Young America (Metcalf) High School* "Golden Eagles"

*HOME PAGE
Closed High Schools Alumni Apparel
*RECENT UPDATES
*CLOSED HIGH SCHOOLS LISTED BY COUNTY
IN THE BEGINNING - Where Closed High Schools Consolidated To
*YOUR COMMENTS
*SUBMIT A COMMENT or SUGGESTION
*THE "TO-DO" LIST
*ABOUT THE AUTHORS
GREAT CONFERENCES
*CLOSED GRADE SCHOOLS
RELIGIOUS ORDERS
MASCOTS & NICKNAMES
*LINKS TO OTHER SITES
COUNTRY SCHOOLS / SPECIAL BLDGS
*Schools That Start With "A"
*Schools That Start With "B"
*Schools That Start With "C"
*Schools That Start With "D"
*Schools That Start With "E"
*Schools That Start With "F"
*Schools That Start With "G"
*Schools That Start With "H"
*Schools That Start With... "I"
*Schools That Start With "J"
*Schools That Start With "K"
*Schools That Start With "L"
*Schools That Start With "M"
*Schools That Start With "N"
*Schools That Start With "O"
*Schools That Start With "P"
*Schools That Start With "Q"
*Schools That Start With "R"
*Schools That Start With "S"
*Schools That Start With.. "T"
*Schools That Start With.. "U"
*Schools That Start With.. "V"
*Schools That Start With "W"
*Schools That Start With.. "X"
*Schools That Start With.. "Y"
*Schools That Start With.. "Z"
*Macedonia High School
*Mackinaw High School
*Macomb Western HS
*Macon High School
Madison Dunbar HS
*Magnolia High School
Mahomet High School
*Maine Twnshp North HS
Makanda High School
*Malden High School
*Malta High School
*Manchester High School
Manhattan High School
*Manito High School
*Manito Forman HS
*Manlius High School
*Mansfield High School
*Manteno Our Lady Acad.
*Maple Park High School
*Maquon High School
*Marine High School
*Maroa High School
*Marseilles High School
*Martinton High School
Mason High School
*Mason City High School
Matherville High School
Maunie High School
*Maytown Academy
MaywoodProvisoTwshpHS
*Mazon High School
*MazonVeronaKinsman HS
*McClure High School
*McLean High School
*(McNabb) Swaney H.S.
*Mechanicsburg HS
*Media Wever High School
*Medora High School
Melrose Pk. Sac. Hrt. Sem.
*Melvin High School
*Melvin-Sibley High School
Mendon High School
*Mendota East High School
Meredosia High School
*Metcalf High School
*(Metcalf) Young America
*Metropolis Community HS
*Metropolis Dunbar HS
*Middletown High School
*Milan High School
*Millbrook High School
Mill Shoals High School
*Mills Prairie High School
*Millstadt High School
*Milton High School
*Milton East Pike HS
*Mineral High School
*Minier High School
*Minonk High School
*Minonk-Dana-Rutland HS
*Modesto High School
*Mokena High School
*Moline St. Mary's HS
*Momence St. Judes
*Momence St. Patrick
Monee High School
*Monmouth High School
*Monmouth Warren HS
*Monmouth Yorkwood HS
*Monroe Center HS
*Montrose High School
*Morris St. Angela
*Mound City Comm. HS
*Mound City Lovejoy HS
*Mounds High School
*Mounds Douglass H.S.
*Mt. Auburn High School
*Mt. Carroll High School
*Mt. Erie High School
*Mt. Morris High School
Mt. Sterling High School
*Mt. Sterling St. Mary HS
*Moweaqua High School
Murphysboro Douglass HS
*Murrayville High School
Nason High School
*Nauvoo High School
Nauvoo-Colusa H.S.
*Nauvoo St. Mary Academy
Nauvoo Sts. Ptr.&Paul HS
*Nebo High School
*Nelson High School
*Neoga Township H.S.
*Neponset High School
*New Baden High School
*New Boston H.S.
*New Burnside HS
*New Canton High School
*New Columbia H.S.
*New Douglas High School
*New Holland High School
