Greenville Community High School

Greenville High School -- 1927

Credit: Lake County Discovery Museum/Curt Teich Postcard Archives

The History of Greenville Community High School

Greenville (population 6,955) is located in southeastern Illinois in the center of Bond County. Illinois Routes 127 and 140 lead you directly to and from town. U.S. Route 40 and Interstate Highway 70 pass by the southeast side of town as well. The Conrail Railroad line passes through town while the Governor Bond Lake sits just north of Greenville.

There is a nice history of Greenville which can be found at the Wikipedia web address of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenville,_Illinois and one which can be found on the town's official website address of www.greenvilleusa.org/. In summary, Greenville was granted a post office in 1819. The area developed over the years to the point where Greenville was incorporated as a town in 1855. The town's growth continued at a rapid pace for the next several years and in 1872, the town was officially incorporated as a city.

According to the Wikipedia website address of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenville_High_School_%28Greenville%2C_Illinois%29, Greenville residents had a high school in place for their children by 1869. This high school was known as Greenville High School. During a small-school consolidation effort in Illinois in the late 1940's and early 1950's, Greenville residents approved a consolidation effort with several small high schools in Bond County including those in Sorento and Pocahontas. This effort was made effective in 1955 and led to the creation of the Bond County High School of Community Unit School District #2.

The Bond County High School is located in Greenville in a building built there in 1956. The school is most commonly known as Greenville High School to this day, however its official title is Bond County Community Unit #2 High School.

Greenville High School Quick Facts

Year opened: 1869

Year consolidated: 1955

Consolidated to: Bond County Community High School

Greenville HS team nickname: the "Flyers"

Greenville HS team colors: Blue & White

School Fight Song: unavailable

ATHLETICS

We know that the Greenville High School boys competed in football, basketball, track, and golf. We believe the boys may have competed in baseball as well. We are in need of information on several season records and coach's names in these sports. We are also looking for the school fight song of the Greenville Flyers.

BOYS BASKETBALL

The Flyers were a force to be reckoned with during the 1920s. The highlight of the program even today was a FOURTH PLACE finish in the IHSA State Tournament in 1923!! This was accomplished during the state's one-class system which was quite a feat in the day. All totaled, the Flyers won a total of SIX Regional Campionships, FOUR District Titles, and one Sectional Championship!! These seasons, as listed on the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org), are in turn listed below.

1919-20 9-9 Coach ?????
NOTE: GHS' 24-8 win over Odin in the Centralia Sectional was the first time a GHS team won a game in state tournament series competition.

1920-21 11-5-1 Coach L. G. Baker
NOTE:GHS tied Highland that year.
*According to the Greenville High School yearbook:
"December 17 we journeyed to Highland to play them in their chicken-coop. With a tied score and a minute left to play, the Highland rooters, displaying their unsportsmanship, rushed onto the floor. The referee failing to control the mob, called off the game. The score was 14-14."

**On January 7, 1921, Highland played at Greenville. GHS won 51-11.

1921-22    `10-8   District Champs                                  Coach L.G. Baker
                          Hillsboro District (Champs)
                          vs. Gillespie W 18-12
                          vs. Nokomis W 32-4
                          vs. Mt. Olive W 16-13
                          vs. Witt      W 34-14
                         Centralia Sectional
                          vs. Centralia   L 43-22
NOTE: Centralia went on to win the State Championship that year.

1922-23   20 - 6    IHSA TOURNEY - FOURTH PLACE     Coach L.G. Baker

                           Greenville District (Champs)
                           vs. Highland   W 31-6
                           vs. Hillsboro   W 23-6
                          vs. Trenton    W 13-12
                           vs. Ramsey     W 15-8
                         Centralia Sectional (Champs)
                          vs. Chesterfield   W 23-18
                         vs. Flora            W 18-14
                          vs. Marion          W 33-29

Final Four Finalist

Lost to Rockford 36 - 23

(Rockford would finish 2nd)

Consolation Game Finalist

Lost to Canton 12 - 10

1923-24     13-8                                                            Coach L.G. Baker
1924-25     13-6                                                            Coach L.G. Baker
1925-26     15-6   District Champs                                 Coach L.G. Baker
                          Greenville District (Champs)
                          vs. St. Elmo       W 40-10
                         vs. Sorento        W 41-12
                         vs. Trenton        W 31-15
                          Salem Sectional
                          vs. Marion          L 33-15

1926-27    11-9    District Champs                                 Coach L.G. Baker
                          Greenville District (Champs)
                          vs. St. Elmo     W 25-13
                          vs. Sorento      W 42-6
                          vs. Trenton      W 21-20 (2 OT)
NOTE: C. Bimes and L. Watson were named to the "First all-star team." I. Hawley was named to the "Second all-star team."

