Stark County High School

The origins of the Toulon High School system dates to 1847 when a public educational program was established. Various locations around Toulon have served as the school between 1847 and 1875. In 1874, a new school building was constructed and opened in February, 1875 which housed both the elementary and high schools of Toulon until 1912.[6]

The Toulon Academy was organized in 1883 which offered college preparatory classes beyond the high school courses. In 1884, the Academy and Toulon High School merged, but separated again 1 year later. In 1896, the Academy Association purchased 6.67 acres (27,000 m²) of land at Prairie Avenue and Franklin Street for the purpose of constructing a new Academy building and sports facilities for football and track. This structure opened in February, 1897 and continued as the Academy until 1912, when the Academy permanently closed.[6]

The Franklin Street property and building was offered by the Academy Association to the Toulon High school board which accepted in mid-1912. The high school transferred locations from the 1875 school building to the Academy building, leaving the entire use of the 1875 school for the grade school's use. During this transfer, the high school was reorganized and renamed Toulon Township High School and its first class graduated in 1913.[6]

By 1922, increased enrollment at the high school precipitated the construction of a new and larger high school building which was located next to the 1896 Academy structure. The new facility was first occupied in February, 1923 and continues in use today as Stark County High School.[6]

On June 2, 1970 Toulon Township High School graduated its fifty-eighth and last class. Toulon Township and LaFayette Highs were consolidated beginning with the 1970-71 school year. Toulon-LaFayette High continued utilizing the Township High school building in Toulon until 1992 when Stark County High School was formed from the Toulon-LaFayette, Wyoming, and elective students from Bradford High schools.[6]

The current high school building in Toulon was built in the 1920s by a man by the name of Oscar Schneider.

The transformation of the current school facilities in Toulon began one hundred and thirteen years ago in 1896. The desire for a new Academy school building was expressed during a June 18, 1896 graduation ceremony. Three weeks later, the Executive Committee of the Academy Association chose a site at the intersection of Prairie Ave. and Franklin St. as the location.[7]

An agreement between the Association and landowners Mrs. R. A. Turner and son, Chester M. Turner (first Toulon High graduate 1879), exchanged 6​²⁄₃ acres for $667. The Turners then donated $350 of this amount to the Academy for the land purchase with the $317 balance provided by community citizens.[7]

Quick funding for this project allowed construction to begin immediately on the new Academy building. By January 1897, plans were in place to transfer school locations. A 'for sale' ad appeared in the January 1, 1897 issue of The Stark County News for the old Academy building and lot. The transfer was completed and a dedication ceremony performed on February 4, 1897.[7]

The Academy, organized in 1883, discontinued operating in the spring of 1912. Discussions about the property transfer from the Academy to Toulon High School continued for several weeks prior to a 1912 vote on the issue. A favorable vote in July enabled the transfer and Toulon High was renamed Toulon Township High School. Speculation occurred in early September about the possibility of an athletic program.[7]

The Academy building became overwhelmed for classroom space when enrollment at TTHS increased. Downtown buildings supplemented for the required classrooms which emphasized the need to construct a new high school building. In 1922, the new Township High School building was completed and classes began in January 1923. A dedication was held on May 31, 1923 as the school year finished. Demolition of the 1896 Academy building of only twenty-seven years began the next month and by July was nearly completed.

In early 1948, William E. Lehman [1886–1970], grandfather of Jeanne (Al) Harland, Mary (Tim) McMillen, Carol (Sam) Rice, and the late William C. Lehman, sold 9.9 acres (40,000 m²) of farmland to the high school for $5,000. This land runs from Franklin St. on the west to the fence line east of the present school facilities, and from the fence line south of same to the north conjoining with the original 6.67 acres (27,000 m²).[7]

Mr. Lehman's decision to sell this land initiated a sequence of events and construction that altered Stark County's and Toulon's school history. One result was a proposal to eliminate many of the rural one room schoolhouses in surrounding townships. Township voters passed this consolidation measure with the exception of West Jersey township.[7]

