Roberts-Thawville High School

Roberts, Illinois

Superintendent Fred Crouch 1949 – 1974

R-THS’ ONLY Superindendent

The History of Roberts – Thawville High School

The history of the towns of Roberts and Thawville can be viewed on their individual pages contained on this site. The High Schools of the two towns consolidated after the 1949 school year ended to form the Roberts-Thawville School District. The high school for the District was located in Roberts with the grade school located in Thawville.

Richard Long, a former teacher at the Roberts-Thawville and Ford Central high schools, tells us that in the early 1970’s, consolidation talks arose between Piper City and Roberts-Thawville schools. In 1974, this effort became a reality, resulting in the creation of the Ford Central School District. The high school for the Ford Central District was located in Piper City.

In 1992 the Ford Central School District was disolved by the state and the students from Piper City were annexed into the Tri-Point School District (Cullom), the Thawville students into the Iroquois West District (Gilman) and the Roberts students into the Paxton-Buckley-Loda District (Paxton).

An interesting fact of Roberts-Thawville HS was sent to us by Richard T. Long regarding R-THS Superintendent Fred Crouch:

“J. Fred Crouch served as the Superintendent and High School Principal of Roberts-Thawville District all 25 years of its existance. I don’t know if this a record or not, but think it is well worth including. He came from the southern Illinois town of Sessor to teach in Thawville. He also served as Superintendent of the Ford Central District for its first three years.”

Roberts – Thawville High School Quick Facts

Year opened: 1949

Year closed: 1974

School nickname: “Leprechauns”

School colors: Green & White

School Fight Song: “Hail to Thee Old R-T High School”

Sung to the tune “Wave the Flag” – Lyrics provided by Sandra Kay, Class of 1960

Hail to thee old R-T High School
We hail thy colors true
To these colors we’ll be always
Loyal and true blue

(You! Rah! Rah!)

Ne’er oh ne’er shall we forget,
The best school in the land
Dear old Roberts Thawville High School
For you we’ll take our stand.

Roberts-Thawville Gymnasium – Westside View

Roberts-Thawville HS Sweaters

Athletics

It is known that Roberts-Thawville High School competed in basketball during its hey day. In fact, the boys’ team brought home 4 District titles in the 1950’s and 2 more District titles in the early 1960’s. There was no other accomplishments listed for any other sport at the school on the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org). It is thought the school offered track, baseball, and possibly football. If you have any information you can share regarding this topic, please follow the directions below.

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Boys Basketball

The boys’ basketball team at R-THS had some incredibly great seasons. In one three-year run, the team AVERAGED 27 wins and 4 losses each year! This was during a four-year reign as District Champs from 1954-57. The team was coached from 1954-61 by Ernie Warren, who ended his time at Roberts-Thawville with a record of 161-59.

Roberts-Thawville High School Monogram

Another fact regarding the history of Roberts-Thawville High School is that Coach Jim Matta began his teaching and coaching career at R-THS in 1960. Coach Matta began raising his family while at R-THS until he eventually moved on to Hoopeston-East Lynn High School to continue his career. One of his children, Thad, is currently the Head Basketball Coach at Ohio State University.

The IHSA Tournament scores located and season records as found on the IHSA website are listed below. Six District Titles and seven 19+ games-won seasons, quite an amazing run!

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1949-50 11 – 9 Roberts District Tournament Coach Buckner

1st Rd lost to Buckley 46-24

Buckley beat Melvin in title game.

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1950-51 14 – 9 Postseason Scores Needed Coach Buckner

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1951-52 13 – 7 Sibley District Tournament Coach Blakely

1st Rd Beat Loda 52-40

Semi-Final lost to Saybrook 48-46

Saybrook beat Melvin-Sibley in title game.

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1952-53 9 – 12 Onarga District Tournament Coach Blakely

1st Rd lost to Onarga 58-45

Melvin-Sibley beat Saybrook-Arrowsmith in title game.

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1953-54 9-17 Onarga District Champions Coach Ernie Warren

Early Round Scores Needed.

Title Game Beat Melvin-Sibley 47-41

Rantoul Regional Tournament

1st Rd Beat Buckley-Loda 63-58

Semi-Final lost to Saybrook-Arrowsmith 60-56

Rantoul beat Saybrook-Arrowsmith in title game.

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1954-55 28- 4 Onarga District Champions Coach Ernie Warren

Vermilion Valley Conference Champs (8-0)

Onarga District Scores

Semi-Final Beat Saybrook-Arrowsmith 79-40

Title Game Beat Melvin-Sibley 50-49

Rantoul Regional Runner-Up

1st Rd Beat Buckley-Loda 44-40

Semi-Final Beat Paxton 67-59

Title Game lost to Rantoul 61-51

RANTOUL (61): Kilhoffer 20, Moran 18, Lathrop 14, Kelly 5, Zachary 2, Wise 2.

ROBERTS-THAWVILLE (51): E. Johnson 17, Hoover 10, J. Weber 9, Natterstad 8, McMillan 5, Whitson 2.

