Lincoln
Built in 1893
Named For:
President Abraham Lincoln, an American statesman and lawyer who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 – 1865. Lincoln was born into poverty in a log cabin and was raised on the frontier, primarily in Indiana. Lincoln was mostly self-educated, except for some schooling from itinerant teachers. He persisted as an avid reader and retained a lifelong interest in learning. Family, neighbors, and schoolmates recalled that his reading included the King James Bible, Aesop’s Fables, John Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim’s Progress”, Daniel Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe”, and The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.
Location: Between 5th Ave E and 6th Ave E; Between E 3rd St and E 4th St
Features:
Lincoln School was located on the corner of West Fourth Street and L Avenue. In present day this location is East 4th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue East. Originally, the school contained 8 classrooms and was noted to have a splendid view of the Superior Bay, Minnesota Point, and the lake beyond. Improvements were made to the school in 1907. A modern gymnasium and additional classrooms, including a new kindergarten, was constructed in 1924.
Carry On . . .
LeRoy Doleysh was the Principal for the 1918-1919 school year until he was called into military service during the first World War. Miss Blanche Wood was elected to fill the vacant position. By the end of the first semester twelve students graduated from the eighth grade. With the exception of one that moved away, all the others moved on to enter High School proving that their motto “Carry On” was not just meaningless words.
Closing:
In 1946 it was apparent upon inspection the old part of the school would need to be abandoned. During the summer of 1947, the old Lincoln School was razed with the exception of the 1924 addition. A new Lincoln was created by remodeling and expanding the 1924 addition with two additional classrooms. The school was in use until 1994 and razed about a year later.