Logan County IL Archives History - Books .....Atlanta Schools 1953
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Book Title: A History Of Atlanta

ATLANTA SCHOOLS

    The citizens of Atlanta have always prided themselves upon the
progressiveness of their public schools. No pains have been spared to keep them
up to a standard of the highest excellence, and from the inception of the city
in 1853, the Atlanta schools, in point of efficiency, have not been excelled in
the county. In 1853, the first school building in Atlanta, called the Seminary,
was erected on the southwest corner of the present school site. It was chartered
in 1855 and was non-denominational. The first board of trustees was Samuel
Bevan, Lemuel Foster, James Tuttle, A. C. Rankin and R. T. Gill.

    The charter conferred upon the trustees full power to confer Academic
degrees, to regulate the course of study, to appoint teachers, make bylaws, to
erect additional buildings and to purchase grounds not to exceed ten acres. Upon
the approval of the stockholders, the trustees had the power to convert the
school into a high school, which was later done. The stock was twenty dollars
per share, each share being entitled to one vote. Stockholders were liable to a
tax of one dollar on each share.

    In may, 1856, there were 137 enrolled. There were three departments in the
school: primary, intermediate and high. In addition to Reading, Writing and
Spelling, there were five classes in Arithmetic, two in Algebra, three in
Geography, one in Philosophy, one in Latin and one in History.

    Atlanta was incorporated as a city in 1869, and the schools were reorganized
under the state school law as graded schools of the city. The district was
enlarged to include one mile each way from town, and a board of directors was
elected to assume entire control of the schools. In 1870, the old Seminary
building was found inadequate for the accommodation of the school population,
and measures were taken to erect a larger building. The old building was removed
to the corner of the lot and used until the new one was completed when it was
moved to the farm of Augustus Reise, now the Dunham farm at the west edge of
Atlanta.
    The building erected in 1870 was three stories in height above the basement
and contained ten school rooms, a spacious hall and an office. It was surmounted
by a cupola, in which a large four-dialed clock was placed. The clock cost $800
and the sum was raised by contributions. The contract price of the building was
$24,485, to which $500 was added afterwards. The entire cost of the building,
clock and furnishings was $28,500.

    This building was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1908. Undaunted by this
disaster, a structure was erected in its stead, which not only far surpassed its
predecessor, but was one of the largest and best equipped buildings in the
state. It is two stories high and constructed of vitrified brick with stone
trimmings and a slate roof, the brick being of a dark chocolate color. The
contract price of the edifice was about $40,000, and the additional expense of
plumbing and furnishings increased the cost to within the neighborhood of
$60,000. Few cities of the size of Atlanta in the state could boast of so
magnificent a school building at that time. School was first opened in the new
building September 6, 1909.

    In 1919, it was decided to incorporate more of the territory around Atlanta
into a separate high school district. This district, No. 401, was organized on
August 2, 1919 and comprised 35% sections in Atlanta and Eminence townships. It
was the first community high school district organized in Logan County. Thus in
the fall of 1920, Atlanta Community High School opened for the first time. The
first board of education included Dr. Maskel Lee, O. E. Johnson, James I.
McKown, Ray E. Thompson and Fred S. Zollars.

    The school continued to operate in the grade school building and rented
space from District No. 301 until November, 1935. In that year, an election was
held to select, purchase a site and build an addition to the high school. It was
agreed that the High School would build the new addition: three classrooms and
combination auditorium and gymnasium. This was done with the assistance of WPA
labor and a $15,000 grant from the government. The total cost was about $40,000.
Henceforth, the whole building and all real estate was the property of both
districts, 301 and 401, with both sharing in the cost of maintenance. The new
building was dedicated on Nov. 13, 1936.

  Prior to the building of this addition, it was necessary to use the facilities
of Murphy Hall for plays, basketball games and year-end activities. It was a
distinct asset to have these rooms attached to the building with showers and
dressing rooms at hand. Running to the City Hall for a quick shower was no
longer necessary for the basketball boys.

    Additions to the school property include the acquisition of an excellent
athletic field, two blocks north of the schoolhouse in 1940. In 1946, the school
purchased the west half of the block, north of the school, for the purpose of
creating an all weather playground. The street between the two blocks was closed
to give added space and safety. A dwelling adjacent to the school was purchased
in 1949 for use of the school superintendent. Additions and changes to the
building to make possible a luncheon program were made in 1951. The old
gymnasium floor was raised to the level of the adjoining halls and the room
converted into a cafeteria. The kitchens were installed in the old Home
Economics room. The last addition to the school system was a bus garage, which
was completed in May, 1951, to the north of the main building and east of the
playground. This houses the five buses which transport the students to and from
school to their homes and to school activities out of town.

