A school building in Springfield has received a special distinction. Architectural Digest chose Central High School to represent Missouri in its online article, “The Most Beautiful Public High School in Every State in America.”
Central is a mix of old and new. The original building, constructed in 1893, is still in use, but there have been new additions over the years—the latest in 1999.
Dr. Lisa Anderson, who graduated from Central and is now its principal, points to the school’s Gothic Architecture, among other things, as the reason the building is special.
"In the old building we still have many of the original wooden floors. We have the actual transoms. In some cases (they are) still there. We have fireplaces that still exist that once actually were how the classrooms were made warm," Anderson said.
Central currently serves more than 1700 students and is home to the Middle Years Scholars Program for academically gifted sixth through eighth graders as well as the International Baccalaureate Program.