*New Holland-Middletown
*New Milford High School
*New Salem High School
*New Windsor High School
*Newman High School
*Niantic-Harristown HS
*NIles St. Hedwig
*Nilwood High School
Noble High School
*Nora High School
*Norris City High School
Norris City-Omaha HS
North Henderson HS
*(Northfield) Marillac HS
*N'field New Trier West HS
*Northlake West LeydenHS
*Oakdale High School
*Oakford High School
*Oconee High School
*Odell High School
*Odell St. Paul High School
Ogden High School
*Ohio St. Joseph's
Ohlman High School
*Olive Branch High School
Olney High School
Omaha High School
*Onarga High School
*Onarga Grand Prair. Sem.
*Onarga Military Academy
*Oneida High School
*Opdyke High School
*Oquawka High School
*Orland Township HS
*Osceola High School
*Ottawa Catholic HS
*Ottawa Pleasant View
*Ottawa St. Columba HS
*Ottawa St. Xavier Acad.
*Owaneco High School
Palmer High School
*Palmyra High School
*Panama High School
*Parkersburg High School
Patterson High School
Pavilion Long Grv. Acad.
*Paxton High School
*Payson High School
*Pearl High School
*Penfield High School
*Penfield St. Lawrence Ac.
*Peoria Academy of O. L.
*Peoria Bergan HS
*PeoriaAveryville/Kingman
*Peoria Spalding
*Peoria Woodruff H.S.
Percy High School
*Peru Acad. of St. Joseph
*Perry High School
*Pesotum High School
*Petersburg High School
*Philo High School
Philo St. Joseph HS
*Piopolis Catholic H.S.
*Piper City High School
*Piper City Ford Central HS
*Pittsburg High School
*Plato Center H.S.
*Plattville High School
*Plymouth High School
*Pocahontas High School
*Poplar Grove High School
*Port Byron High School
*Potomac High School
*PotomacMaryJudySch,
*Potomac Wescove HS
*Prairie City HS
*Prairieville High School
*(Putnam)Senachwine HS
Quincy Chris. Bro/Cath. HS
Quincy College Acad./Boys
Quincy St.MaryInst./ND
*Rankin High School
Ransom High School
*Rantoul Donovan Mem. HS
Rardin High School
*Ray High School
*Raymond High School
*Reddick R.U.C.E. H. S.
*Redmon High School
Reno High School
*Reynolds High School
Richmond High School
*Ridge Farm High School
*Ridgway High School
Ringwood High School
*Rio High School
*River Forest High School
*RiverGrove Holy Cross HS
*RiverGrove Mother Guerin
*Roanoke Hgh School
*Robbs High School
*Roberts High School
*Roberts-Thawville HS
Rockbridge High School
*Rockford High School
*Rkfd. Bishop Muldoon
*Rockford St. James HS
*Rockford St. Thomas
*Rockford West H S
*R.I. St. Joseph's HS
*R.I. Villa de Chantal
*Rockport High School
*Rolling Meadows SHM HS
*Rollo High School
*Roodhouse High School
*Rosamond High School
Roscoe High School
Rose Hill High School
*Roseville High School
*Rosiclare High School
*Rossville High School
*Rossville-Alvin H.S.
*Royalton High School
*Rushville High School
*Rutland High School
*Sadorus High School
*Sailor Springs H.S.
*St. Anne Academy
St. Anne Cath. Boys Acad.
*St. Charles Mt. St. Mary
*St. Charles Valley Luth.
*St. Francisville HS
St. George HS
*St. Jacob High School
St. James High School
*St. Joseph High School
St. Rose High School
Ste. Marie High School
*Salisbury High School
Sandusky Young HS
*San Jose High School
*Saunemin High School
*Savanna High School
*Saybrook High School
*Saybrook-Arrowsmith HS
Schram City School
*Sciota Northwestern HS
*Scottland High School
*Scottville High School
*Seaton High School
Seatonville High School
*Secor High School
*Sesser High School
