Hardin High School “Tigers”

**HARDIN HIGH SCHOOL 1917 – 1951 / HARDIN CALHOUN HIGH SCHOOL 1951-1961, HARDIN CALHOUN GRADE SCHOOL 1961 – 2000**

The History of Hardin High School

Hardin (population 959) is located in lower-western, some may even say southwestern, Illinois. Hardin is the County Seat of Calhoun County and sits about 25 miles northwest of Alton and about 35 miles northwest of St. Louis, MO. Illinois Routes 16 and 100 lead you to and from Hardin. Hardin sits on the banks of the Illinois River and is only four miles east of the Mississippi River.

According to the website http://www.greatriverroad.com/Cities/Hardin/HardinCover.htm , Calhoun County is unique in that it is 37 miles long and only seven miles wide at its widest point. The website goes on to say about Hardin:

“Hardin is named in honor of Col. John J. Hardin, who was killed leading a charge of the First Illinois volunteers at Buena Vista during the Mexican Civil War. The town’s original name was Child’s Landing but was changed when the county seat was relocated from Gilead in 1847. With several restaurants having riverfront views, Hardin is a popular lunch spot for Bald Eagle watchers in the winter.”

The history of Hardin High School is found on the Roots Web address of

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilcalhou/Education/ruralschools.pdf . Hardin High School was the first high school in Calhoun County according to newspaper accounts of the day. The paragraph from Roots Web reads as follows:

“The Hardin High School, which was started in 1917, was operated by District 20. More than half of the students were from rural areas, their tuition being paid to District 20 by the Non-High School Board. In 1937 a new gymnasium was completed and the old grade school re-modeled. The school was recognized by the state as a four-year high school during the school year of 1939-40. The new unit district was organized in 1951-52, and high school pupils of Batchtown, Hamburg, and Kampsville were being brought to Hardin by school busses. The new Calhoun High School one mile north of Hardin was dedicated in 1961.”

As stated above, it was in the early 1950s that the communities of Calhoun County began talks of consolidating their educational efforts. This effort became a reality in 1951 with the creation of the Calhoun School District. Hardin High School had its’ final graduating class of 38 receive their diplomas in May of 1951

The new high school complex for the Calhoun District was completed in 1961 and is located 1 mile north of Hardin where it remains today. The fate of the original Harding High School building, which was utilized as the Calhoun HS from 1951-1961, was provided by Justin Lee:

“The Hardin High School structure is still standing. After the HS closed in 1961, the building served as a K-8 facility until 1993, and from then until 2000 it served as a K-5 school. It was then closed and sold to the Village of Hardin for redevelopment.”

Hardin High School Quick Facts

Year opened: 1917

Year became 4-year HS: 1939

Year consolidated: 1951

Year Bldg Ceased as GS: 2000

Consolidated to: Calhoun School District (Hardin)

Hardin HS team nickname: the “Tigers”

HHS team colors: Orange & Black

School Fight Song: unavailable

Athletics

According to the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org) Hardin High School offered boys basketball and football for sure. We believe that baseball and track were offered as well. We know that Hardin had some success in the IHSA Speech Competition as well. Hardin High School team nickname, team colors, fight song, team records, and coach’s names are all items we are seeking. Hardin was a member of the Illinois Valley Conference from 1956-60.

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Boys Basketball

The Hardin High boys won a Regional Championship in the 1956-57 season. This is, however, currently the extent of the knowledge we possess on the Hardin High school basketball exploits. Other scores involving Hardin High School competing in the IHSA State Tournament were located on a website titled “Illinois Postseason High School Basketball Scores.” These scores are copied below.

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1937-38 Milton District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd lost to Kampsville 34-21

Milton beat Nebo in title game.

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1938-39 Carrollton Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to Roodhouse 46-11

Roodhouse beat Jerseyville in title game.

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1939-40 Carrollton Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to Roodhouse 31-18

Jerseyville beat Roodhouse in title game.

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1940-41 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to Roodhouse 39-30

Roodhouse beat White Hall in title game.

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1941-42 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to White Hall 61-31

White Hall beat Roodhouse in title game.

