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Lincoln Park High School (LPHS), formerly known as Waller High School, was established in 1899 as the first school on Chicago's north side.

The school, located at 2001 North Orchard Street, in the Lincoln Park area, is consistently among the top public high schools in Chicago. It borders Oz Park.

History

The school was started when three division high school opened in different sections of the city: North, West, and South, to supplement Chicago's main Central High School. As the student population grew, it became clear that more space was needed, and the erection of a new building at the current location was begun in 1899. In 1900 the school officially opened and was renamed Robert A. Waller High School (also the developer of the Buena Park neighborhood in Uptown).

Lincoln Park High School in 1899

Enrollment was rapid. A 1903 issue of the Yellow and Blue, the school newspaper, lists 82 graduates. The music, athletic, and drama programs were especially strong at this time. In 1919 the ROTC was established at Lincoln Park.

During the 1920s the two-year vocational program with a mid-year graduation increased in popularity. This program featured a strong business-oriented component. The student body's growth made it necessary for a new building; however, the Great Depression halted all work.

The hard times of the 1930s affected not only families but also the school system. Teachers were not paid on a regular basis; equipment and supplies were not available. This often led to substance abuse occurring on a daily basis within the school. The space problem continued however, because more students were attending school. Despite the economic troubles, athletics and other programs continued to grow. The new building was completed in 1938.

Lincoln Park High School in 2007

The school continued to grow, despite the changing neighborhood. The school population in the early 1960s was almost ideally integrated, and included a rich ethnic, as well as racial, mix. The college preparatory emphasis was strong but so were the various vocational programs and work-study opportunities. Night classes were offered.

In 1962, the high school built yet another building to accommodate the growing student body. During the middle 1960s, Waller High School encountered the struggles for racial accord that consumed the nation. The school fell into disrepair and was seized by racially-sparked conflicts. After the death of Martin Luther King Jr., Lincoln Park became one of the first schools in Chicago to explore cultures and histories of non-white peoples. During the 1970s, the school again had problems with the state of the building and increased racial problems. Community leaders and elementary feeder school parents, including some from the Cabrini-Green public housing development, worked on revitalizing the school.

By the late 1970s and early 1980s, it had been transformed again with its International Baccalaureate and performing arts programs.

Programs

Lincoln Park High School is made up of four smaller schools. There is the regular Chicago Public high school, Fine Arts/Performing Arts school, the International Baccalaureate Program, and the honors high school program. Many of the students take part in classes at more than one smaller school. The JROTC Program is also at Lincoln Park.

The Fine and Performing Arts Program is rated as the best program of its kind in the city of Chicago, and one of the best in the state of Illinois. The band, orchestra, and choral programs have received honors including first division ratings at city and IHSA contests, and many students from the program are also selected to All-State ensembles at the yearly IMEA convention.

Academic Honors

Lincoln Park High School has been consistently strong in science fair and history fair competitions, sending students to the national contests of each fair every year.

The school also does well in academic competitions. Mayor Daley's Book Team won the City contest in 2006, and the Lincoln Park Know Your Heritage Team won the city contest in 2006 as well. At least one Lincoln Park Future Problem Solving Team has gone to state competition every year since the program was brought to the school in 2003, and in 2005, the school won the Future Problem Solving state championship.

Lincoln Park had 19 National Merit Semi-finalists in 2006, the most of any public high school in Chicago.

Lincoln Park was ranked as #88 in a 2008 Newsweek ranking of top U.S. high schools and was one of only two schools from Illinois to be listed in the top 100.^[1]

Feeder patterns

Several K-8 schools feed into Lincoln High School.^[2] All of the attendance zones of Agassiz, Alcott, Jenner, Abraham Lincoln, Manierre, Mayer, and Schiller feed into Lincoln Park. In addition portions of the zones of Ogden and Prescott feed into Lincoln Park.^[3][4]

Trivia

• Current Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White was a member of the Waller High School Class of 1952

• The outside of the school was featured in the episode "Nugget of History" on Disney's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody".

• Several scenes from the movie "Mean Girls" were filmed in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.^[5]

• Mentioned in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, as the school where Toula's husband Ian Miller works.

• Freddy Rodríguez, known for his roles on the television programs Six Feet Under and Ugly Betty, began his acting career at Lincoln Park High School, where he appeared in more than a dozen plays, including "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Twelve Angry Men", "The Crucible", "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "The Lottery".

References

External links

• Lincoln Park High School (English)