Construction plans began for a Toulon Consolidated Elementary School to be located adjacent to the high school at Franklin Street. The high school sold 4 acres (16,000 m²) east and north of its building for $1.00 and the exchange of the then grade school property. West Jersey township residents procured funding for construction of their new consolidated grade school a month later. The chosen site was across from the West Jersey Methodist church on Route 78.[7]

Completion of Toulon's grade school occurred in February 1950. Classes commenced February 20, 1950 and the previous school building which had served as the combined high school and grade school prior to 1912 was closed. It was located at the intersection of N. Olive and E. Thomas streets until it was demolished in late 1956.[7]

West Jersey's new grade school neared completion 2 months later and on April 23, 1950 a dedication was performed. This building was the West Jersey 1-8 grade school from 1950 to 1970, then the 5th and 6th grades of Toulon-LaFayette consolidated during 1970-79, and finally the Toulon-LaFayette Junior High from 1979 to 1985. The 35 year use of this building ended in June 1985 when it permanently closed as a school. Bryton Technology, Inc. now utilizes the structure.[7]

As part of the 4 acres (16,000 m²) sold to the grade school board, Toulon High School's football field, dirt track, and baseball field had to be relocated. Construction began on the new sport arenas in August 1948 with availability expected in 1 year. The new baseball field was ready in May 1949. The football field and cindered track were completed during that summer and dedicated on September 30, 1949.[8]

Paul Unruh (TTHS Class of 1946) and Jack Winans were speakers at this ceremony. Asked about the track having been under construction again in 1957, Carl Bland stated " It wasn't reconstructed, but the original 1949 cinders were of such poor quality they had to be replaced. " New cinders were put down in early 1957 and allowed to settle for a year. The track was usable the following spring of 1958 for the new track and field season.[8]

In February 1950, with the new grade school being utilized, the next construction project discussed was a gymnasium to be located between the high and grade schools. It was noted that the new gym should be larger than the one inside of the 1923 high school which had a limited capacity for spectators. Additionally, strategically located entrances would allow both schools access, thus reducing the need and cost of separate gyms.[8]

These discussions and plans did not come to fruition and for decades there remained an open space of unused land between the schools. This failure to agree upon a singular facility generated plans to build separate gymnasiums.[8]

The grade school gym was completed in late 1955 and the 'all-purpose' (gym) room at the grade school was first used on December 9, 1955. This additional structure to the grade school became derisively known as "the cracker box" due to its approximate 3/4 size of a standard gym. A cafeteria hot lunch program was also begun at this time according to Chris McMillen. An annex room off of the gym served as the first kindergarten beginning in January, 1958 with Mrs. Jeanette (Johnson) Slygh (TTHS Class of 1935) as the new teacher.[8]

The high school's first add-on construction since 1923 began in 1959 with its new gym. It was completed in time for the 1960-61 school year. The spectator capacity increased to twelve hundred from the old gym's several hundred. This new gym and agricultural shop were located on the ground where the Academy building had stood from 1896 to 1923.[8]

Major additions to both schools stagnated for nearly 35 years, although there were numerous reconfigurations of existing rooms. An example was modifying the 1923 gym into a band-music room. A tennis court was installed south of the high school parking lot during the mid-1960s, but has since been removed to extend the parking lot.[8]

In the past decade, an above ground 'tunnel' was added which connected both schools. It was located between the 2 gyms to allow students dry passage from building to building. Unfortunately, a recurring leak prone roof bombarded students with a gauntlet of drops as they travelled its length. This problem made the tunnel expendable for a recent project.[8]

Relocation of the 1949 baseball field, made possible through community volunteers of time and services, commenced in 2003. The field has been offset approximately 20 yards to the northeast. This extensive project was completed in 2005 and 1 game in May inaugurated the updated facility. Its first full season of use occurred in the spring of 2006. Added amenities included infield grass, raised pitching mound, a warmup bullpen, a fence enclosing the outfield, and a scoreboard behind it in left field.[8]

