Grinnell School was originally the sole educational institution in what was known as District No. 1 until it was redesignated as District No. 37 in 1902, around the same time that John Deere School was established in East Moline. As part of the district's growth, once the student population surpassed 1,000, it became eligible for a governance upgrade to include a president and a six-person board of education for more effective management. The Trustees of the district conducted a census in June 1906 that confirmed the district's eligibility for this upgrade, revealing 421 school-age children—300 attending John Deere School and 121 at Grinnell. This prompted a call for more teachers to manage the educational demand, as the existing seven teachers were insufficient. The additional findings showed a total of 1,839 residents in the district, far exceeding the threshold needed for reorganization. These results, published by the Dispatch on June 14, 1906, indicated that a new board election was imminent.
However, the pressing needs of the growing East Moline community and the inadequacy of current school facilities led to an earlier gathering on July 6, 1906. Here, residents considered erecting a new, larger brick school to accommodate the increasing number of students, potentially replacing both existing schools.
The district, being debt-free, faced no financial strain in planning a $20,000 expenditure on a new school building. It was widely accepted that the new facility should be located between Grinnell and John Deere Schools. Due to a population boom and limited available funds, the trustees proposed a $10,500 bond for acquiring land and constructing the school. The vote on this bond, set for July 30, narrowly passed by just eight votes, with the Grinnell region largely opposing it. Consequently, the new school would be smaller than initially planned.
A majority voted to situate the school on six lots at the intersection of Fourth Street (Kennedy Drive) and Third (Seventeenth) Avenue, an area selected for its elevation and planned civic improvements like cement sidewalks. Local architects presented simple designs for a two-story, eight-room building with some rooms left unfinished.
Construction was awarded for $9,000 with a deadline of January 7, 1907. By May 2, 1907, discussions were underway about letting children vote on the new school's name, which they decided would be Lincoln School.
