Indiana’s Oldest High School Was Used as a Hospital During the Civil War
Indiana's oldest high school has a fascinating history and ties to the Civil War.
UPDATE 12/15 10:30 AM.
It has been brought to my attention that Central High School in Evansville may be the oldest. Here is the reasoning for New Albany being declared the oldest in this article. New Albany High School opened in 1853 and closed for a period of time. However, according to the State Department of Public Instruction Records, New Albany High School is the oldest in the state. Central High School opened in 1854 and is the oldest continually operating public high school in the state of Indiana. I had no idea Central was that old and will be highlighting it in a standalone article soon!
The Oldest in the Hoosier State
Being from the Tri-State area we are no strangers to the oldest restaurant in the state of Indiana, of course, that title goes to the Log Inn. Just recently we learned the oldest store in the state of Indiana opened its doors the same year that Abraham Lincoln was elected president. So with this little Hoosier history lesson, it had me wondering, what's the oldest school in Indiana? Well, the answer is very interesting as this high school has ties to the Civil War.
The First High School Opened in 1853
Indiana's first public high school is located just across the river from Kentucky, in New Albany, Indiana. Today the school is known as New Albany High School, but when the doors opened in 1853 it was known as Scribner High School. Orange Bean notes that New Albany may sound like an odd location for the state's first high school, but in terms of the 1850s, it makes sense.
New Albany might seem like an odd location for Indiana’s first public high school, but in the 1850s, it was the largest city in Indiana. The city boasted over 8,000 residents and was at the center of Indiana’s profitable steamboat operations.
Closed After One Year
What's interesting, is the school closed after being open for only a year, because the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that taxes for high school use were unlawful (wild right?). However, as private funds became available the school managed to operate off and on.
Leased to the Government During the Civil War
According to New Albany High School, from the years 1859-1864, the school was closed and leased to the United States Government. During this time the former school building was used as a hospital for Union soldiers.
In September 1864, the high school reopened and since then has been in continuous operation in various locations. In the fall of 1870, the boys and girls were divided and sent to separate high school. The boys continued in the Scribner building and the name was changed to Boys’ High School. Female High School was located on Spring Street at the northeast corner of Bank Street. The schools were consolidated again in 1880 and the boys and girls both attended the high school at Spring and Bank Streets.
Home to the Bulldogs
The school moved locations a few more times but eventually ended up in its current location in 1927. The school has since undergone many different renovations and additions and continues to grow. Today New Albany High School is home to the Bulldogs, but the history of the school is very interesting, if you'd like to learn more you can read all about it through New Albany High School's website, here.
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Gallery Credit: Stacker
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