"Since Sidell is one of the younger towns of the area, it has no background of "subscription schools" and log schoolhouses. The earliest settlers here sent their children to Archie, Gilead, Barnett and Indianola, where schools had been established since 1843. After grade school, a few attended seminaries, which offered, advanced education on the basis of tuition of $1.25 per month per pupil.

  The first school in Sidell was established in the upper room of the old depot building about 1883 or 1884. Presumably in the late 1880s a two-room brick building was erected on’ the west side of Chicago street where the Rose Bailey home is now located. A Mr. Graham was hired as principal, and the two other teachers were Ida Ames and Zua Spry. In 1892, a second story was added and a two-year high school was established under a Mr. Blankhurst as principal.

  In 1894, Clay F. Gaumer became principal, and in 1897 a third year was added to the high school and it continued as a three-year high school until 1908, when the fourth year was added under Prof. Sherman Cass. Two rooms had been added to the building in 1905, making it a six-room school. Sometime within this range, some of the classes were held in the upper story of the Old Hatchery building, south of Courson’s Store. During the years 1892 to 1908, the public school board of District No. 194 operated the high school.

  As early as 1895-96, an attempt was made to organize a high school district, but the effort was defeated at the polls. It was later accomplished, in 1912, through petitions circulated by Dr. Ceo. B. Jones and Harley Beaman. The district of 39 sections was called Sidell Township High School District No. 21. The first board of the new district was elected in April, 1912, and named A. Cathcart as president. Other members were; H. L. Baum, Ralph Herron, J. C. McDowell, M. A. Dickerson, A. M. Miller and Max Holton.

  The new building was occupied in the spring of 1913, under Sherman Cass as principal, his salary being $117.50 per month for 12 months. Two other teachers were hired at $75 per month. The completed building cost approximately $25,000.

  The first ‘graduates of the four-year high school were: Walter Carrell, Hazel Williams, and Caryl Holton. The first janitor of the building, George Overman, was paid $45 per month for 12 months.

  The new gymnasium was built in 1925 under Leroy Hooker as principal, at a cost of $27,000. The school was admitted into the North Central Association in 1916 when V. W. McIntyre was Principal. W. J. Goreham became principal in 1927 and served until it ceased to be a separate high school in 1955, when it was consolidated with Fairmount and Indianola high schools to form Jamaica High School.

Principals serving during its history of 63 years were:

E. W. Blackhurst, 1892-94

Clay F. Gaumer, 1894-1903

J G. Slater, 1902-3

Robert Kent, 1903-4

R. W. Sprinkle, 1904-6

J. N. Kirby, 1906-8

Sherman Cass 1908-14

V. W. McIntyre, 1914-17

Mr. Nichols, 1917-18

Mr. McManus, 1918-19

J. R. Bouton, 1919-25

Leroy Hooker, 1925-27

W. J. Goreham, 1927-55

  The first official coach of the high school was H. C. Stotler in 1916: The organization of the Consolidated Jamaica High School was effected in 1953, but did not become operative until 1955. Upon the consolidation, Mr. Goreham became the first superintendent of the Jamaica High School."