2. Francis Wahl (1895-1984), a master's recipient from the Teachers College at Columbia University, was a supervising teacher (1925-1961) and the principal (1936-1961) of the Wahl-Coates Laboratory School of East Carolina.
3. Dora E. Coates (1891-1974), was a native North Carolinian and a master's recipient from the Teachers College at Columbia University. She worked as a critic (or supervising) teacher from 1922 until 1929 here at ECU. Then she taught in the English Department until her retirement in 1951.
History:
Constructed in 1927, the building replaced the original Model School and has undergone several
renovations, additions, and name changes. The sweeping arches of the building continue the spanish-mission style architecture of the early campus buildings. In 1959, the building was named
Wahl-Coates in honor of Francis Wahl and Dora E. Coates who each served the school for 30 years. In 1972, Greenville and ECU in a cooperative venture opened Wahl-Coates Public School relieving ECU of actually providing elementary classroom space. The building now houses the
Theatre Arts Department and the attached McGinnis Auditorium, built in 1951-52.
Additions:
1929 - construction of second unit (19,360 gross square feet)
1949 - addition of the training school wing
1951 - theatre addition
1971 - added a laboratory
1972 - fire alarm replacement/repairs
1979 - repaired roof
1981 - new stage and auditorium renovations (new heating and air ventalation)
