High Schools in Allen County, Indiana

Separate pages for Elementary, Middle and High Schools.

Early history of national and local schools with photos such as the 1868 photo of the City's First High School is discussed on pages 18-21, and continued on pages 124-125 of the 1935 yearbook The Totem by South Side High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Publication date 1923 on Archive.org

Allen County, Indiana Yearbooks database Index at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Searches through Central Catholic High School, 1915-1972, and Central High School, 1914-1971, and North Side High School, 1929-2014, and South Side High School, 1923-1974, 1976-1994.

There are almost 2 dozen Fort Wayne High School items on Internet Archive.

The oldest high schools in Fort Wayne was discussed June 22, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.

Adams Township High School

Adams Township High School, 1899-1900, Allen County, Indiana booklet with a list of names at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Amp Lab at Electric Works - FWCS

2019 Street View photo from Google Maps shows none of the Electric Works improvements

1030 Swinney Avenue, Website: https://amplab.fortwayneschools.org/; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amplabew

October 28, 2021 post by Amp Lab at Electric Works on Facebook:

Who is Amp Lab at Electric Works for? We open in 2022-2023 to 11th/12th graders, so that means CURRENT 10th & 11th graders are eligible! In addition to this:

-Students must attend one of the five FWCS high schools -Both AM & PM half-day cohorts are available

-Must be able to fit it in their schedule, but no additional entrance requirements

-Designed for all types of students: whether looking for something different than traditional school OR looking for opportunities to launch you into life after high school

-For students going to college, entering the workforce, launching their own business, or enlisting in the military.

Students should ask their counselor for when we will be at their school and be on the lookout for Parent/Guardian Info Session dates!

January 18, 2022 post by Amp Lab at Electric Works on Facebook:

The application window for our first student cohort is open!! Interested 10th & 11th graders should talk to their counselor. #fortwayne #fwcs #education

September 20, 2023 post by Elevatus Architecture on Facebook:

Amp Lab at Electric Works's project-based learning concept is a learning model for the future.

AMP LAB AT ELECTRIC WORKS

January 23, 2024 post by 89.1 WBOI on Facebook:

Fort Wayne Community Schools’ Amp Lab is expanding to include students from outside of the district beginning in the next school year.

Amp Lab gives high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to spend half their school day at the Electric Works campus engaging with real-world problems and exploring career options.

To learn more, check out the full story by WBOI's Ella Abbott! 

FWCS' Amp Lab opens program to students outside district 

Arcola

Memoirs by Arcola High School (Arcola, Ind.), Publication date 1951, an Archive.org

  1. Memoirs yearsbooks from the 1950s and 1960s from The Genealogy Center are on Internet Archive.
  2. Arcola High School of Arcola, Indiana on Facebook.
  3. Archola high school search results at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Bishop Dwenger

Aureate by Bishop Dwenger High School, Publication date 1967, an Archive.org

  1. Named for Bishop Dwenger the second Catholic Bishop of Fort Wayne.
  2. Aureate yearbooks at The Genealogy Center on the More Info tab has links to yearbooks from 1965 to 1988 to online copies at FamilySearch.organd Bishop Dwenger search results at Archive.org.
  3. Bishop Dwenger High School search results at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  4. Website: http://www.bishopdwenger.com/
  5. Facebook pages
    1. Bishop Dwenger High School
    2. Bishop Dwenger Band & Guard
    3. Bishop Dwenger Choir and Drama
    4. Bishop Dwenger Lacrosse Club
    5. Bishop Dwenger Parents (of current students)
    6. Bishop Dwenger Class of 1982

Bishop Luers

333 E Paulding Road Street View photo from Google maps

Accolade by Bishop Luers High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Publication date 1960, an Archive.orgs.

  1. Named for Bishop Luers the first Catholic Bishop of Fort Wayne. Website: https://www.bishopluers.org/, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bishopluershighschool
  2. The Accolade yearbooks with links to FamilySearch are on the More Info Tab to online copies from 1961 to 1987 at The Genealogy Center. Internet Archivehas the same online copies as Archive.org
  3. Bishop Luers High School Graduation Exercises, 1962, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana at The Genealogy Center.
  4. Bishop Luers high school search results at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana
  5. Website: http://www.bishopluers.org/
  6. Facebook
    1. Bishop Luers High School official page
    2. Bishop Luers High School unofficial page?
    3. Bishop Luers Football
    4. Bishop Luers Boys Soccer
  7. Perhaps not many of us know that the formation of the "Glee" series and show choir had its very foundation built at the...

    Posted by Historic 07 District - Fort Wayne on Sunday, March 6, 2022

    March 6, 2022 post byHistoric 07 District - Fort Wayne on Facebook:

    Perhaps not many of us know that the formation of the "Glee" series and show choir had its very foundation built at the corner of Calhoun and Paulding. Yes, Bishop Luers High School was a key influence in developing what we now call Show Choirs. Yesterday, they had their annual Show Choir Invitational making it the longest-running show choir invitational in the country. This all began back in 1975.

    At the time, groups such as Indiana University's "Singing Hoosiers" served as the foundation for collegiate show choirs. But those did not exist in high schools in the midwest, and in college, they were few and far between.

