The students of the Omaha High School of Commerce surround the school, a brick building with a gabled roof, in this 9 3/4" x 7 1/2" black and white photograph. The building has windows on each floor, a stone foundation, and a sign reading "High School of Commerce" above the front door. Students are gathered on the sidewalk in front of the building and on its front steps. A few are visible in the windows and on the fire escapes.
Omaha Public School Archive Collection / Educational Research Library
Local Accession/Call Number
Archive Files: High School of Commerce File
Historical Notes
At this time, many students' school careers ended with eighth grade graduation. Students who went on to high school were preparing to enter a profession that required college and generally came from more well-to-do families. The High School of Commerce offered classes in typing, stenography, telegraphy, bookkeeping, commerce law, etc., that prepared students for opportunities for better paying jobs in the business field. The program originated in the basement of Omaha's Central High School in 1911, but the response was so great that within a year, classes were moved to the old Leavenworth Elementary School building at 17th and Leavenworth Streets. The school quickly became overcrowded and was replaced in 1922 by Technical High School.
