Independence Charter School and Edwin M. Stanton School are both situated in Southwest Center City, also referred to as Graduate Hospital. This "South of South" neighborhood is home to many Philadelphia residents, businesses, churches and community organizations.
Catchment Area
Due to the fact that our group is split among two schools, ICS and E.M. Stanton, we have a larger than usual catchment area for our ethnography. The perimeter is defined by Pine Street and 15th Street to Carpenter Street and 18th Street. Although this designated area does not contain the entire catchment area for E.M. Stanton, it does provide a substantial space that contains both schools.
Due to the fact that our group is split among two schools, ICS and E.M. Stanton, we have a larger than usual catchment area for our ethnography. The perimeter is defined by Pine Street and 15th Street to Carpenter Street and 18th Street. Although this designated area does not contain the entire catchment area for E.M. Stanton, it does provide a substantial space that contains both schools.
a brief history
For such a small area, Graduate
Hospital has a rich history within Philadelphia. In the 17th Century
the area was populated by Swedish colonists, leading to street names such as “Catherine”
and “Christian.”
In the early 1900s, the neighborhood was home to upper-middle class black residents, making it a focal point for bars, theaters, and jazz clubs. Many black churches also moved into the area at this time. |
After the Civil War, there was an increase in row-home and industrial development in the area, leading to the foundations of the neighborhood that we see today. The proposed construction of I-676 along South Street in the 1960s led to financial disinvestment in the area, although the major expressway was eventually built elsewhere. In most recent decades, the neighborhood had seen a surge in real estate investment, leading to the construction of new homes and businesses. |
Source of historical information: South of South Neighborhood Association