    That all changed in 1975 when Bishop Luers High School created the competition. So little was known about this art that Bishop Luers High School had to define it for the audience as a choir that swings. By swinging, they meant lighter music and dance. This became the first exclusive venue for a show choir competition.

    The transition from "Swing Choirs" to "Show Choirs" was influenced by that first competition. Specifically, Marion High School's 26th Street Singers. Usually, choirs would take breaks between songs, but not the 26th Street Singers. They would perform a complete set of songs, fully choreographed, with each one setting up the next. Marion's music director, F. Ritchie Walton, bears the unofficial title of the Father of Show Choir as he influenced that change from Swing to Show. By 1983, the invitational was broadcast nationally, leading to a nationwide movement.

    Indiana University - Singing Hoosiers Auditions 2016-17

    Picture 1: Original Poster

    Picture 2: Bishop Luers High School Minstrels 1975

  8. A half-century after Bishop Luers hosted the country's first show choir contest, 25 choirs are to gather at the school on Friday and Saturday for this year's Midwest Show Choir Invitational.

    Posted by The Journal Gazette on Monday, February 26, 2024

    February 26, 2024 post by The Journal Gazette on Facebook:

    A half-century after Bishop Luers hosted the country's first show choir contest, 25 choirs are to gather at the school on Friday and Saturday for this year's Midwest Show Choir Invitational.

    Bishop Luers High School's show choir invitational sings to 50th year

Carroll

Cavalier by Carroll High School, Publication date 1969, an Archive.org

  1. Cavailer yearbooks at The Genealogy Center and online copiesas Archive.orgs
  2. Carroll High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.) search results at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana
  3. Website: https://ch.nacs.k12.in.us/, Twitter: https://twitter.com/carrollchargers
  4. Facebook
    1. Carroll High School (Fort Wayne, Indiana) Carroll High School is a school in the unincorporated suburbs of Fort Wayne, Indiana. It is part of the Northwest Allen County Schools and is accredited by the North Central Association.HistoryIndiana school reorganizationIn 1959, the Indiana General Assembly passed the Indiana School Reorganization Act of 1959 that requires school districts with fewer than 2,000 students to consolidate with nearby districts. This resulted in the three Allen County, Indiana townships of Lake, Eel River and Perry combining into Northwest Allen County Schools (NACS). At that time, high schools existed in Arcola, Indiana and Huntertown, Indiana. The NACS school board voted to combine the two high schools in 1967 into a single newly built school south of Huntertown. The new high school, which opened in 1969, was named after Carroll Road, a rural arterial road that connects U.S. Route 33 and State Road 3 in northern Allen County.Farmland to suburban boomBooming enrollment from suburban sprawl of nearby Fort Wayne into Perry Township caused NACS to build Carroll Middle School (CMS) adjacent to the main high school in 1984. By the fall of 2004 as enrollment continued to increase, the school district built other middle schools (including a new Carroll Middle School) and the old CMS was absorbed into Carroll High School as its "freshman campus."
    2. Carroll Charger Athletics
    3. Carroll High School Instrumental Music Programs
    4. Carroll High School PTO - Fort Wayne
    5. Carroll High School Alumni
    6. Carroll High School (Fort Wayne, IN) Class of 1983
    7. Carroll High School Class of 1984 Fort Wayne IN
  5. Carroll High School (Fort Wayne, Indiana) on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Central High School

Central Tigers, class of 1945, 35th reunion by Central High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.). Class of 1945; Lazoff, Margie Kepfer, Publication date 1945, at Archive.org

1922-1971. Opened in 1864 as Fort Wayne High School, in 1922, the name was changed to Central High School. Some outstanding Alumni - 1931, Alfred Maloley owner of Maloley's Fine Foods; 1937 G. Irving Latz, Wolf & Dessauer president; 1940 William Latz, state legislator and Wolf & Dessauer secretary; 1946 Hana Bryant Stith teacher and co-founder, African/African American Historical Society and Museum; 1948 Johnny Bright pro football player, Canadian Football Hall of Fame; 1948 Dick Stoner Magician and owner of Stoner’s Magic Shop; 1949 Vernon Sheldon Allen County Superior Court judge; 1969 Wendy Robinson Fort Wayne Community Schools, superintendent; source was CHS Alumni Office copied from Alumni recall long-closed Central fondly by Jamie Duffy published December 26, 2014 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.

Central High School Class of 1930
True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook photo
  1. Central High School Fort Wayne search results, fewer results as Central High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.) at the Allen County Public Library.
    1. Central High School materials at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indianainclude a large collection of publications, including all yearbooks from 1911 to 1971, various items on historical aspects of the school, such as alumni quotes, sports photographs, and information on sports legend Johnny Bright. There is also the 1934 commencement program, and reunion booklets and photos for that class from 1959 to 1989. One other addition to their Free Databases is the 1920 Commencement program for Fort Wayne High School, Central’s predecessor in name.
    2. Central High School Reunions at The Genealogy Center. Catalog result states: The school was known as the Fort Wayne Manual and Training School until the name was changed to Central High School in 1922-1923.
    3. Central High School yearbooks by year at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indianahas links to 1911-1971 yearbooks as Archive.orgs. 1911-1922 are listed as Fort Wayne High and Manual Training School (Fort Wayne, Ind.) at Archive.orgs while 1923-1971 are under Central High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.) as 99 volumes at Archive.org.

