'The Little White School House drawing. PO1.1169

President William McKinley's first grade teacher, Miss Sanford, is seen riding in this carriage during a parade on North Main Street and Park Avenue. The Allison Hotel, later the Antler Hotel, is in the background. ca 1910.

Niles High School.

The first public school, a little white frame building, was erected after 1834 on North Main Street, on the McKinley Memorial grounds next to the Presbyterian Church. In this one room school house, the teacher was expected to teach the three R's to all levels and maintain discipline.

One room school houses were also located on Chestnut Street, Walnut Street and two more were reported on the South Side of Niles.

In 1842, the Leslie Avenue School was built near the northeast corner of Leslie and Linden Avenues. This frame building was renamed Grant Street School in 1920. It has been razed.

The three story brick and mortar Central School Building opened in 1871. Frank Carl E. Robbins was the first student to graduate from Cental School in 1875. After a fire in the mid 1920's, Central School was demolished and a public park with a band pavillion and wading pool was erected on that site. Link to Central Park Story.

Location of Central High School on 1924 map.

The first brick school, Central School, was located on Furnace Street, now State Street, near Church Street. The building was a three story brick structure with arched windows and brick details on each corner of the building. There were six teachers employed including the principal. The road was dirt and transportation was by horse and wagon.

The bell for the tower was cast by A. Fulton and Sons of Pittsburgh, PA.

In 1926, Central School was demolished and in 1928 a band pavillion and wading pool was built on the site.

Link to Central Park history.

Construction scaffolding at Niles High School.

Niles High School shortly after construction was completed. Note the arch window on top floor center. The Central School bell has not yet been placed on the school grounds.

Industrial arts room on the second floor was added to the Annex. PO1.1957

Niles High School as it appeared in 1936. PO2.480

Open Air Playground built in 1921

New Classrooms for Niles High School.
The open air playground was built to provide play/exercise spacefor the elementary school children protected from the environment. Just four years after the Niles High School opened in 1917, this area would have brick walls and two floors to accomodate new technical classes.

The columns and roof would become a part of the new Annex. A long covered concourse would be added along the outside wall on the west side of the building to provide access to the new classrooms. Steps provided access to the lower level areas. A cafeteria and open space for for lunch tables and gym classes would laterbe added.

“Teams are at work excavating for the foundation which is soon to be laid beneath the open air playground, transforming the institution into a school for vocational training. The dirt being hauled from the structure is being used for filling at the new Madison Avenue School.”
Niles Daily News May 17, 1921

Cheerleaders posing in front
of Riverside Stadium, ca 1948.

Row 1. Louis Tauro, Sietz, Jim Chiarmonte, Sam Biviano, Soda
Row 2 .Pete Dunco, Phil Ragazzo, Sam Infante, Guy Churazzi, Bill Bender, Bill Litvin, Bob Slick, Cornell LePore, Lew Smith Coach
Row .3 Bill Jones, Muche, Jack Sanyer, Dean Rees, Joe Driscoll,
Royce McCormick, John Madden
Row 4. Sam Matteo, Steve Halleck, Joe Schink, Joe McCormick,
John Kosance, Joe Tricomi.
Row 5. Palmer Scarnecchia, Pete McMurray, Francis Scarnecchia, Chick Waters, John Baer, John Lewis, Alex Yuhasz. PO11.287

Niles School band 1941 all in uniform. Ruth Fisher, first front row; Mary Whitney, last front row. James Bill Holmes, marked on second row. PO11.180

The football stadium was built as a WPA project in 1934. PO3.7

Click here to continue to Niles McKinley High School (1958 - present day) webpage