Decatur Lakeview High School "Spartans"

Decatur Lakeview High School Building

Submitted by Joe Caputo

Lakeview High School Front Entrance - 1960

Courtesy of Joe Caputo

The History of Decatur Lakeview High School

Decatur (population 81,860) is Illinois' eleventh largest city. The city is named after Stephen Decatur, naval war hero of the War of 1812. It is located in central Illinois about 30 miles east of Springfield. It is the county seat of Macon County and is located in the center of the county. Decatur is nicknamed "The Pride of the Prairie" and has its own airport. Milikin University and Richland Community College claim Decatur as their home. According to www.mapquest.com the following roadways lead to and from Decatur; Interstate Highway 72, U.S. Routes 51 and 36, Illinois Routes 48, 105, and 121. The following waterways flow into Decatur; the Sangamon River, Finley Creek, Big Creek, Long Creek, Stevens Creek, Spring Creek, and Sand Creek. The following railroads also own tracks that are laid through the town of Decatur; Illinois Central Gulf, Norfolk & Western, Baltimore & Ohio, I.t., and I.c.. The city also has a nice lake in Lake Decatur.

Decatur was founded in the early to mid 1800s. It is believed the school system was started at the same time. Some history information was provided to us by Buena (Hall) Kaylor (Class of 1968)"

"Lakeview....was an independent school district which included Lakeview (Jr & Sr High were in one building) Brush College # 1 and #2, Excelsor South, Eldorado and Spencer Elementary Schools. Lakeview School District was "absorbed" into the Decatur School District in the late 50's or early 60's. (One of the first things Decatur did was take away one of our scoreboards and the printing press used to print the school paper "The Echo.)

Lakeview was not closed due to falling numbers in the area. The Decatur school district appointed a committee to decide which school was to be closed. The committee met for over a year and recommended that Eisenhower School be closed. (No room to expand, the football field could not be used for games due to it's location (next to St. Mary's Hospital). Football games were held at John's Hill.) And remember, Lakeview had just been rebuilt due to the explosion! Lakeview was closed because ADM wanted to purchase it for an office building...pure and simple."

Damage from Train Car Explosion - Summer of 1974

Courtesy of Joe Caputo

One interesting story relayed to us by alumnus Ron Lanham was regarding the 1974-75 school year. A tanker car exploded (See photo to your right) and leveled the new school addition to the Lakeview High School building. The Lakeview building was rendered unusable until it was repaired. The Lakeview kids attended classes in Stephen Decatur High School in the afternoon while the Stephen Decatur kids attended in the morning. The football team at Lakeview had their lockerroom at the Decatur Armory building with practices held in the morning.

The former Lakeview High School building was bought by a private company called Archer Daniels Midland Co. A nice article regarding the use of Lakeview HS can be read at http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2005/08/13/news/local_news/1009475.txt.

Decatur Lakeview High School Quick Facts

Year opened: 1950

Year closed: 1982

School nickname: the "Spartans"

School colors: Green, Gold, & White

School Fight Song: (See Below)

LHS Class of 1974 alum Joe Caputo tells us that Lakeview High School utilized two different fight songs during its existence. Joe provided us with the words and years that each song was used. Thank you Joe!

School Song from 1949-1962:

   We're loyal to old Lakeview's green and white
   With those colors flying, we will cheer with all out might
   We are proud to say that we're from Lakeview High
   For it's honor we will die

(10 Rahs)

   Yea, Lakeview, let us get right in and win
   Come on, Lakeview Spartans, may you never give in
   We shall rise triumphant, victory will be won
   For we never are outdone

(15 Rahs)

Yea, Lakeview!

School Song from 1963-1982:

    LHS our hats off to thee,
    Green and white shall claim all our loyalty,
    Fight and win for our victory,
    Give a cheer for the green and white,
    Fight, fight, fight, fight,
    Fight for the green and white,

S-P-A-R-T-A-N-S

    Watch those Spartans go for that ball,
    Let them know that we cheer them one and all,
    Keep that spirit we'll never fall,
    Give a cheer for the green and white,
    Fight, Fight, Fight, Fight,
    Fight for the green and white

FIGHT!

