title: Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation
text: # Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation
  
  The Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation is an historic, American school building that is located in the Poplar neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  
  It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The school has since closed and has been turned into lofts.
  
  ## History and architectural features
  
  Designed by Irwin T. Catharine and built between 1926 and 1927, this historic structure is a five-story, brick building hat sits on a limestone base and grade-level basement. Created in the Late Gothic Revival style, it features a projecting entrance bay with Gothic arch opening, round arched openings, and decorative spandrel panels. It was used as an "observation school" for teacher education and training. It is named for Congressman Thaddeus Stevens (1792–1868).
  
  The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The school has since closed and been turned into lofts.
  
  In 1998, Philadelphia based mural artist Meg Saligman painted the iconic mural "Common Threads," wherein she depicted a humanity shared across time, today's youth paralleled with classical figures. All models for the mural were local high school students.
  
  