hard to find and very well-maintained all original exterior oliver p. morton red slip glaze "sullivanesque" stye terra cotta capital designed by architect george grant elmslie. the mottled finish terra cotta pane is in remarkable condition considering age. the rear cavities or "webbing" designed to strengthen the panel is free from damage. the school facade capital contains a unique and visually striking interplay between organic design motifs and geometric shapes. george grant elmslie was a prominent architect who worked with louis sullivan and later with william gray purcell. the architectural firm or practice he was most widely known for was that of elmslie and purcell. over the course of the partnership, purcell & elmslie became one of the most commissioned firms among the prairie school architects, second only to frank lloyd wright. following the dissolution of his partnership with purcell, elmslie worked occasionally with various other architects, including lawrence a. fournier, william s. hutton, hermann v. von holst and william eugene drummond, and produced a number of residential structures, banks, train stations, commercial, and institutional buildings during the early 20th century through the 1930′s. the schools, with the oliver p. morton included, were all located in northwestern indiana. they have since been demolished. elmslie's contribution, in the form of the terra cotta and metal ornament adorning these schools, would be his last commissioned work shortly before his death. only one available. measures approximately 18 x 9 x 20 inches.