ˈaɪəwə sˈɪɾi hɐz hæd pˈʌblɪk ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən kˈɔːld "hˈaɪ skˈuːl" æt lˈiːst æz fˈɑːɹ bˈæk æz wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈeɪt, wˌɛn ˈɛm.bˈiː. bˈiːlz wʌz hˈaɪɚd æz pɹˈɪnsɪpəl; ðˌoʊ bˈiːlz ɹˈɛkɚdz duːnˌɑːt ʃˈoʊ wˌɛɹ klˈæsᵻz wɜː hˈɛld, ðɛɹwˌɜː θˈɜːɾi fˈaɪv bˈɔɪz ænd θˈɜːɾi fˈaɪv ɡˈɜːlz ɐtˈɛndɪŋ ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti.
Iowa City has had public education called "high school" at least as far back as 1858, when M.B. Beals was hired as principal; though Beals' records do not show where classes were held, there were 35 boys and 35 girls attending in 1860.