For 80 plus years, Kilgour has been teaching and guiding children in the neighborhood and surrounding Cincinnati communities. Thousands of students have passed through Kilgour's halls over the decades. Many things have changed and yet many things are still the same.

A Brief History of Kilgour School

Mrs. Mary Kilgour gave the Board of Education a large plot of land on Herschel Avenue to be used for a school. The school, when built, was to be dedicated in memory of her husband, Mr. John Kilgour, whose picture hangs in the main school entry.

In 1922 the first eight rooms of Kilgour School were opened. The beautiful brick and stone building with its lovely white colonial pillars was dedicated in Mr. Kilgour’s memory. Pupils filed into their new school. Those in the upper grades turned left at the front door and the little children turned right.

But it wasn’t long before the growing Mt. Lookout outgrew its eight room school. Two colonies were built. One faced West where the kindergarten is today. And the other is still there facing North for all these years.

One of the colonies did serve pupils for only a few years because by 1928 a fine new addition to our school was opened. Now Kilgour became its own ‘master.’ We had remained a colony of Hyde Park after the opening of the 1922 building. Miss Ellen B. Andrew served as “teacher in charge” under Mr. E. M. Sawyer and later Mr. E. P. Reeve while these two gentlemen busied themselves at Hyde Park School.

It was time to do something about that school yard, so bare and unattractive! The PTA planted three pin oak trees in honor of the first three principals, for now Miss Andrews was appointed principal of Kilgour. All of the other beautiful trees were given by the children under the direction of one of our teachers who came here as a young woman and stayed for 40 years -- Miss Mary E. Bennett. Set among the beautiful trees near the North end of the building you will find a plaque honoring Miss Bennett for her efforts.

As early as 1928 our school became known as one of the finest in Cincinnati. We had a school orchestra and baseball team as well as a boys and girls choir and a library (which for some time became a branch of the Cincinnati Public Library).

In 1946 a young Navy officer, Mr. Chester Heery, returned from the war and became principal. He held that position until his retirement in the Spring of 1968.

In 1954 the last addition to the school was opened, due in large part to the post-war baby boom. Many children attending Kilgour today are children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren of Kilgour students of past generations.

The Kilgour of today looks toward the 21st century, with the strength from the past and goals for continued excellence.