Lincoln High School - Lincolnian Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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4 LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL HISTORICAL SKETCH OF LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL. COZZETTA KINGSBERRY, ’12. Lincoln High School, it may be said, was founded in 1881, by Mr. E. V. A. Nero, while he was a ward school principal, but a regular High School Department was not established until September, 1887, at which time it was opened in Lincoln Ward School. Mr. Samuel Bailey was at that time principal , of said school. During the prin- cipalship of Mr. Bailey, twenty-five pupils were gradu- ated from the High School Department. In 1889, Pro- fessor G. N. Grisham, who had served as principal of Sumner school for two years, was duly elected the first principal of Lincoln High School, and a beautiful build- ing dedicated to the exclusive use of the High School, was erected in September, .1890, on Eleventh Street west of Lincoln Ward School. Within a few years, the increase in population and other natural causes, made larger quarters necessary. A site was purchased by the Board of Education on the northeast corner of Nineteenth Street and Tracy Avenue, in December, 1899. A magnificent structure, the present home of the High School, easily seen from many points in the city, was duly built thereon, and opened September 10, 1906, with impressive ceremonies of joy on the part of representative and grateful negro citizens and school patrons. The original site was valued at $25,000. Im- provements, including building, furniture, library and other apparatus, bring the valuation to $106,800. The grounds occupy 182.5 feet on Nineteenth Street and 330.50 feet on Tracy Avenue. Twenty-six classes have been graduated from Lincoln High School since it was founded. The total number of graduates is four hundred sixteen (one hundred thirty boys and two hundred eighty-six girls). Of the total number, thirty-one were graduated in the Class of 1912. Among the graduates, one finds teachers, preachers, doc- tors, lawyers, stenographers, civil service employees, etc. Many of the graduates have become valuable citizens of the communities in which they live and are presiding over homes of refinement and culture. A few are continuing their education in various standard colleges, and univer- sities. In short, the greater part of Lincoln High School product, we are happy to say, is making good in some line; thus demonstrating that the education which has been so generously granted, by the municipality, is prac- tical and that Lincoln High School is doing excellent work in training for social efficiency.