Toulon Township High School - Tolo Yearbook (Toulon, IL)

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The To Board of Education J. A. NOWLAN Secretary neil McKenzie JOSEPH SLYGH TOULON HIGH SCHOOL, 1921 Page Five

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The To lo Board of Education LESTER T. JACKSON President JOHN M(WILLIAM R. C. JACKSON DR. E. B. PACKER Page Four TOULON HIGH SCHOOL. 1921

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imiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 111111111111 The To '111111111111111111111111111111111111111111II111111 High School History UCH credit is due the early residents of Toulon for the active interest taken in establishing schools for the education of its young people. For a few years after the organization of the township, select schools and schools supported by subscriptions were maintained. Early in the year of 1847, a brick school house of one story was erected on the lot on which James K. Fuller now lives—a little west and on the opposite side of the street from the Public Library—and is still talked of as the “Old Brick.” This is the real beginning of the Public School in Toulon, District its first teacher was Thomas J. Henderson. In 1858 two wooden buildings, similar to this in their appointments, were constructed to accommodate the increasing school-age population. One stood on the lot now owned and occupied by Lloyd Trickle, and was known as the “Soap Hill” School. The other was on the corner northwest of the cemetery, and was known as the “Fail-Grounds” School. In 1855 a brick building of two stories was completed in which was held a private school called “The Seminary.” In this school the Senior boys and girls, who wished to go further than the studies offered in District No. 1, could carry on their work. This building was leased and eventually sold to the Trustees of Toulon township for the Grammar and High School pupils of the village. It is still standing, having been converted into (he residence of H. C. Bradley. These buildings, with the addition of a room on the second floor of a house on the west side of the Public Square for tlio Intermediate department, housed the public schools of Toulon until 1875. The subject of a new school house began to be agitated in the early seventies. Several sites were offered and the feeling grew so strong that a special election was called to settle the question which resulted in sixty-five votes for, with nine against, the lots facing west on Olive Street, between Vine and Henderson. These lots were purchased of Mrs. Sarah A. Dunn for a consideration of one thousand dollars, the deed tearing the date of April 23, 1874. The contract was let almost immediately to H. H. Page Six TOULON HIGH SCHOOL, 1921