Hyde Park grade school at Thirty-third and McGee streets in the town of Westport (before its annexation by Kansas City), replaced an earlier 8-room, frame schoolhouse called the Knickerbocker school. The Westport school board, composed of Judge A. Allen, W. J. Knepps, F. S. Groves, C. L. Hendrick, F. Henderson and R. R. Johnson, sent a representative East in 1894 to make a study of modern schools. As a result, a fine, new 4-story brick building costing $24,300 was erected on the old site, The architect was F. Middaugh. The new school was named Hyde Park. Two additions were added later. Mr. Charles S. Parker was the last principal at the Knickerbocker and the first at the new Hyde Park. Strong programs in physical training and athletics helped the school to win many city track meets and athletic events, in which Parker took great interest. An enthusiastic advocate of playgrounds, games and sports, he is remembered by many, with stop watch in hand, timing the children at practice races, during recess, lunch period and after school. The school set records during World War I for sales of Thrift Stamps and in Liberty Loan drives. Hyde Park school was razed in 1955 and the modern 2-story George B. Longan school was built on the south part of the school property, originally the Hyde Park school playground area. Kansas City Star, March 8, 1969.
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