Springfield High School (Illinois)

Springfield High School (SHS) is a public secondary school located in Springfield, Illinois, United States. It is the oldest of the three high schools in Springfield Public Schools District 186 (the other two being Southeast High School and Lanphier High School). The school draws mainly from the west side of Springfield.

Springfield High School
Address
101 South Lewis Street

,
62704

United States
Coordinates39.801°N 89.661°W / 39.801; -89.661
Information
School typepublic secondary
Opened1857
School districtSpringfield Public Schools District 186[1]
SuperintendentJennifer Gill [2]
PrincipalLisa Leardi[3]
Faculty103[4]
Grades9–12
Genderco-ed
Enrollment1,509 (2016-17)[5]
Average class size23 [6]
Campus typeUrban
Color(s)  red
  black
SloganWe Are Springfield
Athletics conferenceCentral State Eight
MascotSolon
Team nameSenators[7]
NewspaperThe Senator[8]
YearbookCapitoline[9]
Websitehttp://www.sps186.org/schools/springfield/

While the school opened in 1857, the current building was opened in 1916. A number of notable alumni have called the school home, with the writer Vachel Lindsay being the most associated with the town, which featured prominently in his writings.

Building history and architecture

Springfield High School opened on 4 September 1857 in a small building on Market Street, now known as Capitol Avenue.[10] It was located in this building for only a single school year before it moved to the Academy Building on South 5th Street near Monroe until 1864. In 1865, a $65,000 school building was completed for the high school and was located on 4th and Madison Street.[10] Due to congestion, Central High School was built in 1897, but was already overcrowded by 1915.

In 1915, plans were made to erect a new school in Forest Park. Once the site of a church and Hutchinson Cemetery,[11] the church was gone, but there were still gravestones and remains that were moved to Oak Ridge Cemetery before construction could begin. The new school was completed in 1916.

There are four mosaics on the exterior walls of the building completed by Henry Chapman Mercer.[12] The original molds are a part of the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works.

Academics

In 2008, SHS had an average composite ACT score of 22.0, and graduated 91.0% of its senior class.[6] Springfield High School has not made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the Prairie State Achievement Examination, which with the ACT, comprise the State of Illinois' assessment as part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.[6] The school, overall, did not meet AYP in mathematics, and two student subgroups failed to meet AYP in both mathematics and reading.[6]

Student life

Activities

29 student clubs are hosted at SHS, ranging from academic and foreign language to school spirit and philanthropic.[13] Among the national organizations with chapters or affiliates at the school are Junior State of America, Best Buddies, and the National Honor Society.[13]

The school's scholastic bowl team finished fourth at the IHSA state championship tournament in 2007–08.[14]

Athletics

Springfield High School competes in the Central State Eight Conference, and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which governs most interscholastic athletics and competitive activities in Illinois. Teams are stylized as the "Senators".

SHS sponsors interscholastic athletic teams for young men and women in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, and track & field.[15] Young men may compete in baseball, football, and wrestling, while young women may compete in cheerleading, softball, and volleyball.[15]

The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournaments or meets:[14]

  • Baseball: 2nd place (1984–85) 2nd place (2015–16)
  • Basketball (boys'): 4th place (1915–16); 3rd place (1966–67); 2nd place (1914–15, 1918–19, 1932–33); State Champions (1916–17, 1934–35, 1958–59)
  • Basketball (girls'): 4th place (2008–09, 2011–12); 3rd place (2009–10, 2010–11)
  • Cross Country (boys'): 4th place (2007–08, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2017–18); 3rd place (2009–10); 2nd place (2010–11, 2018–19)
  • Cross Country (girls'): State Champions (2009–10); 3rd place (2010–11); 4th place (2011–12)
  • Golf (boys'): 4th place (1952–53, 1953–54, 1986–87)
  • Golf (girls'): 2nd place (1984–85, 1985–86)
  • Soccer (boys'): State Champions (1997–98); 3rd place (2014–15)
  • Softball: 3rd place (1991–92)
  • Tennis (boys'): 4th place (1949–50)
  • Track & Field (boys'): 4th place (1894–95, 1913–14, 1915–16, 1919–20, 1921–22); 3rd place (1892–93, 1918–19); 2nd place (1945–46, 1946–47)
  • Track & Field (girls'): 4th place (2013–14); 3rd place (2010–11)

