Kinmundy High School “Hornets”

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Kinmundy High School Bldg Built 1910
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Submitted by Dennis Downey / Courtesy of the Kinmundy Historical Society
Kinmundy HS Building 1857-1910
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Courtesy of kinmundy Historical Society – Dolores Ford Mobley & Gladys Corrie See

The History of Kinmundy High School

Kinmundy (population 892) is located in south-central Illinois in the northeastern portion of Marion County. Illinois Route 37 is the main road in and out of Kinmundy. Interstate Highway 57 runs just to the west of Kinmundy and even has exit ramps to Kinoka Road, about 1 mile southwest of town. The Illinois Central Gulf Railroad runs parallel to Illinois Route 37 as it passes through the heart of Kinmundy. There is a lake to the southwest of town and several creeks and rivers on each side of Kinmundy as well.

We did locate a website with some very comprehensive information on the history of Kinmundy and its school system. You can view the website at http://www.geocities.com/fostertownship/iKinmundyTownship.html. The site was developed by Stephen Frakes in 1991. A summary of the educational progress in Kinmundy is as follows:

Kinmundy was platted in 1857. The first school building was built in Kinmundy in 1857 as well. It was a wooden structure that served the town for over 40 years. As Kinmundy grew to a population of 1,200 in 1868 and to a high of 1,500 residents in 1908, it was decided a new building was needed. In 1910, Kinmundy built a brick high school building. The year 1924 saw the addition of a gymnasium to the “new” building. Kinmundy supported its own high school through the early 1950’s. According to Mr. Frakes, the year was 1953 when Kinmundy residents joined forces with those of Alma to form the Kinmundy-Alma School District. There is a sort of discrepency here as the IHSA website address http://www.ihsa.org/school/records/sum0603.htm shows that Kinmundy-Alma High School enjoyed its first basketball season in 1944-45. In any case, the consolidation became a reality.

Kinmundy High School Cornerstone 1910 Building
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Courtesy of Kinmundy Historical Society – Dolores Ford Mobley & Gladys Corrie See

An excellent history of the Kinmundy and Kinmundy-Alma School District is available on a website created by the Kinmundy Historical Society. The site is maintained by Dolores Ford Mobley and Gladys Corrie See. The article was written in 2007 by Pleasant & Karen (Jones) Robnett. The link to the article is as follows:

http://www.kinmundyhistoricalsociety.org/Memories/History%20of%20Kinmundy%20Schools%20by%20PH%20and%20Karen%20Robnett.pdf

Kinmundy-Alma High School was located in Kinmundy. The original high school building built in 1910 was razed in 1978, making way for a new building. In 1989, Kinmundy-Alma HS joined the Farina LaGrove HS forces to form the South Central School District. The high school is located in Farina with Kinmundy still hosting the elementary and junior high schools for the South Central School District.

Kinmundy High School Quick Facts

Year 1st School opened:          1857

Year brick HS building built:     1910

Year gymnasium added:          1924

Year consolidated with Alma:   1953 (Kinmundy-Alma High School)

Kinmundy HS nickname:          the “Hornets”

School colors:                         Purple & White

School Fight Song:                  “We’re Loyal to You KHS”

                                                              University of Illinois Fight Song Tune

 We’re loyal to you K.H.S.

                                                We’re purple and white, K.H.S.

                                                We’ll back you to stand

                                                ‘Gainst the best in the land

                                                For we know you have sand, K.H.S.

                                                Rah! Rah!

                                                So crack out the ball, K.H.S.

                                                We’re backing you all, K.H.S.

                                                Our team is our fame protector:

                                                On! Boys for we expect a

                                                Victory from you K.H.S.!

Kinmundy School Song
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Submitted by Dennis Downey / Courtesy of the Kinmundy Historical Society
Athletics

Kinmundy High School had some great success in boys basketball. One male athlete was nearly the “top dog” in track & field as well. It is probable that baseball was also offered. Kinmundy High School competed in the Midland Trail Conference.

We are searching for many missing bits of information such as school team nickname, school colors, fight song, as well as team records and coaches’ names.

Boys Basketball

The boys of Kinmundy ruled the area in the late 1930s. A total of three District titles and one Regional title was earned at KHS. The familiar story of lacking the team records and coaches’ names holds true here, too. If you have this information, please forward it to us. Scores involving Kinmundy High School in the IHSA State Tournament were located at a website titled “Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores.” These scores are posted blow as well.

