Chicago High School (active 1856–1880; demolished 1950) was the first public

high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. After several abortive attempts, the

Chicago City Council The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the Law and government of Chicago, government of the Chicago, City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 Wards of the United States, wards to serve four-year t ...

approved a high school in 1855.

John M. Van Osdel John Mills Van Osdel (July 31, 1811 – December 21, 1891) was an American architect who is considered the first Chicago architect. He is considered a peer of the most prominent architects in the history of Chicago. He has also done significant wo ...

and Frederick Baumann designed the building, which opened the next year. In 1860, the coursework was organized into two branches of study. In 1869, the high school established three branch divisions in Chicago where students could take the first-year workload, then apply to finish at the main building, which then became known as Central High School. These branches evolved into full high schools in 1880 and the original Chicago High School was closed. The building was demolished in 1950.

History

The first proposal for a

dates from 1840. The Chicago Board of Inspectors met to discuss the advanced schooling provided by some schools in the city and considered centralizing secondary education. However, no action was taken. Three years later, the Inspectors issued a report about the possibility of a high school, but bemoaned the lack of funds available to organize it. In May 1844, chairman Ira Miltimore proposed the erection of a new school in the First Ward. This school was to have elementary teaching in the two rooms on the first floor and a high school in the rooms on the second floor. Thus, one principal and only two or three assistants could essentially lead two schools at once. The proposal seems to have been ignored. Three Inspectors organized a committee to plan the first high school in November 1852. They issued a report that December, but again the issue was ignored. Finally, in September 1854, the

agreed to pass an ordinance approving a high school. It was made law on January 23, 1855. On February 19, they ordered a draft of the building plans and the building was begun later that year. The building was located on Monroe Street, between Halsted and Desplaines Streets.

and Frederick Baumann were tasked with planning the structure. They designed a

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

building faced with

ashlar Ashlar () is a cut and dressed rock (geology), stone, worked using a chisel to achieve a specific form, typically rectangular in shape. The term can also refer to a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, a ...

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

. It had diamond-shaped leaded windows and

crenelated A battlement, in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at intervals t ...

roof edges. An examination for application was opened on July 15, 1856, with 158 applicants; 114 were admitted. A second examination was held and eleven others were admitted. The school was officially organized on October 8, 1856, and Charles A. Dupee was named the first principal. By the start of the winter term, only fifty-one student were able to maintain a scholarship. The Irving Society, a literary club named for

Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He wrote the short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy ...

, was founded in 1857. George Howland succeeded Dupree in 1860. He divided the school into two programs: a two-year normal (teaching preparation) course or a three-year study in the classics. Students could alternatively take both courses over four years. By the winter term, both programs were extended to four years and pupils were required to study at least one foreign language. By 1866, the school featured nine faculty, teaching Latin, German, French, Greek, geography, botany, astronomy, history, Cicero, mensuration (mathematics), natural philosophy, and political economy. In 1868, a special three-year classical course, intended as preparatory school for colleges, was introduced. Age for admission was originally thirteen, but this was reduced to twelve in 1870. The limestone building was one of the few to survive the 1871

Great Chicago Fire The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago, Illinois during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left mor ...

. In September 1869, the high school developed branch schools and classes throughout the city:

North Division Northern Division or North Division can refer to: Sports * Northern Division (Rugby Union) Leagues of England * Queensland Rugby League Northern Division * Southern League Northern Division of the Southern Football League in England * FA Women's ...

South Division South Division may refer to: * South Division (AFL), a division of the Arena Football League * South Division (MPBL), a division of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League * South Division (CFL), a former division of the Canadian Football League ...

and West Division. High school classes were heard in the Franklin School in the north, the Haven school in the south, the Foster and Hayes buildings in the west. Students could take the first year or two of high school in these buildings, then attended the "central" high school for the rest of schooling. Thus, Chicago High School also became known as Central High School after this date. A school newspaper, ''The Lever'', was founded in 1874. In 1880, the three branch schools became four-year schools and the Central High School was decommissioned. By the time, the high school building was too small for the number of students and the building was out of place in an otherwise commercial district. An unofficial affiliation with the West Division High School was formed, and alumni of the two schools met in joint reunions. The school building was used as a warehouse for the

Chicago Board of Education The Chicago Board of Education serves as the board of education (school board) for the Chicago Public Schools. The board traces its origins to the Board of School Inspectors, created in 1837. The board is currently made up of 11 members appoin ...

, the successor organization of the Board of Inspectors. In 1950, it was demolished to make room for the Northwest Expressway.

Alumni

* Ferdinand L. Barnett, lawyer and civil rights activist *

Wallace Leroy DeWolf Wallace Leroy DeWolf (February 24, 1854 – December 25, 1930), sometimes also written as De Wolf, was an American lawyer, businessman, philanthropist, and artist. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and spent most of his life in the city. Originally ...

, businessman and artist * Albert G. Lane, educator *

Cyrus McCormick, Jr. Cyrus Hall McCormick Jr. (May 16, 1859 – June 2, 1936) was an American businessman. He was president of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company from 1884 to 1902. His tenure was marked by bitter conflict with the union, culminating in the dea ...

, industrialist * William Morton Payne, educator * William Edward Quine, physician *

Ella Flagg Young Ella Flagg Young (January 15, 1845 – October 26, 1918) was an American educator who served as superintendent of Chicago Public Schools. She was the first female head of a large United States city school system. She also served as the first fem ...

, educator * Pauline Garrette Kimball, actress

References

{{authority control Buildings and structures demolished in 1950 Educational institutions disestablished in 1880 Educational institutions established in 1856 Defunct high schools in Illinois Public high schools in Chicago 1856 establishments in Illinois 1880 disestablishments in Illinois