History of LaSalle Elementary School

In 1920, the Board of Education secured a large tract of land along the south side of Milburn Boulevard between Hendricks and Jackson. This parcel initially hosted a portable structure, which educated children for their first three years. It was known as the "Milburn School". For further elementary education, children would have to walk to South Side School at 8th and Spring Streets.

The portable building was moved in 1926 to Merrifield Avenue north of Jefferson Boulevard. That was the beginning of Northside School.

LaSalle Elementary School opened on September 7, 1926 to replace the portable classrooms and would officially open to educate all the children on the southwest side of Mishawaka. Eight additional lots were purchased on the site to accommodate the anticipation of increasing enrollment. Notably, the Arcadian brick with white brick trim resembled the brand new Mishawaka high School located on the east side of the city.  A "monument to the progressiveness of the city" is how the South Bend Tribune referred to LaSalle Elementary School.

The school opened with 7 of the 10 classes completed to serve 450 students from grades K-6. In 1959, a new wing was added on the southeast corner of the building with eight new classrooms, science room, an English room with a small stage, an audiovisual room, nurses office and a teachers lounge.

With the closing of South Side (1982) and Bingham (1983) schools, the redistricting caused LaSalle to gain more students and the need to expand to accommodate the increased student enrollment. Construction of the newest addition was completed in July of 1991, adding 9 classrooms, student dining area, a kitchen and storage area, gymnasium and stage with dressing rooms, and 5 small group instruction rooms.

LaSalle Elementary School was named after French explorer Rene Robert Cavalier sieur de LaSalle. Mr. LaSalle was the first to explore in this territory in 1679.