Walpole High School

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Walpole High School
walpolehighschool.jpg
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jgholson/walpoleIL.htm

The History of Walpole High School
 
Walpole (population 25) is located in the far southern portion of Illinois in south-central Hamilton County.  According to www.MapQuest.com the town sits at the intersection of County Highway 11 and County Road 825E.  The map shows that these two roads are the only two streets in town.  County Highway 11 connects Walpole to Illinois Route 142 just four miles to the east.  Walpole is about 30 miles northeast of Carbondale.
 
Our good friend Gerry Halpin completed the research for this once thriving community which included a high school for the children of the area.
 
"Most of the following information is summarized from James Gholson’s website http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jgholson/walpoleIL.htm Mr. Gholson also put me in touch with former Walpole residents Joel Lasswell and Wanda Cross, who e-mailed more information.  Mrs. Cross is one of the last surviving students from Walpole High.

Walpole is a tiny village in southern Hamilton County, about 12 miles south of McLeansboro.  Gilbert Griswold came to the area in 1832 and started a store and post office.  In 1857 he platted a village of 60 lots.  At its peak, Walpole had two grist mills, several other businesses and a population of around 100 people.  One of the most prominent citizens of the 20th century was Palmer J. Lasswell, who was Postmaster and also operated the Walpole State Bank in the same building.  The bank closed in 1950, with Mr. Lasswell continuing as Postmaster until the Post Office closed in 1953.  Walpole today has less than 25 residents.

Walpole had a 3-year high school from 1927 to 1937, with students finishing their 4th year at McLeansboro or Eldorado.  The first high school building was a converted church with an addition.  This building suffered fire damage in 1934.  From 1934 to 1937, classes were held in the IOOF Hall.  Enrollment started at 50 students in 1927.  Some of the teachers were Lewis Massey, Linna Hamilton, Miss Moore, Arthur Coffey (principal and basketball coach) and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Powell.  There was great interest in the school’s basketball teams, particularly in games against archrival Broughton High School .  The teams apparently had no mascot or nickname.  Walpole had a small gymnasium, which was later used for grain storage before being razed just a few years ago.  In 1977 former WHS students held a first-ever school reunion on the schools’ 50th anniversary.  These reunions were continued for a few years.

Walpole area students today attend McLeansboro schools.

Walpole High School Quick Facts
 
Year opened:                           1927
Year closed:                            1937
Consolidated to:                       McLeansboro High School
Walpole HS team nickname:     none
Walpole HS team colors:          unavailable
School Fight Song:                   none
 
Athletics
 
We are certain that the Walpole boys competed in basketball.  Baseball and track may also have been offered.  Walpole High School team uniform colors, coach's names, and team records are all items we are interested in sharing.

Walpole High School Basketball Team of 1932
walpolebballteamdav.jpg
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jgholson/walpoleIL.htm

Boys Basketball
 
Though only open 10 years, and only a three-year high school, the Walpole folks were quite supportive and proud of their basketball team.  Games against their archrival and neighboring town Broughton High School were said to "raise the roof" of the small Walpole gymnasium.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
f You Have ANY Information You Wish To Share....
 
...regarding the history of Walpole and its former high school please write to us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net.  You can also mail items to us at the following address:
 
IHSGD Website
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il.  60631