Spartan Mascot of Lakeview High School

Sent to us by Joe Caputo

Athletics

The Lakeview High School Spartans had many successful seasons in both boys and girls and sports. The boys competed in football, basketball, track, golf, baseball, wrestling, and possibly more. The girls competed in basketball, track, volleyball, softball as well as other sports.

Buena Kaylor tells us the following:

"Lakeview was part of the Cenois Conference before joining the Apollo Conference. The Cenois Conference was made up of Lakeview, Mt. Zion, Warrensburg-Latham and Argenta- Oreana."

Great teams, coaches, and players are all items we would like to learn about and share regarding Lakeview High School.

Football

The Spartan football program is covered extensively on the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org). None of the Spartan teams qualified for the State Football Playoffs, however many good seasons were enjoyed. Harold Perry, Ron Wisher, and Gary Hunt all spent significant time coaching the football program at Lakeview High.

1950-51 6 - 3 Coach Harold Petty

1951-52 4 - 4 Coach Harold Petty

1952-53       3 - 4 - 2        Coach Harold Petty
1953-54       3 - 4 - 1        Coach Harold Petty
1954-55       5 - 2 - 2        Coach Harold Petty
1955-56       0 - 9             Coach Harold Petty
1956-57       1 - 7 - 1        Coach Everette Lamar
1957-58       2 - 7             Coach Everette Lamar
1958-59       3 - 6             Coach Ed Corcoran
1959-60       1 - 7             Coach Ed Corcoran
1960-61       3 - 6             Coach Frank Chizevsky Jr.
1961-62       3 - 6             Coach Frank Chizevsky Jr.
1962-63       4 - 3 - 2        Coach Ron Wisher
1963-64       2 - 6 - 1        Coach Ron Wisher
1964-65       6 - 3             Coach Ron Wisher
1965-66       9 - 0             Coach Ron Wisher
1966-67       3 - 6             Coach Ron Wisher
1967-68       4 - 4 - 1        Coach Bob Flaugher
1968-69     1 - 8             Coach Bob Flaugher
1969-70       1 - 8             Coach Bob Flaugher
1970-71       2 - 7             Coach Gary Hunt
1971-72       2 - 7             Coach Gary Hunt
1972-73     2 - 8             Coach Gary Hunt

The "Hot Dog" Play of 1973 vs. Paris HS

Submitted by Joe Caputo - "Left Click" to View Enlarged Version)

1973-74 4 - 5 Coach Gary Hunt

2nd Place Apollo Conf. (3 - 2)

Beat Clinton, Mt. Zion, Paris, & Newton

School Record 60 pts vs. Mt. Zion (60 - 8)

All-Conf. Players: Tim Cruz (QB),

Joe Caputo (Rcvr), Tim Cox (OG),

Rick Heiser (DT), Marshall Herring (LB)

1974-75       1 - 8             Coach Gary Hunt
1975-76       2 - 7             Coach Gary Hunt
1976-77     4 - 5             Coach Gary Hunt
1977-78       3 - 6             Coach Gary Hunt
1978-79       3 - 6             Coach Gary Hunt
1979-80       0 - 9             Coach Gary Hunt

1980-81 5 - 4 Coach Ed Boehm

1981-82 7 - 2 Coach Ed Boehm

Boys Golf

Boys golf brought Lakeview High its highest team finish in state competition. The teams of 1973 and 1975 both had top ten finishes at the IHSA State Match. One golfer, Ray Goodman, even finished 2nd overall in the state for the Fall of 1974! Team standings in State Competition are listed below.

1972-73 Team Finished SEVENTH at STATE MATCH Competition!!

