Carlyle High School “Kaskaskians”

Original Carlyle High School
A large brick building

Description automatically generated with low confidence
http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/createPostcard.php?cardNum=851192

The History of the “Original” Carlyle High School

The city of Carlyle (population 3,406) is located in southwestern Illinois in central Clinton County. U.S. Route 50 intersects with Illinois Route 127 in Carlyle.  Carlyle Lake sits just to the northeast of town and feeds the Kaskaskia River which flows past the east side of town.  The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad also makes its way through town.

Before you current Carlyle fans get riled up, this page is for those who remember the ORIGINAL Carlyle High School.  We know that your current Carlyle High School is alive, well, and going strong today. We are aware of the State Championships you have won in the boys sports of baseball (1981), basketball (1989), and football (1989) as well as the girls incredible three straight State Championship game appearances from 1995 – 1997, winning the title in ’96 and ’97.  GREAT JOB!!

This page is about the Carlyle High School building of 1900 – 1955.  About the Carlyle High School which was renamed Carlyle Community High School in 1943.  It is about the Carlyle High sports teams which were called the Carlyle HS “Kaskaskians”.  Yes, like the Neoga Township High School page on this site, this is for the old-timers who still savor their time and fond memories in the old “twin tower” Carlyle High School building (pictured above) which was demolished in 1963.

The memories and emotions of these Carlyle High School alumni are very real and are here to be honored.  The athletic accomplishments of the teams before the name change to Carlyle Community High School (1900 – 1943) will be listed, though technically they are all a part of the history of Carlyle and its current High School.  If you have any memories of the “Glory Days” of the original Carlyle High please e-mail and share them with the newer generation.

Former Carlyle Coach Richard Heitholt had this to say about his days at Carlyle High School:

“The last year in the “old” building was 1954-55  I was the coach then.  The school nickname when I arrived was the Kaskaskians.  We had outstanding athletes although I do not have the basketball record handy.  I was only in Carlyle one year- moving to coach basketball at Pittsfield the following year where I became principal.  I fondly remember the names of Duane Zachry, Jerry Essington, Jerry Trickey, Donald Wells and Donald Winn as the starting five in 1954-55. Colman Winn was Supt., ____Reid was Principal (moved to Sandoval where he died in a tragic fire). Richard Greene, coach in 1953-54 became principal at East Moline High School.  I was principal at Quincy Sr. H. S. for 18 years, retiring in 1985.  C.L. Harris was listed as a previous coach.  He was a math teacher at Carlyle who was also a premier basketball referee in the state.”

Thank you to Coach Heitholt!!

“Original” Carlyle High School Quick Facts

Year High School building opened:           1900

Year name changed to “Community HS:   1943

Year “new” HS building built:                    1954

Year “original” building razed:                   1963

“Original Gym” fate:                                 Still used as part of Grade School

Team nickname:                                      the “Kaskaskians”

Team colors:                                           unavailable

School Fight Song:                                  unavailable

Athletics 1900 – 1943

The boys basketball and football records of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s are available on the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org) .  The Roosters had some real nice seasons including the winning of two District titles in the late 1920s in boys basketball.  The “boys” of this era set the stage for the great success of years to come.  District Basketball Tournament scores were provided below by Mark Jurenga:

Boys Basketball

1926-27                     3rd Place in District Tourney

Greenville District Tourney

                                1st Game– Carlyle 26 Vandalia 18

                                Semifinals- Trenton 20 Carlyle 15

                                3rd Place- Carlyle 42 Sorento 6

District Tourney All-Star team members:

First Team

E. Beckemeyer (Named Captain of the squad; MVP)

1927-28     N.R.A.      District Champions           Coach’s name unavailable

District Tournament

                                1st Game-Carlyle 18 Vandalia 15

                                Quarterfinal- Carlyle 32 Trenton 16

                                Semifinal- Carlyle 36 New Baden 18

                                Championship- Carlyle 24 Greenville 18

192829     N.R.A.      District Champions           Coach’s name unavailable

1941-42     15 – 10      (good record)                     Coach C.L. Harriss

1942-43     13 – 12                                              Coach C.L. Harriss

1946-47                     Regional Tourney Semi-Finalist

Quarterfinals– Carlyle 47 East St. Louis (Lincoln) 26

                                Semifinals– Greenville 45 Carlyle 40

1953-54     18 – 10                                              Coach Dick Green

1954-55     15 – 11    ( Last year in old building)     Coach Richard Heitholt

Boys Football

1927-28     5 – 2                                             Coach Van Arsdale 

1935-36     4 – 3 – 1                                         Coach Zimmerman

Special Thanks

Thank you to Joann Higgins Coleman and Beryl Crocker Durbin for providing information and photos for this page.

Accomplished Student

Lt. Col. William Pachura

* Enlisted in Army Air Corps, 1953.

* F-105 pilot in Vietnam, 1968

* 129 missions flown in Vietnam

* Received two Distinguished Flying Cross medals.

* His plane, Red River Queen, has been put on display at Fairview Park in Centralia.

* He is buried in Arlington National Cemetary, Washington D.C.

MEMORIES & THOUGHTS

**From William “Bill” Beckemeyer (Class of 1961):

“I thought it was interesting that the school song was written by a Carlyle H.S. graduate,and that the song is still used to this day; 90 years later!”

            

Stories and Memories Welcome

If you have any stories or memories to share about the “twin tower” Carlyle HS building or the old “Rooster” teams please send us an e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net.  You can also write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il.   60631

George Higgins in a Tree Behind Carlyle HS 1920s
A black and white photo of a tree with no leaves

Description automatically generated with low confidence
Carlyle Roosters Football – George Higgins
A picture containing text

Description automatically generated
Carlyle Roosters Baseball Team 1920s
A picture containing text, indoor, old, black

Description automatically generated
With George Higgins

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: