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 Education in the city of Hammond dates back as far as 1866, when the first school Hammond, or Hammond's Crossing, as it was better known, was established in a house located on the corner of Magnolia and West Thomas Streets.

In 1886 a building was erected by C.E. Cate on the north side of Thomas Street, facing the Illinois Central Railroad. School was conducted on the second floor; the first floor housed a freight depot, general store, and the post office. On Sundays the schoolroom was used for church services. The first teacher in the school was Miss Mary Louise Cable, sister of the author George Washington Cable; she taught in the Hammond school until about 1885.

Two years later that building was destroyed by fire. School was held temporarily in a boarding house on the corner of West Thomas and Oak Streets. Mr. Cate erected another school building on the corner of West Thomas and Magnolia Streets. This building was often referred to as the "school with the cupola." It was used free of charge for church, literary, and other community affairs, as well as school.

The city's first public school, established in 1888, was housed in the school with the cupola. The first teacher was Mrs. Nettie Mann Morrison, who had taught the pay school. She taught the common school subjects, as well as piano, and refined dancing.

After Mrs. Morrison left the teaching profession, Miss Kate Waterman, Miss Etta Fermley, and Miss Ella Waterman followed as teachers in the school. When Miss Ella died of typhoid fever in 1889, Miss Annie Eastman took her place. This marked the beginning of the long career of one of Hammond's best-known and revered teachers.

 
 

 

Hammond's early school teachers.  Standing from left: Miss Zylpha Eastman, Hattie Williams, ANNIE EASTMAN, and Lizzie Walker.  Seated:  Ida Van Patten, Mr. Crandall, and Lucy Brazelman.
 

 

Miss Zylpha Eastman's classroom in the old Hammond school decorated for "Parent's Day".

  After the city finally passed a $5000 bond issue for education, the new Hammond Graded and High School was opened in September of 1892, with Mr. H. Jewel Daigle serving as principal. One hundred and sixty pupils attended the school, a wooden structure located on the block of West Morris Street (then called Joseph Street) bordered by Magnolia and Pine Streets. 
 

 

The "new" Hammond High School.  In 1893, at the time of the purchase of the land to construct this building, Morris Avenue was known at Joseph Street.  Annie Eastman High School was later constructed on this same block on West Morris Avenue.
  In 1897 the school was approved by the state and the first class graduated. Miss Eastman became assistant principal of the high school, a post she held until her retirement in 1939.
 

 

Hammond High School students parade with signs saying "Sophs want a new school house."

   
  In 1915 a new brick school was built on the east side of Hammond (on the corner of East Thomas and Orange Streets) and housed Hammond High School until 1924. The elementary grades occupied the first floor and the high school, the second. This building later became Eastside Elementary School and now serves as an apartment complex.

 
 

 

Flag raising at the new Hammond High in 1917
   
 

 

That same building as it looks today serving as an apartment complex.

   
 

Under the leadership of Linus A. Sims, a new high school was constructed in 1924 on the Morris Street site of the first public school. 

 

 

This Hammond High School, named after Annie Eastman served as HHS from 1924 - 1969.  The Neill Corporation now occupies part of this complex with this building having occupied the vacant lot just north of the Neill Corporation headquarters.

   
 

Looking down the sidewalk in front of the building.
 

                     

 

Changing classes by the                     The infamous "cage" where 
Industrial Arts Building......                students were allowed to buy 
                                                                snacks and drinks.
   
 

 

And will the students from this era ever forget
the TORNADO and are still asking "Why 
was it removed??" 

   
  This modern brick structure housed Hammond High School until 1969. Hammond Junior College, now Southeastern Louisiana University, held classes in the HHS facility from the time of its organization in 1925 until it moved to its present location in 1928. Mr. Sims served as both principal of the high school and president of the college; he resigned as principal when the college moved and became its first president. The original wooden structure from the Morris Street property was moved to the Greenville Park community and housed the school for blacks until a brick structure was constructed there.

In the fall of 1969, Hammond High School, Southeastern Laboratory High School, and Greenville Park High School were consolidated at the facility on Wardline Road (now University Avenue). 

 
 

 

An aerial view of the Wardline (University Ave.) complex.  It now serves as SLU's North Campus
   
  Faculties, students, equipment, libraries, and textbooks were all merged into this facility. From 1969 until 1975, HHS housed grades 10-12. The ninth grade was located at Hammond Junior High School. In 1975 the 9th grade was returned to the HHS campus. Hammond High remained on the Wardline Road site until May, 1987, when the present $12 million complex on River Road was occupied.
   
 

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Dated pictures taken from:  "The Oaks, the Berries and the Bank"
by C. Howard Nichols and old Hammond High yearbooks.