Percy High School “Blackhawks”

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Percy High School Gymnasium 2019
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Submitted by Kirk

The History of Percy High School

Percy (population 942) is located in southwestern Illinois in the eastern portion of Randolph County. The town sits on Illinois Route 4 about 50 miles southeast of East St. Louis.  Two railroad lines, the Illinois Central Gulf and the Missouri Pacific, intersect in Percy.  A branch of the North Fork of the Cox Creek flows to the west of Percy.

According to http://www.randolphcountyillinois.net/sub79.htm the area of Percy was first settled in 1819 and was first called Short’s Prairie after the family who lived there. As the railroads eventually came so did the population rise.  Mining was the principle source of employment.  Plans were made to incorporate the town in the 1880s with the plans being finalized in 1887.  The town name of Percy was taken either from the superintendant of the nearby coal mine, Percy Kampen, or it was the name of the engineer of the first train to travel through town.  One famous landmark that still stands in Percy is the Hahn House. Built in 1875 it is well-kept even today and is said to have things that go “bump” in the night among those who live there.

Education would be a concern of the early settlers of Percy.  A high school would probably have been established in Percy in the late 1800s or early 1900s.  In the early 1940s consolidation talks began with nearby Willisville.  This effort became a reality in 1947 with the creation of the Willisville-Percy School District.  Willisville-Percy lasted for a short while before another consolidation effort was realized with several area communities. This resulted in the creation of the Trico School DIstrict which is located in a country setting near Campbell Hill.

Percy High School Quick Facts

Year opened:                                 late 1800s / early 1900s

Year consolicated with Willisville:  1947

Consolidated to:                             Willisville-Percy School District

Percy School team nickname:        “Blackhawks”?

Percy team colors:                         Red, Black, & White

School Fight Song:                         unavailable
Percy HS Gym Entrance 2019
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Submitted by Kirk

Athletics

Percy High School participated in boys basketball as is evidenced on the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org).  We believe the athletic program also included track and baseball.  We are in need of several items of interest including the PHS school nickname, school colors, fight song, and conference affiliation.

Boys Basketball

The Percy High School boys basketball team had some great success in the early to mid 1940s. Three teams won District titles in this short time frame.  Unfortunately the team records and coaches names of these and other Percy High teams are not available.

Several scores of Percy High School boys basketrball teams playing in the annual IHSA State Tourney were located on a site titled “Illinois High School Postseason Basketball Scores.” These scores are listed below.

1921-22                 Benton District Tourney                        Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Chester 17-13

2nd Rd lost to Thompsonville 45-20

West Frankfort won tournament

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

1931-32                 Pinckneyville District Tourney               Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Coulterville 31-17

2nd Rd Beat Ava 37-19

                              Semi-Final lost to Marissa (score needed)

Marissa beat DuQuoin in title game

1932-33                 Sparta District Tourney                         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Evansville 30-18

Willisville beat Marissa in title game

1933-34                 DuQuoin District Tourney                     Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Grand Tower 36-13

DuQuoin beat Ziegler in title game

1934-35                 Pinckneyville District Tourney               Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Steeleville 27-18

2nd Rd lost to Marissa 51-12

Pinckneyville beat DuQuoin in title game

1935-36                 Steeleville District Tourney                   Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Kakaskia 42-11

Semi-Final lost to Gorham 27-18

Wolf Lake Beat Gorham in title game

1936-37                 Pinckneyville District Tourney               Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Ava 28-19

Sparta beat Steeleville in title game

1937-38   Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1938-39   Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1939-40                 Steeleville District Runner-Up           Coach’s name & record needed

Early Rd Scores Needed

Title game lost to Coulterville 34-21

1940-41                 Campbell Hill District Runner-Up      Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Steeleville 48-35

                              Semi-Final Beat Willisville 45-30

Title game lost to Campbell Hill 36-35

1941-42                 Willisville District Champions           Coach’s name & record needed

Early Rd Scores Needed

Title Game Beat Steeleville 43-34

                              Pinckneyville Regional Tourney

1st Rd lost to Sparta 35-27

DuQuoin beat Pinckneyville in title game

1942-43                 Willisville District Champions           Coach’s name & record needed

District Scores Needed

                              Pinckneyville Regional Tourney

1st Rd Beat Chester 35-27

                              Semi-Final lost to DuQuoin 51-27

DuQuoin beat Pinckneyville in title game

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

1944-45                 Steeleville District Runner-Up           Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Vergennes 35-23

                              Semi-Final Beat Willisville 49-28

                              Title Game lost to Steeleville 31-27

1945-46                 Willisville District Champions           Coach’s name & record needed

                              Semi-Final Beat Coulterville 54-49

                              Title Game Beat Willisville 61-50

                              Pinckneyville Regional Tourney

1st Rd lost to Nashville 67-44

Pinckneyville beat Sparta in title game

1946-47                 Steeleville District Tourney                   Coach’s name & record needed

**Semi-Final lost to Steeleville 34-32

Steeleville beat Coulterville in title game

**Final boys basketball game listed for Percy High School. Consolidated with Willisville to form Willisville-Percy High School in the summer of 1947.

MEMORIES

From Gwenith Podeschi:

“I grew up in Percy and my dad grew up in the Ava school district area.  I’ll talk to my grandma and my dad and see what they can tell me.  The Percy grade school team in the 1960’s (Percy, Willisville, Ava, Campbell Hill, and Cutler had individual grade schools until circa 1980) was called the Percy “Blackhawks” and the colors were a combination of black and white and red.  I don’t know yet whether this was a holdover from a high school or not.  The school building was razed in the 1980’s after Trico consolidated its grade schools.  I think that the two-story brick building I attended from 1964 to 1970 would have been where any high school classes were held.  Its gymnasium was new construction (ca. 1930-1950, I think) and still stands as a community center.”

If You Have ANY Further Information..

…regarding the history and achievements of Percy High School please contact us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net..  We are especially seeking a photo of the original high school building.  You can also write to us via real mail at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago,  Il.   60631


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