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1942-43 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to White Hall 39-25

Roodhouse beat White Hall in title game.

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1943-44 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to Carrollton 33-21

Carrollton beat Greenfield in title game.

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1944-45 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to Jerseyville 32-22

White Hall beat Scottville in title game.

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1945-46 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd Beat Brussels 51-30

Semi-Final lost to Jerseyville 39-19

Jerseyville beat Roodhouse in title game.

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1946-47 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to Roodhouse 42-18

Roodhouse beat Carrollton in title game.

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1947-48 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd Beat Grafton 40-38

HARDIN (40): Mortland 16, Tepen 9, Dusey 8, Simon 3, Parker 2, Sidley 2.

GRAFTON (38): O. Legate 11, Wallace 10, Nairn 7, Harmon 5, Freeman 5.

Semi-Final lost to Roodhouse 64-7

ROODHOUSE (64): Ferguson 17, Little 12, Day 7, Eavlin 7, Roodhouse 6, Scott 3, Bell 3, Carmean 2, Benner 2, Ballard 1.

HARDIN (7): Mortland 4, Godar 2, Tepen 1.

Carrollton beat Roodhouse in title game.

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1948-49 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to Carrollton 53-35

CARROLLTON (53): Brannan 14, Boe 12, Linn 11, Staples 10, Andrews 4, L. Smith 2.

HARDIN (35): Churchman 10, Kinser 8, Ducey 8, Tepen 7, Fiedler 1, Hillon 1.

Jerseyville beat Roodhouse in title game.

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1949-50 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to Carrollton St. John 30-28

CARROLLTON ST. JOHN (30): Kuhnline 9, Carmody 8, B. Caselton 7, Steinacker 4, D. Caselton 2.

HARDIN (28): Ducey 17, Kinser 6, Simon 2, Churchman 2, Watts 1.

Jerseyville beat Carrollton in title game.

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1950-51 Jerseyville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hardin did not compete in District Tournament this season.)

1st Rd lost to Jerseyville 68-38

JERSEYVILLE (68): J. Wallace 15, C. Wallace 14, Baecht 12, Freesmeyer 9, Dugger 5, Watson 5, Kanallakan 3, Sanders 3, Allen 2.

HARDIN (38): Churchman 11, Cagney 7, Groppel 5, Octile 5, Johnson 4, Simon 3, Lorshbach 2, Tinkey 1.

Jerseyville beat Carrollton in title game.

Final season as Hardin High School. Became Hardin Calhoun High School in summer of 1951.

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Hardin Calhoun Great Season

1956-57 Carrolton Regional Champions Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat Greenfield 63-50

Semi-Final Beat Carrollton 65-60

Title Game Beat Piasa SW 45-39

HARDIN (45): Varble 13, Bass 10, Hagen 8, Coughlin 7, Churchman 7.

PIASA SW (39): J. Woolsey 15, P. Woolsey 11, Graham 4, Hermes 4, Morrison 3, Watts 2.

Springfield Sectional Tournament

Semi-Final lost to Springfield 86-47

SPRINGFIELD (86): Sangster 21, LeCrone 18, Schuster 16, Cole 11, McCree 6, Hoke 5, Halls 3, Billington 3, Proctor 2, Phillips 1.

HARDIN (47): Churchman 14, Hagen 9, Varble 8, Mortland 7, Coughlin 3, Bass 2, Chronister 2, Halsey 2.

Springfield beat Lincoln in title game

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Football

The Hardin High School grid iron seasons are only listed from 1957 – 1961. Of those seasons only the 1960-61 season lists a record of above .500. It will be noted, however, that the Hardin Calhoun HS football teams have three State Championship game appearances with two Class 1A titles to their credit!

1960-61 5 – 4

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Speech Individual Events

One Hardin High School female student won a medal in the State-wide Speech contest held annually by the IHSA. Her excellent accomplishment is listed below.

1956-57 Carolyn Warren Comedy 5TH Place

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If You Have ANY Information…

…you can add regarding the history and successes of the Hardin High School District before it sonsolidated to the Calhoun District please take the time to share it with us. Team records, photos, other extra-curricular programs are all welcome items on this site. These items can be e-mailed to us at

ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net