On January 7, 1853, a three-story building was opened at the corner of Washington and Linden and had an enrollment of 498 boys and girls.

Dr. Barringer oversaw the construction of a second high school building at a cost of $300,000, which is the site of the current faculty parking lot.

[9] The Barringer High School Blue Bears[2] compete in the Super Essex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Essex County and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.

[17] In 1918, during future major league baseball player Moe Berg's senior season, the Newark Star-Eagle selected a nine-man "dream team" from the city's best prep and public high school baseball players, and Berg was named the team's third baseman.

[20][21] The 1975 football team finished the season with a 9–1–1 record after winning the North II Group IV state sectional title with a 14–13 victory against Livingston High School in the championship game played in front of a crowd of 7,500.

[22][23] The 1980 boys basketball team finished the season with a 26–4 record after winning the Group IV state championship, defeating Trenton Central High School by a score of 68–56 in the tournament final.