Goodfield High School “Red Rockets”

Goodfield High School Building 2014
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Submitted by Owen Pulver
Goodfield HS Inscription Above School Entrance
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Photo by Owen Pulver

The History of Goodfield High School

     

Goodfield (population 686) is located in central Illinois in the southwest corner of Woodford County. Interstate Highway 74 passes by the south edge of town and provides exit and entrance ramps to visit there. U.S. Route 150 takes you to and from Goodfield, and Illinois Route 117 will also lead you there. Goodfield is about 20 miles east (and a little south) of Peoria.

According to a book titled “A Woodford County History 1968”, the town of Goodfield was established in 1888 when the Lake Erie & Western Railroad laid tracks through the area.

A grade school for grades 1 – 8 was started in Goodfield in 1894. A frame building was constructed to house the school. In 1907 the need for a larger school building was realized by the people of the area. A brick structure was then built that included two rooms for study. This building, in 1968, served as an apartment building. Its status today is not currently known.

In 1920 voters approved the creation of the Goodfield Community High School District. A brick building was erected to house the high school. Goodfield High School served the community and surrounding farm kids until the end of the 1947-48 school year. At that time the Congerville-Eureka-Goodfield School District #140 was formed.

Greg Knapp provided the following summary for the Goodfield High School building that was then utilized as a grade school facility for the new district, an arrangement that continues today.

” From 1949-1966, the elementary school housed grades 1-8, with eight grades but only four teachers. Each teacher taught two grades. Until some time after 1966, there was no kindergarten in Goodfield. The Goodfield children attended a combined kindergarten in the nearby Congerville elementary school. Beginning in Fall 1966, grades 7 and 8 were consolidated with Eureka, leaving grades 1-6 in Goodfield. Later, a 5-8 middle school was built in Eureka, and that is when the Goodfield HS building began to house K-4.”

Goodfield HS Cornerstone Board of Education 1920
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Photo by Owen Pulver
Goodfield HS Cornerstone – 1920
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Photo by Owen Pulver

**From Andree Shearer:

“I was born in 1970, I attended Kindergarten in 1975 or ‘ 76. Kindergarten at that time was held in Congerville. We then attended Goodfield School for grades 1-4. I lived in Goodfield at the same home during that time. Thanks for the history. Lots of memories in that building!”

Goodfield High School Quick Facts

                     

Year opened:                     1920

Year closed:                       1948

Consolidated to:                Congerville-Eureka-Goodfield Community Unit School District #140

Goodfield HS nickname:   “Red Rockets”

Goodfield HS colors:         Red & White

Goodfield HS fight song:   ?

ATHLETICS

The Goodfield High School boys definitely competed in baseball and basketball. It is likely other sports such as track & field were offered as well. We are searching for team photos, team nickname, uniform colors, school fight song, coaches’ names, and season records of teams that played at Goodfield High School.

BASKETBALL

We have very little information regarding Goodfield High School. There are two postseason scores located on the website titled “Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores.” Dean Bentley discovered the season record and coaches name for the 1946-47 season. He also found that Goodfield High School played their home games that year at the Congerville High School gym. Please contact us if you have any further information regarding Goodfield HS basketball.

1945-46                     Minier District Tournament        Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Hopedale 74-21

Hopedale lost to Minier in semi-final

Minier beat Green Valley in title game

1946-47        2 – 15    Minier District Tournament        Coach Brown

                                  1st Rd lost to Hopedale 51-21

Hopedale lost to Minier in title game

BASEBALL

Dean Bentley also discovered that the boys of Goodfield High School participated in baseball in the Fall of 1947. Mr. Brown was the coach that year.

1947      3 – 4     (Fall Baseball)  Coach Brown

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

It is for certain that students had many activities to participate in at Goodfield High School. School plays, dances, seasonal parties, clubs, choir, and possibly band were likely all a part of the GHS experience.

Memories & Information

     

**From John Stromberger:

“Goodfield High School’s team uniform colors were red and white.  I once had a chenille letter from the school and those were the colors.”

      

SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE

If you have any furhter information regarding Goodfield High School please contact us via e-mail at IHSGDWEBSITE@COMCAST.NET or complete a Guest Commentary Form. You can also send us information via USPS to the following address:

IHSGD Website

6439 N. Neva Ave.

Chicago, Il.     60631

Goodfield HS Building 2014
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Photo by Owen Pulver
Goodfield HS Building 2014
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Photo by Owen Pulver
    


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