1921-22               Centralia District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Mt. Vernon 35-21

Mt. Vernon lost to Centralia in 2nd Rd

Centralia won District Tournament

Centralia won IHSA State Championship!

1922-23  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1923-24  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1924-25  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1925-26  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1926-27  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1927-28  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1928-29  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1929-30               IHSA District Champions             Coach’s name & record needed

District Scores Needed

       Pana Sectional Tournament

                            1st Rd Beat Kansas 19-11

                            Semi-final lost to Atwood

Atwood beat Hillsboro in title game

Atwood lost to Peoria Manual in Elite 8 game 18-16

Peoria Manual beat Bloomington HS in State Title Game!

1930-31  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1931-32  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1932-33  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1933-34               Effingham District Tournament       Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Score needed

Semi-final lost to Effingham 24-22

Effingham beat Altamont in title game

1934-35               Effingham District Tournament       Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Altamont 33-31

Altamont lost to Teutopolis in semi-final

Teutopolis lost to Salem in title game

1935-36               Carlyle Regional Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Okawville 66-19

                            Semi-final lost to Trenton 21-18

Trenton lost to Centralia in title game

Centralia lost in Sweet 16 round.

1936-37               Salem Regional Champions          Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Odin 38-17

                            Semi-final Beat Salem 40-11

                            Title Game Beat Flora 43-27

                            Mt. Vernon Sectional Tournament

                            1st Rd Beat Marissa 33-31

                            Semi-final lost to DuQuoin 38-28

DuQuoin lost to Zeigler in title game

1937-38               Odin District Champions               Coach’s name & record needed

Early Rd Scores Needed

                            Title Game Beat Odin 31-19

                            Salem Regional Tournament

                            Early Rd Scores Needed

Title Game lost to Sandoval 24-16

1938-39               IHSA District Champions               Coach’s name & record needed

District Scores Needed

                            Salem Regional Tournament

                            1st Rd lost to Sandoval 21-20

Sandoval lost to Vandalia in semi-final

1939-40  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1940-41  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

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

1st Rd lost to Salem 53-19

Salem lost to Centralia in title game

Centralia won IHSA State Championship

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

1st Rd lost to Centralia 50-19

Centralia lost to Salem in title game

Salem placed 3rd In IHSA State Tourney

1943-44  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

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

1st Rd lost to Centralia 69-30

Centralia beat Salem in title game

Centralia lost in Sectional

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

1st Rd lost to Carlyle St. Mary 71-59

St. Mary lost to Salem in semi-final

Salem lost to Centralia in title game

Centralia placed 2nd in IHSA State Tournament

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

1st Rd Beat Breese St. Dominic 45-23

                            Semi-final lost to Centralia 64-29

Centralia beat Odin in title game

Centralia lost in Sectional

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

1st Rd lost to Breese 70-46

Breese lost to Centralia in semi-final

Centralia beat Salem in title game

Centralia lost in Sectional

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

1st Rd lost to Sandoval 61-45

Sandoval lost to Salem in semi-final

Salem lost to Centralia in title game

Centralia lost in Sectional

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

1st Rd lost to Centralia 70-35

Centralia beat Salem in title game

Centralia lost in Sectional

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

1st Rd Beat Sandoval 47-45

                            Semi-final lost to Centralia 69-16

Centralia beat New Badin in title game

Centralia lost in Sectional

1951-52               Salem Regional Tournament            Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Centralia 98-42

Centralia beat Salem in title game

Centralia lost in Sectional

1952-53               Centralia Regional Tournament        Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Patoka 75-49

Patoka lost to Salem in semi-final

Salem lost to Centralia in title game

Centralia lost in Sectional

**Kinmundy High School became known as Kinmundy-Alma High School in the summer of 1953.

Boys Track & Field

One Kinmundy trackster nearly brought home all the marbles from the 1901 State Track Meet. A boy by the name of “Pruette” took second place in the pole vault competition of 1901. Remember, this was under the old one-class system, so his competition was fierce.

1900-01       ??  Pruette                Pole Vault             2ND Place

Seeking Further Information

If you have any further information regarding Kinmundy High School and its many achievements please write to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net.  We are especially seeking a photo of the school buildings used in Kinmundy. You can write to us via real mail at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, IL  60631

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Submitted by Dennis Downey / Courtesy of the Kinmundy Historical Society
 


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