William McHenry Funk, born three and one-half miles east of La Grange, made a will in which he bequeathed to Oldham County $10,000 for an educational institution to be built in the city of La Grange, and to be called Funk Seminary.

The people of La Grange were to raise $500 to show that they were interested in having the school.  The amount was over-subscribed and a school was built.  The first session opened in 1842.

The school was turned over to the Masons (Grand Lodge of Kentucky) in 1844, and was called the Masonic University of Kentucky until 1861 when operations were interrupted by the Civil War.  This was contrary to the will by which the money was left to build the school.  Suit was then filed to regain possession and in 1873, the building was reverted to a high school.

From 1895 to 1908 it was run by a board of trustees appointed by the court.

In 1911 the old Funk Seminary burnt.  Work was at once begun on a new school which was called, Funk Seminary.  The new school contained four classrooms downstairs besides the office, library and a large auditorium.  And there were four classrooms upstairs and a laboratory.  There was a large basement, one room of which was equipped for manual training.

By 1919 the enrollment had increased to such an extent that it was necessary to have more room.  Arrangements were made and the auditorium was used as a study hall.

But in 1920 the Parent-Teachers Association came to our aid and built three classrooms and a domestic science room in the basement.

These proved to be a great benefit to the school.

The first session in the new school opened in January 1912 with an enrollment of 250, while our enrollment for this year, 1921, is 404.

--from The Emprise, 1921--

School Annual