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First Wichita High School - Expanded; Wichita, KS
A photo c. 1900 photo of the first High School (albeit an expanded and altered building from the original) in Wichita, KS. The original High School building was built by W.H. Sternberg (1832 - 1906) who was the most prolific designer and builder in the Wichita area during one of the greatest economic booms in U.S. history.
This was still the first high school in Wichita as there were no other high school buildings yet, but it was much expanded from the original building. The original building is the portion on the right which has the square limestone-linteled windows on the second floor. Undoubtedly the expansion / alteration project was let out for bid and it's not yet known who built the addition. The entire structure is no longer standing. It was located between Second Street and Third Street on the east side of Emporia.
W.H. Sternberg built more of the civic buildings than any other contractor in the late 1800s... "probably twice as many as have been put by any other contractor in the city", Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan., Chapman Brothers 1888, pgs. 190 - 191. In addition to putting up more of the commercial and government buildings than anyone else he also designed and erected most of the large, upscale homes of the day. Sternberg was well known within elite circles as being the best contractor because he not only had the best workers and did the best quality work, but he offered unique, trend-setting designs in residential style. Many (but not most) of Sternberg's surviving works are listed on a State or National Historic Register. Among some of Sternberg's works that are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places are:
1)Sternberg Mansion
2)Friends University Administration Building
3)Sedgwick County Courthouse
4)Eaton Hotel (formerly the Carey Hotel)
5)Occidental Hotel Building
6)Methodist Episcopal Church in Norwich New York (brick)
Sternberg's unique residential designs include ideas suggestive of Stanford White and Issac G. Perry (both prominent architects from New York State). Sternberg built structures architected by both of these prominent architects. In addition to creating stunning homes on the outside, Sternberg was also known for creating comfortable, usable homes on the inside such as using spaces and angles that seemed to enlarge the interior spaces of the home - giving the home a "grand" effect but at the same time following a floor plan that provided the occupant with easy comfort and use. Many of Sternberg's floor plans are similar and many of the exterior features on his homes reappear from one home to another. The height of style was Sternberg's own home at 1065 N. Waco Avenue in Wichita, KS which was built (in part) to showcase all of the trend-setting designs that could reasonably be fabricated. A model home of sorts, this strategy worked well for Sternberg and home buyers flocked to Sternberg to have him design and build their new home. Following is a quote from the Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan; Chapman Brothers 1888, pages 190 - 191, "The residence of Mr. Sternberg, a handsome and costly structure, is beautifully located on a rise of ground commanding a fine view of its surroundings. Within and without it bears the evidence of refined tastes and ample means, and is universally admired by all who have occasion to pass it." The Monday, September 6th, 1886 Beacon contained an article about the construction of Sternberg mansion, "Mr. Sternberg is building for his own use a fine residence on the corner of 10th and Waco streets. Judging it by the foundation it will be one of the largest and finest in the city."
Regarding the expanded high school above, it's not yet known if this school was named after someone. It was common during the day to name schools after notable literary or academically influential persons. Following is a brief history of schools in Wichita, KS, taken from "A History of Wichita Schools" written in 1893...
"In 1868, the first cabin was built where the city of Wichita now stands. In 1870, the town was founded. In 1871, the first church and first schoolhouse were built. In 1872, the first railroad was constructed, the first bank opened, and the first newspaper started. The population increased from the occupants of one cabin, in 1868, to 50, as indicated by the census of 1870; 4,911, by the census of 1880; 23,835, by the census of 1890, and 28,000, the estimate in 1892.
Following the first cabins came the first schoolhouse, with William Finn, now a resident of Sedgwick, as schoolmaster. Mr. Finn's school commenced November 1, 1869, and continued three months. His average attendance was 17. His salary was to be $45 per month, and was to be raised by subscription. Mr. Finn sent to Topeka for the books for his school, paying for them out of his own pocket. Not half of the money subscribed was raised, and Mr. Finn, at the end of the term, was $50 in debt, although he had a little money of his own when he started. Through the kindly assistance of Hon. J. R. Mead, who was one of his patrons and friends, Mr. Finn purchased a surveying outfit, and left the profession of teaching.
Mr. Finn was an excellent young man, and his school a success. He has furnished us with a cut of the dugout which was his schoolhouse. It stood at the north of the present site of the city. It was about 13 feet square, had a dormer window, and was covered with a dirt roof."
Dugouts and sod buildings were common ways of building in the early days on the prairie. These weren't as dismal and dirty as might be thought. Many had cloth (sheets or flour sacks sewn together) or paper attached to the ceiling rafters (like ceiling tiles today) - which kept the dirt (and snakes) from falling down and the interior walls were frequently plastered with a mixure of mud and dried prairie grass (finished off pretty smoothly) and sometimes painted with a white wash of burnt gypsum. Most early schools however did have dirt floors, but with a manufactured window or two and a few kerosene lanterns they were reasonably light and fairly warm in the winter and fairly cool in the summer.
Your thoughts, comments, ideas, stories and additional information about this photo or this place are welcome and appreciated.
This photos is courtesy of the Wichita Public Library.