*Seward High School
*Seymour High School
*Shabbona High School
*Shannon High School
*Shawneetown H.S.
*Sheffield High School
*Sheldon High School
Sheridan High School
Shields High School
*Shipman High School
*(Shirley) Ben Funk HS
Shumway High School
*Sibley High School
*Sidell High School
Sidney High School
Sigel High School
Silvis High School
*Simpson High School
*Skokie Niles East HS
Smithboro High School
*Smithfield High School
Sorento High School
*South Chicago HS
*Sparland High School
Springerton High School
*Sprngfld Cathed./Griffin HS
*Springfield Converse HS
*Sprinfield Feitshans HS
*Spfld Sacred Heart Acad
*Spgfld. St. James HS
*Spfld. Ursuline Academy
*Stanford High School
*Sterling St. Mary's/C.C.
*Sterling Nazarene
*Steward High School
*Stewardson High School
Stiritz High School
*Stockland High School
*Stonefort High School
*Stonington High School
*Strasburg High School
*Strasburg High School
*Strawn High School
StreatorNewMich.Acad.
*Stronghurst High School
*Stronghurst Southern HS
*Sugar Grove HS
*Sumner High School
*Sycamore St. Alban's
*Sycamore Waterman Hall
*Table Grove High School
*Tamaroa High School
*Tallula High School
*Tamms Community HS
*Tampico High School
Techny Bros. Cand. HS
*Tennessee High School
*Terre Haute High School
^T'toplis/W'mont St. Joseph
*Thawville High School
*Thebes High School
Thomasboro High School
*Thomson High School
*Tilden High School
Timewell High School
*Tiskilwa High School
*Toledo High School
*Tolono High School
*Toluca High School
*Toluca St. Ann H.S.
*Toluca St. Joachim H.S.
*Tonica High School
*Toulon Academy H.S.
*Toulon-Lafayette HS
*Toulon Township HS
*Towanda High School
*Tower Hill High School
Trenton High School
*Trivoli High School
*Troy Grove School
*Troy McCray-Dewey HS
*Ullin High School
*Union High School
*Union Hill HS
*Upper Alton High School
Ursa High School
*Valier High School
*Varna High School
*(Varna)Mid-County HS
*Venice High School
*Venice Lincoln H.S.
*Venice Newport HS
*Venice St. Mark's HS
*Vergennes High School
Vermilion High School
*Vermilion Grove Academy
*Vermont High School
Vernon High School
*Versailles High School
*Victoria High School
*Viola High School
*Virden High School
*Waggoner High School
*Walnut High School
Walnut Grove Twnshp HS
*Walpole High School
*Wapella High School
*Warrensburg High School
Wasco High School
*Washburn High School
*Wataga High School
Waterloo Sts. Peter & Paul
*Waterman High School
Watson High School
*Waukegan East HS
*Waukegan Holy Child HS
Waukegan West HS
*Waynesville High School
Wedron High School
*Weldon High School
*Wellington High School
*Wenona High School
*West Brooklyn H.S.
*West Point High School
*West Salem High School
*West Union H.S.
*West York High School
*Westchester IHM
*Westervelt High School
*Westfield High School
*Wheaton Central HS
*Wheaton-Warrenville HS
*White Hall High School
*Willisville High School
Willisville-Percy H.S.
*Willow Hill High School
*Wilmette Mallinckrodt HS
*Wilmette Maria Imm. Acad
*Wing High School
*Winnetka New Trier East
*Winola High School
*Winslow High School
*Witt High School
*Wolf Lake High School
*Woodhull High School
*Woodland High School
Woodson High School
Woodstock St. Mary HS
*Woodstock Seminary
*Worden High School
*Wyanet High School
*Wyoming High School
Xenia High School
Yale High School
*Yates City High School
*Youngstown High School
*Zeigler High School

Young America High School
metcalfyoungamericahs.jpg
Metcalf, Illinois

Metcalf School Memorial
metcalfschoolmemorial.jpg
Click Photo to View Enlarged Version

The History of Young America High School
 
Metcalf (population 213) is located in eastern Illinois in north-central Edgar County.  Metcalf is about 25 miles southwest of Danville and 35 miles southeast of Champaign. Further information on the town of Metcalf can be read on the Metcalf High School page also on this site. 
 
Hume is a town of 382 residents located in East Central Illinois, in far northern Edgar County.  It is approximately 29 miles southwest of Danville, approximately 29 miles east of Tuscola.  U.S. Route 36 is the main roadway leading to and from Hume  
 
The towns of Metcalf and Hume supported their own high schools from the late 1800s through the late 1940s.  A state-wide push was made to consolidate the country schools with the larger schools in established towns.  This effort also included the towns of Hume and Metcalf, as well as the township they are located in, Young America.  In 1949 this effort became a reality when Young America High School was established.  The high school was located in the Metcalf High School building. The Junior High was located in Hume.  Basketball games were played in the Hume School gymnasium. 
 
Young America High School served the towns of Hume, Metcalf, and the surrounding farm kids for 19 more years.  It was in the late 1960s that another round of consolidation talks began in the area.  In 1968 a new school district was formed between the towns of Brocton, Hume, Metcalf, and Redmon.  This effort joined the schools of Young America and Brocton-Redmon which resulted in the formation of the Shiloh School District.  
 
The Young America High School building (built in 1921) was fazed out of usage and, after serving for a period of time as a nursing home, unfortunately burned down. The memorial stones pictured above are the only reminder of this once proud school building.
 
Young America High School Quick Facts
 
Year Young America HS established:        1949
Year Young America closed:                    1968
Consolidated to:                                      Shiloh School District (Hume)
Young America HS Team nickname:         the "Golden Eagles"
School team colors:                                 Green & Gold
School Fight Song:                                   "YA Fight Song"
                                                                     Written by former music teacher Ernest Jones
                                                                     Submitted by alum Harold Stone
                                                      
                                                                      G-O YA Lets GO YA
                                                                      You Know YA we can win today
                                                                      O-N YA Lets keep on marching
                                                                      March on to Victory RAH RAH
 
                                                                      For the glory of the Gold
                                                                      The glory of the Green
                                                                      March on you "Golden Eagle Team"
 
                                                                      We're proud of you Young America
                                                                      come on lets GO YA
                                                                      On YA
                                                                      Fight on to victory 
 
                                                                       RAH RAH
Athletics
 
Young America High School offered basketball, track & field, and baseball (fall and spring). Football was also offered for a short period of time.  Young America competed in the Ambraw Valley Conference along with Brocton-RedmonChrisman, Kansas, Scottland, and WestfieldIt is not known for how long this conference existed, but it was in effect for sure from 1948 through 1968.
 
Young America HS played football for two years, 1957-58 and 1958-59. In 1957, because the Ambraw Valley conference members did not play football, YAHS also joined the East Central Conference and was a dual conference school from that point until it closed.
 

YAHS Basketball 1949-50
metcalfyahsbball1950mons.jpg

Boys Basketball
 
As with most of the smaller schools, basketball was the most anticipated and supported sport at Young America HS.  This was with good reason.  The Young America High School Golden Eagles won a total of three District titles in what was a real hotbed of small school basketball. 
 
One of the more interesting facts of YAHS basketball is that one of Illinois High School's most successful coaches began his career there.  You can read more about Coach Roger Beals below.  As you can see, the Young America kids went out fighting with winning records in each of their last four seasons as a high school.
 