      June 1911 Volume VIII The Caldron by Fort Wayne High and Manual Training School (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Publication date 1904, at Archive.org.
      1911-1922 are listed as Fort Wayne High and Manual Training School (Fort Wayne, Ind.) at Archive.org

    4. The Caldron yearbooks Volume 10 (1923) - volume 58 (1971) at the Allen County Public Library. 1923-1971 are under Central High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.) as 99 volumes at Archive.org.

      1923 Tenth Volume The Caldron by Central High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Publication date 1923, at Archive.org

    5. The Spotlight newspapers 1927-1967 at the Allen County Public Libraryhas links on the More Info tab to online copies such as Spotlight (1927.09.09-1928.03-09) Spotlight 00001 newspaper headline states: Central Opens With Enrollment of 1,050. Browse the Central Spotlight Collection of newspapers at the Allen County Community Album.
  2. Central High School Class of 1930 45th anniversary reunion Saturday May 10th 1975 Fort Wayne Indiana photo posted April 7, 2022 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  3. Fort Wayne Central High School Alumni Association, Inc. on Facebook.
  4. Central High School circa 1912 by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and author published January 24, 2017 on Fort Wayne Reader.
  5. Thomas A. Motter . . . Indiana Basketball Player September 13, 2014 by JA Motter on YouTube
    This four-minute mini-documentary celebrates the life of Thomas A. Motter as an Indiana Basketball player. It includes a brief history of his playing career and several rather unique honors. It also includes a short video of the stirring recognition he received at the start of an Indiana University basketball game on February 15, 2009.
    March 1936, trio of basketball stars: Paul Curly Armstrong, Thomas A. Motter and Herm Schaefer under the direction of coach Murray Mendenhall Dean of Indiana High Schools Coaches during the 1940s won the Indiana State High School Championship Finals for the first time.Armstrong and Motter make the All-Tourney Team. They returned to the finals in 1937.

  6. Ceramic plate
    Gary Griswold photo
  7. Photo of 1954 50th Anniversary 1904-1954 with names of principals and deans on the back of ceramic plate posted May 21, 2022 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook
  8. Silent video of the 1960 Central High School state semifinal basketball game between the Tigers and the East Chicago Washington Senators receives play-by-play audio from Kent Hormann in Play-by-play on history Central High's 1960 semifinal loss given color by Jamie Duffy published April 09, 2015 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  9. Central High closed in effort to improve racial balance by Leo Morris published in Projects 1970-1979: ERA OF CRISES in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  10. Photo and discussion Janaury 25, 2017 by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and authorand Fort Wayne Public School collector plates from 50th Anniversary 1904-1954 posted September 27, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  11. Central High a rich part of city's history by Ashley Sloboda published March 6, 2017 on The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  12. Photo with the caption The old Central High School gym before it was torn down during the building's days as the Regional Vocation Center. It is now the Bill C. Anthis Center. was posted July 27, 2018 by FWCS, Fort Wayne Community Schoolson Twitter.
  13. March 19, 2023 post by Fort Wayne Sports History on Facebook:

    March 20

    In 1943, Central wins the state boys basketball title.

    The 1943 tournament was a very important one for the state as it was the first that included private, parochial and black schools, the first all-inclusive state tournament. So it was appropriate that Central was such a balanced team and didn't have true superstars.

    The Tigers finished 27-1 after their 45-40 win over Lebanon. Central's only loss that season came against South Side, a loss the Tigers avenged in the second meeting. The third meeting was one of best games in Fort Wayne history, with Central winning 25-24 in overtime in the sectional as Tom Shopoff hit the winning free throw.

    Central was coached by the great Murray Mendenhall, and his team included Murray Mendenhall Jr., Bob Armstrong, Bob Van Ryn, Shopoff, Jim Blanks, Charlie Stanski, Max Ramsey, Ray Chambers, Ed Lindenberg, Bob Doty and Ron Lewton. Shopoff led the team in scoring during the state tournament with 83 points, followed by Mendenhall Jr. with 81, Blanks with 66, Stanski with 62, Armstrong with 55 and Van Ryn with 53.

    That balance was also evident during the title game as Mendenhall scored 10 points, Stanski, Blanks and Van Ryn nine each. The Tigers were also great defensively, holding Lebanon to 13 of 55 shooting from the field. Lebanon star Pete Mount made just 3 of 21 shots. Stanski scored the finishing basket with about 30 seconds left.

    Mendenhall Sr. eventually became coach of the Fort Wayne Pistons, Mendenhall Jr. coached some excellent South Side teams in the 1970s and 1980s and Murray Mendenhall III became an excellent coach at Wayne. The Mendenhall coaches combined for 747 career wins.

    Also, in 1954, Bob Chase and Hilliard Gates broadcast the Milan-Muncie Central state championship game, the inspiration for the movie ``Hoosiers.'' 

