Dowell School

Posted on by kpericht in Uncategorized
Dowell School Building 2010
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Courtesy of James Horaz
Sign Above Dowell School Entrance – 2010
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Photo Taken by James Horaz

The History of Dowell High School

Dowell (population 441) is located in far south-central Illinois in the northeast corner of Jackson County.  U.S.Route 51 takes you directly by the east side of town. The Illinois Central Railway runs through town as well.  Dowell is located about 15 miles due north of Carbondale.  According to the Wikipedia address of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowell,_Illinois , the famous “pool hustler”, Minnesota Fats (Ruben Wanderone Jr.) called the town of Dowell his home town.

The history of the town of Dowell has been difficult to research via the internet. We do know through the article regarding its’ school that Dowell was not an official Illinois town until 1917. The article below was provided to us by Mary Moon. Her mother, Linda Spain Moon, and her uncles, Robert Spain, Earl Spain, and Arvel Spain Jr., all attended Dowell Grade School in the 1950s and 1960s.

Dowell School History
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Submitted by Mary Moon

We do know that the towns of ELkville, VERgennes, And DOwell combined their efforts to create the ELVERADO School District in 1962.

Dowell School Quick Facts

Year opened:               1902

Year school bldg bulit:  1920

Year closed:                1962

Consolidated to:           Elverado School District (Elkville)
Dowell School Side View With Gymnasium – 2010
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Photo Taken by James Horaz

Athletics and Extra Curricular Activities

The Dowell Grade School boys likely competed in basketball and quite likely track and baseball. School team colors, school fight song, team records, and coach’s names are all items we are in need of.

It is likely that Dowell Grade School offered music, clubs, dances, and other such extra-curricular activities. We are interested in information on these activities as well.

Memories

     

*From Mary Moon:

“I recently found your webpage and I could easily spend hours looking at it.  I wanted to update you about the Dowell School.  My mom grew up in Dowell in the 50’s and 60’s.  She attended Elverado High School in Elkville, Class of ’67.  The building on your webpage (above) only served as a grade school.  It was not utilized as a high school, at least it wasn’t while my mom was growing up there.  The gray building on the left of the building was the gymnasium.”

  

If You Have ANY Information…

…on the former Dowell Grade School we hope you will take the time to share it with us. We would like to share the memories of this school before the information is possibly lost forever. We are especially interested in a photo of the original high school building. You can e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or write to us via real mail at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva Ave.

Chicago, Il.   60631
   


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