*Interesting trivia - Harold Stone and Latham "Butch" Heath remember this bit of local basketball history:
"The winner of the Ambraw Valley Conference Tournament always advanced to the Wabash Valley Tourney which was western Indiana schools, we are just 20 miles or so from the Indiana line. One year the Ambraw winner, Kansas (led by center Dave Redmon and former Paris great - Coach Warren Collier), was beaten by 2 points in the Wabash Valley Championship game by Terre Haute Gerstmeyer AND that year Gerstmeyer went on to place second in the Indiana State Tournament...."
 
1949-50                     District Champs                         Coach John Brown      
1950-51                                                                       Coach John Brown
1951-52                                                                       Coach Carroll Dunn
1952-53                                                                       Coach Carroll Dunn
1953-54                                                                       Coach Eugene Berry
1954-55                                                                       Coach Eugene Berry
1955-56                                                                       Coach Max Swinford
1956-57                                                                       Coach Max Swinford
1957-58                                                                       Coach George Merrimac
1958-59                                                                       Coach Roy Hatfield
1959-60                                                                       Coach Lynn Viseur
1960-61                                                                       Coach Lynn Viseur
1961-62                    District Champs                           Coach Pete Cvengros     
1962-63                                                                        Coach Roger Beals
1963-64                                                                        Coach Roger Beals
1964-65  12 - 10                                                            Coach Roger Beals
1965-66  14 - 10                                                            Coach Roger Beals
1966-67  20 - 8        District Champs                              Coach Roger Beals
1967-68  16 - 7                                                              Coach Roger Beals
 
Coach Roger Beals began his legendary coaching career during the 1962-63 school year.  After his two initial campaigns began with sub-.500 records, Coach Beals led Young America to four consecutive winning seasons to close out the school's basketball history. In fact Coach Beals never had a losing record in any single season again. 
 
Coach Beals went on to coach at Mid-County Varna for a year before landing at Chrisman High School in 1969. Check out some of Coach Beals more incredible accomplishments in IHSA history.
 
  #1 all-time in consecutive winning seasons with 28 (the first four of the streak were at Young America!)
  #1 all-time consecutive 20+ game-winning seasons with 15 (1978-92 at Chrisman)
#12 all-time winning percentage .785 
#22 all-time in total number of wins in IHSA history with 638
#27 all-time in total wins at one school with 541 at Chrisman
 
And it all started for Coach Beals at Young America High School!
 

YAHS DIstrict Champs
youngamericahs196162champs.jpg
1961-62

Young America Eagles
youngamericabball1961champsmons.jpg
1966-67 District Champs

 
Football
 
The football program at Young America High was a short one.  For two seasons (one of which existed of one game) the Eagles battled with foes on the Autumn gridiron.  The boys of 1957-58 and 1958-59 had the numbers, but were not supported by school administrators.  After a short life, the football program at Young America High School was dropped for financial reasons.
 
 
 
 

Young America's Final Football Team 1958-59
metcalfyoungamericahsfootball1958dav.jpg

Young America's First Football Squad 1957-58
metcalfyoungamericahsfootball1957dav.jpg

Young America HS Band - 1954
metcalfyahsband1954mons.jpg

 
Music
 
According to alumnus (Class of 1954) Harold Stone Young America High School was also quite successful in music competition.  Mr. Stone's comments regarding this program are as follows:
 
"Young America was probably better known for a remarkable music department and won many band sweepstakes trophies in state music competition mostly under the direction of Music Instructor Ernest Jones."
 

Young America HS Band State Champs 1959
metcalfyoungamericahsband1959dav.jpg

1959 Band Champions Newspaper Article
metcalfyoungamericahsbandchamps.jpg

A newspaper article submitted to us by Carolyn Stone Pennington reports that Young America High won top honors in the 1959 Trenton State Music Finals! 
 
