Arrowsmith High School Indians

Arrowsmith High School 1929-1952

(courtesy of Arrowsmith Centennial book, 1871-1971)

First Arrowsmith High School building

1910-1929 (courtesy of Arrowsmith Centennial book, 1871-1971)

The History of Arrowsmith High School

Arrowsmith (population 298) is located in east-central McLean County in east-central Illinois. Bloomington is a mere 16 miles to the west of Arrowsmith. The town is located on McLean County Road 15 between County Roads 1100 and 1200. The Norfolk & Western Railroad runs through town. The Sangamon River also flows into Arrowsmith.

The village is named for Ezekiel Arrowsmith, who was the first county supervisor in McLean County. An area near the village called Etnataek was the site of a 23-day long battle in 1730 between the Fox Indians and the French, before the Fox succumbed.

It is believed the residents of Arrowsmith began an education system for their children in the late 1800s. A two-year high school began in 1910, and then it extended to a four-year course in 1912 while classes were held at Arrowsmith Grade School. AHS moved into its own building in 1929, remaining there until 1952 when the towns of Saybrook and Arrowsmith agreed to consolidate their school systems. That is when Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School was born, ending the individual run for the high schools in both towns. This high school was effective through the 1989 school year when the Saybrook-Arrowsmith School District consolidated with the Colfax Octavia School System to create the Colfax Ridgeview School District, of which the residents of Arrowsmith are now a part of.

Arrowsmith Students - 1910

Provided by Wilma James

Arrowsmith served as a home to an elementary school (see picture below) which served grades PK-1 for the Ridgeview School District. This arrangement ceased in 2004 due to damage to the school's roof, which would have been costly to repair. The village of Arrowsmith took it over and now use it for their town hall/community center. Now all children associated with the Ridgeview School District attend school in one complex near Colfax.

The original Arrowsmith High building was used as the consolidated junior high (grades 7 and 8) for the Saybrook-Arrowsmith School District for many years. This information comes from a 1968 graduate of SAHS who attended 7th and 8th grades in Arrowsmith. The students from Saybrook were bussed in. This building, sadly, has been demolished.

Arrowsmith Bank Building 2015

Arrowsmith High School Quick Facts

Year opened as a 2-yr school: 1910

Year it expanded to 4-yr school: 1912

Year closed: 1952

Merged with: Saybrook to become Saybrook-Arrowsmith

Now part of: Colfax Ridgeview HS

School nickname: "Indians"

School colors: Orange & Blue

School Fight Song: unavailable

Athletics

Arrowsmith High School did offer boys basketball. It is believed that baseball and track were also offered. If you have any other information such as conference affiliation or athletic success of Arrowsmith High please forward it to us via e-mail.

Boys Basketball

The Arrowsmith High School Indians' boys basketball team made one venture into the land of the "big boys." The AHS boys team of 1942-43 won the school's lone District Title and advanced to the Regional tournament. Unfortunately the record and coach's name of this team and other successful teams in Arrowsmith High School history are not available. The Indians also brought home a Junior Division title from the McLean County Tournament in 1925-26 before the division was eliminated.

The postseason IHSA Tourney basketball scores listed below were located on a website titled "Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores."

1925-26 McLean Co. Jr. Division Champs Coach C.A. Conklin

Arrowsmith HS Basketball Team of 1925-26

Courtesy of Lauren Conklin

Arrowsmith HS Basketball Team of 1925-26

Submitted by Lauren Conklin

1932-33 Gibson City District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Fisher 19-16

Rantoul beat Fisher in title game

1933-34 Gibson City District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd. - Lost to Bellflower 26-22

Bellflower lost in 2nd Rd.

1934-35 Fisher District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd. - Lost to Strawn 39-29

Strawn lost in 2nd Rd

1935-36 Colfax District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd. - Lost to Colfax 28-16

Colfax lost in 2nd Rd

1936-37 through 1939-40 postseason scores, records, and coaches names needed.

1940-41 Colfax District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd. - Lost to Towanda 32-20

Colfax lost in 2nd Rd

Cropsey beat Gridley in title game

1941-42 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.

1942-43 Colfax District Champions! Coach Floyd Schwenn

1st Rd Beat Cropsey 53-35

Semi-final Beat Anchor 35-27

Title Game Beat Colfax 46-34

Regional Tournament

1st Rd. Lost to Gridley 53-25

Gridley lost to Normal in title game.

