The History of Stephen Decatur High School

Decatur (population 81,860) sits in the middle of the state of Illinois, linked by U.S. Route 51, Interstate 72, and Illinois Routes 105 and 121. The city is known for its production of soybeans, as evidenced by the location of the world-wide offices of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and the A.E. Staley Company. Lake Decatur sits on the east and side side of the city, where the Chicago Bears football franchise was born in 1920.

The city is named for War of 1812 naval hero Stephen Decatur (1779-1820) who captured the British Macedonian in a desperate fight near Madiera Island. Outside of John Paul Jones and David Farragut, Decatur was best known for saying: "Our country...may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong!" He is also credited for quelling attacks made by pirates in the Mediterranean Sea, who had discouraged commerce by many nations to the region and took sailors as slaves to countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, and Tripoli, also known as the Barbery States.

Decatur was also credited with one of the most daring acts in naval history on February 16th, 1804, after the US frigate Philadelphia was captured by the Barbery States, then-Lieutenant Decatur with a small ship and crew came into the harbor unnoticed where the Philadelphia was anchored, and set the frigate on fire while not losing a life. For his actions, Decatur was promoted to Captain, and eventually to Commodore before losing his life in a duel in 1820 to a fellow Commodore he had court-martialed and Decatur refused to reinstate him to his rank.

As a school, 1862 was the year that 64 students enrolled in secondary education what was to be called Decatur High School, scattered among several buildings for their six-month term (or school year). As the population grew towards the turn of the 20th Century, funds were raised to build a new school, which officially opened at the corner of East North Street and South Franklin Street near the downtown district in 1911. As the town grew, so did the enrollment as Lakeview High School (also on this site) was annexed into the city, and two newer schools, Eisenhower and MacArthur, were built to ease the overcrowding at Decatur High School, which changed its name to Stephen Decatur High School after the 1956-57 school year.

Even with three other public high schools in Decatur, the enrollment continued to increase and a newer, state-of-the-art facility was opened in 1975 with amenities such as air conditioning, glass walls, a rubberized gymnasium floor, carpeting, and much more was in the new building. But as the population and enrollments went down in the mid-1980's and thru the 1990's, the decision was made to close down Stephen Decatur and split the students between the two schools created to ease the enrollment years before, MacArthur and Eisenhower, in 2000. Today, the building is home to Stephen Decatur Middle School.

Stephen Decatur is said to have one of the oldest pubications for a high school newpaper (The Observer) and yearbook (The Decanois) in central Illinois. 

Important Facts about Stephen Decatur High School

Year Stephen Decatur HS established:  1957
Year new SDHS building opened:          1975
Year closed:                                            2000
School Colors:                                         Red and White
School Nickname:                                   the "Runnin' Reds"
School Song:                                          "On Decatur" (sung to "Go You Northwestern")

                                                                              Lyrics Provided by Mary Berry Badgley

                                                          Go you Decatur 
                                                          Break right through that line
                                                          With your colors flying
                                                          We will cheer you all the time,

                                                          Go, rah, rah

                                                          Go you Decatur
                                                          Fight for victory,
                                                          Spread far the fame 
                                                          Of our fair name and
                                                          Go Decatur win this game!

                                                          Go Decatur Go 
                                                          Hit 'em high, hit 'em low
                                                          Go Decatur Go