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Central Catholic High School - 1938 to 1972

1938-1972. Central Catholic High School was a merger of the existing Catholic high schools of Fort Wayne into one co-educational high school. The school opened in 1938, and Bishop Noll dedicated it January 8, 1939. By 1970 there was a definite decline in enrollment. The school closed in 1972. Students who wished transferred to Bishop Dwnger or Bishop Luers High School. Copied from from a longer history on Central Catholic High School, Fort Wayne, Ind. page on Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods web site.

  1. Allen County, Indiana Yearbooks database Index at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Searches through Central Catholic High School, 1915-1972.
  2. Search through Central Catholic High School, 1915-1972.
  3. A few Central Catholic High School Fort Wayne books and Echo yearbooks at Internet Archive.
  4. The C.C.H.S. record : souvenir history of the Central Catholic High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 1909-1918 Publication date 1918
  5. Central Catholic High School, Fort Wayne Facebook Group
  6. Central Catholic High School, Fort Wayne, IN, Alumni Worldwide on Facebook
  7. Central Catholic High School, Fort Wayne, IN, Class of '65 on Facebook
  8. Fort Wayne’s Central Catholic in 1941 at The Genealogy Center
  9. Class Day Program June 5, 1953 at Internet Archive.
  10. Fond Memories Still Linger 50 Years After Closing of Fort Wayne’s Central Catholic High School, Kevin Kilbane, November 23, 2023 on Today's Catholic.
  11. March 30, 2023 post by Fort Wayne Sports History on Facebook:

    March 31

    In 1940, Central Catholic wins the second of back-to-back Catholic national championships.

    Before 1943, parochial schools were prohibited from playing in the Indiana High School boys basketball tournament. While every other team played in the sectionals, Central Catholic would participate in the Catholic state tournament, and when the Irish won, they’d advance to the National Catholic High School Basketball Championships in Chicago to play in the field of 32.

    The Irish won their first national title in 1939, beating Leo of Chicago 44-37 at Loyola University to finish 25-4. Ed Stanczak led the scoring with 19 points, Jim Boedecker scored nine and George Bitler seven.

    Central Catholic scored more than 40 points in all five tournament games. For the season the Irish averaged 41 points and allowed only 28. Central had beaten Leo 27-17 during a regular-season tilt.

    The other starters were Bob Heiny and Gene Maxwell with John Falvy, Nick Leto, Ed Gorman, Ed Klotz and Ed Dehner coming off the bench.

    Coach John Levicki’s Irish survived a 29-27 barnburner the next year against Indianapolis Cathedral in the state tournament.

    The national tournament was also much closer as Central Catholic beat Chicago St. Phillips 33-31 in the third round, Leo of Chicago 51-42 in the semifinals and finally beat Santa Fe, New Mexico 35-33 for the championship. Stanczak had 15 points this time and Klotz nine. Stanczak scored seven of his points in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning basket.

    The other starters that year were Harold Morthorst, Dick Krouse and Ed Dehner, with Nick Leto, Bob Walker and Bob Heiny coming off the bench.

    Also, in 1956, the Pistons lose the first game of the NBA Finals to Philadelphia 98-94.

Concordia Lutheran High School

  1. The Luminarian yearbooks 1952-1977 online at The Genealogy Center and same Luminarian yearbooks online as Archive.orgs.
  2. December 31, 1962 article with photos on the new high school building in The Journal Gazette newspaperposted June 1, 2017 on Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook.
  3. Concordia Lutheran High School – 1984 by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and authorpublished April 19, 2018 in Fort Wayne Reader.
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Eel River - Perry Consolidated High School

August 2, 2022 a photo of the 1966 graduating class with 1st grade, 8th grade and Senior year pictures posted by Huntertown Heritage Days on Facebook.

Elmhurst High School

The school was built in 1929 and closed in 2010. There is an Elmhurst High School Facebook page.

Elmhurst High School Fort Wayne, IN Closing Special 2010 by jaredsvideosduh published April 29, 2018 on YouTube.
This special was filmed, edited, and aired by Indiana's News Center/Granite Broadcasting Corporation and they are the owners of its content.

  1. The Anlibrum yearbook online at The Genealogy Center and the Anlibrum yearbook and a few Elmhurst Advance newspapers at Internet Archive.
  2. First graduating class in 1932 photo posted October 17, 2017 by The Waynedale News.com.
  3. 8 photos onthe original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook
  4. Elmhurst Advance School newspapers for various years as Archive.org.
  5. Building material manufacturer, Hanson Aggregates and Lehigh Hanson, bought the 28 acres of land in August 2017. This location is close to where the company began operations at the Ardmore Quarry in 1929. Copied from Company that purchased Elmhurst High School will allow alumni one last look before demolition by Kayla Crandall published August 24, 2017 on WKJG NBC.
  6. Article discussed August 24, 2017 on Fort Wayne's NBC on Facebook and August 24, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  7. Hanson Aggregates outlines plans for Elmhurst H.S. property The school eventually will be demolished, but no date has been set yet. published August 24, 2017 was in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  8. Class of '67 tours Elmhurst H.S. before memories are lost to demolition video by Jeff Neumeyer published August 25, 2017 on 21AliveNews.com.
  9. Over 35 photos posted October 14, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. ELMHURST 50+ YEAR BOOK by Michael Morrissey pubilished October 13, 2017 on The Waynedale News.com. Over 100 photos of final walk through posted November 12, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  10. The Waynedale News posted 100 Elmhurst stories written over the last 15 years in a special section on their web page.
  11. PRESERVING A KEY ELMHURST FEATURE AHEAD OF DEMOLITION by Alex Cornwell published May 25, 2018 in The Waynedale News.comand discussed June 2, 2018 on their Facebook page.
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Fort Wayne High School

