About Us

Located on the east side of Tucson, Bloom Elementary serves more than 300 students. Founded in 1973 and named after Clara Ferrin Bloom, a District 1 student at the end of the 19th century who later became a teacher and community activist. Clara Ferrin was born in Tucson on July 26, 1881. Her parents were immigrants from Frankfort, Germany. Clara was born at her parents' home on the corner of Meyer Avenue and Cushing Street. She had a sister and brother, and they all attended the old Congress Street School, which later became the location of the David Bloom & Sons Clothing Store from 1931-1968. Clara enrolled in the University of Arizona in 1893 and graduated in 1901. Clara was a school teacher at Safford Elementary for eleven years and married a local merchant, David W. Bloom on June 9, 1912.
Together Clara and David had three sons and two daughters. It was their son David A. and his wife Leona whose gift established the Bloom Southwest Jewish Archives at the University of Arizona.
Clara managed to be very involved in the community. She was the oldest member of Temple Emanu-El when she died. She was a life member of the University of Arizona Alumni Association and a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Tucson Women's Symphony Association. Clara was a charter member of the Phi-Kappa-Phi. She was also a member of the National Council of Jewish Women and the Tucson Festival Society.
The Clara Ferrin Bloom Elementary School was built (located on East Pima Street in Tucson) in her honor and was completed a few weeks before her death on April 17, 1973.