Peeking out from the corner of Parker Street stands Barringer High School. It is more than just a school. Barringer High School is a landmark with a rich past and promising future.
Barringer High School’s story began in 1838. It started as Newark High School in a building on Bank Street. Nathan Hedges, the school master, taught 91 boys. Eleven of them were orphans.
In 1855, the school moved to Washington and Linden Streets. The new building cost about $20000. The building was built to accommodate 400 pupils.
Dr. William N. Barringer became superintendent of schools in 1875. He supported the construction of a new high school. This building was on the site of the current faculty parking lot. In 1907, Newark High School was renamed Barringer High School. It honored Dr. Barringer.
Barringer High School has a long athletic history. The Blue Bears compete in the Super Essex Conference. This conference includes public and private schools in Essex County. The football team has a fierce rivalry with East Orange Campus High School. It dates back to 1897. East Orange leads the series 63-39-9 as of 2023. Moe Berg, a Major League Baseball player, attended Barringer. He was named to the city’s “dream team” in 1918. The boys track team won state championships in the 1930s. The boys fencing team was state co-champion in 1969. Barringer won the team foil competition. The 1975 football team won the North II Group IV state title. The 1980 boys basketball team won the Group IV state championship.
Many notable people have walked the halls of Barringer High School. Amiri Baraka was a poet and playwright. Jerome Kern was a composer. William J. Brennan was a US Supreme Court Justice. Peter W. Rodino was a US House of Representatives member. August Meier was a professor of African American history.
In recent years, Barringer High School has adapted to meet students’ needs. In 2013, it divided into two schools. These are the Barringer Academy of the Arts and Humanities. The other is Barringer Academy of S.T.E.A.M.
Barringer High School remains a vital part of Newark. It provides education and opportunity to its students. It prepares them for successful futures. As we stand here, we recognize the legacy of Barringer High School. Its history is rich. Its future is bright. The school’s colors are royal blue and white.