The championship did not come without a little behind the scenes excitement.  Bill Stone, the father of Carolyn Stone, was serving as driver / chaperone for the team and was the proud father of three daughters (Carolyn, Charlotte, and Sharon) who were members of the band. Upon arriving at the site of the competition in Trenton Carolyn informed her father she had forgotten her clarinet sheet music at home.  Without it the clarinet trio set to perform would be unable to compete.  Band director Mr. Ernest Jones  who was able to get the clarinet trio's assigned time moved back while Mr. Stone was sent on a mission to buy the correct music "across the bridge" into St. Louis, Missourri, the closest music store in the area.  Bill Stone was given the directions by Mr. Jones and had to decipher between the three bridge crossings that could take him into St. Louis that day.  Bill was resourceful and was able to find the music store and return to the competition with time to spare.  The Clarinet trio of Carolym Stone, Kathy Galway, and Larry Fogerson received a superior rating for their performance and the band won the championship by one point, 70 - 69 over Lovington.  Bill Stone and his 1956 tan and coppertone Chevy saved the day for Young America High! 
 
Thank you to Carolyn Stone Pennington for sharing this wonderful story!!   
 
The following is a list of the Young America High School music teachers:
 
1949-50 - Ernest Jones
1950-51 - Ernest Jones
1951-52 - Ernest Jones
1952-53 - Ernest Jones
1953-54 - Ernest Jones
1954-55 - Ernest Jones
1955-56 - Ernest Jones
1956-57 - Ernest Jones
1957-58 - Ernest Jones
1958-59 - Ernest Jones
1959-60 - Ernest Jones
1960-61 - Darrell Trimble
1961-62 - Darrell Trimble
1962-63 - Darrell Trimble
1963-64 - Darrell Trimble
1964-65 - Peggy Neal Klein
1965-66 - Jerome C. Hood
1966-67 - Jerome C. Hood
1967-68 - Gary Williamson - Band
1967-68 - Mary Morris - Chorus
Famous Alumni
 
Dr. Ted Cohen (Class of 1956) - PHD Philosophy from Harvard Uiversity, Professor at the University of Chicago
Dr. Dave Lange (Class of 1956) - Internationally known lecturer and Professor of Law, Duke University
 
School Administrators
 
Below is a list of all YAHS Principals and ECCU#2 Supts which included YAHS.
 
                                      YA Principal                 Superintendent
 
1949-50                      Carl Forrester                 Charles C. Newman
1950-51                      Charles C. Newman        Charles C. Newman
1951-52                      Charles C. Newman        Charles C. Newman
1952-53                      Carroll L. Dunn               Charles C. Newman
1953-54                      Peyton Holaday              Charles Watson
1954-55                      Peyton Holaday              Charles Watson
1955-56                      Peyton Holaday              Charles Watson
1956-57                      Peyton Holaday              Charles Watson
1957-58                      Paul Preston                   Peyton Holaday
1958-59                      Paul Preston                   Peyton Holaday
1959-60                      Henry Grice                    Peyton Holaday
1960-61                      Henry Grice                    Peyton Holaday
1961-62                      Edmond Bowling            Henry Grice
1962-63                      Edmond Bowling            Henry Grice
1963-64                      Edmond Bowling            Henry Grice
1964-65                      Charles  Voorhees          Henry Grice
1965-66                      Darrell Brown                 Henry Grice
1966-67                      Max Jewell                     Henry Grice
1967-68                      Max Jewell                     Henry Grice
 
MEMORIES
 
From Class of 1963 alum Jim Palmer:
 
"The graduating class of 1963 was unusual in that there were 15 graduates of which there was only one girl - 14 boys and 1 girl !
Also, since Brocton-Redmon High School and Young American High School were in the same school district, they had a joint annual each year and prom. The prom location alternated each year between the gym in Hume and the gym at Brocton-Redmon High School."

Young America HS Class of 1956
metcalfyoungamericaclassof56dav.jpg
Submitted by Missy Litteral

If You Have ANY Information You Would Like To Share
 
We are looking for a photo of the original Young America High School building and any other facts about the school.  Please write to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net if you wish to share any further information about Young America HS. You can also write to us at:
 
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il.  60631

Metcalf School Memorial
metcalfmemorial2.jpg
Click Photo to View Enlarged Version