Walnut High School - Walnut Tree Yearbook (Walnut, IL)

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Gonigam, Sr., President; George Westphal, Secretary; G. W. Dahl, Howard Keigwin, and S. W. Hopkins. The present school building, erected at a cost of SI00,000, having reached completion in 1922, was opened January 1, 1923, and dedicated that spring. The first principal of the new high school was Mr. Charles Melton. The site chosen for the building, a knoll in the southwestern part of town, is outstanding and today the building and campus are one of the most beautiful in Northern Illinois. In 1924 the new Community High School was recognized as eligible for membership in the North Central Association. This association approves only schools possessing organization, teaching force, standards of character and a cooperative student body, which will commend them to any educator, college or university in the territory of the North Central Association. They also believe that it should be of such character as to encourage growth and develoment of its members. This school is also accredited by the University of Illinois and State Department of Public Instruction. There have been many recent improvements in the building and the landscaping. In 1934 new tile floors were laid in the gymnasium and the foods department. The principal's home was moved from the lower campus to the area back of the school building and completely remodeled in 1935. Since that time there has been a continuous landscaping program surrounding it. Three classes have left beautiful gifts to the campus in the form of a memorial fountain (class of '36) and memorial gateway to the parking drive (classes of '37 and '38.) In 1936 the entire heating system was reconstructed and temperature control added. The foods department has been remodeled within the last year. The auditorium has been redecorated, the stage enlarged, and a modernistic balcony has been made. There has been a continuous program of improvement to the building and grounds which has contributed much to the appearance of both, and served as an inspiration to teachers and students. In 1890 the teaching staff consisted of two teachers for a student enrollment of thirty-three. In contrast to this, in 1939, there is a faculty of nine members for an enrollment of approximately one hundred forty students. Since 1890 there have been six hundred seventy-seven students graduated from the high school. During this fifty year period over one thousand students have been enrolled and shared in the opportunities ot secondary school training. Walnut's claim to fame is based on the fact that one of the most illustrious writers in the United States was born and educated here. There can be no doubt as to the identity ot this person for people everywhere are familiar with his Mehitabel,” The Alley Cat” and the well-known Old Soak. This famous author and columnist was the late Don Marquis, Class of '94. The history of Walnut Community High School is not completed with the publication of this yearbook. It remains for the future students of the school to uphold and maintain an institution of the highest calibre, and to send forth men and women prepared to meet the situations of the world in which they live. 1890 - 1891 - 1892 - 1893 - 1894 - 1895 - 1896 PAGE NINE

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fifty Years of UUalnut Community High School This year Walnut Community High School celebrates the Sami-Centennial Anniversary of its first graduating class in 1890. Fifty classes will be represented in the processional at the commencement exercises, June 1st, when Principal Cecil A. Snider presents diplomas to twenty-nine graduates, one of the largest classes in the history of the school. At this time, alumni, former students, and friends of the school will gather from tar and near to renew old friendships with their classmates and former teachers, and pay honor to their school which has attained its fiftieth milestone. In 1875 a school was built in Walnut, since the population had increased and the parents realized the necessity of education for their children. This was one of the first projects in the early days of the village. The school consisted of three departments; primary', intermediate, and grammer school. There were one hundred twenty-two pupils and G. D. Peddicord was the principal. About 1884, the high school was organized consisting of only the tenth and eleventh grades, with no one graduating until 1890. In 1894 a new, six room building was constructed to accommodate the increasing enrollment. The high school, at this time, included three grades, each consisting of six classes. The school year was divided into three terms instead of two semesters as it is today. Of the two hundred fifteen students in 1895, thirty-three of these were high school students. About 1900 the school was organized into a four year school. Originally Walnut School District which was in the center of Walnut Township, embraced only three thousand acres. Today, the community High School District covers seventy-four square miles of area in Bureau, Lee, and Whiteside Counties, with a taxable valuation of almost three million dollars. To accommodate the enlarged student body in 1914, a building was needed with better facilities. The school house was remodeled and used until it was destroyed by fire in November, 1933. Many former students watched the old school burn with feelings of regret, and the memories of days spent there will always remain among the people in this community. The Community High School law was passed by the Illinois State Legislature in 1917. In October, following the passage of this law, a new board of education was elected. There were five members; Wallace Bass. Sr., Ira White, Foster Black, Howard Keig-win, and Louis Gonigam, Sr. The new board met and organized but no plans were made until spring when the district organized into a community high school. In 1918, Mr. C. C. Decker was elected principal. The people of the community, realizing the demands for larger accommodations, proposed the building of a new high school. At first the proposal was not generally liked. However, when an election was called to float a S90,000 bond issue, it was almost unanimously accepted. During this time a new board of education was chosen, which capably guided the construction of the new building. The members of this board were: Louis 1933 - 1934 - 1935 - 1936 - 1937 - 1938 - 1939 PAGE EIGHT

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SMILES THAT MADE US HAPPY BOOK II - 1898 - 1899 - 1900 1897 PAGE TEN