3035 Cass Avenue

Vashon High School opened as an intermediate school in 1927 and 4 years later it became the city's second black high school. It was located on Laclede Avenue, now the site of Harris-Stowe State College. The opening represented a major victory for black students who had been fighting since 1922 for a high school with a modern physical plant. Until then, black students had to travel to Sumner High School in North St Louis. In 1963 the school relocated to this address the former location of the Technical School _______ Vashon was named for George Boyer Vashon the first black graduate of Oberlin College and his son, John Boyer Vashon, a teacher and principal in the St Louis Public Schools. The Vashon playground and Community Center at the northeast corner of Market Street and Compton was also named for the Vashons. Well-known graduates of the school include Julius Dix. Lloyd Gaines, Addison and Virgil Atkins. Welterweight boxing champion ____ Atkins had an amateur career of 79 bouts with 9 losses _____Title by defeating Vince Martinez in a fourth round knockout. He lost the title 6 months later to Don Jordan. He retired in 1962 because of a serious eye injury.