Carthage Historic Preservation, Inc.
Mailing Address:  P.O. Box 375 | Carthage, MO  64836
Phelps House:  1146  Grand Avenue, Carthage, MO
417.358.1776

The story of Lincoln School is a vital chapter in Carthage’s history, reflecting both the struggles and the resilience of the city’s Black American community during the era of segregation.

 

Following the Civil War, newly freed families who had settled in Carthage sought opportunities for their children’s education. Beginning in 1869, classes for Black students were held in temporary locations around town.  At the urging of Black American parents, in 1881 the Carthage Board of Education built a permanent school at the corner of Garrison Avenue and High Street. Named Lincoln School in honor of President Abraham Lincoln, the small brick structure contained two classrooms and served both elementary and secondary students.

 

As the Black American population grew in Carthage, so did the need for a larger facility. In 1914, Carthage voters approved a $10,000 bond to build a new school. The second Lincoln School was completed in 1915 at 6th and River Streets, providing modern space for students and teachers. Tragedy struck just two years later when the wooden building was destroyed by fire, forcing classes to relocate to the old Washington School for the remainder of the school year.  A new brick building was constructed in 1918 and continued serving as the center of education for Black American children in Carthage for the next four decades.

 

Lincoln School became not just a place of learning, but a cornerstone of the community. Generations of students passed through its doors, guided by dedicated educators such as principal Kathryn Redmond and teacher Eula Scott. Despite limited resources, the school nurtured the talents of young people, including James Scott, who would go on to become one of America’s most celebrated ragtime composers, and Air Force Colonel Kenneth O. Wofford, a Tuskegee Airman.

 

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision declared school segregation unconstitutional.  Carthage began integrating its schools the following year, and Lincoln School closed at the end of the 1954–55 term. The second Lincoln School building was eventually torn down in 1965 to make way for Carthage’s Vocational and Technical School.

 

The original Lincoln School building was sold in 1917 to a member of the police force who planned to renovate it as  his home and to raise berries on the surrounding lots.  Over the years, the building has served as a private residence, business office, the Murrell Potato Chip factory, and apartments.  It still stands today.