1927-28    12-7    District Tournament (2nd Place)            Coach L.G. Baker
                         vs. Highland            W 42-23
                         vs. Mulberry Grove   W 48-2 (correct score)
                         vs. Patoka              W 31-16
                         vs. Carlyle              L 24-13

1928-29    13-7                                                               Coach L.G. Baker
1929-30     3-15                                                              Coach L.G. Baker

1930-31 12 - 11 Coach L.G. Baker
1931-32 12 - 9 Coach L.G. Baker

1932-33 11 - 11 District Champions Coach L.G. Baker

                           vs. Ramsey W 36-15
                           vs. St. James W 39-23
                           vs. Brownstown W 38-33
                           vs. Vandalia W 32-29
                           Salem Sectional
                           vs. Gillespie L 48-34
Gillespie went on to finish Fourth at the State Tournament in Champaign.

1933-34 12 - 11 Coach L.G. Baker
1934-35 12 - 12 Coach L.G. Baker

1935-36 8 - 17 Coach L.G. Baker

Greenville was a member of the Black

Diamond Conference along with Ashley,

Carlyle, Highland, Nashville, and Sandoval.

GHS went 6-4 in the conference

                           regular season.
                           Black Diamond Conference Tournament (At Greenville)
                           vs. Sandoval L 34-32
                           vs. Highland W 24-21

1936-37 7 - 17 2nd Place Regional Tourney Coach L.G. Baker

                           Greenville Regional
                           vs. Highland W 31-15
                           vs. Pocahontas W 28-16
                           vs. Vandalia   L 42-19

Belleville Sectional
vs. Collinsville L 51-23
Collinsville would go on to a 3rd place finish at the Sate Tournament in Champaign.

1937-38 16 - 7 Regional Champions Coach L.G. Baker

                           Greenville Regional (Champs)
                           vs. Ramsey W 45-21
                           vs. Brownstown W 33-29
                           vs. Mulberry Grove W 26-22
                           Centralia Sectional
                           vs. Kinmundy   L 41-19

1938-39 8 - 14 Coach L.G. Baker

1939-40 10 - 14 2nd Place Regional Tourney Coach Harlan van Horn

                           Greenville Regional
                           vs. Highland W 49-33
                           vs. Pocahontas W 41-31
                           vs. Livingston L 32-27

Belleville Sectional
vs. O'Fallon L 50-43

1940-41   20 - 7    Regional Champions                         Coach Harlan van Horn
                           Vandalia Regional (Champs)
                           vs. Cowden W 37-35
                           vs. Vandalia W 44-30
                           vs. Coffeen W 41-23

Effingham Sectional
vs. Greenup L 35-30

1941-42 22 - 8 Coach Harlan van Horn

                           Greenville (Regular Season) Tournament Champions
                           vs. Pocahontas W 23-17
                           vs. Mulberry Grove W 32-26

1942-43 22 - 4 Regional Champions Coach L.G. Baker

                           Greenville Regional (Champions)
                           vs. Carlyle W 59-29
                           vs. Highland (St. Paul) W 56-13
                           vs. Staunton W 39-27

                           Highland Sectional
                           vs. Hillsboro W 43-25
                           vs. Wood River L 40-35
Wood River would lose to Elgin in the State Quarterfinals in Champaign.

1943-44 5 - 17 Highland Regional (2nd Place) Coach L.G. Baker

vs. Collinsville L 48-23

1944-45 5 - 22 Coach L.G. Baker

Greenville became a charter member of the Mid-State conference with Hillsboro, Kincaid, Litchfield, Nokomis, Pana, Shelbyville and Vandalia. GHS finished 3-9 in the inaugural conference standings.

1945-46 10 - 18 Regional Champions Coach Wesley G. Bovinet

                            Highland Regional (Champions)
                            vs. Mulberry Grove 61-28
                            vs. Highland W 44-27
                            vs. Pocahontas W 59-27

Collinsville Sectional
vs. Collinsville L 40-38 OT
Collinsville lost to Rockford (East) in the State Quarterfinals in Champaign.

1946-47 14 - 17

1947-48    4 - 17                                                            Coach Edward Krusiec
1948-49    3 - 19                                                            Coach Paul J. Shea
1949-50    5 - 17                                                            Coach Paul J. Shea

1950-51   16 - 8                                                              Coach Paul J. Shea
1951-52    6 - 16                                                            Coach Paul J. Shea
1952-53   16 - 9                                                              Coach Paul J. Shea

Greenville joins the Midwest Conference (along with concurrently being in the Mid-State). Teams are Bethalto, Cahokia, Highland, Madison, and Roxana. GHS goes 6-4 in the Mid-State and 6-4 in the Midwest.

1953-54 12 - 13 Regional Champions Coach Paul J. Shea

                            Highland Regional (Champs)
                            vs. Mulberry Grove W 68-38
                            vs. Worden W 56-30
                            vs. Carlyle W 58-31

Wood River Sectional
vs. Edwardsville L 66-45
Edwardsville would go on to finish 4th at the State Tournament in Champaign.

