Old Lincoln High School (Tallahassee, Florida)
Encyclopedia
Lincoln High School was a high school
located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States during segregation
. It is commonly referred to as "Historic Lincoln High School" or "Old Lincoln". It is no longer a functioning school.
Lincoln High School opened in 1869 during Reconstruction as the all-black school in Leon County, Florida
. It served grades 1 through 12. Its rival schools were FAMU High School and Griffin High School(mascot Hornets) what is now Griffin Middle. Because of it was to crowded, some black students went to Bond School (what we now know as Bond Elementary) for grades one through nine. John G. Riley was the first black to become principal of a Leon County School when he served as principal of Lincoln Academy, the predecessor of Lincoln High School. In the same area where Lincoln was located was the Lincoln Nursing Center for children who were not ready for the first grade.
After integration, Lincoln High was closed down and Griffin Middle was given the Tiger mascot. Lincoln's last two classes were transferred to Griffin; hence, the school being renamed Lincoln-Griffin High. Students in the Class of 1968 and the Class of 1969 finished from Lincoln-Griffin High. Lincoln has been through three different stages. It was first located on Copeland Street, then moved to some land that was later sold to Florida State University
and then to its present location on Brevard and Macomb Streets. The school was closed in 1967-68 when Leon County Schools were integrated. The Class of 1967 was the last class to graduate as Lincoln High School Tigers.
Lincoln High was named after a small section of Tallahassee that was called Lincoln Heights. Lincoln Heights was later destroyed. The city extended Frenchtown, so now the area is called Historic Frenchtown. It was owned by a black couple who later sold the school to Leon County Schools for $150 in 1876.
Parts of the Old Lincoln such as the gym and some other vocational buildings were torn down. The main structure that still stands on the grounds is known as the Lincoln Neighborhood Center. When the original school existed, students would attend "regular school" during the day; and at night, students attended vocational classes such as tailoring, cosmetology (Ms. Harris), welding, Spanish (Ms. Rainey), nursing and some others. On the current site is the Lincoln Room Museum where people can experience Old Lincoln and view some of the artifacts of the school. The original plaque that is engraved in the building remains, and it is inscribed "Lincoln High School Home of the Tigers." The area where the gymnasium is located on campus now was once the school's auditorium, and the stage still remains the same.
After the closing of Lincoln High School, the school that is now known as Amos P. Godby High School
, was supposed to be named Lincoln High and to have the same colors, mascot and tradition, but the superintendent at the time of retirement wanted his name on the school. Godby has Lincoln's school colors, but the mascot was changed to Cougars.
On May 14, 1992, "Old Lincoln" was officially recognized as an historical site by the Historic Preservation Society Florida Heritage Foundation and the Historic Tallahassee Preservation Board.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States during segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
. It is commonly referred to as "Historic Lincoln High School" or "Old Lincoln". It is no longer a functioning school.
History
Leon County, Florida
Leon County is a county located in the state of Florida, named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. At the 2010 Census, the population was 275,487. The county seat of Leon County is Tallahassee which also serves as the state capital. The county seat is home to two of Florida's major...
. It served grades 1 through 12. Its rival schools were FAMU High School and Griffin High School(mascot Hornets) what is now Griffin Middle. Because of it was to crowded, some black students went to Bond School (what we now know as Bond Elementary) for grades one through nine. John G. Riley was the first black to become principal of a Leon County School when he served as principal of Lincoln Academy, the predecessor of Lincoln High School. In the same area where Lincoln was located was the Lincoln Nursing Center for children who were not ready for the first grade.
After integration, Lincoln High was closed down and Griffin Middle was given the Tiger mascot. Lincoln's last two classes were transferred to Griffin; hence, the school being renamed Lincoln-Griffin High. Students in the Class of 1968 and the Class of 1969 finished from Lincoln-Griffin High. Lincoln has been through three different stages. It was first located on Copeland Street, then moved to some land that was later sold to Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
and then to its present location on Brevard and Macomb Streets. The school was closed in 1967-68 when Leon County Schools were integrated. The Class of 1967 was the last class to graduate as Lincoln High School Tigers.
Lincoln High was named after a small section of Tallahassee that was called Lincoln Heights. Lincoln Heights was later destroyed. The city extended Frenchtown, so now the area is called Historic Frenchtown. It was owned by a black couple who later sold the school to Leon County Schools for $150 in 1876.
Parts of the Old Lincoln such as the gym and some other vocational buildings were torn down. The main structure that still stands on the grounds is known as the Lincoln Neighborhood Center. When the original school existed, students would attend "regular school" during the day; and at night, students attended vocational classes such as tailoring, cosmetology (Ms. Harris), welding, Spanish (Ms. Rainey), nursing and some others. On the current site is the Lincoln Room Museum where people can experience Old Lincoln and view some of the artifacts of the school. The original plaque that is engraved in the building remains, and it is inscribed "Lincoln High School Home of the Tigers." The area where the gymnasium is located on campus now was once the school's auditorium, and the stage still remains the same.
After the closing of Lincoln High School, the school that is now known as Amos P. Godby High School
Amos P. Godby High School
Amos P. Godby High School is a public high school in Tallahassee, Florida, named for Mr. Amos P. Godby, who served as a teacher, coach, Leon County Superintendent, and President and Secretary of the Florida Superintendents Association.-History:Amos P...
, was supposed to be named Lincoln High and to have the same colors, mascot and tradition, but the superintendent at the time of retirement wanted his name on the school. Godby has Lincoln's school colors, but the mascot was changed to Cougars.
On May 14, 1992, "Old Lincoln" was officially recognized as an historical site by the Historic Preservation Society Florida Heritage Foundation and the Historic Tallahassee Preservation Board.