Medora High School Tigers

Medora High School

Courtesy of Matt Hasquin from the 1944 Medora HS Yearbook

The History of Medora High School

Medora (population 501) is located in southwestern Illinois in eastern Macoupin County. Illinois Route 111 is the main roadway to Medora and Illinois Route 267 branches off to the northwest beginnning (or ending) in Medora. A branch of the Macoupin Creek flows through the north side of town. Two larger towns near Medora include Jerseyville, 10 miles to the northeast, and Alton, 20 miles to the south.

Medora's history and the history of her school system are in need of research from an area fan. It is probable that a high school was started for Medora children in the late 1800s. The high school served the community for over five decades. In the late 1940s and early 1950s a major consolidation effort began between Medora and appproximately 20 other area schools including Shipman and Brighton. This effort resulted in the development of the Southwestern School District in 1955. A high school complex was developed near the tiny hamlet of Piasa for the new school district. The larger towns of the consolidation effort, including Medora, maintained a grade school in their town that was part of the Southwestern School DIstrict.

The original Medora High School building serves as the grade school mentioned above for grades PK - 6. A photo of this school building is being sought.

Medora High School Quick Facts

Year opened: late 1800s

Year "new" building built: 1930

Year closed: 1955

Consolidated to: Southwestern School District (Piasa)

Medora HS team nickname: the "Tigers"

Medora HS team colors: Purple & Gold

Medora HS Fight Song: Medora Loyalty Song

                                                      "M-E-D-O-R-A
                                                       Means Medora Township High,
                                                       We are proud of our colors gay,
                                                       We'll raise them to the sky.

                                                       And when we end our high school days,
                                                       We all are sure to hold,
                                                       The Mem'ries of Victories won,
                                                       Beneath the Purple and Gold.

                                                       Knowledge is our quest be we,
                                                       Have time for fun and play,
                                                       We can battle with the best,
                                                       And win most any day.

                                                       M-E-D-O-R-A
                                                       Stands for dear M.T.H.S.,
                                                       Just as V stands for victory,

                                                       Don't forget M.T.H.S.

                                                       Written By Helen Secor
                                                       (Tune Unknown at this time)

Athletics

Medora High School competed in boys basketball winning two District titles (www.ihsa.org). It is beleived the Medora athletic program offered track and baseball as well. Conference affiliation is being sought.

Medora HS Basketball 1943-44

Boys Basketball

Two Medora teams brought home some IHSA hardware for display. District titles were won in 1939 and 1940. Unfortunately the coaches names and team records of these and other great Medora teams are not currently available.

Members of the 1943-44 Medora High School basketball team picured to your right, provided to us by Shirley Ruyle and John WIlson, are as follows:

Bottom Row: Gene Boker, Stanley Rich, Lavern Fenton, Burl Smith & Buck Johnson

Top Row: Dick Barnett, Buck Wise, Walter Sullivan & L.V. Kinser

*To view an absolutely exceptional page on Medora High School Tiger basketball please click on this site: http://www.piasabirds.com/medorahs/bballhome.html

The page was created and offered to us by Piasa Southwestern faculty member Matt Hasquin and does a great job remembering the glorious past of the Medora High School basketball team. Several items of information listed below were provided by the research of Matt Hasquin and Brian Hanslow.

1931-32 Little 8 Conference Champs Coach Smythe

                              2nd Place Little 8 Conference Tournament
                              3rd Place Macoupin County Tournament
                              3rd Place District Tournament

1934-35 Little 8 Conference Tourney Champs Coach Earl Carr

1943-44 10 - 10 Coach M.E. Kinser

1949-50 13 - 13 Hardin Tourney Champs

1938-39 District Champions
1941-42 District Champions

1949-50                   Brighton Invitational Tourney (2nd Place)
                               vs. Brussels W 47-36
                              vs. Carrollton (St. John's) W 40-30
                               vs. Shipman   L 61-44

                              Hardin Invitational Tourney (Champs)
                              vs. Grafton    W 50-44
                              vs. Pearl       W 51-43
                              vs. Pleasant Hill   W 46-36
                              vs. Brighton    W 53-40

1950-51                   Brighton Invitational (3rd Place)
                              vs. Grafton   W 40-38
                               vs. Bethalto L 84-52
                               vs. Shipman W 50-49

1951-52 8 - 15

1952-53    15 -11       Hardin Tournament (2nd Place)                Coach Wayne Challacombe
                                vs. Carrollton (St. John's) W 93-43
                                vs. Pleasant Hill       W 50-49
                                vs. Pearl                W 56-44
                                vs. Shipman           L 52-51

1953-54                    Hardin Tournament (4th Place)
                               vs. Brussels W 68-58
                               vs. Hardin   L 45-39
                               vs. Brighton L 48-31

Great Player

*Gene Boker - Class of 1944 - Scored 1058 pts in his MHS Career.

Searching for More Information

We are always searching for more information and photos to truly recognize the schools on this site. If you have any information or a photo of the former Medora HS building you wish to share, please write to us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us via real mail at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il. 60631