1889 Fort Wayne High School

FORT WAYNE SCHOOLS CENTRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL, 1889 (FORT WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL) notice the horse drawn wagons.
Similar image Engraving of the old Fort Wayne High School, located on East Wayne Street between Calhoun and Clinton Streets both are at Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.
Same image from a book posted December 6, 2018 by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook stating:
For "Throwback Thursday" we share this photo of the old Fort Wayne High School. It is where A.K. Hofer went to school and met a great influence on his life, Principal Chester Lane. (Lane Junior High)

1907 Fort Wayne High School

1907 Fort Wayne, IND. High School Fort Wayne, IN. FWFV00399A at Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.

A July 26, 2022 post by The History Center on Facebook states:

As the City of Fort Wayne expanded so did its school system. One of the important symbols of that system is the diploma. One of the first classes of young Fort Wayne citizens to receive diplomas was the Class of 1866. These seven women graduated from Fort Wayne High School, which opened in 1857. A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. This document can simply be referred to as a degree certificate or graduation certificate, or as a parchment. In the United States, the word “diploma” usually refers to the actual document, especially in the context of academic degrees earned at the college or university level. That is, Americans normally draw a distinction between a diploma as documentary evidence of the award of an academic degree, and the underlying degree itself (which is not called a diploma). Visit the History Center to see these and many more in our new temporary exhibit “Making the Grade: Diplomas of Allen County.” #sociallyhistory

1864-1922. The cover of the 1914 Caldron yearbook illustrates 50 years 1864 1914. HISTORICAL SKETCH Central High School Fort Wayne High School opened in 1864 on East Wayne Street as the only public high school in Fort Wayne. The school's student population steadily grew, and by the early 1900s, a new building was needed in order to serve this larger student body. In 1904, a new building for the school was opened at 1200 S. Barr Street, welcoming nearly 500 students. Along with the new building was a new name, Fort Wayne High and Manual Training High School. In 1922, the school changed its name to Central High School as it was no longer the only public high school in Fort Wayne. Enrollment at the school maintained its growth, hitting over 1200 students. Through the 1930s, additions to the building were made to accommodate the number of students. In 1930, the boys and girls gyms were built, and in 1939, an addition to the building on its Clinton Street side was completed. By the 1960s, student enrollment started to decline due to movement out of the city. By 1968, enrollment dropped to just under 1000 students. It was around this time that the Civil Rights community was heavily advocating for desegregation. Central High School was already integrated with a student population that was half black and half white. The other high schools in the area, however, were not. To aid in desegregating other area high schools, Central High School was closed, district lines were redrawn, and two new high schools were created. When Central High School closed in 1971, the building was repurposed as a vocational center, the Fort Wayne Regional Vocation High School. In 1990, it was renamed as the Anthis Career Center, and in 2015 became the Anthis Career Academy. Posted March 27, 2022 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook. It was copied from Collection # M 1376 OM 0673 FORT WAYNE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS AND EPHEMERA, CA. 1929–1991 processed by Jessica Fischer May 2018 Manuscript and Visual Collections Department William Henry Smith Memorial Library Indiana Historical Society 450 West Ohio Street Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269 www.indianahistory.org. Indiana Album Harley Sheets Collection 1908 photo.

Photos from Fort Wayne Public High School at The Historical Marker Datatbase HMdb.org .
Similar photos posted March 5, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook

The first city directory in 1858 shows two existing school buildings on the No. 1 Eastern District north-east corner of Washington and Clay, and No. 2 Western District south-west corner of Jefferson and Griffith on page 13 of Williams' Fort Wayne directory, city guide, and business mirror : volume 1, 1858-'59 by Williams, C. S. (Calvin S.), Publication date 1858, an Archive.org. The first school was eventually known as Jefferson School with Griffith eventually becoming Fairfield Avenue.

The 1864 city directory shows essentially the same school information as in 1858 with a high school in No. 2 Western District on the south-west corner of Jefferson and Griffith.

School Department on page 20-21 of the 1864-65 Fort Wayne, Indiana, city directory by R.L. Polk & Co. cn, 1864-65, an Archive.org.

Fort Wayne High School was located on E. Wayne between Calhoun and Clinton from the 1878 Fort Wayne City Directory below: Archive.org. Will need to do a city directory search to see when Griffith Street changed to Fairfield Avenue?

Page 312, 1878 Fort Wayne, Indiana, city directory by R.L. Polk & Co. cn, 1878, an Archive.orgshows Fort Wayne High School on E. Wayne, between Calhoun and Clinton

  1. May 1, 2023 post by Genealogy Center on Facebook:

    It’s Mortarboard Monday! In honor of graduation season, we’re sharing biographies from the 1894 Central Grammar School class in Fort Wayne to see where their paths took them after graduation. [Fort Wayne High School name changed to Central High School in 1922.]