1954-55 19 - 9 Regional Champions Coach Gordon Rogers

                            Paris Christmas Tournament (4th Place)
                            vs. Normal (University High) W 60-56
                            vs. Mt. Pulaski W 61-47
                            vs. Paris L 69-59
                            vs. Clinton L 62-45

                            Greenville Regional (Champs)
                            vs. Highland (St. Paul) W 80-44
                            vs. Aviston W 78-55
                            vs. Highland W 70-54

East St. Louis Sectional
vs. Dupo L 42-41

Greenville versus Collinsville as recorded by Mark Jurenga:

The Series:
42 meetings
Collinsville won series 29-13.
At Collinsville: Collinsville led 16-3
At Greenville: Collinsville led 11-10
Neutral Site: Collinsville led 2-0
First meeting: November 28, 1908
               At Collinsville: Collinsville 26 Greenville 14
First Greenville win: December 11, 1908
               At Greenville: Greenville 24 Collinsville 11
Last Meeting (as Greenville Comm.): January 28, 1947
               At Greenville: Collinsville 81 Greenville 42

BOYS GOLF

Greenville linksters had two seasons recorded on the IHSA website. The program won District Championships in 1943 and 1948. This allowed the teams to move on to the State Finals which was a great accomplishment.

1943 District Champions

Qualified for State Finals

1948 District Champions

Qualified for State Finals

BOYS TRACK & FIELD

The Greenville High School "thinclads" had a real nice season in the 1920-21 school year. The Flyers finished the IHSA Class 'B' State Track Meet in a tie for third place! In addition, two boys from Greenville brought home individual medals from the IHSA Track Meet during other years of competition. These accomplishments are listed below.

1901-02 Individual Medalist - ?? Eixon 440y dash 3RD PLACE

1919-20(B) Individual Medalist - ?? Weeks Discus 4TH PLACE

1920-21(B) THIRD PLACE - IHSA CLASS 'B' STATE TRACK MEET

FINAL STANDINGS

1) Forrest                 19   C.C. Merrill
2) Carlinville              11
3) Greenfield             10.5
3) GREENVILLE       10.5
4) Wheaton (H.S.)     10
5) Carrollton               9

BOYS FOOTBALL

Our good friend, and southwestern Illinois high school history buff, Mark Jurenga, provided the following information on the Flyer's brief football program prior to becoming Bond County High School in 1955:

First game on record: 1899 -- Greenville 10 Hillsboro 5

Season Records

1926 2-3
1927 2-6

* In 1927 GHS joined the South Central Illinois Athletic Conference in football. Schools in the loop were: Carlyle, Centralia, Greenville, Mt. Vernon, Salem, Sparta. GHS finished 4th in the league with a 2-3 mark.
1928 2-7-1

**According to copies of the Greenville High School yearbook. Greenville High and Salem met in an annual Thanksgiving Day game in the late 1920's. The results of two of these games are as follows:

1927- Greenville 7 Salem 0
1928- Salem 20 Greenville 0
NOTE: In 1926, GHS and Salem played the final game of the year, just like in 1927 and 1928, but it is not known if that was on Thanksgiving Day.

GHS dropped football after the 1928-29 school year until the new Bond County Unit #2 High School restarted the program in the late 1950s.

BOYS TENNIS

Two boys proved that the Flyers were good on more than one court. In the 1928 State Tennis Finals a couple of athletes with last names of Combe and Mauser won the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP in the "doubles" competition!

1928 State Doubles Champions Combe and Mauser

Notable Alumni

**From Patrick Bailey:

"Esther Snyder (formerly Johnson, and co-founder of In-N-Out Burger) attending Sorento High School for 3 years, then graduating from Greenville High School in 1937. The information is in the book "In-N-Out Burger: A Behind-The-Counter Look At The Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All The Rules" by Stacy Perman (ISBN: 978-0-06-134671-2). It has some really interesting information about Ms. Snyder's time at those schools."

**From Mark Jurenga:

Here are two WWII veterans assocated with Greenville High:

Eldon W. Smith
Graduate of GHS 1942
U.S. Army
Was Bond County's last surviving P.O.W.
Purple Heart recipient and won several other medals.

Paul J. Shea
Former Principal, Asst. Principal, Teacher and coach at Greenville High.
Coached basketball, baseball, track and was also Athletic Director.
Served in the U.S. Army 1942-46 in Europe. Earned Purple Heart. Also served in the Battle of the Bulge.

IF YOU CAN PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION

So far, this is the extent of the information we have on Greenville High School before it became Bond County Community High School in 1956. Though it is still today most commonly known as Greenville High School, it truly was only Greenville High though 1956. If you have any information to provide on the Greenville High School "Flyers" prior to 1956, please contact us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us via the US Postal service at the following address:

IHSGD Website

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il. 60631