The community of New Windsor has a population of approximately 900 residents. It is situated on Il. Rt. 17 seven and one-half miles east of US. Rt. 67. If you are unfamiliar with the area, New Windsor is about 23 miles (as the crow flies) south and a little east of the Quad Cities.
Evan Thomas provided the following historical information regarding the early days of New Windsor High School:
“The original high school classes were conducted in a building on Main Street. The lower level was the gym and the upper level housed the classrooms. The building was converted into a theatre (the Rivoli) after the new high school was built and was later demolished.”
Jeff Crummy supplied the following historical information on New Windsor High School:
“New Windsor built a ‘new’ brick high school in 1938. It was a WPA project of FDR’s New Deal. This served as the high school until Winola was formed in 1953 (the merger of Viola and New Windsor into one school district), and then became the Winola Junior High School until Winola annexed into the Sherrard school district in the 1988-89 school year . The building is in excellent condition today, being used in a variety of functions as remodeled by Thurman Williams.”
To find more information regarding Winola High School check out. Regarding the photo of New Windsor High School at the top of this page Chuck Leonard tells us:
“This is a copy of a picture of New Windsor High School taken prior to 1946. It is scanned from my father’s class picture when he graduated in 1946. I attended the school when it was Winola Junior High School in the 1960s and lived only a block from the school.”
A consolidation effort took place between New Windsor and its neighboring town Viola in 1952. The new school system was named “Winola” with the high school situated in Viola.
New Windsor GS Building & Cafeteria
Photo Taken by Roberta VanBriesen – 2007 (Complex is now apartment bldg.)
New Windsor Grade School Building
Submitted by Roberta VanBriesen
New Windsor High School Quick Facts
Year opened: early 1900s
Year closed: 1952
Consolidated to: Winola High School District (Viola)
School nickname: the “Norsemen”
School colors: Red & White
School Fight Song: unavailable
Athletics
New Windsor High School offered many sports during its existence. The only record of success on the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org) is in Boy’s Basketball. It is probable New Windsor also offered football, baseball, and track, however further information and verification is needed from an alumni of the school or a townsperson. The boy’s basketball success is listed below.
Boys Basketball
The New Windsor High School “Norsemen” had some very nice seasons on the hardwood court. The boys won two District Championships and competed very well with the other schools in the area. Some IHSA tournament basketball scores were located on a website titled “Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores.” The scores are printed below as well.
**All scores, season records, and coaches’ names prior to the 1933-34 season are needed.
1933-34 Galesburg District Semi-Finalist Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Prairie City 20-19
Semi-final lost to Knoxville 34-12
Knoxville lost to Galesburg in title game
1934-35 Galesburg District Tourney Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Victoria 15-13
Victoria lost in 2nd Rd.
1935-36 Galva District Tourney Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to LaFayette 35-21
1936-37 Postseason scores, record, & coach’s name needed
1937-38 Postseason scores, record, & coach’s name needed
1938-39 Postseason scores, record, & coach’s name needed
1939-40District ChampionsCoach William F. Hart
Postseason scores & record needed
1940-41 17-13 Postseason scores needed Coach William F. Hart
1941-42 Postseason scores & record needed Coach William F. Hart
1942-43 Postseason scores, record, & coach’s name needed
1943-44District ChampionsCoach William F. Hart
Postseason scores & record needed
1944-45 District Runner-up Coach’s name & record needed
Postseason scores needed
1945-46New WindsorDistrict Runner-up Coach’s name & record needed
Title Game lost to Biggsville 37-33
1946-47 through 1947-48 Postseason scores, records, & coaches’ names neerded
1948-49 New Boston District Runner-up Coach’s name & record needed
Semi-final Beat Viola 32-31
Title Game lost to New Boston 57-31
1949-50 New Windsor District Tourney Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Little York 44-37
Semi-final lost to New Boston 48-33
New Boston won District title.
1950-51 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed
1951-52 New Windsor District Tourney Coach’s name & record needed
**Semi-final Lost to Viola 39-38
Viola lost title game
**Final game for New Windsor High School, consolidateed with Viola in 1952 to form the Winola School District.
New Windsor HS Basketball Team of 1944-45
Submitted by Chuck Leonard (Lowell Leonard is #42 in the photo)
Notable Roundball Athlete
Meridith Peterson – Ranked among the area’s leading scorers, scoring 234 points in 24 games played.
Memories & More Regarding New Windsor High School
**From Jeff Crummy:
“New Windsor adopted ‘The Norsemen’ as their school nickname to honor the fighting spirit of the vast number of people of Swedish descent who inhabited the town. When the Red and White of New Windsor consolidated with the Blue and White of Viola High School, the newly formed school district of Winola adopted the colors of Maroon and White. The ‘Red’ was mixed with the ‘Blue’ hence forming MAROON. The white remained the same! This new school went on to be a main stay in the old Cornbelt Conference that consisted of Alwood, Westmer, Cambridge, Rockridge, Sherrard, Orion, Atkinson and of course Winola!”
**From Evan Thomas:
“Bill King came to New Windsor to coach in 1950 and continued as the Winola coach until the ’70’s.”
**From Martin Anderson:
“I attended new Windsor grade school from 1964 to 1972. We had 1st thru 4th in the first high school building. Then we had 5th thru 8th in the Junior High building. We were then bussed to Viola for high school.”
New Windsor HS Class of 1946
Submitted by Chuck Leonard
***Names in Photo Above:
Top Row: Margaret Carlson, Marion Thorpe, Principal W.F. Hart, Charlene Keim, Donna Hollemback
We are anxiously seeking further information regarding New Windsor High School and the New Windsor school system. We are especially seeking a photo of the old school building. If you are willing to share information you may have please complete a School Submission Form or write us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631
New Windsor Grade School Building
Cafeteria is to the left – Photo by Roberta VanBriesen – 2007
