Saybrook High School

Saybrook High School

1929-1952

Saybrook High School 1895-1929

Courtesy of Saybrook 175th Anniversary book 1825-2000

The History of Saybrook High School

Saybrook (population 764) is located in eastern Illinois in the southeastern portion of McLean County. The town is located in a country setting on McLean County Road N3850 East Road about a mile south of Illinois Route 9. According to Saybrook's web site (www.saybrook-il.com), the town is known as the "City of Shade and Water." This is verified by the three branches of the Sangamon River which flow through town along with the pond located on the northwest side of Saybrook. The Norfolk & Western Railroad line runs through town as well and probably has a lot to do with its location.

The townspeople of Saybrook began an educational system for its children as early as 1932, but the first high school courses were not offered until 1886. Saybrook was first settled in 1825 by Jonathon Cheney, for whom the township (Cheney's Grove) is named after. The name Saybrook comes from the name of a similar community in Connecticut.

Inscription on 1895 building for Saybrook HS

courtesy of Saybrook 175th anniversary book 1825-2000

A combination grade & high school building was built in 1895, and continued doing so until 1929, by which time four years of classes were being offered (having started in 1920). A new high school building was ready for occupancy (as shown at the top of the page) in 1929, allowing the grade school to take over the older location. It was in the late 1940's and early 1950's that consolidation talks with nearby Arrowsmith began. The consolidation of the two schools took place in 1952. The new district was simply named Saybrook-Arrowsmith.

The high school for the Saybrook-Arrowsmith District was located in Saybrook and was housed in the building above until its 1989 merger with Colfax Octavia. The first building pictured above was demolished in 1988, and the second building was torn down in 1992. The gymnasium from the 1929 location is still standing, now used as the township garage.

Saybrook High School Quick Facts

Year opened (as a 2-yr school): 1886

First building opened: 1895

Four-year school began: 1920

New building opened: 1929

Year consolidated with Arrowsmith: 1952

Year buildings razed: 1988 & 1992

Gymnasium today: still standing - used as township garage

School nickname: "Comanches"

School colors: Red & White

School Fight Song: unavailable

Athletics

It is a fact that the Saybrook Comanches competed in basketball and football. It is probable that at some point track and baseball were also offered. While it was in operation, Saybrook was a member of the Tri-Valley Conference along with Anchor, Arrowsmith, Cooksville, Colfax, Towanda, Downs, Ellsworth, and Cropsey, all of which have their own pages on this website. If you have more information regarding other conference affiliation and records of the better teams that competed at Saybrook, please forward the information to us.

Saybrook High School Comanches

1951-52 Football Team, SHS' Final Season

Saybrook High School Comanches

1949-50 Football Team

Football

The Saybrook High School Comanches competed in football at least during the 1949-50 though 1951-52 school years. Though their records are not available, the photos of the teams are on the web site www.ridgeviewfootball.us. If you have any information you can add regarding the gridiron exploits of the Comanches, please drop us a line.

1949-50 Coach Dean Short

1950-51 Coach Russell McKeon

1951-52 Coach Russell McKeon

Boys Basketball

The boys basketball team won a total of 4 District titles. Their last District title came in their last year of existence as a solo school and brought with it a 25-7 record. The seasons as they are listed on the IHSA web site are listed below. Let us know if you have any more information about these and other great SHS teams.

1913-14 McLean County Jr. Division Champs

1914-15 McLean County Tourney Champs

1929-30 22-5 (good record) Coach George Benjamin

1930-31 20-6 Coach George Benjamin

1935-36 McLean County Tourney Champs

1936-37 McLean County Tourney Champs

1937-38 District Champions

1947-48 28-4 District Champions Coach Dean Short

1948-49 McLean County Tourney Champs Coach Dean Short

1949-50 District Champions Coach Dean Short

1950-51 16-8 Coach Russell McKeon

1951-52 25-7 District Champions Coach Russell McKeon

One of the best players to grace the hardwood for Saybrook High School was Lester "Babe" Hawthorne, who played for the 1951-52 District Champs. His 50 points in a February 19, 1952 game against Heyworth was the school record. In that season alone, Babe averaged 23.8 points per game, which was part of a career total of 1,578 points.

After graduating as the valedictorian of his class, Hawthorne went on to play for the University of Iowa and was a starter on the 1955-56 Hawkeye team that faced Bill Russell and the University of San Francisco in the NCAA championship game. With Babe in the lineup, the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten conference title twice.

NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE

Help us document the memories of Saybrook High School BEFORE it was Saybrook-Arrowsmith High. If you have ANY information you wish to add to this page please e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il. 60631