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1955-56 26- 4 Melvin District Champions Coach Ernie Warren

Semi-Final Beat Melvin-Sibley 86-42

Title Game Beat Saybrook-Arrowsmith 74-66 (O/T)

Gibson City Regional Tournament

1st Rd Beat Fisher 68-48

Semi-Final lost to Rantoul 61-51

Rantoul beat Paxton in title game

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1956-57 27- 4 Roberts District Champions Coach Ernie Warren

Semi-Final Beat Melvin-Sibley 71-39

Title Game Beat Onarga 73-57

Rantoul Regional Tournament

1st Rd lost to Fisher 54-53

Rantoul beat Gibson City in title game.

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1957-58 17- 7 Onarga District Tournament Coach Ernie Warren

Semi-Final lost to Onarga 57-46

Onarga beat Saybrook-Arrowsmith in title game.

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1958-59 19- 7 Onarga District Runner-Up Coach Ernie Warren

Semi-Final Beat Buckley-Loda 77-55

Title Game lost to Onarga 47-41

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1959-60 16- 9 Onarga District Champions Coach Ernie Warren

Semi-Final Beat Onarga 41-38

Title Game Beat Melvin-Sibley 66-54

Gibson City Regional Tournament

1st Rd lost to Buckley-Loda 57-56

Paxton beat Gibson City in title game

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1960-61 19- 7 Onarga District Champions Coach Ernie Warren

Semi-Final Beat Saybrook-Arrowsmith 54-41

Title Game Beat Melvin-Sibley 46-39

Rantoul Regional Tournament

1st Rd lost to Buckley-Loda 69-60

Buckley-Loda beat Rantoul in title game

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1961-62 6 – 15 Onarga District Runner-Up Coach James Matta

Semi-Final Beat Onarga 58-52

Title Game lost to Melvin-Sibley 74-42

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1962-63 6 – 15 Onarga District Tournament Coach James Matta

Semi-Final lost to Melvin-Sibley 64-51

Melvin-Sibley beat Saybrook-Arrowsmith in title game.

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1963-64 15 – 10 Onarga District Runner-Up Coach James Matta

Semi-Final Score Needed

Title Game lost to Chatsworth 51-41

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1964-65 16 – 9 Onarga District Tournament Coach James Matta

1st Rd lost to Crescent Iroquois 61-57

Onarga beat Buckley-Loda in title game.

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1965-66 15 – 12 Onarga District Tournament Coach James Matta

Semi-Final lost to Melvin-Sibley 69-44

Melvin-Sibley beat Onarga in title game.

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1966-67 22- 4 Onarga District Runner-Up Coach James Matta

Semi-Final Beat Chatsworth 74-63

Title Game lost to Onarga 69-60

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1967-68 6 – 17 Onarga District Tournament Coach Leonard McKean

1st Rd lost to Piper City 47-45

Melvin-Sibley beat Chatsworth in title game.

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1968-69 6 – 18 Chatsworth District Tournament Coach Leonard McKean

1st Rd Beat Piper City 54-50

Semi-Final lost to Melvin-Sibley (score needed)

Chatsworth beat Melvin-Sibley in title game.

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1969-70 18 – 8 Onarga District Runner-Up Coach Leonard McKean

Semi-Final Beat Buckley-Loda 89-61

Title Game lost to Melvin-Sibley 51-41

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1970-71 20- 6 Chatsworth District Runner-Up Coach Leonard McKean

Semi-Final Beat Onarga 66-65

Title Game lost to Chatsworth 67-60

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1971-72 19- 6 Onarga Class ‘A’ Regional Runner-Up Coach Leonard McKean

1st Rd Beat Forest-Strawn-Wing 84-61

Semi-Final Beat Onarga 76-75

Title Game lost to Chatsworth 78-76 (2 O/Ts)

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1972-73 6 – 17 Onarga Class ‘A’ Regional Tournament Coach Leonard McKean

1st Rd lost to Piper City 38-34 (O/T)

Onarga beat Chatsworth in title game

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1973-74 2 – 21 Onarga Class ‘A’ Regional Tournament Coach Leonard McKean

**1st Rd lost to Chatsworth 80-44

Chatsworth beat Onarga in title game

**Final boys varsity basketball game for Roberts-Thawville High School “Leprechauns.”

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Great Coach

Ernie Warren – Boys’ Basketball 1953-54 through 1960-61

Record 161 – 59 (eight seasons)

Six District Championships

Three consecutive 25+ games-won seasons (1956-58)

Team of 1964-65 – Record 16 – 9

Head Coach James Matta

District Champions – 1960-61

Head Coach Ernie Warren

Leprechauns of 1969-70 – Record 18 – 8

Head Coach Leonard McKean

More Roberts High School Academic and Athletic Records

An excellent document was sent to us by Richard & Carol Long. This is an thorough and well-documented account of some of the R-THS High School records in sports and academics.