One of the latest construction ventures at the schools began in the 2005-06 school year. The void between the 2 gyms has been filled by a 2-story brick structure which functions as the new cafeteria and music room. It was ready for use in the 2006-07 school year. The 2 schools are now merged into 1 contiguous conglomeration. This addition replaced the leak plagued tunnel. Plus, the old grade school cafeteria has been converted into a library. The 1923 high school continues as Stark County High, while the grade school building is now the Junior High. The grade school is currently located in Wyoming.[8]

Toulon's school facilities at Franklin Street have gone through many changes during the past one hundred and thirteen years. The pasture land of 1896 and 1948 has nearly reached its capacity for more additions to the school property. As these structures age, additional land will be sought or demolition will be required to construct the new buildings of the future.[8]

When this future change does occur, perhaps the diagonal sidewalk, which runs from the street corner to the high school's north entrance, will be preserved. Photos show this section of sidewalk traversing to the 1896 Academy building's front entrance. If it remains, this would be a tribute to our ancestors who realized the values of education and provided us with the means to obtain that knowledge in suitable surroundings.[8]

The first classes at LaFayette High School were held in 1891 in a building downtown. The high school moved to a location on the southern edge of the town in 1899, where that building still stands today.[9]

LHS was deactivated in 1970 when LaFayette merged with Toulon, along with the grade school in West Jersey, to create Toulon-LaFayette High School. The LaFayette High School building was home to the grade school kids from the area until 1978. Toulon LaFayette High School merged with Wyoming High School in 1992 to create Stark County High School located in Toulon. The LaFayette High School building still stands tall and is owned by the LaFayette Park District, where it is rented out for family reunions and alumni dinners.[9]

The school districts of Toulon and LaFayette agreed to consolidate their educational resources in the spring of 1970. This arrangement led to the renaming of Toulon High School to Toulon-LaFayette High School. The LaFayette school served as a grade school for the district until 1978 when all classes were moved to Toulon. The Toulon High School building became the Toulon-LaFayette High School building in 1970. Toulon-LaFayette High School continued to serve the two communities for 22 more years. It was in 1992 that the school districts of Toulon-LaFayette and nearby Wyoming agreed to consolidate their resources. This effort resulted in the forming of Stark County High School. Stark County High School is located in the Toulon-LaFayette High School building.[10]

The village of Wyoming, Illinois is situated in the center of Stark County and has a great tradition dating back to the 1920s regarding its educational system. For various reasons the school districts in Wyoming and Toulon consolidated in 1992. The new school district is known as Stark County High School. It is there that the great success of education continues for the Wyoming children. The old Wyoming High School building served its last classroom full of children in the spring of 2006. The school district was set to bid out for demolition of the original main high school building until a group of concerned citizens formed to purchase the building at a public auction in October 2010. The main building is now known as the WyHi-Stark County Community Center. A non-profit group runs the building as a multi-purpose community center. The gymnasium and agriculture building are still utilized by the Stark County CUSD however. These buildings were constructed in the 1950s. The original building was constructed in the 1920s.[11]

The village of Bradford, Illinois supported its own high school until low enrollment finally took its toll. Bradford High School was deactivated in 2001 with the students given their option of attending nearby Bureau Valley High School, Henry-Senachwine High School, or Stark County High School. The high school building still stands in town. Bradford still supports its own elementary school for grades K-8. The 6-8 grades still compete in sports.[12]

• 1847 - Toulon public education program established
• 1912 - Toulon High School renamed to Toulon Township High School
• 1970 - Toulon Township High School and LaFayette High School consolidate to form Toulon-LaFayette High School
• 1992 - Toulon-LaFayette High School and Wyoming High School consolidate to form Stark County High School
• 2001 - Bradford High School deactivates and some elective students attend Stark County High School