Sumner Public School - Boonville, MO - Wikipedia Entries on Waymarking.com

County of school: Cooper County
Location of school: Spruce St. & 4th St., Boonville
Built: 1916
Architect: James William Jones
Architectural Style: Vernacular

"SUMMARY: The Sumner Public School is significant under Criterion A in the area of ETHNIC HERITAGE--BLACK. The second of three black public schools constructed in Boonville, it is the oldest surviving school and one of only three historic black public buildings in the town.

"ELABORATION: Public education for Missouri's blacks was established by law after the Civil War. In 1866, a black public school was founded in Boonville (see "Historic Resources of Boonville, Missouri: The Steamboat Era, 1826-1870"). The second Sumner Public School, constructed by James William Jones in 1915-1916 after the first school burned, was utilized as a school until 1939. In that year, the school received state accreditation and a new school, also named the Sumner Public School, was constructed in East Boonville. The second public school building was sold to the Spruce Street Investment Corporation and, in 1940 and 1941, was converted to apartments. With the Morgan Street Baptist Church (listed 1983 in the High-Morgan-Spring Street Historic District) and St. Matthew's Chapel A.M.E. Church, the Sumner Public School is one of only three historic black public buildings which represent Boonville's black heritage." ~ NRHP Nomination Form

"Built: 1916
Style/Design: Vernacular
The central bay of the S façade projects and has a wood entrance surround with paired pilasters and entablature. The entrance has a transom and sidelights. Fenestration above this opening indicates interior stairs. Windows are 3-over-1 on the basement level and 6-over-1 on the 1st and 2nd stories. Between the basement and 1st story and capping the structure is a corbelled brick string course. The building has stepped parapets at the roof line. On the N façade are frame porches over the double central entrances on each story. The interior has been altered from classroom space into apartments.

"The structure was built to serve as a replacement for the earlier Elias E. Buckner Negro school which was destroyed by fire. Built in 1915-16, the Sumner School was Boonville's Negro school offering classes for grades one through twelve. The school ceased operations in 1938 when the new Sumner school at 111 Rural Street was completed. In 1939 the Boonville School District sold the building to a group of local businessmen incorporated as the Spruce Street Investment Corporation, who converted it into apartments (W.J. Cochran Construction Company). Between 1945 and 1977 it was owned by Randall Meyer, who resided in one of the apartments until 1960. In 1977 it was purchased by Homer Adkins, but sold the following year to the present owner.

"The structure faces S onto Spruce and sits at the NW corner I of 4th and Spruce Sts. A drive to the W leads to a 6 car brick garage with a pent roof. The doors are to the E. The original playground area extended several lots to the N." ~ Boonville Historic Survey  PDF pages 2995-2998