nuclear explosion. Many such shelters were constructed as civil defense measures during the Cold War....
design and to further knowledge about the long-term effects of life underground in a shelter environment. The U.S. civil defense film Duck and Cover
Duck and Cover
Duck and Cover are a hard rock band from Pretoria. Duck and Cover have established their presence in the local South African music scene during 4 years of gigs, festivals, concerts and publicity. The band relies on 70s rock and metal, as well as more contemporary rock music influences to guarantee...
was produced with students in mind, in the hopes that they would learn how, in the event of a nuclear blast, to be shielded from glass and blast waves using desks and chairs. However, educators, school administrators, and government officials soon realized that such measures would be inadequate, especially if a school received a direct hit from an atomic blast or was within the immediate blast radius of the weapon. One official argued that his school district was "in no position to guarantee physical protection… from a thermonuclear explosion or radioactive fallout." Many state departments of education viewed the school shelter plans as "worthless." California's Department of Education, for example, was given designs intended to reduce radiation levels inside the school to 1/100 the level outdoors. These plans were rejected. When the California Department of Education then specified protection which would increase the protection factor to 1/1,000, it judged the costs to be too high, and the plans were rejected. Other departments of education and administrators rejected such plans because of their concern for the psychological well-being of their students, who, they believed, would be "constantly reminded of the possibility of a nuclear war" if kept in such a school for extended periods of time.
Construction
Building the Abo Elementary School required that it be constructed with concrete reinforcing walls and a concrete outer shell to protect the inner parts of the school. In order to fulfill all requirements, Abo contained multiple drinking wells, a cafeteria, food storage, bedding and supplies for up to 2,160 people, air filtration systems, an emergency power generation system, decontamination systems, and a morgue.Architect Frank Standhardt, in designing the school said, "I consider my profession derelict on civil defense. We've had ten years of grace and done nothing about it." Standhardt had built multiple aboveground windowless schools before Abo, believing them to positively influence pupils' ability to concentrate. He also cited reduced maintenance costs since there were no windows. Construction cost estimates were inconsistent: a Time magazine article (September 5, 1960) quotes Standhardt as estimating the costs at ten percent above the cost of an average above-ground school, while Loretta Hall in Underground Buildings: More than Meets the Eye suggests a cost at thirty percent. Regardless, the U.S. Office of Civil Defense contributed the excess cost, assuming that it would benefit from any empirical testing performed on the students in the underground environment.
Standhardt designed the school in such a way as to make every element serve multiple purposes. In order to reduce cost of concrete, for example, the concrete shell roof of the school would double as a basketball court, and the drinking wells were designed to pump water into the air conditioning systems during peacetime. Two-way radio systems, Geiger counter
Geiger counter
A Geiger counter, also called a Geiger–Müller counter, is a type of particle detector that measures ionizing radiation. They detect the emission of nuclear radiation: alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays. A Geiger counter detects radiation by ionization produced in a low-pressure gas in a...
s, and fire fighting equipment were also built into the design.
Cultural impact and criticism
Within Artesia, Abo Elementary School was lauded by teachers and many parents. Teachers often described Abo's students as less likely to cause trouble, more attentive, and less likely to require discipline. On the other hand, many of those same students described heightened awareness of the possibility of nuclear war, and some were terrified that they could be orphaned in the event of war. One of the most substantial fears raised by students involved the 2,160 person capacity of the school. In the event of a war, only the first 2 160 people would be allowed into the school for shelter, which would likely have left the majority of Artesia's nearly 12 000 residents, including the parents of some of Abo's students, without any shelter in the event of a nuclear attack.Outside of Artesia, Abo Elementary School was condemned by many councils and groups, some of whom rejected the concept of an underground school entirely. Notwithstanding, the President of Artesia's Board of Education, C.P. Bunch, called the school "more a matter of insurance than fear", and expressed hope that future schools built in Artesia would follow its example. Federal studies concluded that the students suffered no long-term effects from their time in Abo, and many students who suffered from chronic allergies or asthma were transferred to Abo as its advanced air filtration systems reduced the impact of dust storms and allergens. Indeed, these studies concluded that many students' health improved as a result of extended time in the school.