Public schools
were established almost immediately after the first settlers came to North
Lawrence. However, funds were not
available for building public buildings, and for perhaps ten years school was
held in any public place which would accommodate them—churches, halls and even
some residences. One of the first
schools was located on the south side of Locust Street between North Third and
North Fourth Streets. There was another
school on the northwest corner of North Fifth and Elm Streets.
Before 1868 these widely scattered
locations were accommodating more than 250 pupils. The old Lincoln School on the northeast
corner of North Seventh and Lincoln Streets was the first substantial school
building to be erected as the Sixth Ward School and shortly thereafter, the Old
Woodlawn building was built as the Fifth Ward School on Perry Street.
In
1923 Woodlawn School was burned at 2:30 A.M.
On
February 4, 1924, the motion was made and seconded by the committee that the
location of the new school was to be at Fifth and Elm Streets in North
Lawrence. In addition to a large
auditorium (gymnasium), the school has a kindergarten, library, eight standard
classrooms, office, clinic, and ample playground. Bonds amounting to $10,000 had been issued to
construct the new building.
In 1954 in a decision by the Supreme
Court in the case of Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, all
schools were to be desegregated.
Consequently, Lincoln and Woodlawn Schools were integrated in 1955.
For several years some of the primary
classes had their rooms in the Lincoln School building. In 1961 all students were moved to Woodlawn
after the completion of the new addition.