The Immaculate Heart of Mary School is located just north of downtown Rutland, set between Lincoln Avenue and Nichols Street, north of West Street and just south of the eponymous church. The school is a two-story steel-framed structure, its exterior clad in light-colored brick, aluminum, and glass. The building is T-shaped, with single-story ell extending to its rear. It is covered by a flat roof with no eave. Its simple and clean lines are hallmarks of the Mid-Century Modern (and more specifically International) style of architecture popularized in the 1950s. The main facade has a central entrance section set in projecting walls, with a lattice of windows framing and surmounting a pair of glass doors. On either side of the entry extend slightly recessed panels with casement windows at their base, and rows of glass blocks above.[2]
The school was built in 1951 for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington, as part of a school enlargement program that paralleled the growth of public schools following World War II. It was designed by the Manchester, New Hampshire firm Dirsa & Lampron, and represents an early example of their International style work. The building is a relatively unaltered expression of their design, unusual in the region due to the harsh climate and its effects on some of the stylistic choices.[2]
