Joplin High School Turns 125

Joplin High School is celebrating 125 years of secondary public education in the city of Joplin. In 1885, Joplin High School began with just a few students, and in three years diplomas were awarded for the first graduating class. Soon thereafter, as the population of Joplin grew at the turn of the century, so did the number of students graduating annually.

In the early of days of public secondary education, not everyone attended high school. However, with the comprehensive high school movement and expanded curriculum offerings in the early 1900s many students persisted with their education.

Following the inception of Joplin High School in 1885, there was one public high school until 1933. However, from 1934 to 1956 Joplin had two public high schools. In addition to the program offered at Joplin High School, Lincoln High School offered African-American students a high school education. In the late 1950s, Lincoln High School students joined up with Joplin High School students and attended school together at the present location at 2104 Indiana Avenue.

Later, in 1968, Joplin High School split into two high schools, one named Parkwood at 2104 Indiana Avenue and the other was named Memorial High School at 310 W. 8th Street. Joplin had two public high schools for the next 17 years until the two schools came back together to form Joplin High School for the 1985-1986 school year and until the present time.

Over the past 125 years, over 34,400 students have graduated from public high school in Joplin.