    In 1947, it seemed expedient to consolidate the grade schools in the
district and surrounding area. An election was held May 23 of that year, and the
following grade schools were incorporated into District No. 301: District 23,
Clear Creek; District 24, New Castle; District .25, Hoblit; District 301,
Atlanta Grade; District 53, Rose Hill; District 55, Walnut Row; District 56,
Eminence; District 58, Hazel Dell. That fall three buses were purchased to
transport students to the school building in town.

    A law was passed by the state legislature on July 1, 1947 for the creation
of Unit School Districts, so the Atlanta school districts were again reorganized
and Unit 20 was created on December 11, 1948. This combined Districts 301 and
401, plus some other territory, principally in Eminence and Oran townships. The
new Unit School was set up to be operated by a seven-man board, which was as
follows: L. H. Dunham, president;  DeWitt Yeast, secretary;  R. L. Ijams, V. B.
Bateman, Paul Gordon, J. Neil Rice and John A. Hoblit.

    The first free private school for handicapped children in Logan County was
set up in Atlanta in the fall of 1927 and was operated as a part of the school
system. The school was conducted in a regulation school room, set up in the
homes. The school was discontinued in 1935. In 1933, the students of the private
school edited a school paper, containing notes and news about the High School.
This paper was taken over later by high school student body and has since been
published as the Spotlight.

    The class of 1919 published the school's first year book, entitled Atlanta
High School. In 1922, under the direction of Bertha Bridges, Principal of the
High School, the first Atalanta was issued by the Senior Class. Since that time,
the Senior Class of each year has published an annual, containing news and
pictures of the school, with records of the activities of the year, as well as a
listing of the Alumni at intervals.

    Atlanta has always held her own in athletics, especially good records,
having been made in football and track in the earlier years. Probably the most
impressive record in Atlanta school athletic history was made by the track teams
in the Corn Belt Athletic meets in the early years of the century. Competing
against Springfield, Decatur, Bloomington, Lincoln and other large high schools,
Atlanta won meets and set records in individual events which were never broken
during the existence of the Corn Belt association. During the last few years,
the main sports have been basketball and baseball. These sports are well
supported by the Pep Club and the citizens of the community.

    Through the years, an interest has been taken in dramatics and the literary
field. Various organizations sponsored these activities, the most active having
been the Literary Adelphi and Belles Lettres societies, both of which ceased to
exist in 1922. Debating, Declamation and Oratorical contests were entered and
many honors won. The Atlanta High School won more oratorical prizes at the
various meets of the Corn Belt Oratorical Association than any other school in
the association. The late William Kephart also won first place at the state
oratorical contest at Urbana in 1902.

    In music the schools always have ranked high. In 1921-22, Prof. H. O. Merry
was hired to instruct the students in instrumental music, and he was followed by
instructors, who maintained the high standards which he set. Miss Adelle McClure
was engaged in 1923 to direct vocal in both the grade and high schools. Over the
years, Atlanta school musicians have been highly successful in winning awards in
district and state contests.

    The Girls Athletic Association of Atlanta High School was organized during
the year of 1947-48. Prior to that time there was no full time girls physical
education instructor, though there had been an organization for one year under
the direction of Miss Kimball in 1939-40. Each year the club selects one of its
members to receive the Sportsmanship Award. This trophy is on display in the
school trophy case.

    It is worthy of note that Atlanta has been able to produce so many of her
own teachers. Many of them have graduated from the school, gone elsewhere for
additional training and then returned to help educate their hometown children.
Notable in this list are the late Miss Minnie Nollen, who spent fifty years
instructing the beginners, and Miss Cora Carlock, who is finishing her 42nd year
in the system this year. Many others have enviable records in their faithful and
loving service to the school.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

A HISTORY OF ATLANTA 1853-1953

Prepared by Citizens of Atlanta
As a Part of the Observance of the
Centennial, June 11,12 and 13,1953

THE PUBLICATION IS SPONSORED BY THE ATLANTA WOMAN'S CLUB

Atlanta, Illinois 1953

Published By
The Stewart - Pinks Publishing Co.
Atlanta, Illinois


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