Stronghurst High School "Trojans"
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Stronghurst High School
stronghursthsmons.jpg
Stronghurst, Illinois

The History of Stronghurst High School
 
Stronghurst (population 896) is located in the upper-western portion of Illinois.  The southeastern Henderson County town is situated on Illinois Route 94 about one mile south of Illinois Route 116.  The At & St Railroad angles through town.  The Dixson Creek and its branches seem to surround Stronghurst from the north.  The Mississippi River flows about 8 miles west of Stronghurst.  Macomb is located about 16 miles southeast of Stronghurst. 

Stronghurst High School Bldg 1910
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Submitted by Jean Dougherty (photo was on post card)

Stronghurst residents probably began an educational system for their children in the late 1800s. The high school served the town well for about seven decades.  It was in the late 1960s / early 1970s that consolidation talks with nearby Media High School, and possibly others in the area, took place.  This consolidation effort resulted in the creation of the Southern School District in 1971. 
 
The high school for the newly consolidated district was located in Stronghurst. The Southern School District lasted for about 34 years when, in 2005, a new school district was again formed with nearby Biggsville Union High School.  This was named the West Central School District.  The high school for this district is located in Biggsville.  The former Stronghurst High School building is now used as the West Central Junior High building.

Stonghurst High School Building - 2008
stronghursthsbldgdav.jpg
Photo Submitted by Mike Edwards

Stronghurst High School Quick Facts
 
Year opened:                              late 1800s
Year "Southern" district formed:   1971  
School building today:                 West Central
                                                 Junior HS
School nickname:                       the "Trojans"
School colors:                            Purple & White
School Fight Song:                     (Sung to
                                             Illinois Loyalty)

Stronghurst High School Basketball
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Stronghurst HS versus Aledo Roosevelt HS

Athletics
 
Stronghurst High School definitely offered boys basketball and track.  Football was also offered at the school. 
 
One converence that Stronghurst High School was affiliated with for many years was the Bi-County Conference.  Teams which participated in this highly competitive conference included Media (before consolidating with Stronghurst to make Southern), Roseville, Monmouth Warren, Union, Sciota Northwestern, Yorkwood, and eventually LaHarpe and Avon.  
 
Boys Basketball
 
The Stronghurst High School boys basketball team won a total of EIGHT District titles!  Unfortunately the team records and coach's names of these and other great Stronghurst teams are not available. We do know that Jim Lewis coached at Stronghurst at one time and he would go on to have a successful coaching career at various schools. Several basketball scores involving Stronghurst High School playing in the IHSA state tournament were located on a website titled "Illinois Postseason High School Basketball Scores."
 
1921-22                  Monmouth District Tournament          Coach's name & record needed
                               1st Rd lost to Alexis 36-17
                               Macomb Academy beat Woodhull in title game
   
1931-32                  Roseville District Tournament             Coach's name & record needed
                               1st Rd lost to Macomb 21-14
                               Monmouth beat Kirkwood in title game
     
1932-33                  Roseville District Tournament             Coach's name & record needed
                               1st Rd lost to Media 19-13
                               Monmouth beat Kirkwood in title game    
   
1933-34                  Roseville District Tournament             Coach's name & record needed
                               1st Rd lost to Alexis 26-13
                               Media beat Keithsburg in title game 
   
1934-35                  Roseville District Runner-Up           Coach's name & record needed.
                                1st Rd Beat Seaton (forfeit)
                                2nd Rd Beat Avon 27-19
                                Semi-final beat Monmouth
                                Title Game lost to Roseville 20-17   
    
1935-36                   Blandinsville District Tournament       Coach's name & record needed        
                                1st Rd lost to Macomb Western 29-25
                                Alexis beat Blandinsville in title game
  
1936-37                  Colchester District Runner-Up         Coach's name & record needed.
                               1st Rd Score Needed
                               Semi-final beat Oquawka 37-24
                               Title Game lost to Good Hope 32-31
      
1937-38                  Stronghurst District Champions       Coach's name & record needed
                               Early Rd Scores Needed
                               Title Game Beat Good Hope 46-38
                               Roseville Regional Qualifier
                               Stronghurst Scores Needed
                               Macomb beat Monmouth in title game
   
1938-39   District scores needed
  
1939-40                   Stronghurst District Tournament          Coach's name & record needed
                                Early Rd Scores Needed
                                Macomb Western beat Bardolph in title game
  
