School History

Before 1907, there was only one high school in St. Joseph and it was simply known as St. Joseph High School. When Benton High School was established, it became obvious that a name change was in order. The history of St. Joseph High School is described under its own listing in this report so the school known as Central High School will be considered starting in 1907. It was located at 13th and Olive Streets. By the early 1920’s it was obvious that the school was too small.

In 1933, the new high school was built at 26th and Edmond Streets to accommodate more students. Over the years the number of students continued to increase at Central High School. Enrollment peaked at almost 2,400 in the 1970's as a result of the Baby Boom. This increase caused Central to expand the original main building in 1961, with a 24-room addition, now called the Sophomore Annex. By 1967, there again was need for more space, so in 1968, a 25-room addition known as the Freshman Annex was completed. Since 1968 two other spaces have been added, the current library completed in 2002, and the Morgan Multipurpose Building in 2013. Today, the student population fluctuates around 1,600 students.