ATHLETICS
The sports program at Madison Dunbar definitely included basketball (
www.ihsa.org). We believe that baseball and track were offered as well. School team nickname, colors, fight song, coach's names,
and better team records are alll items we are seeking at this time.
BOYS' BASKETBALL
The late 1940's brought some nice successes for the Madison Dunbar High School basketball team. Three District
titles and a Regional Championship put the Dunbar kids on the IHSA trophy list. Unfortunately, team records for these
and other great Dunbar teams are not currently available.
Donn Hornberger of the Venice Historical Society provides the following information regarding the
Madison Dunbar HS basketball program:
"Dunbar won the 1946 state championship for African American schools in Illinois.
This is cited by non-other than Taylor Bell in one of his many books. Most of this information
is provided by George Smith, coach and principal.
Significant Dunbar of Madison (Newport of North Venice) players were: Chuck Jenkins, Luther Ferrell,
J D Haynes, Chuck Garrett, Frank Jenkins, Jeff Riggs and Ira Long. All were NCAA Division
I collegiate players. These are familiar basketball names in downstate metro St. Louis area."
1942-43 SICCHS
Runner-Ups
1943-44 SICCHS Runner-Ups
1944-45 SICCHS Runner-Ups
1945-46 SICCHS State Champs!!
Coach George Smith
IHSA District Champions
1947-48 District Championship
Coach John Arthur Algee, Sr.
1948-49
Coach John Arthur Algee, Sr.
1949-50 District
& Regional Champions Coach John Arthur Algee, Sr.
Lost in 1st Rd. of Sectional
to Collinsville 42 - 34
1950-51
Coach John Arthur Algee, Sr.
1951-52 ILL-MO Conference Champs Coach
John Arthur Algee, Sr.
FACTS & MEMORIES
From Dan Kostencki:
"I am currently (2009) principal at Metro-East Lutheran High School
in Edwardsville. I started my career in the Madison School District
in 1968, I was principal at Madison High School from 1978 to 1986 and Superintendent of Schools from
1986 to 1994. In total, I spent 23 of my years in the Madison school District.
During that period of time, I became very aware of the history of Dunbar School. At the time I started teaching, the Dunbar
building was still being used as a junior high school, during the early seventies, Dunbar was totally closed due to a Federal
Desegregation Order, and the African American children going there were consolidated into the old junior high school which
at the time was in the original Madison High School building. About 1979, a new Madison
Middle School was built and the old Junior High was vacated.
Dunbar High School ceased being a high school in 1952 when the new Madison High School
was completed, the two old high schools were consolidated in the spring of 1952, and it was one of the first public high schools
in our area to be integrated.
Many of the folks who taught there or attended Dunbar are deceased or I have lost touch with them. Two
men who were principals there were Joshua Johnson, who upon leaving the principal's
position at Dunbar worked for the Madison County Superintendent of Schools,
Dr. George Wilkins, who was later elected at the State Superintendent of Schools. Mr. Johnson
then worked for the State Board of Education under Dr. Wilkins, Ray Page and Michael
Bakalis. An interesting note is that Josh played major
league baseball in the old Negro League, and was also a Major during WWII. Mr. Wade James became
principal of Dunbar after Mr. Johnson, he served as principal until the early seventies when he became Assistant
Superintendent of the Madison School District."
WHAT DO YOU KNOW….
…about the history of Madison Dunbar High School? You can contact us with your information at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or send them to the address via regular mail. We are looking for a photo of the school itself or any other information
that pertains to MDHS. You can reach us via real mail (USPS) at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il 60631
