| Gilman High School | |||||||||
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| Built in 1922 | |||||||||
| Gilman High School Cornerstone |
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The History of Gilman High School
Gilman (population 1,793) is located in upper-eastern Illinois in the west-central portion of Iroquois County. At one time, and to a great extent today, Gilman was a sort of traveling hub for its area. U.S. Routes 24 and 45 intersect in town. Interstate Highway 57 is routed to the west of Gilman. Three railroad tracks, two owned by the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad and one owned by the Toledo, Peoria, & Western Railroad, all come together in the heart of Gilman. A branch of the Spring Creek flows into the northwest side of town as well.
The history of the town and its educational efforts are in need of research. It is known that Gilman offered schooling for its children shortly after, and maybe even before, the town was incorporated in the mid-1800s. A high school served the town very proudly for well over eight decades. In the early 1980s consolidation talks arose between the towns of Gilman, Onarga, and Danforth. This effort resulted in the formation of the Iroquois West School District in 1983.
The high school for the new Iroquois West School District was located in Gilman and remains there today, in the Gilman High School building built in the 1920s. A photo of the Gilman HS building is coming soon.
Gilman High School Quick Facts
Year opened: mid to late 1800s
Year closed: 1983
Consolidated to: Iroquois West School District
HS Building today: Iroquois West High School
Gilman HS nickname: the “Owls”
Gilman school colors: Red & Blue
Gilman School Fight Song: “We’re Gonna Fight Fight Fight for Gilman High”
Tune of “Washington and Lee Swing”
Courtesy of GLORIA REITZ and her 1956 Yearbook “The OWL”
When those red and blue boys fall in line,
There’s gonna’ be another awful time.
We’re gonna’ fight, fight, fight, for Gilman High,
And for the games we’ve won or lost, we are, we are, we are,
For Gilman High for everymore,
And for the standards that we’re fighting for!
We’re gonna’ roll Onarga* on the ground**.
Yes we are, for Gilman High!
Cha He! Cha Ha!
Cha Ha, Ha, Ha!
Gilman High School
Rah! Rah! Rah!
*Onarga or whatever opponent Gilman was playing.
**“ground” for football and “floor” for basketball
Athletics The Gilman High School Owls competed int he boys sports of football, basketball, track. It is possible that baseball was offered at one time as well. The girls were offered basketball, volleyball, and track. We are in need of the school fight song and conference affiliation for the GHS Owls. If you have any of this information please forward it to us via e-mail at eganann@sbcglobal.net. *The “Fighting Owls” nickname for Gilman High was given to the school’s teams by Coach John Tarwain, who coached at Gilman in the late 1930s. Boys Basketball The Gilman Owls have a lengthy and fairly complete history of their basketball seasons on the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org). Only one Regional was won, however there are many seasons of success of which the better records are listed below. 1925-26 First Season Listed 1927-28 13 – 8 Coach Roger Stotz 1928-29 3 – 3 Coach Roger Stotz 1929-30 14 – 7 Coach Clarence Barnes 1931-32 15 – 9 Coach Clarence Barnes 1936-37 16 – 6 Coach John Tarwain 1937-38 17 – 11 Regional Champions Coach John Tarwain 1939-40 11 – 9 Coach John Tarwain 1943-44 13 – 12 Coach George Latham 1944-45 16 – 12 Coach George Latham 1946-47 Coach Hampton 1951-52 16 – 8 Coach Bob Freeman 1958-59 13 – 9 Coaches Howard Edlinger, Dave Casstevens 1961-62 12 – 12 Coach Leslie Shadell 1966-67 12 – 11 Coach Dan Slack 1967-68 22 – 4 Nice Season!! Coach