There was a total of 870 students who graduated from Joy High School which included the last graduating
class of May, 1960. The District was then reorganized and became the Westmer School District beginning in the fall
of 1960."
The original Joy High School doubled as a church until a new building was built in 1877. It is
known that in 1960 a consolidation effort between the schools and communities of western Mercer County, including New Boston and Keithsburg, took place. Joy was included in this effort and was fortunate to land the high school in their town.
Joy Westmer High School served the community and the area until the end of the 2008-2009 school year. Joy Westmer High School consolidated with Aledo High School to form the Mercer County School District in the summer of 2009. The school building pictured at the top of this
page now serves as the Mercer County Junior High Schooll. Kids from the former Joy Westmer High School now attend Mercer
County High School in Aledo.
Joy High School Quick Facts
Year opened: early 1900s
Year closed: 1960
Consolidated to: Westmer School District (Joy)
School nickname: the "Bulldogs"
School colors: Maroon & Dark Green
School Fight Song: "Cheer, Cheer for Old Joy High School"
Notre Dame University Fight Song Tune
Athletics
The boys at Joy were truly able to compete. During the 1920s and early 1930s Joy track athletes brought
home 8 state medals. During the 1950s the boy's basketball team won three Regional titles and three District titles.
Further information is being sought regarding these and other athletics offered at the school. The successful seasons
and athletes are listed below. Football information was researched and provided to us by Tom Sikorski.
Boys Basketball
The 1950s were the home of great memories and accomplishments for the kids of Joy High School. Coach
Bob Jackson led the charge and brought home a total of THREE Regional titles and one District title. Season records of these
and other teams of the hardwood court at JHS are needed.
1933-34 Rock Island District
Tournament Coach's name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Cordova 29-28
2nd Rd lost to Orion 55-17
Orion
lost in semi-final round
1934-35 Moline District
Tournament Coach's
name & record needed
1st Rd Beat New Boston 20-17
2nd Rd lost to Aledo 58-16
Aledo lost in semi-final round
1935-36 Reynolds District
Tournament Coach's name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Cordova 20-17 (2 O/Ts)
Cordova lost in semi-final round.
1936-37 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
1937-38 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed
1938-39 Aledo Regional
Tournament Coach's name
& record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd lost to Reynolds 19-9
Reynolds lost in semi-final round
1939-40 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed
1940-41 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed
1941-42 Joy Regional
Tournament Coach's
name & record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd lost to Aledo 51-26
Aledo
lost in semi-final round
1942-43 Aledo Regional Tournament Coach's
name & record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd lost to Aledo Roosevelt Millitary 63-27
Roosevelt lost in semi-final round
1943-44 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
1944-45 Aledo Regional Tournament Coach's
name & record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd lost to Aledo 50-35
Aledo lost in semi-final round
1945-46 Joy Regional Tournament Coach's
name & record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd lost to Alpha 39-27
Alpha
lost in title game
1946-47 Aledo Regional Tournament
Coach's name & record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd Beat Viola 32-24
Semi-final
lost to Aledo Roosevelt Military 45-32
Roosevelt won District title
1947-48 Joy Regional Tourney
2nd Place Coach's name & record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd Beat Aledo Roosevelt 35-31
Semi-final
Beat New Boston 36-26
Title Game lost to Aledo 49-36
1948-49 Aledo Regional Tournament
Coach's name & record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd Beat Reynolds 44-42
Semi-final
lost to Aledo 39-38
Aledo lost title game to New Boston
1949-50
Joy Regional
Tournament Coach's
name & record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd - won game (results unavailable)
Semi-final lost
to New Boston 57-44
New Boston lost title game to Aledo
1950-51 Aledo Regional Tournament
Coach's name & record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd Beat New Boston
Semi-final
lost to Sherrard 48-31
Sherrard
won Regional title
1951-52
Joy Regional
Tournament Coach's
name & record needed
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd - Forfeit by Reynolds (weather)
Semi-final lost
to Sherrard 37-32
Sherrard lost title game to Aledo
1952-53
Aledo Regional Champions Coach
Robert (Bob) Jackson
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd Beat Sherrard 58-52
Semi-final
Beat Winola 66-58
Title game Beat Aledo 61-59
East
Moline Sectional 2nd Place!
Semi-final Beat Morrison 54-53
Title game lost to Rock Island 91-48
Rock Island lost in Sweet 16 round.
