Charles Kingman

Principal 1913-1932 Charles Kingman was educated in the public schools of Jamestown, New York and at Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. He received a Bachelor’s Degree from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island in 1905, and later a Master’s Degree from Columbia University, in New York, New York, both schools in the prestigious Ivy League. He was awarded membership in the honorary scholarship fraternity of Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation he taught at Mercersberg Academy in Pennsylvania, at Terrance Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, then became principal at Kankakee High School in Illinois, before moving on to the principalship of Ottawa Township High School in 1913. The current Kingman Gymnasium at OTHS is named in his honor. He served OTHS for 19 years as principal until his death in 1932. Memorials as the time of his death noted that no one individual since the time of its founder, Mr. Boltwood, had done so much for Ottawa High School. Under his leadership the school doubled in enrollment, and due largely to his efforts the present Main Building and later the Manual Arts Building were planned and erected. Charles Kingman was a member of the Executive Committee of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, secretary-treasurer of the State High School Athletic Association, and had previously been president of the Illinois School Master’s Club, president of the Principals’ Division of the State High School Conference, a member of the Board of Trustees of Reddick Library, and a member of the Ottawa Rotary Club.