Athletics
Chapin High School won a District title in boys basketball. Football was also offered at the school. The
boys probably competed in baseball and track as well. The greatest of success at Chapin High School as listed on
the IHSA web site (
www.ihsa.org) came not in athletics, but from the English Department. The Drama Team of 1958 faired extremely well and is written
about below.
Boys Basketball
Chapin High School boys basketball won one IHSA District title in 1953. There were probably many great seasons at
CHS however the records are not listed on the IHSA web site. If you can add to this information please e-mail us. The
year of the District Championship is listed; however, the team record and coaches' name are not available.
Coach Paul Blakeman served as athletic director and coach from at least 1952 through 1957. In 1958,
Glen Ambler became Coach of athletics until 1960.
1951-52
Coach Donald Constantz
1952-53 17 - 11 District Champions Coach
Paul Blakeman
1953-54 19 - 7 PMBC Conference Champs
Coach Bob Jones
1954-55 17 - 9 PMBC Conference Champs
Coach Tom Carmody
Football
Tom Sikorski forwarded the following information on the Chapin High School Bearcats' football successes.
1952 6-1 3C's Conference Champions
Coach Paul Blakeman
1956 3-3-1 3rd place (tie) PMBC Conference Coach
Jack Coil
1957 4-3 3rd place PMBC Conference
Coach Glen Ambler
1958 3-2-1 2nd place (tie) PMBC Conference Coach
Glen Ambler
Drama Team Competition
The Chapion High Drama Team had one incredible showing at the State Competition. The team of 1957-58 placed
Fourth overall in the State Competition in a one class system!! The final team standings of that year are
listed however the coaches name and team members names are not available.
1957-58 Sectional Champions
Placed Fourth Overall
at the State Meet!
Final Drama Team
Standings - 1957-58
1.)
Evanston
2.) Joliet
3.) Rock Island
4.) CHAPIN HIGH
SCHOOL
5.) Urbana
Facts and Memories
According to Triopia Class of 1960 graduate Bill Smith:
"In 1960, we became Triopia but still maintained separate schools, as the new school just north of Concord
was not yet built. Busing between the schools was done for all althetics and fine arts events. Paul
Blakeman became principal of Triopia High School and Chapin High School Senior Sponsor, Farrell McGinnis
was named Principal of Arenzville High School and Arenzville High School Senior Sponsor. Glen
Ambler remained head coach of Basketball and Donald Kemp coached football. Coach Kemp,
who continued to coach football for many years at Triopia, achieved the 3rd highest winning percentage in high school football
in the state of Illinois. Coach Kemp passed away last week in Iowa after several bouts of illness."
**From Jesse Brown, Class of 1955:
"I graduated from there in June 1955. My years there were 1951-2 through 1954-5. In 1951-2,
the principal was
Wilfred E. Rice, and our Coach was
Donald Constantz. Enrollment was 88
students (40 boys, 48 girls). Our sports that year was in a down year. We played 6-man FOOTBALL, record was 2-4-1.In Basketball
we were 8-16, and in baseball, 4-9.
"In 1952-53, Mr Rice was still principal and Paul Blakeman
coach. There was 86 students (44 boys, 42 girls). In Football we were 3C Conference champs Record 6-1 (best record ever since
starting the sport). The team averaged 37.7 ppg, and lost only to Chandlerville by a score of 36-44. Mel Engelbrecht
and Ronald Smith were all-conference players. In Basketball, we had a fine team. The record was 17-11. That
was the year we won the DISTRICT Tourney by beating ROUTT 57-41. We went on to the Jacksonville Regional where after beating
both VIRGINIA & I.S.D, we lost to Jacksonville (a much larger school) by a score of 37-82. Jacksonville went on to
state finals where they lost to Pinckneyville 58-57 in the quarterfinals.
"In year 1953-54. Paul Blakeman is now principal, and Bob Jones
the coach. Enrollment is 87 students (43 boys, 44 girls) Football record was 3-4. In basketball we had a fine team (19-7).
We tied for 1st place with Arenzville in P.M.B.C. conference. We won the P.M.B.C tourney for the 1st time in 14 years beating
BLUFFS for the Championship. However, we lost to ROUTT in the DISTRICT tourney. We were 2nd.
"In 1954-5, my final year, the principal was still Paul Blakeman,
and the coach Tom Carmody. Enrollment was 75 students (39 boys, 36 girls). Record in football was 2-3-1.
