Bellflower High School - Dragon Yearbook (Bellflower, IL)

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.Ecard of Cyducailbn Messrs. W. A. Paullin. Lester Hawthorne. Warner Cole. Elmer Kumler, Ralph A. Osborn, Dale Bright tnot here when picture was takenl The Bellflower Community was the first in Mt-Lean County, and among the first in the state of Illinois. to adopt a Township School Plan of School Organization. The patrons of Bellflower and community speak with pride. when speaking of their school. The Village of Bellflower was laid out i11 1871. Two years later a one room frame school house was erected. As the population increased, the original one room structure became inadequate and a two story. four room grade school building was erected in 1887 to meet the growing educational needs of the community. The four room building served the needs of the Community until 1905. In 1905 the citizens of the Community, which is rural in every respect. saw the needs of the coming generations and established. through petition. an organized school district under the Township High School Plan. It was a rather unusual organi- zation in that such organizations usually a1'e sponsored by urban communities in- fringing upon rural areas. However. the rural area saw and realized the urgent need for the future school generation. The original structure has been enlarged and remodeled, with the aim of meet- ing current needs and demands, not only of the immediate community, but the needs of the individual for the Community in which he may find himself in post school years. The present structure is entirely modern. surrounded by well kept lawns. beautiful shrubbery. and an adequate soft ball and baseball diamond. From the beginning the board has maintained a good school program. As the years have passed, school men in the community have given unselfishly of their time to assist in maintaining a school which would prepare the youth of this com- munity to live today in order that he will be properly adjusted in the complex society and the enlarged responsibilities which he will meet face to face as our international sphere ol influence is broadened. The present Board of Education is composed of capable. alert, and successful men. who are interested in maintaining a secondary school which meets the re- quirements necessary to train the youth to actually live today he will be required to live tomorrow. The board must look to post war planning, hlave a competent faculty, an understanding student body. and a co-operative public. The Board of Education believes that all of the rights and priviliges should be shared equally by the different members of the student body. The Board of Education takes great pride in being a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondlary Schools, accredited by the University of Illinois, and recognized by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Senior Class of 1946 wish to pay high tribute to the present Board of Edu- cation for all that they have done for our citizens of today, and to express our deep appreciation for the building of an education program. -Senior Class of 1946

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dminigtration

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Ecard of Urusiees Left to right: VV. Ileetzel. J. li. Smith. E. Iliduer, W. Noe At the time of orgrauizatiou this township was railed Prairie. Jesse Richards was our first supervisor. llc- vrzts elerted iu 1858. The High St-hool values. very highly, the original dot-uint-uts whit-h they hold eoueeruiug: the first elevtions heltl in the touuship ou that date. At that titne sut-h pulmlit' iueetiugs were hold iu private homes. Our Itoard of Trustees has among its possessions a Funding' ltoud for 51000 issued in 18507 and a tertifirate for 2350 shares in the l.::t'.e1yette. Bloomiuyitou, aud Mississippi liailroatl t'otupauy. valued at 55100 per share issued iu 1871. Througrh the years our st-hool officials have taken great pride in providing the best of sehool advantages for our c-ouimuuity. They have taken laud that was swautpy, uuprofitalrle. and valued at only 31215.00 per at-re and turueml the same iuto. perhaps, the most wealthy sehool distri-Q-t in the State ot' Illiuois. lluriug the year 11444 J. E. Smith. School Treasurer. reeeived from William lieetzel. .l. NV. Noe. :incl ltlliner Iliduer. our Schtrol Trustees of the M. 0. Flau'gou Estate, the sum of 510.000 as rental for the school farms. This suui wfas distributed as dirt-rtetl iu the Flauizou willq that is. 315.000 to Bellflower Township lligxh School and 555,000 to the llellflower Grade School. The 1-urreut year yielded a very success- ful amount for the srhools. Needless to ray. the rental from the fartus vtitries front year to year. as weather 1-ouditious aud prir-es for farm products are rltaugiuyq far-tors whit-h tleteruiiue the proi'its iu agrirulture. But skillful tuauipulatiou of resources has resulted iu a eotutueudalmle yearly remuneration for the two Bellflower Schools. Mr. and Mrs. M. O. Flauigjou has remeiubered every citizen of our Township iu the gifts. and its a lasting memory too, for sehool taxes are greatly redured by profits from tht-se investments. The 4-oiuiuuuity wishes to express its appreeiution to the Sf'll00l Treftsurer and Trustees for the exeelleut Illklllllgtllllfxlli of these st-hool fartus. r.-. ,. i