    Did you know our yearbook collection is searchable in our catalog? Start exploring here: https://acpl.lib.in.us/explore-genealogy/. Some are available to view digitally!

    Minnie Aker was born in 1874 in Fort Wayne, Indiana Ambrose Aker and Amanda Gillam. Ambrose supported his family, working as a carpenter. Minnie graduated from the Central Grammar School in Fort Wayne in 1894.

    On October 24, 1899, she married William G. McMaken. For the first few years of their marriage, the couple lived with William’s parents and he worked as a farmer. In 1904, she gave birth to a baby girl, Gladys.

    In 1917, Minnie and her family moved to Canada. William worked as an Assistant Manager for the International Harvester Co. of Canada Ltd and was “well known throughout western Canada where he took an active interest in farm machinery”. Minnie’s husband died in 1935 at the age of 58. Minnie was a member of the U.S. Women's Club and of the North Hill United Church in Calgary.

    Minnie died at the age of 82 in 1957 and is buried in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

    Find a Grave, database and images (http://findagrave.com : , memorial page for William Gettys McMaken (1877 - 1935), Find A Grave Memorial no. 135987113, citing Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta; memorial page is created and maintained by contributor 135987113, Calgary Helpers.

    Find a Grave, database and images (http://findagrave.com : accessed 26 April 2023), memorial page for Minnie Isele Aker McMaken (1874 - 1957), Find A Grave Memorial no. 135953241, citing Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta; memorial page is created and maintained by contributor 135987113, Calgary Helpers.

  2. Photo of 1896 football team posted September 21, 2014 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
  3. Images of a Dance card from the Fort Wayne High School’s 1913 commencement dance. The dance was held on June 20, 1913. posted December 3, 2013 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  4. Senior class of Fort Wayne High School to be graduated Thursday, June nineteenth / c Fort Wayne news and sentinel for 1919.

There are several years of Eniauton publications on Internet Archive and other publications like Vedette

Fort Wayne High School was open as early as June 1877 from this article A Chat About the High School by Chester T. Lane the namesake for the local Chester. T. Lane Middle School.

The Eniauton of .. by [Fort Wayne, Ind.] : Pub. by the Senior Class Collection allen_county; americana Volume yr.1897 an Archive.org.

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Fort Wayne High and Manual Training School (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

  1. Central High School Reunions at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Catalog result states: The school was known as the Fort Wayne Manual and Training School until the name was changed to Central High School in 1922-1923.
  2. There are at least 21 copies of the Caldron yearbook , and more than a dozen Vedette and Eniauton on Internet Archive. In 1922 it became the Central High School Caldron. Just a few of The Eniauton at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  3. Fort Wayne High School, 1920 Commencement, Allen County, Indiana at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  4. Question about the absence of the 1903-1910 yearbooks, Volume 7 was the 1902 Eniauton and Volume 8 was the 1911 Caldron, and 1913 yearbook December 30, 2022 and photos from the 1902 Caldron Volume 7 March 19, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

Harlan High School

December 6, 2023 shared post by Indiana Album on Facebook:

Check out the most viewed record of the year for collections hosted by PastPerfect Online! We use this amazing museum software to catalog our nearly 25,000 images. If you need assistance about using the program from your cataloging needs, please let us know.

December 6, 2023 post by PastPerfect Software on Facebook:

The most viewed record for this year has been a postcard of Harlan High School in Harlan, Indiana, made available online by Indiana Album: Harland Sheets Collection. This postcard, which is dated circa 1909 and features a handwritten note on the back, was viewed over 3,600 times between January 1st and November 30th!

To learn more about this postcard and others in the Indiana Album collection, visit Harlan High School, Harlan, Indiana, circa 1909 ..

Interested in sharing your own organization's collection? Call our office at 1-800-562-6080 or visit our website at museumsoftware.com to learn more!

Heritage High School

Hoagland

Hoagland 1947 yearbook 62 photos

Homestead High School

Homestead's Karissa McLaughlin is 2017 Indiana Miss Basketball by Justin Kenny was published April 27, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.

Leo High School

  1. Oracle yearbooks online at The Genealogy Center and same yearbooks online at Internet Archive.
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Monroeville High School

1911 and 1912 Echo yearbook at Internet Archive.

New Haven High School

  1. History with photos discussed June 15, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook
  2. Mirage yearbooks online and New Haven High School Class of 1938 Reunion Booklet of 1998 at The Genealogy Center and same yearbooks online at Internet Archive.

North Side High School

Street View photo from Google maps

Fort Wayne North Side Past and Present by Jim Keller posted July 24, 2012 on YouTube

Built in 1928 on the east side of the St. Joe River, an old aerial photo was posted October 12, 2017 by FWCS, Fort Wayne Community Schoolson Twitter. See official North Side High School at FWCS, Fort Wayne Community Schools. North Side Alumni Association web site and Facebook page.