Dan Slack 1969-70 12 – 12 Coach Dan Slack 1972-73 19 – 7 Coach Dan Slack 1973-74 14 – 11 Coach Bill Harrison 1979-80 19 – 7 Coach Bill Harrison 1980-81 19 – 7 Coach Bill Harrison 1981-82 23 – 3 Great Season!! Coach Bill Harrison 1982-83 18 – 9 Last Season as GHS Owls Coach Bill Harrison Boys Football The Gilman Owls had many great seasons on the grid iron. The problem is they are not currently available on the IHSA website. Two of the GHS squads made the IHSA State Playoffs. The boys of 1981-82 even made it to the Final Four!Their accomplishments are listed below. Many of the records listed were supplied by Tom Sikorski. 1950 7-1-1 Coach Al Bohrer 1951 5-3-1 Coach Al Bohrer 1954 6-2-1 Wil-Ro-Kee Conference Champs Coach Len Burt 1959 2-6 Kan-Wil Conference Co-Champs (2-1 in league) Coach Dave Casstevens 1962 6-2 Vermillion Valley Conference Co-Champs Coach Marv Hamilton (first year in the league) 1963 6-2-1 2nd place VV Conference Coach Marv Hamilton 1966 6-2 2nd place (tie) VV Conference Coach Marv Hamilton 1967 6-1-1 Vermillion Valley Conference Co-Champs Coach Ray Gibson 1968 9-0 Vermillion Valley Conference Champions Coach Ray Gibson 1969 5-3 2nd place (tie) VV conference Coach Gerald Martin 1971 6-2 Vermillion Valley Conference Champions Coach Gerald Martin 1972 6-1-1 2nd place (tie) VV Conference Coach Gerald Martin 1977 5-3 Coach John Boma 1979 5-4 2nd place (tie) VV Conference Coach John Boma 1980 8-2 Vermillion Valley Conference Champs Coach John Boma Qualified for Class 1A Football Playoffs Sweet 16 Qualifier Lost to Chenoa 24 – 6
1981 11-1 Vermillion Valley Conference Champs Coach John Boma Qualified for Class 1A Football Playoffs Coach John Boma Final Four Qualifier Beat Octavia 20 – 6 Beat Arcola 8 – 6 Lost to Maroa-Forsyth 10 – 8 1982 7-2 2nd place East Central Conference Coach John Boma (first year in the league) Gilman last fielded a football team in 1982. Boys Track & Field One name sticks out above the rest when it comes to State Meet Competition in Gilman High School track lore. Reo Rorem for two straight years was a terror at the IHSA State Class 1A Meet. During back to back seasons in 1975 and 1976 Reo was the long distance king of the small schools in Illinois. His efforts in the 1-mile and 2-mile runs placed Gilman HS 4TH and 7Th respectively in those years. Check out Reo’s heroics and the final team standings below. 1974-75 Team Finished 4TH in STATE MEET Competition!! Individual Medalist Reo Rorem 1 Mile Run STATE CHAMPION!! 2 Mile Run 2ND PLACE Final Team Standings 1.) Maple Park (Kaneland) HS 34 2.) Hoopeston (H.-East Lynn) HS 18 2.) Granville (Putnam County) HS 18 4.) GILMAN HIGH SCHOOL 10 4.) Prophetstown HS 10 6.) Mahomet (M.-Seymour) HS 9 6.) Carthage (Hancock Central) HS 9 8.) Stillman Valley HS 8 8.) Mt. Sterling (Brown County) HS 8 8.) Clifton (Central) HS 8 8.) Watseka HS 8 8.) Flanagan HS 8 1975-76 Team Finished 7TH in STATE MEET Competition!! Individual Medalist Reo Rorem 1 Mile Run STATE CHAMPION!! 2 Mile Run STATE CHAMPION!! Final Team Standings 1.) Granville (Putnam County) HS 23 2.) Maple Park (Kaneland) HS 22 3.) Farmington (East) HS 17 4.) Lebanon HS 14 4.) Peru (St. Bede) HS 14 4.) Momence HS 14 7.) GILMAN HIGH SCHOOL 12 8.) Paxton HS 11 9.) Melrose Park (Walther Lutheran) HS 10 9.) Polo HS 10 |
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| Girls Athletics
We know the Lady Owls competed in sports. We are in need of research and information from an alum or area fan to fill in the blanks. Please contact us if you have any of this information regarding the girl’s athletic program. If You Have Any Further Information Please forward any further information to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us at: Illinois HS Glory Days 6439 N. Neva St. Chicago, Il. 60631 |