Topeka High School is a fully accredited high school, serving students in grades 9–12, located in Topeka, Kansas. It is one of four high schools within Topeka Public Schools. In the 2010-2011 school year, there were 1,840 students enrolled.Topeka High School was established in 1871, and moved to its current location in 1931. At the time, it was among the first million dollar high schools west of the Mississippi River. Topeka High offers a variety of sports and extracurricular activities, and notable alumni include Charles Curtis, 31st Vice President of the United States. Topeka High School's mission "is to prepare all students for college and/or career readiness and success in a global society".HistoryEarly historyThe Topeka Board of Education established Topeka High School in 1871, and the first classes were held on the 3rd floor of Lincoln College (now Washburn University). Over the next 10 years, the school was moved to various locations, including the Washburn Building at 10th and Jackson, and a room situated above the Topeka YMCA and Daily Capital newspaper. In 1882, the first black student graduated from Topeka High. Attendance continued to outgrow the capacity of the school facilities, and in 1894 a new school was completed on the northwest corner of 8th and Harrison, at a cost of $85,000. Topeka High School's student population had reached 1,000 by 1903, and a decision was made to construct a Manual Training High School across the street on the southwest corner of 8th and Harrison, at a cost of $100,000. One third of the new building would be for manual training, and the remainder used for academic classes.