  1. Allen County, Indiana Yearbooks database Index at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Searches North Side High School, 1929-2014, and South Side High School, 1923-1974, 1976-1994.
  2. Yearbooks Index and Legend yearbooks online, and the North Side High School collection includes all of the yearbooks from 1929 to 1977, several scrapbooks, reunion booklets for the classes of 1956 and 1970, videos for the 1969 and 1971 basketball seasons and photos of the entire 1938 and 1956 North Side High School graduating classes organized by Clubs, Photographs, Reunions, Scrapbooks, and Videos at The Genealogy Center. Same Legend yearbooks online at Internet Archive.
  3. 1929 North Side High School
    1929 yard-long photo could be a graduating class with kids holding flags with the names of area townships. Corrected Image showing all 4 columns. Posted March 16, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  4. 1929 North Side High School
    1929 yard-long photo could be a graduating class with kids holding flags with the names of area townships. Photo edit stitching error eliminated the fourth column? Posted March 16, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  5. Class of 1935 Class of 1935 yard-long photo. Posted March 16, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  6. North Side High School – Circa 1928

    By Randy Harter - Fort Wayne Reader 2016-06-30

    With the crowding of Central High School downtown, South Side High School was built in 1922, followed by North Side High School rising in 1927 north of town along the east side of the St. Joseph River. The school was designed by local architect Charles Weatherhog who also designed Central High School, the Anthony Hotel, and the Noll Mansion on Fairfield. The centrally domed structure featured an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, and what is arguably still today Fort Wayne Community Schools’ most beautiful auditorium.

    North Side underwent extensive restoration and expansion in 2002 and at over 400,000 square feet is the system’s largest school in area. North Siders will see that the football field has changed from a North/South to an East/West layout since this image was made in the late 1920’s. Note at top right across Parnell Avenue part of the old Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth (as it was called then), and at bottom left, just a wee bit of the old Centlivre Brewery peeking out.

    Randolph L. Harter is a Fort Wayne historian and author of two books on local history.

  7. A postcard was posted December 18, 2017 on Twitter and December 18, 2017 on Fort Wayne Food Tours Facebook.
  8. North Side High School Uncovering a century of history on FortWaynePublicHistory.com.
  9. North Side High School (Fort Wayne, Indiana) on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
  10. Purdue Fort Wayne, North Side HS team up for historical archive North Side High School and Purdue University Fort Wayne are seeking NSHS alumni and supporters with interesting NSHS artifacts to contribute to a digital collection. posted by ENDEAVORS on November 6, 2018 at Purdue University Fort Wayne.
  11. Henry Chapman, one of the top high school basketball players during a golden era of Hoosier Hysteria. ... Born in 1936 in Marion, Alabama, Chapman moved to Fort Wayne at a young age and attended what used to be Harmar Grade School. Copied from Hustlin’ Henry: Late North Side alum named to Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame by: Josh Ayen Posted: Dec 27, 2022 and posted December 27, 2022 on Facebook by CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.
  12. February 14, 2023 post by Hidden View Photography on Facebook:

    North Side High School football field vintage look. #fortwayne

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

2016/05/24: Announcement of new North Side High School logo by AroundFortWayne posted May 27, 2016 on YouTube
North Side High School unveiled the new logo to go along with the nickname Legends, which will begin being used in the 2016-17 school year. The logo, designed at no cost by Jostens, depicts the historic front entrance of North Side and a phoenix rising from flames. The school’s colors will remain red and white.
Speaker for the news conference is North Side High School Principal Chad Hissong.

Northrup High School

  1. Beartracks yearbook at The Genealogy Center.

R. Nelson Snider High School

The safari yearbook by R. Nelson Snider High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Publication date 1966, an Archive.org.
See more Safari yearbooks on Archive.org.

Snider High School: Excellence in Action by FWCommunitySchools on YouTube.
Snider High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana has a long history of excellence. Learn more about what makes this high school special.

Named for R. Nelson Snider. Webpage: www.fwcs.k12.in.us/Snider. Early 1960s photo of building the school building that opened in 1966 posted February 8, 2018 by FWCS, Fort Wayne Community Schoolson Twitter. Snider's 1st grads dressed for success about sharing Lane Junior High School while Snider was under construction by Frank Gray published June 11, 2017 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.

  1. The Safari yearbook 373.77274 R11s 1966-1977 online , 977.202 F77rn 373.77274 R11s 1966 to 1988 online plus Reference Only books to 2015 at The Genealogy Center and Safari copies since 1966 online on Archive.org.
  2. James Bill Green, 1950-2022 a 1969 graduate of Snider High School, page 146 of 1969 Safari yearbook, was remembered in the Man who renewed Fort Wayne's iconic Santa Claus display tradition dies at 71 from the iconic Wolf & Dessauer department store by Ashley Sloboda published July 6, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  3. Snider High School records at The Genealogy Center.
  4. Sharon Wichman won a gold medal in swimming in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
  5. Facebook groups:
    1. R. Nelson Snider High School
    2. Snider High School PTSA (Group)
    3. Snider High School BioMedical Program
    4. Snider High School Performing Arts Boosters
    5. R Nelson Snider High School Friends
    6. Snider Reunion
    7. Snider Reunion 1971 Seventy One - graduate Nancy Christy was the first woman winner of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire television show May 8, 2003.
    8. Snider High School, FW - Class of 1973
    9. Snider High School Class of 1990
    10. Snider High School Class of 1997
    11. Snider High School Class of 2001