Team Won District Championship

Final Team Standings

1.) Belleville West HS 619

2.) Pekin HS 623

3.) Hinsdale Central HS 627

3.) Homewood-Flossmore HS 627

5.) Peoria Richwoods HS 633

6.) Rockford Guilford HS 634

7.) LAKEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL 635

8.) Edwardsville HS 638

9.) MacArther, Prospect, Griffin, Normal U-High, all tied with 642.

1974-75(Fall) Team Finished SIXTH in STATE MATCH Competition!!

Team Won Sectional Championship

Individual Medalist

Ray Goodman 2ND Place Medalist

Final Team Standings

1.) Rockford Guilford HS 616

2.) Barrington HS 618

3.) Naperville Central HS 619

4.) Decatur MacArthur HS 620

5.) Belleville East HS 627

6.) LAKEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL 628

7.) Pekin HS 629

8.) Homewood-Flossmore HS 631

9.) Lake Forest HS 632

10.) Bloomington HS 633

1978-79 Team Won District Championship

Boys Track

One male trackster earned a medal at the IHSA State Track Meet.

1971-72 Individual Medalist

Mark Larson 1 Mile Run 5TH Place Coach Charles "Gus" Heath

*Coach Fred McKenzie served as head coach of the Lakeview thinclads from the mid 1970s until the school closedin 1982.

Boys Basketball

The boys basketball program had some real nice seasons during their existence. They were also said to have shot very well from the free-throw line in the 1950s. Many season records and most of the coaches names are absent. Coach Jack Fabri had a stop here during some point of Lakeview's existance; he had a career record of 387-113.

The best records from Lakeview are listed below.

1958-59 14 - 13

1965-66 13 - 13

1969-70 16 - 9

1978-79 22 - 5

1979-80 14 - 11

East Alton-Wood River Tourney (Consolation Champs)
Beat Piasa (Southwestern) 89-63

An example of their free-throw prowess: Lakeview players made 540 of 936 from the "charity stripe" during the 1952-53 school year. On December 30, 1954 in a game against Mt. Zion, Lakeview players made 47 of 60 shots, which is the fourth best shot total in state history!

*One of the great basketball players said to have donned the school colors of Lakeview High was Wayne Dunning who would go on to star at Milikin University.

*Dave Marquis set the single season scoring record for the city of Decatur a season average of 26.2 in the 1971-72 season for Lakeview High School . This record may still stand to this day. Dave scored 653 points that year which at that time was a single season record.

**Decatur Lakeview High School at one time was a regular participant in the Shelbyville High School annual tournament. Some results from this participation include:

1958 Consolation Champs
1970 3rd place
1972 3rd place
1973 Played Neoga for 3rd place. HC was Don Walker

**Results from the Collinsville Tournament from Mark Jurenga:

1954-55 - Collinsville Tournament
Championship- Collinsville 77 Decatur (Lakeview) 65
1955-56 - Collinsville Tournament
Championship- Collinsville 72 Decatur (Lakeview) 50

Girls Basketball

The Lady Spartans had some great seasons as well. The team of 1979-80 in fact made a Sweet 16 appearance in the State basketball tournament. Coach Brenda Clark led the team from 1974 through the 1982 season. The best seasons are listed below.

1974-75 9 - 1 Coach Brenda Clark

1975-76 8 - 2 Coach Brenda Clark

1976-77 7 - 3 Coach Brenda Clark

1977-78 8 - 7 Coach Brenda Clark

1979-80 16 - 7 IHSA Sweet 16 Finalist Coach Brenda Clark

Team Won Regional

Team Won Sectional

Team Lost to Peoria Richwoods

1980-81 14 - 9 Coach Brenda Clark

1981-82 18 - 5 Coach Brenda Clark

Seeking Your Assistance

Please e-mail any further information, especially a photo of the high school building, to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us via real mail at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il. 60631

Students Bid Farewell to Lakeview HS - 1982

Submitted by Joe Caputo

Lakeview HS Farewell T-Shirt of 1982

Courtesy of Joe Caputo