1940-41                   Stronghurst District Champions      Coach's name & record needed
                                 1st Rd Beat Bardolph 31-23
                                 Semi-final Beat Terre Haute 52-20
                                 Title Game Beat Macomb Academy 26-25
                                 Roseville Regional Champions
                                 1st Rd Beat Colchester 45-42
                                 Semi-final Beat Avon 37-33
                                 Title Game Beat Roseville 38-32
                                 Galesburg Sectional Qualifier
                                 1st Rd lost to Knoxville 27-18
                                 Galesburg beat Lewistown in title game
  
1941-42                    Stronghurst District Champions     Coach's name & record needed
                                 Early Rd Scores Needed
                                 Title Game Beat Blandinsville 44-36
                                 Monmouth Regional Runner-Up
                                 1st Rd Beat Macomb 42-31
                                 Semi-final Beat Monmouth 35-31
                                 Title Game lost to Roseville 49-31
                                 (both teams qualified for Sectional)
                                 Canton Sectional Qualifier
                                 1st Rd lost to Pekin 52-34
                                 Quincy beat Pekin in title game
       
1942-43                    Stronghurst District Runner-Up     Coach's name & record needed   
                                 1st Rd Beat Blandinsville 49-17
                                 Semi-final Beat Bardolph 31-28
                                 Title Game lost to Kirkwood 35-24
     
1943-44                    Stronghurst District Runner-Up      Coach's name & record needed
                                 Early Rd Scores Needed
                                 Title Game lost to Bardolph 52-46
     
1944-45                    Stronghurst District Runner-Up      Coach's name & record needed
                                 Early Rd Scores Needed
                                 Semi-final Beat Terre Haute 50-32
                                 Title Game lost to Media 37-33
        
1945-46                    Blandinsville District Champions    Coach's name & record needed
                                 Early Rd Scores Needed
                                 Title Game Beat Bardolph 51-32
                                 Roseville Regional Tournament
                                 1st Rd Beat Bushnell 43-36
                                 Semi-final lost to Macomb 50-44
                                 Roseville beat Macomb in title game
   
1946-47                    Stronghurst District Tournament         Coach's name & record needed
                                 Semi-final lost to Bardolph 55-53
                                 Good Hope beat Bardolph in title game
1947-48                   Blandinsville District Tournament       Coach's name & record needed        
                                1st Rd Beat Kirkwood 52-32
                                Semi-final lost to Good Hope 72-48
                                Good Hope Beat Media in title game   
   
1948-49                   Stronghurst District Tournament         
                                1st Rd Beat Bardolph 43-36
                                Semi-final lost to Good Hope 41-31
                                Good Hope beat Terre Haute in title game 
    
1949-50      4 - 16    District Scores Needed                          Coach Hendry S. Bennett
     
1950-51    17 - 7      Stronghurst District Runner-Up         Coach Hendry S. Bennett
                                Semi-final Beat Biggsville 56-50
                                Title Game lost to Prairie City 46-39
   
1951-52    22 - 5      Gladstone District Tournament              Coach Hendry S. Bennett
                                 Semi-final lost to Media 61-60 (O/T)
                                 Bardolph beat Media in title game
  
1952-53                    Gladstone District Tournament            Coach's name & record needed
                                 1st Rd lost to Terre Haute 69-67 (2 O/Ts)
                                 Gladstone-Oquawka beat Kirkwood in title game
   
1953-54                   Gladstone District Runner-Up           Coach's name & record needed
                                Early Rd Scores Needed
                                Title Game lost to Gladstone-Oquawka 55-53
    
1954-55   District Scores needed.
    
1955-56                   Bardolph District Champions             Coach's name & record needed
                                 Semi-final Beat Kirkwood 68-67
                                 Title Game Beat Bardolph 84-69
                                 Macomb Regional Qualifier
                                 1st Rd lost to Bushnell-Prairie City 53-52
                                 Title Game Macomb Western beat B-PC
     
1956-57                   Gladstone District Runner-Up           Coach's name & record needed
                                Semi-final Beat Media 80-42
                                Title Game lost to Bardolph 64-60
  
1957-58                  Stronghurst District Tournament          Coach's name & record needed
                                1st Rd Beat Kirkwood 57-52
                                Semi-final lost to Gladstone-Oquawka 71-47
                                Bardolph beat G-O in title game
  
1958-59                  Media District Tournament                   Coach's name & record needed
                                1st Rd Beat Biggsville 82-62
                                Semi-final lost to Gladstone-Oquawka 67-66 (O/T)
                                Roseville beat G-O in title game 
     
1959-60                   Stronghurst District Runner-Up     Coach's name & record needed   
                                1st Rd Beat Monmouth Warren 59-43
                                Semi-final Beat Kirkwood 54-48
                                Title Game lost to Bardolph 44-35
     