In Basketball, we had another fine year (17-9) tied for the conference title for the 2nd year in a roll (BLUFFS). We ended
up 3rd in the P.M.B.C tourney. In the District tourney, we lost to BLUFFS. Our Baseball record for the year was 2-6.
"P.M.B.C stands for the 4 counties that the teams in our conference were from: PIKE,
MORGAN, BROWN, & CASS."
**From Larry Moore:
"My mother Carmellitta Thompson (Moore) and her family were born and raised in Chapin, IL. I know
that she graduated from Chapin High School from the building on the Highway 104 (now 104/67), pictured on your website,
in 1939. I used to have a picture of her in her senior play. The stage looked large and I remember the black curtains
with a huge white "C" at the top in the middle. They looked new in the picture.
"I remember my parents talking about the consolidation of Triopia but I am not sure of my age when this was going
on. I have two cousins that would have graduated [Darlene (Thompson) Becker] in '62 or '63 and
[Delores (Thompson) Hoots] in '66-'68. I also remember the
Chapin grade school was just across the field from the high school on the north end of Poplar street. My aunt on my dads
side taught grade school classes at the Old Chapin high school.
"It was my memory that after Triopia High was built, the parents in Chapin wanted the high school converted to a
grade school to avoid bussing the small children. I spent a lot of time at my Grandma's in Chapin in the late 50's, 60's,
and early 70's."
**From Joe Fulton regarding the Green Meadow School:
"I read with interest your webpage on the old Green Meadow School in Chapin, Illinois. I am attaching a letter that
was written by my great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Paschal, to her brother Asa Newton Paschal
while Asa was fighting for the Union in the Civil War. I can also scan the original and send it to you
if you are interested.
"Mary taught at the Green Meadow School, as she mentions in this letter. She
later married Jonathon Hobson. They are buried in the Chapin Cemetery. Their first daughter, Clara
was my grandmother. She married Charles Parker Fulton, who lived in Chapin in the 1870s & '80s.
"When I visited Chapin about ten years ago (I live in Oregon) I found a tiny old school on a wooded lot just outside
of town. Is this where Green Meadow School was located?"
The letter referred to by Joe is printed below in its entirety. Think about this.....it was written in the 1860s
from a school teacher to her brother who was fighting in the Civil War!!
Chapin, Illinois, April 17, 1864
Dear Brother,
With pleassure I sit down to write to you. It has been some time since I have heard from you. The last
letter Will received. In the first place I will tell you I am at Sister Margarets this evening in good health. Sister is better,
but is not able to do any work yet. She washes the dishes sometimes and that is all of the housework. The rest
of the family is well. I left home two weeks ago yesterday. They were all well then. I have not heard directoly
from there since.
I am teaching school at the Green Meadow School House near here, which commenced the 11th of April. I got along very
well last week and hope to continue in so doing. I am to get $20 a month. I went home and stayed some over two weeks. Time
flew rapidly and I had a pleasant time, but home is not like it was when my own dear mother was there, far from it. I
hated to come here so far away from home on Tommy's account. He will miss me most. Will has another to keep him
company so that he does not miss me so much. My leaving home to teach this time was so far different from what it
was before, I could not help but think of it. Mother went out of the house with me and you leaned on the gate post and
told me not to cry. Now, no mother, and you so far away. Rachel and the children were well when I came away. Thaniel
was complaining of a sore knee, which hurt him considerable. I received a letter from Cousin Joseph Street. He has
got home. He did not say whether he had been discharged or not but I suppose he has. The relation were all
tolerable well except Uncle Bland. He was very sick. The relation in this part of the state are all well as far
as I know. Josh Crow was up to Beardstown this spring on a visit with his wife and child. I did not see them as I was
up here when they were here, also James Crow has been back, but I did not see him either. This is Sunday evening. I
have stayed in the house almost all day. This is rather a lonesome place on Sunday, there being no meeting of Sunday
School here and the cars not running makes it more so. I can see soldiers on the cars every day, but the one I would
rather see than any other is yourself. would like to know if you have ever heard from Mr. Richards again, I
once heard he was in prison at Richmond but I have never heard anything since.
Please direct to Chapin, Morgan Co., Ills, when you write. Tell me all the news in general. It is getting
late and I must quit for the night. Now may our heavenly Father protect you and give you health and bring you home
safe is the prayer of your Sister Mary E. Paschal.
P.S., Please write soon. Good by for this time. Margaret & the children sends their love to you, except
(accept) the same from your Sister Mary.
Looking For
Your Assistance
Chapin High School should live on forever in memories and photos. If you have any information to share with us you
can e-mail it to us at
ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631
