East School was formerly called the First Ward School. The original school was built in 1851. It was a two story building with a wooden fence, a hitching post and eventually separate privies for boys and girls. Until the 1880's the school housed a primary class on the lower floor and a secondary on the upper floor. The latter was really an upper primary.
In 1881 a new First Ward School opened on East's current site. This school was substantially rebuilt and opened as the "new" First Ward School in 1908. It had eight classrooms for grades 1-8. A fire in the following year almost completely destroyed the school. It was rebuilt and it reopened in 1910.
Five classrooms and a multipurpose room were added in 1952, which gives us the building we have today. Currently approximately 250 students attend grades K-5. There are two classes in each grade, K-5.