The History of Lily Lake High School
Lily Lake (population 922) is located in northeastern Illinois about 15 miles east of Dekalb. The
town sits in the central portion of Kane County on Illinois Route 47 just north of Illinois Route 64. Lily Lake also borders
the town of St. Charles, about 3 miles to the southeast.
According to the Wikipedia web address of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_Lake,_Illinois, the town of Lily Lake was established around a lake of the same name. The town was plotted along
the Great Western Railroad for dairy farmers allowing them to ship their goods to the city of Chicago. The lake on which Lily
Lake sat was drained in the 1930s to allow roadways to and from town to be built. Lily Lake was originally inhabited in as
early as 1851 and was first known as Campton. The name was changed to Lily Lake in 1887.
The only information we currently have regarding Lily Lake High School is found on
the Burlington Central High School website address of http://www.burlington.k12.il.us/ll/LL%20Info/History%20of%20LL.htm .
This page has a nice history of the educational opportunities afforded the kids in Lily Lake. A summary
of that article is as follows:
Schooling in the area was organized as early as 1841. It was in 1918 that the Lily Lake school district
was formed. The Lily Lake school offered education for kids in grades 1 - 8. It also offered two years of high
school education. Upon graduating from the two-year high school kids would often attend a nearby 4-year high school
such as St. Charles, Elburn, or Plato.
The Lily Lake school was the focus of the community. Annual "fairs" and other gatherings often brought
residents of the area together. The article states that athletic contests were also held at the school. It was
in the year 1950 that Lily Lake High School was officially closed. This was due to the abolishment of all 2 and 3-year
high schools in Illinois. The district joined the newly formed Central School District located in Burlington.
Lily Lake was featured in an Illinois schools journal in 1920. The following facts were made available
for the publication:
No. of districts consolidated: 3
Square miles:
12
Assessed valuation:
$220,000
Cost of house:
$25,000
Annual tax levy:
$6,600
Tax rate:
3.0
Annual tax levy before:
$2,000
Teachers now:
3
Teachers before:
3
Enrollment now:
70
Enrollment before:
65
Enrollment in grades:
62
Enrollment in high school: 8
Years of high school course: 2
Months in year: 9
The Lily Lake School continues to serve the community as an elementary school (grades K - 5) for
the Central School District.
Lily Lake High School Quick Facts
Year opened/2-yr HS: 1918
Year closed: 1950
Consolidated to: Burlington Central School District
Team nickname: the "Lions"?
Team colors: unavailable
School Fight Song: Lily Lake School
by Esther Johnson (Class of 1930)
Submitted by Nancy Johnson
Lily Lake School we do love you so,
And shall wherever we go.
Always remember the days we spent,
At school, at work, and at play.
Life brings a time when we go out,
But in us there is no doubt,
But that we always will cherish you,
Dear red school of mine!
