Last Updated on June 27, 2026
Fun Fact #14 Where did Slabtown Kids Learn to Swim?
Answer: In a public school basement.
In 1914, the Portland Public Schools District was actively working to replace its old wooden schoolhouses with modern, fireproof brick buildings.
One of the highest priorities for replacement was the Old Couch School (built in 1882), located at NW 17th and Kearney. The school had gained a dire reputation following a severe smallpox outbreak—an era of fear and isolation much like the modern COVID-19 pandemic, occurring even before the 1918 Spanish Influenza.
The New Couch School, built in 1914 at NW 20th and Glisan, was one of the district’s earliest successful efforts to replace these older wooden structures. During construction, workers excavated deep enough into the property to install a basement swimming pool—which locals and school officials at the time referred to as a “swim tank.”
If you want to learn about the history of the school grounds Check out Fun Fact #31 or History of Couch Park