Fine arts

Springfield has three choir groups and one showhchoir (Seven and Senators, Scarlet Harmony, Mixed Chorus, and IN Session Showchoir).[16] The "IN Session" showchoir is an extracurricular activity who rehearses two nights a week. IN Session showchoir is a choir that combine choral singing with dance. Started in 2011, IN Session performs around the city of Springfield and competes around the Midwest. Since 2011, IN Session showchoir has won numerous awards and has been rank by the Nation showchoir rank system.[17]

The school has a marching band, which performs at home football games and at other local events, and two pep bands, which take turns playing at home basketball games. For the concert season there are three groups (Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble). There are also two jazz bands and a flute choir, along with a clarinet choir.[18]

The school stages a play each autumn and a musical each spring.[19] Recent musicals include Cats, created by Andrew Lloyd Webber,[20] Legally Blonde,Hairspray, and "Beauty and the Beast."

PLATO (computer system)

The only remote PLATO III terminal was at Springfield High School. It was connected to the PLATO III system by a video connection and a separate dedicated line for keyboard data.

Notable alumni

References

  1. "General information directory for District 186". Springfield Public Schools District 186. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  2. "Administrative directory for District 186". Springfield Public Schools District 186. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  3. "Springfield HS homepage: Administrative contacts". Springfield High School. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  4. "Springfield HS faculty directory". Springfield High School. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  5. "Springfield High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  6. "2008 Illinois School Report Card: Springfield High School" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  7. "School information for Springfield High School". Illinois High School Association. 14 September 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  8. "The Senator webpage". Springfield High School. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  9. "Capitoline webpage". Springfield High School. Archived from the original on September 25, 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  10. "Do You Remember?". The State Journal-Register. Springfield, Illinois. 27 January 1983. p. 28. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  11. "Hutchinson Cemetery/Springfield High School". March 2005. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
  12. "SHS: In Search of Mercer". Springfield High School. 2006. Retrieved 2007-04-07.
  13. "SHS clubs and activities". Springfield High School. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
  14. "Season summaries for Springfield High School". Illinois High School Association. 19 August 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  15. "Senator Sports: Athletic directory at Springfield High School". Springfield High School. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  16. "Choir at Springfield High School". Springfield High School. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
  17. "Choir at Springfield High School". Springfield High School. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  18. "SHS Band". Springfield High School. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
  19. "Past and Present musicals and plays at SHS". Springfield High School. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
  20. "CATS performed by Springfield High School". Cats the Musical. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  21. "Springfield -High School Hall of Fame". Springfield High School. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  22. "Thomas E. Broady (October, 1877 to May 12, 1907)". RagPiano. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  23. "1995 Inductions: Toy Dorgan citation". Springfield Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  24. "Living With Pride: Ruth C. Ellis @ 100". 2000. Archived from the original on 2008-02-19.
  25. Fox, Margalit. "Richard L. Fortman, a Champion at Checkers, Dies at 93", The New York Times, November 29, 2008. Accessed December 25, 2008.
  26. Staff. "Richard L. Fortman", State Journal-Register, November 10, 2008. Accessed December 25, 2008.
  27. "1997 Inductions: Jerry Fry citation". Springfield Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  28. "Justin Knoedler stats & bio information". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  29. "Dave Robisch stats & biographical infro". databasebasketball.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  30. "1991 Inductions: Dave Robisch citation". Springfield Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  31. "1991 Inductions: Ed Sternaman citation". Springfield Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  32. "1991 Inductions: Joe Sternaman citation". Springfield Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  33. Muller, Bill and Dan Nowicki. Chapter II: At the Naval Academy
  34. John McCain Report. azcentral.com. March 1, 2007. Accessed July 14, 2008.
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