Stronghurst High School

Stronghurst High School

Stronghurst, Illinois

The History of Stronghurst High School

Stronghurst (population 896) is located in the upper-western portion of Illinois. The southeastern Henderson County town is situated on Illinois Route 94 about one mile south of Illinois Route 116. The At & St Railroad angles through town. The Dixson Creek and its branches seem to surround Stronghurst from the north. The Mississippi River flows about 8 miles west of Stronghurst. Macomb is located about 16 miles southeast of Stronghurst.

Stronghurst High School Bldg 1910

Submitted by Jean Dougherty (photo was on post card)

Stronghurst residents probably began an educational system for their children in the late 1800s. The high school served the town well for about seven decades. It was in the late 1960s / early 1970s that consolidation talks with nearby Media High School, and possibly others in the area, took place. This consolidation effort resulted in the creation of the Southern School District in 1971.

The high school for the newly consolidated district was located in Stronghurst. The Southern School District lasted for about 34 years when, in 2005, a new school district was again formed with nearby Biggsville Union High School. This was named the West Central School District. The high school for this district is located in Biggsville. The former Stronghurst High School building is now used as the West Central Junior High building.

Stonghurst High School Building - 2008

Photo Submitted by Mike Edwards

Stronghurst High School Quick Facts

Year opened: late 1800s

Year "Southern" district formed: 1971

School building today: West Central

Junior HS

School nickname: the "Trojans"

School colors: Purple & White

School Fight Song: (Sung to

Illinois Loyalty)

Stronghurst High School Basketball

Stronghurst HS versus Aledo Roosevelt HS

Athletics

Stronghurst High School definitely offered boys basketball and track. Football was also offered at the school.

One converence that Stronghurst High School was affiliated with for many years was the Bi-County Conference. Teams which participated in this highly competitive conference included Media (before consolidating with Stronghurst to make Southern), Roseville, Monmouth Warren, Union, Sciota Northwestern, Yorkwood, and eventually LaHarpe and Avon.

Boys Basketball

The Stronghurst High School boys basketball team won a total of EIGHT District titles! Unfortunately the team records and coach's names of these and other great Stronghurst teams are not available. We do know that Jim Lewis coached at Stronghurst at one time and he would go on to have a successful coaching career at various schools.

1937-38 District Champions

1940-41 District Champions

1941-42 District Champions

1945-46 District Champions

1955-56 District Champions

1960-61 District Champions

1966-67 District Champions

1970-71 District Champions

Track & Field

One Stronghurst High School athlete placed in the State Track Meet. The year was 1915 when George Brokaw became a medalist in the "B" Meet for SHS. HIs accomplishment is listed below.

1914-15 George Brokaw 440 Yard Dash 4th Place

Stronghurst High School Football Team

1970-71 Season - Practice

Football

As the photo shows Stronghurst High competed in football as well. If you have information on the better teams in Stronghurst history please write to us via e-mail.

MEMORIES

From Mike Burrell:

"My grandfather attended Stronghurst HS and graduated I believe in 1925. I still have his diploma but haven't looked at it in a while so I'm not sure about the year. His name was Clarence Austin Burrell. He passed away in 1990. I thought you would like to know that in 1924 and 1925 Stronghurst HS had the 1st and 2nd annual Inter-Class Track Meet (location unknown). The 1st annual was on April 19, 1924 and the 2nd annual was April 18, 1925. I know this because I have my grandfather's 1st place ribbons from these meets. There are 1st place ribbons for discus and for pole vault that my grandfather won in 1924. There are also 1st place ribbons for discus and for pole vault that my grandfather won in 1925. On the latter ribbons he wrote his winning distances of 102' 4 1/2'' for discus and 10' 7 1/2 '' for the pole vault."

Seeking Your Assistance

Help us remember Stronghurst High School and its accomplishments before it became Southern High. If you have ANY infomation you can provide please e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write ot us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il. 60631