First Wichita High School - Expanded; Wichita, KS
A photo c. 1900 photo of the first High School (albeit an expanded and altered building from the original) in Wichita, KS. The original High School building was built by W.H. Sternberg (1832 - 1906) who was the most prolific designer and builder in the Wichita area during one of the greatest economic booms in U.S. history.
This was still the first high school in Wichita as there were no other high school buildings yet, but it was much expanded from the original building. The original building is the portion on the right which has the square limestone-linteled windows on the second floor. Undoubtedly the expansion / alteration project was let out for bid and it's not yet known who built the addition. The entire structure is no longer standing. It was located between Second Street and Third Street on the east side of Emporia.
W.H. Sternberg built more of the civic buildings than any other contractor in the late 1800s... "probably twice as many as have been put by any other contractor in the city", Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan., Chapman Brothers 1888, pgs. 190 - 191. In addition to putting up more of the commercial and government buildings than anyone else he also designed and erected most of the large, upscale homes of the day. Sternberg was well known within elite circles as being the best contractor because he not only had the best workers and did the best quality work, but he offered unique, trend-setting designs in residential style. Many (but not most) of Sternberg's surviving works are listed on a State or National Historic Register. Among some of Sternberg's works that are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places are:
1)Sternberg Mansion
2)Friends University Administration Building
3)Sedgwick County Courthouse
4)Eaton Hotel (formerly the Carey Hotel)
5)Occidental Hotel Building
6)Methodist Episcopal Church in Norwich New York (brick)
Sternberg's unique residential designs include ideas suggestive of Stanford White and Issac G. Perry (both prominent architects from New York State). Sternberg built structures architected by both of these prominent architects. In addition to creating stunning homes on the outside, Sternberg was also known for creating comfortable, usable homes on the inside such as using spaces and angles that seemed to enlarge the interior spaces of the home - giving the home a "grand" effect but at the same time following a floor plan that provided the occupant with easy comfort and use. Many of Sternberg's floor plans are similar and many of the exterior features on his homes reappear from one home to another. The height of style was Sternberg's own home at 1065 N. Waco Avenue in Wichita, KS which was built (in part) to showcase all of the trend-setting designs that could reasonably be fabricated. A model home of sorts, this strategy worked well for Sternberg and home buyers flocked to Sternberg to have him design and build their new home. Following is a quote from the Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan; Chapman Brothers 1888, pages 190 - 191, "The residence of Mr. Sternberg, a handsome and costly structure, is beautifully located on a rise of ground commanding a fine view of its surroundings. Within and without it bears the evidence of refined tastes and ample means, and is universally admired by all who have occasion to pass it." The Monday, September 6th, 1886 Beacon contained an article about the construction of Sternberg mansion, "Mr. Sternberg is building for his own use a fine residence on the corner of 10th and Waco streets. Judging it by the foundation it will be one of the largest and finest in the city."
Regarding the expanded high school above, it's not yet known if this school was named after someone. It was common during the day to name schools after notable literary or academically influential persons. Following is a brief history of schools in Wichita, KS, taken from "A History of Wichita Schools" written in 1893...
"In 1868, the first cabin was built where the city of Wichita now stands. In 1870, the town was founded. In 1871, the first church and first schoolhouse were built. In 1872, the first railroad was constructed, the first bank opened, and the first newspaper started. The population increased from the occupants of one cabin, in 1868, to 50, as indicated by the census of 1870; 4,911, by the census of 1880; 23,835, by the census of 1890, and 28,000, the estimate in 1892.
Following the first cabins came the first schoolhouse, with William Finn, now a resident of Sedgwick, as schoolmaster. Mr. Finn's school commenced November 1, 1869, and continued three months. His average attendance was 17. His salary was to be $45 per month, and was to be raised by subscription. Mr. Finn sent to Topeka for the books for his school, paying for them out of his own pocket. Not half of the money subscribed was raised, and Mr. Finn, at the end of the term, was $50 in debt, although he had a little money of his own when he started. Through the kindly assistance of Hon. J. R. Mead, who was one of his patrons and friends, Mr. Finn purchased a surveying outfit, and left the profession of teaching.
Mr. Finn was an excellent young man, and his school a success. He has furnished us with a cut of the dugout which was his schoolhouse. It stood at the north of the present site of the city. It was about 13 feet square, had a dormer window, and was covered with a dirt roof."
Dugouts and sod buildings were common ways of building in the early days on the prairie. These weren't as dismal and dirty as might be thought. Many had cloth (sheets or flour sacks sewn together) or paper attached to the ceiling rafters (like ceiling tiles today) - which kept the dirt (and snakes) from falling down and the interior walls were frequently plastered with a mixure of mud and dried prairie grass (finished off pretty smoothly) and sometimes painted with a white wash of burnt gypsum. Most early schools however did have dirt floors, but with a manufactured window or two and a few kerosene lanterns they were reasonably light and fairly warm in the winter and fairly cool in the summer.
Your thoughts, comments, ideas, stories and additional information about this photo or this place are welcome and appreciated.
This photos is courtesy of the Wichita Public Library.