History
Major Moments in Time at FSPS
1836
Arkansas is admitted to the Union.
1843
President Tyler approved an act of Congress giving Arkansas the power to sell educational land grants provided that the money be held in reserve and only the interest earned on it be used for public schools.
1844
Arkansas Legislature laid the groundwork for public schools, with townships being granted educational land grants. However, financial constraints limited the scope of education, with schools often relying on tuition fees and donations. At this time, schools could exist only if a fee were charged to each pupil except for those who were underwritten by school funds and classified as "indigent children". Such schools were not "public schools" as we know them today.
1870
The Civil War and Reconstruction era marked the beginning of efforts to provide education to African American children. in 1870, the first African American school, named after General Oliver Otis Howard, was established with contributions from citizens and federal agencies.
1884
The federal government donates 350 acres of Fort Smith's military reservation for public school use. This donation, coupled with local taxation, marked a turning point in the expansion and improvement of Fort Smith's educational infrastructure.
1885
Belle Point School was built on some of the old fort land at the corner of South 9th Street and Wheeler Avenue. It was a sturdy eight-room brick building - the first school built after the schools received the federal gift.
1894-1897
In 1894, plans were made to move the high school into a beautiful new building on the corner of North 14th and Grand (currently where Darby Middle School stands)
In 1897, a tornado devastated parts of downtown Fort Smith and severely damaged the new school.
In 1898, public schools listed include Fort Smith High School, Belle Grove; DuVal; Belle Point on Wheeler and 9th; Peabody, a frame building on North 15th and "D" streets; Little Rock (Rogers) Avenue School, a two-room frame building (on the grounds of the later Peabody School); Howard Elementary, and Lincoln High School.
1898
Lincoln High School, an all-black school, opens.
1920s
The district adopts a plan to divide the schools into six elementary, three junior high, and three senior high grades.
1963
The number of high school seniors grows to 556. Southside High School becomes the second high school in Fort Smith.
1966
Lincoln High School closes. During its lifespan, more than 6,000 students went through the school and more than 200 teachers taught there.
1973
The Arkansas Legislature initiates kindergarten programming into the public school system.