Cypress High School "Wildcats"
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Cypress High School Building
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Submitted by Jamie Driskill

Cypress High School East Side
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Submitted by Jamie Driskill

The History of Cypress High School
 
Cypress (population 271) is located in far southern Illinois about 30 miles southeast of Carbondale.  Another land mark includes the Ohio River which is a mere 10 miles south of Cypress.  The main roadway to and from this southwestern Johnson County village is Illinois Route 37.  The Missouri Pacific Railroad is currently the owner of the railroad line that passes through town. A branch of the Bear Creek flows by the northwest edge of town.
 
The history of Cypress is a very long and extensive one.  We are hopeful an area resident will provide us with some of the details of the town's early growth. The history of the educational opportunities in Cypress is also in need of research. It is probable that Cypress began a school system for its children in the mid 1800s. A high school was probably established in the late 1800s to early 1900s. We believe the high school of Cypress served the town proudly until the late 1940s. 
 
At some point the folks of Cypress agreed to send their children to nearby Vienna for their high school education.  The spring of 1947 saw Cypress High School graduate its last class.  It was in the fall of 1947 that Cypress High School kids began attending Vienna High School.  George Mullinax, whose brother is pictured in the basketball photo below, was a freshmen at Cypress High that year, beginning his sophomore year in the fall of 1947 at Vienna HS.
 
The original part of the Cypress High School building was built in 1917, an addition was completed in 1928, and the gym was added in 1945.  The 30's team played elsewhere as there was no gym at Cypress during that time.
 
It is obvious the folks of Cypress took their educational efforts for their children very seriously.  The following tribute to Cypress High School was written in the 1938 CHS yearbook:
 
                                                                 "Our School"
 
"To train up the young to think and act in the spirit of friendliness and good will is universally recognized as an aim of education. Good will is a potent factor in the daily round of right living; it makes for harmony and peace within the nation and promotes friendship and justice throughout the world.  The school can perform no greater service for humanity than to instill in the mind of the young this spirit of good will."
 
The following information regarding the former Cypress High School building was provided by Nancy D. Dillow:
 
"The former Cypress High School building was hit by a tornado on April 28, 2002.  The damage was so extensive that the building was condemned.  With the support of the FEMA, a new K-8 building was constructed just north of Cypress on Route 37.  For more than two years, students attended school in downtown Cypress in portable classrooms."

Cypress HS Back View and Gymnasium
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Left Click on Photo for Larger View

Cypress High School Building Side View
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Left Click on Photo for Larger View

Cypress High School 2015
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Left Click on Photo for Larger View

Cypress High School Quick Facts
 
Year opened:                       late 1800s / early 1900s
Year closed:                        1947
Consolidated to:                   Vienna High School
Cypress HS team nickname: the "Wildcats"
School colors:                      Black & White
School Fight Song:               unavailable

Cypress High School Gymnasium - Northwest Side
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Photo Taken by Jamie Driskill

Athletics
 
We know that Cypress high school competed in boys basketball (www.ihsa.org). We feel that track and baseball may have also been offered. Quick facts information such as team nickname, school colors and fight song, as well as conference affiliation are being sought at this time.
 
Boys Basketball
 
The Cypress High School basketball teams were king of the little schools in their area twice in the 1930s.  Unfortunately coach's names and team records of these and other good Cypress squads are not available at this time. Scores involving Cypress High School in the IHSA State Tournament found on the website titled "Illinois High School Postseason Basketball Scores" are listed below.

1932-33                 Metropolis District Tournament              Coach's name & record needed
                              1st Rd lost to Cave-In-Rock 24-13
                              Joppa Beat Cave-In-Rock in title game

1933-34                 Cairo District Tournament                      Coach's name & record needed
                              1st Rd Beat Balcom 54-29
                              2nd Rd lost to Anna 25-24
 
1934-35                 Anna District Champions                    Coach's name & record needed
                              1st Rd Beat McClure 62-21
                              2nd Rd Beat Cairo 30-27
                              Semi-final & Title Game Scores Needed  
                              Carbondale Sectional Tournament
                              1st Rd lost to Murphysboro 28-24
                               Marion beat Murphysboro in title game
  
1935-36                 Cairo Regional Tournament                   Coach's name & record needed
                              1st Rd Beat Buncombe 46-32
                              2nd Rd lost to Mound City 45-42
                              Anna-Jonesboro beat Mound City in title game
 
1936-37                 Metropolis Regional Tournament           Coach's name & record needed
                              1st Rd Beat Brookport 43-31
                              2nd Rd lost to Golconda 64-36
                              Metropolis beat Golconda in title game
  
1937-38  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.

Cypress Wildcats of 1937-38
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Submitted by Jamie Driskill

In the photo above to the right the following players have been identified.  If you have the names of the others, please contact us via e-mail.
Top Row: -------, R.E. George, --------, ---------, ----------, ----------, ---------, ----------
Bottom Row: Oscar E. Mullinax, ----------, ---------, Maurice Richey, James Montgomery, Lowell Bost.   

1938-39                 IHSA District Champions                  Coach's name & record needed
                              District Scores Needed
                              Metropolis Regional Tournament
                              1st Rd lost to Golconda 36-27
                              Metropolis beat Rosiclare in title game
  
1939-40  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
 
1940-41                 Mound City District Tournament          Coach's name & record needed
                              1st Rd lost to McClure 43-29
                              Mound City beat Karnak in title game
     
1941-42  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
     
1942-43                 Mound City District Tournament          Coach's name & record needed
                              1st Rd lost to Ullin 46-37
                              Mound City beat Grand Chain in title game
     
1943-44  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
       
1944-45                 Mound City District Tournament          Coach's name & record needed
                              1st Rd Beat Ullin 45-38
                              Semi-final lost to Cairo St. Joseph 61-50
                              Cairo St. Joseph beat Mound City in title game
   
1945-46                 Ullin District Tournament                     Coach's name & record needed
                              1st Rd Beat McClure 55-50
                              Semi-final score needed
                             
1946-47                 Dongola District Tournament               Coach's name & record needed
                              **1st Rd lost to Cairo St. Joseph 41-39
                              McClure beat Dongola in title game
 
**Final basketball game for Cypress High School, consolidated to Vienna High School in the summer of 1947.
 
 
Need More Information
 
If you have ANY further information on Cypress High School, especially a photo of the former high school building, please e-mail us 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   

Cypress High School Northwest Side
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Photo by Jamie Driskill

Cypress High School Front View 2015
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Cypress High School Entrance 2015
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Cypress High School Gymnasium 2015
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