Emerson High School, Public school building in Gary, United States

Emerson High School is a multi-story school building in Gary, Indiana, designed by St. Louis architect William Ittner and opened in 1909. It held an auditorium, gymnasium, indoor swimming pool, an upstairs running track, over seven laboratories, separate band and orchestra rooms, art studios, and even a zoo.

The building was designed in 1909 by architect William B. Ittner as a new educational facility. It received recognition on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 before permanently closing in 2008.

In 1927, eighteen African American students were transferred from the overcrowded Virginia Street School to Emerson, prompting the Emerson School Strike on September 26. By the end of the strike, about three-fourths of the students were boycotting. On September 30, a city council meeting decided to segregate the school again, which led to the construction of Roosevelt High School, an all-Black school.

The building has been closed since 2008 and is not open to visitors; it stands heavily vandalized and suffers from severe mold. Do not enter the grounds or the structure without official permission from the Gary Community School Corporation.

The building implemented an innovative Work-Study-Play educational system that gained international attention in the early 20th century. This approach combined classroom learning with practical work experience and recreation within a single school structure.