Dating back to , the Lima City Schools has a very rich history filled with interesting and important stories. Each day, we continue to build on that history and the place we hold in our community. The Beginning. Before public schools were a part of Lima, many children were educated at home. Some affluent families sent their children to schools in the east. Others attended subscription schools, where parents paid the teacher according to the number of subjects their child took.
By , the demand for schools was growing. The Lima Academy flourished as a private school until With its local passage, public schools — Lima Union Schools — began in September First Public School Classes. In , a four-year high school course was adopted.
The first Lima High School commencement was held on June 3, and district enrollment reached more than East Building. The three-story brick building had 14 rooms, an assembly room, and offices for the principal and superintendent.
The high school was held on the upper floors and elementary grades on the lower floor. With the discovery of oil in the s, Lima grew rapidly. People came from all over. For the Lima Union Schools, it meant more students and the need for more buildings.
Enrollment reached , with 30 or more on the faculty. Building Boom. Lincoln School at Vine and Elizabeth streets was the third public school building built in It was an eight-room brick building. The four-room Whittier School was built on Reese Avenue in and expanded to six rooms in Longfellow School was built at the corner of Shawnee and Market Streets in Tornado Destroys East Building.
