Ghosts of students past: Fascinating pictures of a derelict Detroit school... mixed with evocative images from its heyday

Photos of Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan, whose alumni include Diana Ross and Jack White

School moved to new building in 2005 which left original facility empty and it was later demolished last year

Largest school in Michigan by 1942 with 4,200 students attending eight-storey brick and limestone building


From shooting hoops to eating lunch and from marching bands to disco dancing, these extraordinary photographs capture a bygone era in US education.

The amazing images of Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan, from detroiturbex.com combine old pictures of school life with recent views of the abandoned building.

Cass Tech, which counts singer Diana Ross and rocker Jack White among its alumni, moved to a new building in 2005 which left the original facility empty.

Shooting hoops: A 1988 basketball game superimposed over the abandoned condition of the old gymnasium at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan

Walking along: The second-floor hallway at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan, is pictured, with the images of old life merged with its abandoned state Study time: The library, from a picture in a yearbook from the early Nineties, of Cass Technical High School. All books appear to have been removed from the old building

The White Stripes vocalist White learned to play the marimba at the school and said attending there was like ‘going to Harvard or something’.

The new Cass Tech building opened in 2005 to replace the school’s nearly century-old 830,000 sq ft building, which was demolished last year.

The original school was founded in 1907 and was named after Lewis Cass, who was the Michigan territory governor from 1813 to 1831.

Working hard: This room suffered especially badly after the Cass Technical High School building was abandoned. A photocopier can be seen on the right

Eerie: Paint peeled off the walls of a classroom after it was abandoned, where a teacher is seen helping a student with her work in this photo from days gone by

Chatting: The arts mural on floor three of Cass Technical High School is pictured in 1988 as students take out books from their lockers for lessons

By 1942 Cass Tech was the largest school in the state with 4,200 students attending the eight-storey brick and limestone building.

A new addition to the building designed by Kahn & Associates was then added in 1985 onto the west side of the original structure.

The old building suffered vandalism after it was closed and was plagued by fires including one in 2007 that injured two firemen and two policemen.

‘I played marimba on one of my albums, and I learned how to play marimba in a class at that school,’ White told National Public Radio last year.

Further reading: Display cases and books are seen outside the auditorium on the third floor of Cass Technical High School, where light fittings were later ripped out

Time to dance: This photo of students stretching in a gymnasium shows how the school was left in complete ruin after the pupils moved out in 2005

Empty chairs and tables: The former book store is pictured in a photo which has been so well combined that it is difficult to see where the old ends and the new begins ‘Going to school there at age 14 was like all of sudden you were going to Harvard or something. It seemed like you were going to college.’ There was much criticism by alumni of the decision to demolish Cass Tech, but Detroit Public Schools said at the time it had no choice but to rip it down. ‘Our kids have to walk past it every day,’ a spokesman said. ‘We've got it constantly being vandalised, constantly being broken into. It's a safety issue.’ Conversations: One of several biology labs in the old Cass Technical High School building is pictured as some students chat to each other while others look at the camera Walking along: Students pace down a later-abandoned corridor at Cass Technical High School, which counts singer Diana Ross and rocker Jack White among its alumni Performance: The gym in the new wing is pictured - a building designed by Kahn & Associates which was added in 1985 onto the west side of the original structure Required study: The new Cass Tech building opened in 2005 to replace the school's nearly century-old 830,000 sq ft building, which was demolished last year Instrumental: The music room in the new wing. White Stripes vocalist Jack White learned to play marimba at the school and said attending was like 'going to Harvard' Memories: The 1917 entrance to Cass Tech, which is pictured in the early Twenties (left in left) and after it was abandoned (right in left). A school corridor is seen (right)

Lengths: A swimming pool in the new wing of Cass Tech is pictured before and after it was abandoned. The superimposed image was taken just before the school closed Quiet study: By 1942 Cass Tech was the largest school in Michigan state with 4,200 students attending the eight-storey brick and limestone building Walking forward: The picture was taken just at around 11:15am one day in Cass Tech, whose old building suffered attacks by vandals after it was closed Proud history: A Cass Tech teacher stands next to an arts mural in the middle, which still appeared the same after the school was abandoned (left) Posing up: The old Cass Tech building was plagued by fires after it closed in 2005 including one in 2007 that injured two firemen and two policemen He shoots: A student goes for a penalty shot in a game of basketball inside the Cass Tech sports hall as other players wait for the throw to be completed Auditorium: There was much criticism by alumni of the decision to demolish Cass Tech, but Detroit Public Schools said it had no choice but to rip it down Musical heritage: This rather eerie photo shows a smartly-dressed marching band moving through an auditorium as other students laugh and clap One-two: A boy holds a microphone on a stage at Cass Tech while another stands on the side. After it was abandoned the building became something of a sorry state Student life: One pupil pushes another in a wheelchair in a corridor of Cass Tech that was falling apart after the building became abandoned in 2005 School days: A student wearing white jeans rummages through their locker in an area of the building that was in a state of disrepair after being abandoned Looking around: A woman stands next to a chair and table at Cass Tech as she stands in the middle of a corridor which has a mural and open lockers on the right Happy days: Students are pictured smiling in this black and white photo from Cass Tech of the last day of school one year as they look forward to the summer holidays Necessary reading: These librarians smile for the camera at Cass Tech as they stand in front of bookshelves, preparing to help students at the school Looking bored: The sofa on the top left of this photo remained after the building was abandoned in 2005 when Cass Tech students moved to new premises Old style: Computers in the Cass Tech library are pictured as a woman stands up and pupils sit down. The blinds on the right were falling apart after it was abandoned Volleyball: These girls are pictured playing in the gymnasium at Cass Tech, which was the largest school in Michigan state by the Second World War Hangtime: These basketball players are seen - with Cass Tech pictured in the green and white jerseys - playing in the sports hall while others sit on the sidelines Private study time: The abandoned library, once bustling with teachers and pupils, is pictured in a sorry state, with tables and litter strewn across the floor The security station on the first floor of Cass Tech is pictured, being manned by an employee. After the building was abandoned in 2005 it deteriorated Up to the net: These girls - with Cass Tech players pictured on the left - are seen in full flow in a game of volleyball played on what eventually became an abandoned gym Let's dance: These male and female students enjoy moving to the music at Cass Tech, in a picture of a bygone era in the once-booming city of Detroit, Michigan Alumni: Previous students of Cass Tech include singer Diana Ross (left) and former White Stripes frontman Jack White (right), who described as like 'going to Harvard'

