New Holland High School “Wildcats”

New Holland High School
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1931-88
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“Community High School”

The History of New Holland High School

New Holland (population 318) is located in west Logan County in south central Illinois. A nearby town of note is Lincoln, located 12 miles to the west and a little north of New Holland. New Holland is located on Il. Route 10, which connects it directly to Lincoln.

The school system in New Holland probably started around the same time as nearly all school districts in Illinois, that being the middle or late 1800s. The schools in New Holland served the community for about sixty years.

The first high school in New Holland began operating in 1919, then added the fourth year in 1920. By 1923, the school was located in a store in downtown New Holland before a new building was opened in 1931. In the late 1950s. a consolidation effort became serious between the towns of New Holland and its neighbor to the north, Middletown. The consolidation of the two school systems came true in 1961 with the creation of the New Holland-Middletown School District. The NH-M School District had grades K-3 in New Holland and grades 4 – 8 in Middletown. The High School remained in the New Holland High School building. This district was eventually deactivated in 1988. The kids of New Holland now attend high school in Lincoln.

The New Holland High School building served as a high school through the closing of the New Holland-Middletown School in 1988. The building was eventually sold to a private company. It is still standing in town today, proud of its past heritage. (See also the Middletown and New Holland-Middletown pages on this site.)

New Holland High School Quick Facts

Year opened (as a 3-yr school): 1919

Fourth year added:                   1920

Year closed:                            1961

Consolidated to:                       New Holland-Middletown School District

Year HS Building Closed:         1988

Consolidated to:                       Lincoln School District

School nickname:                     the “Wildcats”

School colors:                          Maroon & White

School Fight Song:                   unavailable

New Holland High School Side View
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The Original New Holland High School Building
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Now a Private Business
Athletics

New Holland definitely offered boys basketball. It is thought they also offered baseball and track. We are hopeful for input from a New Holland fan regarding the many successes of the New Holland High School athletic program.

Boys Basketball

The New Holland basketball boys brought home three District Championships.  A fairly extensive account of the New Holland basketball seasons is listed on the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org).  The best seasons are listed below, though we are seeking coach’s names.

1921-22                 Mason City District Tournament            Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat Emden 50-12

                              2nd Rd Beat Greenview 37-24

                              Semi-Final lost to Green Valley 20-17

Athens beat Green Valley in title game.

1922-23 through 1930-31 Postseason scores, records, and coaches’ names needed.

1931-32                 Lincoln District Tournament                  Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Latham 24-8

Lincoln beat Mt. Pulaski in title game.

1932-33                 Lincoln District Tournament                  Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Mt. Pulaski 43-16

Mt. Pulaski beat McLean in title game.

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

1st Rd Beat Chestnut 49-15

2nd Rd lost to Mt. Pulaski 62-11

Mt. Pulaski beat Lincoln in title game.

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

1st Rd lost to Manito 33-18

Havana beat Athens in title game.

1935-36                 New Holland District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Chestnut 41-25

Semi-Final lost to Atlanta 29-23

Latham beat Atlanta in title game.

1936-37                 Petersburg City District Tournament     Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to San Jose 30-14

Petersburg beat Kilbourne in title game.

             

1937-38                 New Holland District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Shirley Ben Funk 31-26

Semi-Final lost to Hartsburg 54-22

Hartsburg beat Beason in title game.

1938-39                 New Holland District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Hartsburg 32-16

Hartsburg beat Latham in title game.

1939-40                 New Holland District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

New Holland Scores Needed

Latham beat Middletown in title game

1940-41                 New Holland District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Middletown 41-29

Hartsburg beat Latham in title game.

1941-42                 New Holland District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

New Holland Scores Needed

Hartsburg beat Latham in title game

1942-43                 New Holland District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Elkhart 29-28

Semi-Final lost to McLean 40-36

McLean beat Chestnut in title game.

