This is Not a comprehensive research list of Allen County schools. Most information is collected from photos posted and discussions appearing on social media. Eventually web sites, addresses and phone numbers will be added as time permits. Because there are so many schools a separate page exists for Elementary, Middle and High Schools.
Throughout the years Fort Wayne has been home to numerous schools. Our local schools were started in 1853 and continue to educate the children of Fort Wayne. In 1891, Franklin School was built at the corner of Franklin Avenue and Huffman Street to help alleviate the overcrowding at Bloomingdale. This building served until 1921 when the new Franklin School was completed on St. Mary’s Avenue. Over time the school housed different ages of students from 1891-1960: K-8, known as Franklin Elementary; 1960-1980: 7-9, known as Franklin Junior High; and 1980-1981: 6-8, known as Franklin Middle School. Several additions were made to the building to accommodate the growing and varying ages of students. In 1981, with declining enrollment and rising renovation costs, Franklin School closed on June 5, 1981. The building was later used by the U. S. Navy and Fort Wayne Police. The school building was eventually demolished in 2014; however, the entryway arches, grounds, and maintenance building were preserved. Today Franklin School Park features a splash pad, walking paths, and a community hall, which holds an office for police officers to take a break and do paperwork. #sociallyhistory
For "Throwback Thursday" we dug this out of The Ol' Scrapbook! This is from the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette dated May 10, 1966 after Fort Wayne Community Schools Board approved the plan for Jefferson Junior High School on the Wheelock Road. By the way.....Hofer and Davis, Inc. did the Boundary and Topographic Surveys for FWCS!
A photo with a short article stating: Jenness Clark and Ronald Bennett, ninth-grade students at Lakeside Junior High School, stand with a bell that once called students to class at the Lakeside (elementary) School, which they had attended. The elementary school was being demolished, but the bell was removed Sept. 27, 1960, and taken to the junior high. A caption with the photo indicated the bell would not ring again. opied from `Sept. 27, 1960: A day in photos of Fort Wayne by Corey McMaken posted August 25, 2022 in the History Journal features and stories of historical interest from the archives of The Journal Gazette.
Named for Chester T. Lane principal of the Fort Wayne High School, 1879-1915. Webpage: www.fwcs.k12.in.us/Lane. Lane Middle School under construction in the early 1960s. The school opened in 1965.
Any of you go or have kids that went to Lane Junior High? H & D provided the boundary and topo surveys for Fort Wayne Community Schools in 1963. A.K. Hofer credited Chester T. Lane (principal of Fort Wayne High School for 40 years) as the "most influential" teacher he owed the most in Griswolds 1926 book "Builders of Greater Fort Wayne"
Back on March 12, 2015 we shared the February 26, 1964 Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette architect's sketch of the proposed Chester T. Lane Junior High School for "Throwback Thursday". We received this letter recently from Ken Cole's widow (Ken was one of the architects working on the school) that A.K. Hofer penned in response to Principal Ralph McClain's invitation to particpate in the school dedication as a memorial to Mr. Lane. A.K. credited Mr. Lane as being "his most influential teacher" in Bert J. Griswold's 1926 book "BUILDERS OF GREATER FORT WAYNE". We think this letter is a testament of A.K. Hofer's regard of Mister Chester T. Lane and we thank Mrs. Cole for sending it.
