Central High School - Centralian Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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The C67Zf1'!lfl:6l72 1934 Mr. C l. Sheffield, the third principal, assumed office on July 8, 1873. l'le served until May, 1876. ofa lteanbag game, for the girls. It was necessary for the graduation exercises to be held in the old Coates Cpera House. Thus we observe the infancy of the school system in the poor lodging, inconveniences, and small personnel of early Central. With the continual increase of interest in education the School Board began to prosper and was able to provide more extensively for learning facilities. Thus, in 1872, a onefstory frame structure of three rooms, just south of the original building, was pressed into service. This began a series of additions, improvements and new buildings. In the fall of the next year a new principal, Mi'. C. I. Sheffield, came to Central. During his period in ofiice the frame building was used, but on Mr. E. C. White's taking ofiice it was removed. During this time Central was rapidly outgrowing its small lodgings and every few years it was necessary to make additions or to put up new buildings. In 1875 a brick addition was built on the first structure, making then a total of nine rooms. In 1884 a threefstory brick building was erected on the south end of the lot. It was seventyffour feet square. There were five classrooms on each of the first two floors and wide halls running the entire length of the floor. The third floor consisted of an auditorium with a seating capacity of five hundred. It was then that Mr. J. J. Buchanan took over the principalship of the school. During his term another bigger building was constructed. But before this new edifice Mr. E. C White succeeded Mr. Sheffield on May 15, 1886, and resigned his office September 7, 1887, to assume it again on May 17, 1897, for a term of four years. The school year was increased from nine to ten months in 1904. IS I

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The Ceizzfnllifzfz 19,34 Central has always been lortunate in procuring the best educators in the country lor its principals. ':l A A 'T Mr. J. R. 8radley lirst headed the laculty. l-le tool4 oliice on September 17, 1867, and his term expired in ffif, E July, 1869. W Qne ol the early day teachers was Sallie Gentry, lVlrs. Til I D. Elston, the mother ol our lVliss Bertha Elston. She taught . .fy English and expression lrom 1875 to 1877. 'fr' Tl-IE HISTORY CF CENTRAL ILLUSTRATES THE GRCWTH CF POPULAR EDUCATICN Indeed, we should be proud to call Central our Alma Ivlaterl The name, Central, symbolizes all the progressive and pioneering spirit of education which was victorious in the end in spite of the tremendous odds of ignorance and prejudice it faced in the beginning. Against serious opposition, Central rose to he ranked as one of the tirst schools for higher learning in Missouri. Its growth and expansion is the story ot' the advancement of education by means of the public school system from its very start to its wide extent and influence ofthe present time. In the days when there was a crude system of education, Central was likewise crudely established, having been so in 1867 in compliance with a law of Iviissouri. prof viding for free public schools. Its lodging was a twofroom brick building on the south' east corner of Eleventh and Locust Streets. Mr. -T. R. Bradley, principal, and two teachers presided over a class, which started with an enrollment of four pupils. The entire gym facilities consisted of a turning pole for the boys and that interesting sport, the playing .5 ' at 'W il Haifa-if Aj I tg. W. G. Pratt succeeded Mr, Bradley and served until 1 -i . July, 1873. l-lis assistant was lVliss lVlary l-larmon Mrs. f IQ E. R. Weelcs. Since she was only eighteen years old, her ' tif. A J i': , , 'ff 4' Q . age was not to be told. She taught nine branches ol learning. 'if' pu i..i ,, fiat I A l f lVlrs. Weelts resigned in 1887. ln 1889 Central had three hundred students and ten teachers. i7l

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The Cenfrfzlifzlz 1934 Next lVlr. J. J. Buchanan undertoolc the principalship. l-lis term expired on lVlay17, 1897. was put up, the other structure was altered. Eight rooms were added to the west side of it, and three large class rooms were made out of the assembly hall. In 1891 S100,000 was voted for the new building. The edifice, which was on the north end of the lot, was completed in 1893. It was separated from the original building by courts forty feet in width. It was made up of three floors and a basement. There was a large assembly hall with a seating capacity of seventeen hundred, and altogether there was a total of forty' three recitation rooms. In these improvements we have positive proof of the growing appeal of public education and the increase of the influence of the School Board. But the consummation of the power of public school system is illustrated in the moving of Central to its present beautiful location, in the building of Central junior High School, and in the construction of the Holmes Memorial Field. In 1915 Central was transplanted and became the extensive temple of learning that it is today. Shortly after this its ever increase ing enrollment made necessary the erection of the Junior High. This building is one of the most modern and convenient in Kansas City. It has the distinction also of being the longest structure in the city. The construction of the football field, named in honor of the principal, Mr. Holmes, who first started agitation for this end, followed. Thus from tracing Central from lodging to lodging and in a review of its history, we are able to see the cause for public education as it steadily grew stronger and as it finally completely triumphed over all of the early opposition. Mr. l. l. Cammaclc next became the head ol Central. l'le resigned on July 6, 1911, to become assistant superintendent. ln 1909 a training school for teachers was established in Central. This was a one-year course. ill'