The History of Chicago Armour Institute of Technology High School
Chicago (population 2.8 million) is located in far northeastern Illinois in the center
of Cook County. It is currently the third largest city in the United States of America and is one of the most famous
cities in the world. Lake Michigan provides Chicago's eastern most border. Several roadways and railroads, as well
as O'Hare and Midway airports, will take you to the city of Chicago.
"Fort Dearborn was built near the mouth of the Chicago River in 1804 on
land acquired from the Indians by the treaty of Greenville, concluded by Gen. Anthony Wayne in 1795, but was evacuated in
1812, when most of the garrison and the few inhabitants were massacred by the savages. The fort was rebuilt in 1816, and another
settlement established around it. The first Government survey was made, 1829-30.
Early residents were the Kinzies,
the Wolcotts, the Beaubiens and the Millers. The Black Hawk War (1832) rather aided in developing the resources and increasing
the population of the infant settlement by drawing to it settlers from the interior for purposes of mutual protection.
Town
organization was effected on August 10, 1832, the total number of votes polled being 28. The town grew rapidly for a time,
but received a set-back in the financial crisis of 1837. During May of that year, however, a charter was obtained and Chicago
became a city. The total number of votes cast at that time was 703. The census of the city for the 1st of July of that year
showed a population of 4,180."
Chicago residents believed in great educational opportunities for the children of the rapidly growing
town. The history of Armour Institute can be viewed at the Wikipedia page addresses of
In 1890 a man named Philip Danforth Armour heard a sermon given by a preacher named Frank
Gunsaulus. Mr. Armour, a wealthy business man of the time, was moved by Gunsaulus' sermon about the wealthy's
obligation to provide a good education to all students, not just those of elite families. Mr. Armour donated a million
dollars to Mr. Gunsaulus' cause. This led to the creation of the Armour Institute on the city's near-southside.
It is through information obtained on the IHSA's website (www.ihsa.org) the determination was made that Armour Institute offered high school classes during its early history. Information
on swimming and golf was found. In the articles the schools is listed as a "secondary school" which meant it offered
classes to high school-aged children who had completed a grade school program. This would obviously qualify Armour Institute
as a high school by definition. The fact that it is listed in an article on the Illinois High School Association website further
solidifies this notion.
We are not certain when, perhaps in the late 19-teens, but at some point, Armour
Insititute discontinued its offering of high school courses and focused on its leadership in the field of
technology. In 1940, Lewis Institute joined forces with Armour to create the Illinois Institute of Technology, which is still going strong today.
Armour Institute / Academy High School Quick Facts
Year opened:
1893
Year HS courses ceased: late 19-teens?
School team nickname: not available
School team colors: not available
School fight song: not available