1943-44                 New Holland District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

New Holland Scores Needed

Elkhart beat Beason in title game

                   

1944-45    15-11    New Holland District Champions      Coaches Name Needed

Semi-Final Beat Chestnut 31-26

                              Title Game Beat McLean 45-43

                              Lincoln Regional Tournament

                              1st Rd lost to Atlanta 34-29

                              Lincoln beat Springfield Lanphier in title game

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

1st Rd lost to Beason 40-27

McLean beat Armington in title game.

1946-47                 New Holland District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Middletown 50-20

Semi-Final lost to Armington 35-33

Armington beat Beason in title game.

1947-48    18-10    New Holland District Champions      Coach Mac Waldrip

                              Semi-Final Beat Armington 43-35

                              Title Game Beat McLean 52-27

                              Lincoln Regional Tournament

                              1st Rd Beat Atlanta 54-36

                              Semi-Final lost to Lincoln 30-27

Hartsburg-Emden beat Lincoln in title game.

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1947-48 District Champs

Members of the 1947-48 team photo shown above:

Front Row:  Manager ?, Richard Blaum, Marvin Juhl, Daniel Berger, Gordon Beaver, Maurice Elmore, William Jones

Back Row:  ? , ?,  #9 – Merle Deiss, #10 – Richard Danly, #8 – Marvin Parr, ?, Coach Mac Waldrip 

1948-49                 San Jose  District Tournament              Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Hopedale 54-42

Green Valley beat Hopedale in title game.

1949-50                 Armington District  Runner-Up          Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd beat Stanford 50-48

                              Semi-Final Beat Armington 46-45

                              Title game lost to McLean 65-53

1950-51                 Greenview District Runner-Up           Coach’s name & record needed

Semi-Final Beat Middletown 45-43 

Title game lost to Bath 49-43

1951-52                 New Holland District Tournament         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Armington 53-38

Armington beat Elkhart in title game.

1952-53    19- 6    Williamsville District Tournament           Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd beat Elkhart 56-41

                              Semi-Final lost to Rochester 61-59

Williamsville beat Rochester in title game.

1953-54    18- 9     McLean District Champions               Coach’s name needed

Early Rd Scores Needed

                              Title Game Beat Beason 70-40

                              Williamsville Regional Tourney

                              1st Rd lost to Hartsburg-Emden 65-59

Lincoln beat Hartsburg-Emden in title game

1954-55  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1955-56                 Hartsburg District Tournament              Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Elkhart 75-74

Hartsburg-Emden beat Elkhart in title game

1956-57                 Armington District Tournament              Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Armington 72-44

Hartsburg-Emden beat Atlanta in title game

1957-58                 Hartsburg District Tournament              Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Elkhart 75-74

Hartsburg-Emden beat Elkhart in title game

1958-59                 Hartsburg District Tournament              Coach’s name & record needed        

                              1st Rd Beat Middletown 53-38

Semi-Final lost to Elkhart 73-54

Armington beat Elkhart in title game

1959-60                 Armington District  Runner-Up          Coach’s name & record needed  

                              Semi-Final Beat Middletown 48-42

                              Title game lost to Hartsburg-Emden 85-62

1960-61      9-11    Hartsburg District Tournament              Coach’s name & record needed        

                              1st Rd Beat Middletown 63-51

*Semi-Final lost to Hartsburg-Emden 69-56

Hartsburg-Emden beat Elkhart in title game

*Final game for New Holland High School varsity boys basketball team.

Regarding the photo above of the 1947-48 Wildcats, from David Juhl:

“I stumbled across your website tonight. Very nice job!

The picture of the 1947-1948 District Basketball Champions includes my father, Marvin Juhl. He is #4, cradling the District Plaque between his feet. My dad is still living (now 76 years old). He’s made his home in Du Quoin since 1967.

Regarding Coach Mack Waldrip. My dad says Coach Waldrip was a native of Greenup, Il. My parents lived next door to him in New Holland for a time shortly

after my parents were married.”

Need More information

If you have a photo or knowledge to share regarding the New Holland High School please e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You may also write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il.    60631

New Holland High School “New Addition”
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