Gilmore High School facts for kids

Gilmore High School, also known as Cincinnati High School, was a special school. It was started in 1844 by Reverend Hiram S. Gilmore. This school offered high school education to African-American students. Students came from all over the country to attend. This included children of wealthy white families and African Americans who were enslaved by them. The school was located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

What Was Gilmore High School Like?

The main goal of Gilmore High School was to give a good education. Many children at the time had very few chances to go to school. This school helped prepare them for college. Some students later went to Oberlin College. This college allowed black students to attend.

What Students Learned

Students at Gilmore High School learned many subjects. They studied classic topics like English, Greek, and Latin. They also had classes in dance and music. People in Cincinnati thought it was the only school that offered such training for black people. This was different from other schools. Many schools for black students focused only on job skills.

The School Building and Funding

The school building was on Harrison Street. It had a chapel and five classrooms. There was also outdoor gym equipment. Reverend Gilmore paid for the building himself. Other costs, like keeping the school running, came from donations. Some students paid tuition fees. The school also raised money from music concerts. These concerts were held in Ohio, New York, and Canada. Money from the concerts also helped buy books and clothes for students who needed them.

Teachers and Students

Reverend Gilmore was the school's principal. His brother-in-law, Joseph Moore, taught the advanced classes. About 300 students attended the school each year. There were five teachers in total.

The Need for Public Schools

In the 1850s, three schools were started by African-Americans. These schools were funded and run by the Colored Education Society. However, by the late 1850s, only 38% of black children went to school. In contrast, 72% of white children attended school.

Schools like Gilmore High School became less common over time. African-American activists worked hard for their right to public school education. There was a big need for better education across the state. Everyone deserved a good education, no matter their family's wealth.

Public vs. Private Schools

Wealthy families often sent their children to private schools. This meant their children had smaller classes. Teachers were not overworked, and school terms were longer. This difference between public and private schools meant poor children had fewer chances for good jobs.

Black property owners paid school taxes. But this money did not go to public schools for African-Americans. The number of children needing schools was growing. Private schools could not handle all the students. In 1849, a new law was passed. This law allowed public schools to be created for black children.

About Hiram S. Gilmore

Hiram S. Gilmore was born on July 22, 1819. He was from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His parents were Gordon R. and Phoebe Sandford Gilmore. Hiram and his older brother both went to Yale College.

Hiram's father came to the United States from Ireland. His mother's family was from England. They were early settlers on Long Island, New York. Hiram went to Lane Theological Seminary after he married Maria H. Moore. He became a minister for the New England Methodist Episcopal Church.

He used money he inherited to help people. He worked as a missionary, helping the poor. He also created educational chances for black children. Later, he started his own free Unitarian church. Hiram S. Gilmore passed away on February 11, 1849, from tuberculosis.

Famous Former Students

• Peter H. Clark, who became a principal at Gaines High School
• John Mercer Langston, who became a dean at Howard University Law School
• P. B. S. Pinchback, who served as the governor of Louisiana
• Edward J. Sanderlin, a successful businessman and civil rights activist
• James Monroe Trotter, who worked as a U.S. Recorder of deeds