Bensenville Community High School

Bensenville HS F-ball Team 1927 - HS in Background

Submitted by Jim Kouzmanoff (Tom Kouzmanoff in Photo)

The History of Bensenville Community High School

Bensenville (population 20,700) is located in the far northeastern portion of Illinois in the northeastern portion of DuPage County. Bensenville is bordered by the famous O'Hare International Airport to the northeast side. Illinois Route 83 passes through the heart of town from north to south. Irving Park Road is the main roadway from east to west. The Soo Line Railroad also passes through Bensenville.

A nice history of the city of Bensenville can be found at the web address of http://www.dupagehistory.org/dupage_roots/Bensenville_2.html . The early 1800s found the area in which Bensenville is located to be full of Indians (Native Americans). Settlers started to move into the area in the mid 1800s. The railroad boom in the United States brought a rail line directly through the area. Enough settlers and businesses were established that in 1884 Bensenville (named after a town in Germany called Bensen) was incorporated. Bensenville's close proximity to Chicago and O'Hare Airport has allowed for a dramatic increase in the population. In 1940 the population was 1,200, today it is well over 20,000.

A nice history of the high school in Bensenville can be found at the web address of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenton_High_School_(Illinois) . In summary, Bensenville High School was established as a two-year high school from 1917 - 1924. In 1925 Bensenville Community High School District 100 was establihsed as a four-year high school for the students of Wood Dale and Bensenville. Bensenville Community High School served in this capacity until a new building was built in 1955. The following Chicago Tribune Newspaper articles were found by our good friend Dave Sanders:

Aug. 31, 1941 - At Bensenville High school, the enrollment will probably not pass last year's mark of 350.

Aug. 26, 1951 - Bensenville Community High school's enrollment will he 450, W. A. Johnson, principal, estimated.

Sept 6, 1953 - Bensenville High School expects its largest enrollment when 510 are registered this coming school year. The school was constructed with a 350 student capacity, but last year 472 students were enrolled.

The need for a new building became quite apparent as the enrollment rapidly increased. The new building was constructed and then named Fenton Community High School in honor of the school's first superinntendent, Frederick Fenton.

The original Bensenville High School building was utilized as Blackhawk Junior High School through the Spring of 2013. The building was then razed to make room for a more modern building to be constructed.

Bensenville Community High School Quick Facts

Year opened as 2-Year HS: 1917

Served as 2 & 3-year HS: 1917 - 1924

Year HS District established: 1924

Year became Fenton HS: 1955

Bensenville HS team nickname: "Bison"

Bensenville HS team colors: Orange & Black

Bensenville HS fight song: "BCHS, We Are All For You"

Lyrics provided by C. Diane Bishop

Sung to the tune of "On Wisconsin"

BCHS, BCHS,

We are all for you!

Fight for victory, fight for victory,

Oh you orange and blue,

RAH! RAH! RAH!

BCHS, BCHS,

We will win this game!

And we’ll go marching on

Our way to fame!

ATHLETICS

Bensenville High School competed in the boys sports of basketball, baseball, track, and football. The IHSA website (http://www.ihsa.org/Schools/SchoolDirectory.aspx?url=/data/school/b.htm) however only lists the successes of Fenton High School beginning in 1955. If you have any information on the athletic program at Bensenville High School from 1917 - Spring of 1955 please send us a note via the means listed below. We are interested in the Bensenville High School team nickname (Fenton HS teams are known as the Bison), team uniform colors, and season records.

Bensenville HS Football Team of 1927

Tom Kouzmanoff holding ball in center was QB, submitted by Jim Kouzmanoff

FOOTBALL

We are certain the Bensenville HS boys competed with other schools in the area in football. The photo to the right was sent to us by Jim Kouzmanoff and depicts the team of 1927. Jim's father Tom Kouzmanoff is in the second row in the center holding the fooball. He was the starting quarterback in this, his senior year at BHS.

1927 4 - 4 - 2 season record

The following Chicago Tribune Newspaper articles were found on the internet by our good frined Dave Sanders regarding Bensenville High School football:

Oct. 6, 1933 - Prep Football - The Big Six high school conference title race will begin tonight with two games. [Unreadable] ... Barrington on the latter's field, and Palatine will travel to Bensenville.

Oct. 27, 1933 - Prep Football - Warren will play Bensenville at Bensenville.

Oct. 5, 1934 - Prep Football - Palatine will oppose Bensenville on the latter's field.

Bensenville HS Gym - Photo Taken February 03, 1942

Submitted by Jim Kouzmanoff

BOYS BASKETBALL

The boys competed in basketball as well. The web site titled "Illinois Post Season Basketball Scores" lists the following scores for Bensenville High School. We are searching for season records and coaches names of all BHS teams. The photo to the right was submitted by James Kouzmanoff and shows his father Tom Kouzmanoff as the referee of a basketball game played in the Bensenville HS gymnasium on February 03, 1942.

1934 LaGrange District Tournament

1st Round - Downers Grove 31, Bensenville 26

Downers Grove lost in semi-final round

1935 Elmhurst District Tournament

1st Round - Leyden 26, Bensenville 16

Leyden lost in second round.

1936 Glen Ellyn District Tournament

1st Round - West Chicago 32, Bensenville 31

West Chicago lost in semi-final round.

1945 Riverside District Tournament

1st Round - Bensenville 41, Lemont Fournier 28

2nd Round - Bensenville 31, Hinsdale 30

Title Game - Riverside 60, Bensenville 36

1947 Elmhurst Regional Tournament

1st Round - Glenbard 54, Bensenville 23

Glenbard lost in title game.

1948 Glen Ellyn Regional Tournament

1st Round - Bensenville 47, Downers Grove 33

2nd Round - Bensenville 37, Maine Township 36

Title Game - Glenbard 61, Bensenville 39

1949 Elmhurst Regional Tournament

1st Round - Downers Grove 43, Bensenville 30

Downers Grove won Regional title championship.

1950 Glenbard Regional Tournament

1st Round - Hinsdale 47, Bensenville 38

Hinsdale lost in title game.

1951 York Regional Tournament

1st Round - York 50, Bensenville 43

York lost in 2nd round.

1952 Glenbard Regional Tournament

1st Round - York 54, Bensenville 41

York lost in 2nd round.

1953 Maywood Regional Tournament

1st Round - York 74, Bensenville 50

York lost in title game.

This is the last listing on this site for Bensenville High School. The first listing for Fenton HS is in the 1957 Elmhurst Regional Tournament.

ACTIVITIES

It is likely that school plays, student government, band, chorus, and other types of activities were offered to the kids of Bensenville High School.

MEMORIES

**From C. Diane Bishop:

"When Fenton High School was built to replace BCHS in 1955, it maintained the mascot, the colors, and the song, but changed the BCHS in the song to "On FHS". My parents attend BCHS from 1936-1940 and I have their yearbooks, with much history and many pictures of the school, students, clubs and teams. Also, my grandfather William Bishop, was a member of the BCHS school board for many years.

BCHS became Blackhawk Jr. High, which I attended, when Fenton was built. Regretfully, the village tore the building down this past spring (2013)."

SEEKING FURTHER INFORMATION

If you have any further information regarding Bensenville Community High School between the years of 1917 and 1955 please contact us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or via real mail at:

IHSGD Website

6439 N. Neva Ave.

Chicago, Il.. 60631

Bensenville Green Street Elementary School 1919

Third row, first from right, Tom Kouzmanoff (Submitted by Jim Kouzmanoff, school now closed)