1953-54 Joy
Regional Champions Coach
Robert (Bob) Jackson
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd Beat Reynolds74-45
Semi-final
Beat Roosevelt Military 63-47
Title game Beat Winola 59-51
Macomb
Sectional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Bowen 85-55
Bowen won Sectional title over Monmouth
Bowen lost in Sweet 16 round
1954-55 Sherrard
Regional Champions Coach
Robert (Bob) Jackson
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd Beat Alexis 72-39
Semi-final
Beat Alwood 72-68
Title game Beat Aledo 52-42
Galesburg
Sectional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Augusta 61-54
Augusta lost title game to Galesburg
Galesburg lost in Elite 8 round.
1955-56 Aledo Regional Tournament
Coach Robert (Bob) Jackson
Joy did not compete in District this year.
1st Rd Beat Sherrard 65-28
Semi-final
lost to Aledo 74-58
Aledo lost title game to Little York
1956-57 Postseason scores & record needed.
Coach Robert (Bob) Jackson
1957-58
Joy District Champions
Coach Robert (Bob) Jackson
Title game Beat New Boston 61-57
Aledo Regional Tourney
1st Rd Beat Rockridge 77-59
Semi-final
lost to Aledo or Alwood
Alwood beat Aledo for Regional title
1958-59
Joy District Champions Coach's
name & record needed
Semi-final
Beat Keithsburg 70-41
Title
game Beat New Boston 66-60
Alexis Regional Tourney
1st
Rd lost to Sherrard 65-64
Sherrard lost title game to Alwood
1959-60
Joy District Champions Coach's
name & record needed
Semi-final
Beat New Boston 78-56
Title
game Beat Little York 54-51
Regional
scores unavailable
Last season as Joy High School, became Joy Westmer High School beginning with the 1960-61 school year.
Boys Track and Field
1915 L. Bridgeford 220 Yard Hurdles
3rd Place
L. Bridgeford
Pole Vault 3rd Place
1920 Morrow
High Jump 3rd Place
Steele
220 Yard Hurdles 2nd Place
1923 Eckhart
Discus
2nd Place
1924 Eckhart
Discus
3rd Place
1930 Hesse
Shot Put
2nd Place
1931 Walgren 220 Yard
Hurdles 5th Place
1952-53 Coach
Robert (Bob) Jackson
1953-54 Coach
Robert (Bob) Jackson
1954-55 Coach
Robert (Bob) Jackson
1955-56 Coach
Robert (Bob) Jackson
1956-57 Coach
Robert (Bob) Jackson
1957-58
Coach Robert (Bob) Jackson
Football
1952 6-0 Valley Conference Champs
Coach Robert Jackson
1953 5-1 Valley Conference Champs
Coach Robert Jackson
1954 4-3 Coach
Robert Jackson
1955 Coach
Robert Jackson
1956 Coach
Robert Jackson
1957 Coach
Robert Jackson
Joy moved to the bigger Corn Belt conference in 1955 and struggled. The last year JHS fielded
a team was 1959. In 1960 Joy HS consolidated with Keithsburg and New Boston to form Joy-Westmer.
Memories
From our good friend George Carpenter:
"Dear Friends
As I reminisce thru the high schools on the Glory Days site, my mind pictures classmates
meeting, dating and marrying their high school sweethearts. What a wonderful place to meet a partner to share the rest
of your life with. Such was the case with me. In the summer after my sophomore year at Joy High School I met a pretty
brown eyed farm girl at a small skating rink in the country who would be a junior at Reynolds High School "Rockets" in the fall.
Because my 1931 Model A Ford Coupe could only travel between mud puddles due to a
leaky radiator, I was pretty much without wheels in the winter. When school was out in the spring and things thawed out, we
continued our courtship and, as luck would have it, my family moved into the Reynolds district and we became classmates our
senior year. We graduated together in the Class of 51 and were married the next January.
When I came home from overseas
after my tour of duty, I saw my son for the first time. He was 9 months old and born just 3 days before our first anniversary.
Like many GIs at the time, it was a struggle to find affordable housing. Things finally came together and we began to work
toward the American Dream.
Because of our commitment to each other and our faith, we made it happen. Now after
56 years of marriage and having traveled to many places in the world, we look back and rejoice in the choices we have made.
If I met my wife today, she would be my only choice. Life is good.
So, since I see lots of space at the bottom
of every page of each high school, I think how great it would be if we could share some of our life experiences with students
who married their classmates."
**From Donna Jackson:
"I just read this article about Joy High School in the early
1950's. My husband, Robert (Bob) Jackson, coached football , basketball and track during
the 1952-53 until 1957-58 seasons. It was then that we moved to Sherrard High School where he finished his career as
basketball coach in 1973. He retired fom the school system in 1986. Thank you for an interesting article."
Seeking Further Information
Records, Coaches names, and other sports offered are just a few things we are missing from this
page. If you have some of this knowledge and would like to share it please complete a School Submission Form or
Guest Commentary Form. You may also write us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631