South Side High School

Totem (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Publisher Fort Wayne, Indiana : South Side High School, 1923 on Archive.org

Construction of South Side High School began on September 1, 1921 with the goal of opening the following year. On September 11, 1922, the first students attended South Side. At the time of its building it was said to be the largest single level high school in the nation. Throughout the decades there have been eight principals, the first 3 had a combined tenure of 68 years. The original principal and the second are names that are familiar to the people of Fort Wayne: Robert C. Harris (1922-1926) and R. Nelson Snider (1926-1963), these educators have an elementary school and a high school, respectively, named after them. Throughout the years the school has seen multiple expansions and renovations: the first in 1937 made the entire building 2 story. Other projects followed in the 1950s, 1970s, 1981 and 1990s. One of the largest additions was the Helen P. Brown Natatorium [1996], holding Fort Wayne’s only Olympic size pool. Among its alumni are several notable national figures, including DaMarcus Beasley, Bill Blass, Shelley Long, Bernard Pollard and Dr. Nancy Snyderman. Today we celebrate the centennial of one of Fort Wayne’s educational institutions and wish it well as it continues to educate generations to come. Copied from September 11, 2022 post by The History Centerwith photos on Facebook. See photo of the one story building posted June 28, 2018 by Fort Wayne Food Tours on Facebook.

So far only a few South Side High School items on Internet Archive

Archers Alumni The online home of Fort Wayne's South Side High School Archers Alumni Association. South Side High School Alumni Association on Facebook, Distinguished Archer Alumni from the South Side Alumni Association on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine. South Side Athletics on Twitter. South Side High School (Fort Wayne, Indiana) on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

  1. Allen County, Indiana Yearbooks database Index at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Searches through South Side High School, 1923-1974, 1976-1994.
  2. South Side High School includes links to Attendance Records, Class Photographs, Newspapers, Reunions and Class Updates, and Yearbooks at The Genealogy Center
  3. Same yearbooks with over 160 items including school newspapers and more as subject:"South Side High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.)" at Internet Archive.
  4. April 26, 2023 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

    It's #waybackwednesday! Take a look at these then and now photos of South Side High School in Fort Wayne, courtesy of our Daniel A. Baker Collection. One view shows the school in 1923, a year after its opening, while the other photo shows the school in 2017. Did you go to South Side High School? Share your memories in the comments!

    View these photos and many more in our Community Album: http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/

  5. Baccalaureate services, South Side High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana, June 6th, 1926 by South Side High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Publication date 1926
  6. South Side High School, Class of 1930, Fort Wayne, Indiana in the The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indianawas originally shown June 5, 2022 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook .
  7. Class of 1932 photo discussed February 18, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  8. Class of 1938 discussed March 13, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  9. South Side High School, class of 1944 : [directory] at Internet Archive.
  10. 1960 Honor Roll list from the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
  11. 1966 South Side High School Totem Yearbookat The Genealogy Center
  12. 1977 snowy photo posted February 22, 2018 by FWCS, Fort Wayne Community Schools.
  13. South Side to honor 22 graduates Program included in celebration of 100th anniversary by Rosa Salter Rodriquez published April 16, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. Retired chemistry teacher George R. Davis jokingly calls it “Fort Wayne's Oscar.” For 25 years, the statuette known as “The Archer” has been given to alumni of South Side High School who have distinguished themselves in their studies, careers or community service. As South Side commemorates its 100th anniversary this year, the 11th awards ceremony has been worked into the festivities. Twenty-two new awardees will be added to a group that now numbers nearly 100 notables – such as international fashion designer Bill Blass, former Fort Wayne mayors Ivan Lebamoff and Win Moses, actress Shelley Long and TV health reporter Dr. Nancy Snyderman. The new winners include international professional soccer star DaMarcus Beasley, a four-time World Cup participant, and National Football League safety Bernard Pollard Jr., a second-round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006. Local notables include Fort Wayne Deputy Mayor Karl Bandemer, Judge Andrea D. Trevino of Allen County Superior Court, retired Lutheran pastor Dr. James Cress and Fort Wayne Police Department Deputy Chief Marty Bender. The new award winners were chosen by Davis ('52), James Frey ('55), G. Stanley Hood ('56) and Joe Deitche ('86). The awards are based on a potential recipient's outstanding career accomplishment, service to the community and contributions to South Side High School.
  14. South Side High: 'Anchor' of city for 100 years by Rosa Salter Rodriquez published May 22, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.

Wayne High School

See official Wayne High School at FWCS, Fort Wayne Community Schools and Wayne High School (Fort Wayne, Indiana) on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Photo of 1971 construction posted November 1, 2018 by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook.

Woodland High School

Woodburn, now a Junior-Senior High School

  1. Catalog search for Fort Wayne "high school" yearbooks and school yearbooks at The Genealogy Center.
  2. Several volumes of The Arrow yearbook and more on Internet Archive.
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