| Bader School Children | |||||||||
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| Astoria South Fulton Argus – May 6, 2002 | |||||||||
The History of Bader High School
Bader (population 50) is located in west-central Illinois in the southeastern portion of Schuyler County. Bader is about 20 miles southeast of Macomb. County Highway 8, also known as Bader Road, is the main roadway to and from Bader. This road connects Bader to Illinois Route 100 and Browning, about 3 miles to the south.
An excellent history of the town of Bader was located by a great fan of the Glory Days website, John Bybee. John located an article from the Astoria South Fulton Argus newspaper dated May 6, 2002. The article is titled “Browning Township BADER Schuyler County” and was written by Denise Bankes. In summary, the article states the following.
The first settlers moved into the area as early as 1830. Bader was platted in 1870 and was originally named Osceola. It was soon discovered, however, that the there was already a town named Osceola in Illinois, so the town was named Bader, believed to be in honor of a local farmer who donated land to the railroad passing through the area.
| Bader Railroad Depot |
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| Astoria South Fulton Argus – May 6, 2002 |
Once the railroad tracks were laid, the small village became full of life. A brck store, a grain elevator, a sawmill, a blacksmith shop (which later became an implement business), a church, and a school were soon thriving. A passenger train passed through the town six times per day.
The Bader School was a two room building which offered education for grades 1 – 8. Hot lunches were part of the program and the kids were prepared for and enjoyed every holiday. At some point, probably in the early 1920s, the Bader School began offering two-years of high school courses. Upon graduation kids would go Astoria High School to complete their third and fourth years of education. Bader High School closed in the 1930s. At this time, all students who wished to continue their education after eighth grade would attend school in Astoria.
The railroad ceased operation in the early 1950s, probably in 1953. When the railroad was uprooted, it took with it any hope for Bader to become a larger city. The grade school was likely closed in the 1950s as well. Today Bader has just a few homes along a country road signifying its existence.
Bader High School Quick Facts
Year opened 2-year HS: 1920s(?)
Year closed: 1930s
Consolidated to: Astoria High School
Unknown if Athletics Offered
| Athletics and Extra-Curriculars
It is possible that the Bader HS boys competed in basketball, baseball, and possibly track. We are in need of this information. School team nickname, colors, fight song, and coach’s names are also being sought. It is possible that Bader had an FFA club, an FHA club, as well as other extra-curricular activities for its students. We are hopeful a former student or resident can help us fill in these blanks. Help Us If You Can There is a ton of information we are missing. There are also many accomplishments which should be remembered and documented. If you have any information, including a photo of the Bader high school building, please forward it to us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us at: Illinois HS Glory Days 6439 N. Neva St. Chicago, Il 60631 Check out this site for more info…go to the August 16, 2000 date for info on Bader: http://schuyler.ilgenweb.net/schuylernewhome/otherhistory/Facts.html
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