1960-61                   Media District Champions               Coach's name& record needed
                                1st Rd Beat Roseville 64-48
                                Semi-final Beat Monmouth Warren 64-54
                                Title Game Beat Monmouth Yorkwood 69-66
                                Macomb Regional Qualifier
                                1st Rd lost to Biggsville Union 72-58
                                Monmouth beat Macomb in title game
               
1961-62                   Stronghurst District Tournament         Coach's name & record needed
                                Stronghurst scores needed
                                Macomb Western beat Galesburg Corpus Christi in title game
     
1962-63                   Sciota District Tournament                  Coach's name & record needed
                                 1st Rd lost to Avon 64-63
                                 Macomb Western Beat Galesburg Corpus Christi in title game
   
1963-64                   Stronghurst District Tournament         Coach's name & record needed
                                Stronghurst scores needed
                                Macomb Western beat Sciota Northwestern in title game
   
1964-65                   Sciota District Tournament                  Coach John Bickell
                                 1st Rd lost to Macomb Western 67-48
                                 Macomb Western beat Sciota Northwestern in title game
  
1965-66                   Stronghurst District Tournament          Coach John Abramczyk
                                Semi-final lost to Roseville 68-59
                                Macomb Western beat Roseville in title game 
  
1966-67                   Sciota District Champions                Coach John Abramczyk
                                1st Rd Beat Bowen 84-54
                                Semi-final Beat Macomb Western 68-55
                                Title Game Beat Sciota Northwestern 73-63
                                Galesburg Regional Qualifier
                                1st Rd lost to Monmouth 78-69
                                Galesburg beat Bushnell-Prairie City in title game
    
1967-68                   Stronghurst District Runner-Up       Coach George Lewis   
                                1st Rd Beat Media 74-50
                                Semi-final Beat Sciota Northwestern Kirkwood 67=60
                                Title Game lost to Macomb Western 75-65
  
1968-69                   Sciota District Tournament                  Coach's name & record needed
                                 1st Rd lost to Sciota Northwestern 63-57
                                 Roseville beat Sciota NW in title game
    
1969-70                   Stronghurst District Runner-Up     Coach's name & record needed   
                                1st Rd Beat Media 68-60
                                Semi-final Beat Galesburg Costa
                                Title Game lost to Roseville 51-49
      
1970-71                   Plymouth District Champions         Coach's name & record needed
                                 Semi-final Beat Industry 66-60
                                 Title Game Beat Plymouth 77-59
                                 LaHarpe Regional Qualifier
                                 1st Rd Beat Augusta Southeastern 67-60
                                 Semi-final lost to Hamilton 57-52
                                 Title Game Hamilton beat Carthage
  
*This was the last school year for Stronghurst High School. Consolidated with Media to form the Stronghurst Southern School District in the summer of 1971.
          
Track & Field
 
One Stronghurst High School athlete placed in the State Track Meet.  The year was 1915 when George Brokaw became a medalist in the "B" Meet for SHS.  HIs accomplishment is listed below.
 
1914-15   George Brokaw         440 Yard Dash           4th Place

Stronghurst High School Football Team
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1970-71 Season - Practice

Football
 
As the photo shows Stronghurst High competed in football as well.  If you have information on the better teams in Stronghurst history please write to us via e-mail.
 
MEMORIES
 
From Mike Burrell:
 
"My grandfather attended Stronghurst HS and graduated I believe in 1925. I still have his diploma but haven't looked at it in a while so I'm not sure about the year. His name was Clarence Austin Burrell.  He passed away in 1990.  I thought you would like to know that in 1924 and 1925 Stronghurst HS had the 1st and 2nd annual Inter-Class Track Meet (location unknown).  The 1st annual was on April 19, 1924 and the 2nd annual was April 18, 1925.  I know this because I have my grandfather's 1st place ribbons from these meets.  There are 1st place ribbons for discus and for pole vault that my grandfather won in 1924.  There are also 1st place ribbons for discus and for pole vault that my grandfather won in 1925.  On the latter ribbons he wrote his winning distances of 102' 4 1/2'' for discus and 10' 7 1/2 '' for the pole vault."
 
Seeking Your Assistance
 
Help us remember Stronghurst High School and its accomplishments before it became Southern High.  If you have ANY infomation you can provide please e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net.  You can also write ot us at:
 
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il.   60631

Attendance Award for Tucie Mae Teninty- April/1904
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Submitted by Carolyn Quinn (Left click on photo for larger view)

Stronghurst HS Graduate Tucie Mae Teninty in 1904
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Submitted by Carolyn Quinn (Left click on photo for larger view)

Stronghurst High School 1922 Graduation Program
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Submitted by Paul Tuttle