Sumner Academy of Arts and Science
Our School
Mission Statement
Sumner Academy of Arts and Science is an IB World School that creates a culture of global thinking, which serves students beyond the classroom by developing knowledgeable, inquiring and caring young people.
A Brief History of Sumner Academy of Arts and Science
“In 1905, a school named Manual Training High School was started in Kansas City, Kansas. The name, Manual Training High School, did not satisfy members of the Black community so much so that a meeting of ministers, attorneys, teachers and members of the Board of Education was held in the home of Doctor Corrvine Patternson. It was in this meeting that the name of Manual Training High School was dropped and a more appropriate name of Sumner High School was selected by the group. The name of Sumner was chosen to honor Charles Sumner (1811-1884) who was a member of the United States Senate from 1851 to 1874. Charles Sumner was a very strong abolitionist who fought for the rights of the Black people. Students, who first attended Sumner High School in 1905, came from the old KCKs High School and the old Central High School in KCKs.”
A History of Black Education in Kansas City, Kansas, Readin’, ‘Riting, ‘Rithmetic by William W. Boone, March 1986