Kinzie School
Life Span: 1846-1871
Location: Ohio and LaSalle Streets
Architect: TBD
History of Chicago, A.T. Andreas, 1885
Kinzie School—In March, 1845, the question of erecting a permanent building in District No. 4, North Division, was agitated, recommended by the Committee on Schools in June, and the structure completed in January, 1846. The site was on the corner of LaSalle Avenue and Ohio Street, being purchased by William B. Ogden. The size of the building was forty-five by seventy feet, two stories high. Its first principal was A. G. Wilder, who had been in charge of the school of this district since 1843, and retained his position for a period of fourteen years. In 1857, Philip Atkinson succeeded him, serving until the fall of 1858. The next principal was Benjamin D. Slocum, who served until 1862, when William J. Armstrong was chosen to the position. After remaining about four months he was succeeded by Jeremiah Slocum, who served until May, 1864, when he was transferred to the Moseley School. Ira S. Baker was Mr. Slocum’s successor and remained in charge of the school until the fall of 1868. F. Hanford was principal during the school year 1868-69, and was followed by James Hannan, who continued thus to act up to the time the main building and branch were destroyed by the fire of 1871.
Kinzie School
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1869
At the close of 1857 there were ten public schools with two minor branches of schools of the grammar and primary grades. They were located and governed as follows:
- School No. I—On Madison, between State and Dearborn; O. B. Hewett, principal, aided by five lady assistants. Salaries paid, $2,900.
School No. 2—Corner of Clark and Harrison; Willard Wood- ard, principal, aided by five lady assistants. Salaries paid, $2,925.
School No. 3—On Madison, between Halsted and Union; Daniel S. Wentworth, principal, aided by six lady assistants. Salaries paid, $3,600.
Branch of No. 3—In the Jefferson-street church, between Washington and Madison; Sarah A. Culver and one assistant. Salaries paid, $650.
School No. 4—Corner of Ohio and La Salle; Alden G. Wilder, principal, aided by five assistant teachers. Salaries paid, $3,100.
School No. 5—Corner of Division and Sedgwick; William Drake, principal, aided by five lady assistants. Salaries paid, $2,850.
School No. 6—Corner of Owen and Sangamon; A.D Sturdevant, principal, aided by five lady assistants. Salaries paid, $3,100.
School No. 7—Corner of Michigan Avenue and Monterey B.; V. Averill, principal, aided bv two lady assistants. Salaries paid, $1,750.
School No. 8—Corner of Warren and Wood; Henry M. Keith, principal, aided by Julia E.W. Keith. Salaries paid, $1,450.
School No. 9—On Union, near Twelfth; George W. Spofford, principal, aided by two lady assistants. Salaries paid, $1,500.
School No. 10—Corner of Chestnut and Wolcott; A. H. Fitch, principal, aided by five lady assistants. Salaries paid $2,600.
Chicago Evening Mail, January 18, 1871
NEW KINZIE SCHOOL BUILDING.
Inspector Clark, from the select Committee of Inspectors from the North Division, read a report recommending the erection of a new grammar school building on the site of the present Kinzie School, at a cost of about $30,000, to accommodate 950 pupils. There are now accommodated in rented buildings in the Kinzie District about 500 pupils, who ought to ne better accommodated. The old Kinzie School is dilapidated and unfit for use. The committee also recommended that the boundaroes now existing with reference to primary pupils, be extended to include all grammar pupils, so far as grammar schools are concerned.
Chicago Tribune, January 18, 1871
KINZIE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
Inspector Schintz, from the Committee on Buildings and Grounds, to whom were referred several proposals to sell to the city a lot for school purposes in the Kinzie School District, reported that in that district there were 1,224 children in schools and 300 who wanted seats; 794 of those accommodated were in the grammar and primary buildings of the Kinzie School, and 430 temporarily in leased buildings. The committee were satisfied that the largest number of children to be accommodated resided west of LaSalle street and north of Ohio. They recommended, therefore, the purchase of the lot at the southwest corner of Huron and Franklin for $32,200, or $2 a square foot. The erection of a twelve-room primary building thereon would accommodate 768 children.
Inspector Hammond opposed the recommendations, because the location was too far west and price too high. He preferred a lot on Huron, between Clark and Dearborn, at a lower price. He moved as an amendment to accept a lot in question, costing $30,000, and being in a better locality.
Inspector Schintz said every child east of LaSalle street was accommodated.
Inspector Hambleton’s motion was lost—yeas, 6; nays, 10; and recommendation of the committee was adopted—yeas, 11; nays, 5.