First Air Conditioned Elementary School

October 20, 2009

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Profile America — Tuesday, October 20th. Jokes are often made about elderly people telling youngsters how tough they had it when they were young, especially going to school. For those of a certain age, there may be a certain element of truth to their statements. In the warmer areas of the country, classrooms in May, June and September could be exceptionally hot. Now, of course, just about every school, as well as homes and businesses, in those areas is air conditioned. The first public elementary school to be air conditioned was the Belaire School in San Angelo, Texas, which opened this month in 1955. About 64 million students attend public schools across the nation each year. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.

Sources: Kane's Famous First Facts, 2120
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 217
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009edition.html