Arrowsmith Basketball District Champs - 1943-44

Submitted by Wilma James

Front Row (L - R): Lloyd Stone, Donald Carrell, Onal Thompson, Wayne Smith, Russell Carey

Back Row: Mgr. Lyle Hastings, Bill Curtis, Kenneth Holderly, Howard Maupin, Dale Terven, Wayne Jones, Coach Floyd Schwenn

1943-44 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.

1944-45 Ellsworth District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd. lost to Colfax 72-31

Cropsey beat Anchor in title game

1945-46 Colfax District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd. - Beat Colfax 49-40

Semi-final - Lost to Anchor 47-41

Anchor beat Cropsey in title game

1946-47 Colfax District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd. - Beat Cooksville 49-43

Semi-final - Lost to Bellflower 48-34

Anchor beat Bellflower in title game

1947-48 Colfax District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd. - Beat Colfax 49-40

Semi-final - Lost to Anchor 62-42

Anchor beat Gridley in title game

1948-49 Ellsworth District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd. - Beat Cooksville 44-31

Semi-final - Lost to Anchor 53-48

Anchor beat Gridley in title game

Arrowsmith High School Basketball - 1948-49

Names of players in photo above:

Back row, from the left, Bobby Wilson, Ted West, John Robinson, Raydean Strain, Floyd Morefield, and Lynn Curtis.
Front row, from left, Donnie Mock, Loren Mock, Duane West, Chuck Paxton, and Ron Messamore

(Names supplied by Floyd Morefield)

1949-50 Ellsworth District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd. lost to Gridley 45-34

Saybrook beat Bellflower in title game

1950-51 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.

1951-52 Sibley District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

**1st Rd. lost to Buckley 89-46

Saybrook beat Melvin-Sibley in title game.

**Final basketball game for Arrowsmith High School, consolidated to Saybrook-Arrowsmith in the summer of 1952.

ACTIVITIES

Several other exra-curricular activities were a part of the overall experience at Arrowsmith High School. Included were clubs such as the Girls Athletic Association, FFA, and FHA Band, chorus, school plays,and other such activities made the AHS experience memorable and fun.

Arrowsmith HS Girls Athletic Association - 1943

Submitted by Wilma James

GAA Photo Above:

Front Row (L - R): Betty Murrell, Betty Ommen, Dorothy Hughes, Wanda Miller, Miss Hinman, Adeline Norman, Frances Dodson, Marilyn Jones

Back Row: Valarie Rhorer, Wilma Jacobs, Roselyn Carrell, Helen Jenkins, Phyllis Terven, Myrta Warren, Lorraine Carey, Dorothy Cave

We Are Hopeful for Some Assistance...

...from an Arrowsmith alum or resident regarding all of the great achievements attained by the residents of Arrowsmith and the faculty and students of Arrowsmith High. For inspiration, take a look at Rollo High School's page on this site. We are hopeful that Arrowsmith can provide similar information some day. If you have a photo of the school and/or information you would like to share you can e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il. 60631

Arrowsmith Student Body of 1943

Thank you to Wilma James

1943 Student Body Photo:

Front Row (L-R): Mrs. Baird, Myrta Warren, Helen Holderly, Helen Kirkpatrick, Doris Lloyd, Dorothy Mock, Phyllis Terven, Rosalyn Carrell, Wanda Miller, Lorraine Carey, Dorothy Cave, Helen Jenkins, Verna Birecky, Coach Floyd Schwenn, Principal E.F. King

Middle Row: Miss Hinman, Adeline Norman, Dorothy Hughes, Valerie Rhorer, Marianne Grimm, Betty Ommen, Marilyn Jones, Wilma Jacobs, Frances Dodson, Dolly Poland, Faye Birkey, Betty Murrell, Helen Lloyd, Edwin Dodson, Jesse Rigby, Jack Lambert, Edred Satchwell, Lloyd Stone

Back Row: Lyle Hastings, Bill Curtis, Donald Ommen, Eugene Schilkafski, Wilbur West, Junior Jenkins, Wayne Smith, Onal Thompson, Dale Terven, Russell Carey, Howard Maupin, Donald Carrell, Ommen Satchwell, Wayne Jones, Bill Douglas, James Poland, Kenneth Holderly

Former Arrowsmith Grade School Building

Now Village of Arrowsmith Community Center

Arrowsmith Baseball Diamond

Former High School was located to the right

Arrowsmith Grade School Building 2015

Now Arrowsmith Civic Center