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ROBERTS–THAWVILLE SUCCESSES 1949 – 1974

9 – National Merit scholars

75 – State scholars

3 – Vermiliion Valley Basketball Tourney championships

5 – Conference track championships

2 – R-T Baseball championship trophies

12 – State music sweepstakes awards

1 – Class D state music championship

1 – State Agriculture Mechanics Championships (FFA)

3 – National FFA 10^{th place finishes – AG MECH TEAM}

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TOP CLASS HONORS

YEAR VALEDICTORIAN SALUTATORIAN

1950 Eugenie Jones Donna Havener

1951 Roma Underwood Wanda Hoover

1952 Wanda Hicks Ruth Holy

1953 Donna Jennings Robert Shambrook

1954 Audrey Eshleman Joyce Hildenbrand

1955 Jeanette Dodd Carol Reed

1956 Leola Hoppler Lee McNeil

1957 Carol Bertram Tomola Dodd

1958 Ruth Giese Gynell Zick

1959 Judy Dodd Shirley Yana

1960 George Veatch Donna Lee & Dawn Veatch

1961 Alan Evans Martha Black & Mary Kietzman

1962 Ella Jo Crouch Gloria Sturm

1963 Roger David Gail Cook

1964 William Veatch Sharon Bennett

1965 LaVonne Lee David Turner

1966 Carolyn Crouch Alan Sans & Terry Zivney

1967 Michael Weber Allen Harvey

1968 Robert Veatch Thomas Schwarz

1969 Marsha Niles John Rulison

1970 Stephen Flessner Sara Crouch

1971 Mary Rock Becky Sans

1972 Stephen Rock Naomi Crouch

1973 Colleen Rock Lucinda Rulison

1974 Lynn Saxma Joyce Stamm

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SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENTS

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS

Allan Evans

William Little

William Veatch

Terry Zivney

Robert Veatch

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JAMES SCHOLARS (U of I)

Allen Evans

William Veatch

James Veatch

LaVonne Lee

Robert Garrelts

David Turner

John Rulison

Michael Weber

Stephen Flessner

Lynn Allen

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PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARS (SIU)

Carolyn Crouch

Alan Sans

Betty Roetzel

Marsha Niles

Karen Flessner

Cheryl Fuoss

Naomi Crouch

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ADVANCED DEGREES – PH D’S

Allan Evans Robert Currie

George Veatch LaVonne Lee

James Veatch Gregory Steigman

William Veatch Harry Danforth

Jerry Natterstad

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ADVANCED DEGREES – MEDICAL DOCTORS

Robert Currie

LaVonne Lee

Gregory Steigman

PAST ATHLETIC RECORDS

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BOYS BASKETBALL

Vermillion Valley Conference Champions

1955, 1957, 1967 (Tied with Forrest-Strawn-Wing)

Vermillion Valley Conference Tourney Champions

1961, 1970, 1971

District Champions

1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961

Individual scoring record

Ray Johnson

Game high – 44 points (1972)

Season average – 32 (1972)

Team scoring record

1972 – 105 points

Team with best record

1955 – 28 won – 4 lost

SEASONAL WON – LOSS RECORD

YEAR Record COACH

1949-50 11- 9 Buckner (25-17)

1950-51 14- 9 “

1951-52 13- 7 Blakeley (22-19)

1952-53 9-12 “

1953-54 9-17 Warren (161-59)

1954-55 28- 4 “

1955-56 26- 4 “

1956-57 27- 5 “

1957-58 17- 7 “

1958-59 19- 7 “

1959-60 16-10 “

1960-61 19- 8 “

1961-62 6-15 Matta (80-65)

1962-63 6-15 “

1963-64 15-10 “

1964-65 16- 9 “

1965-66 15-12 “

1966-67 22- 4 “

1967-68 6-17 McKean (77-93)

1968-69 6-18 “

1969-70 18- 8 “

1970-71 20- 6 “

1971-72 19- 6 “

1972-73 6-17 “

1973-74 2-21 “

Overall Record 365- 253

ACCUMULATIVE RECORD AGAINST RIVALS

R-T 29 21 Chatsworth

R-T 33 30 Melvin-Sibley

R-T 14 16 F-S-W

R-T 41 12 Piper City

VERMILLION VALLEY CONFERENCE TOURNEY

1966 CHEERLEADING CHAMPIONS

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BASEBALL

Vermillion Valley Conference championship – 1972

Vermillion Valley Conference tourney champs – 1970

Team scoring record

20 runs – 1972

Pitching record

Randy Higgins – 8 won – 0 lost – 1972

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CROSS COUNTRY

Individual record – boys

Mark Gordon – 2.5 M – 14:14 (1973)

Individual record – girls

Beth A Kietzman – 1.7M – 11:10 (1973)

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TRACK & FIELD

(Prior to 1974 Season)

Vermillion Valley Conference meet champions

1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1971

Individual Records

100 – yd dash – D. Perkinson – 10.1 (1967)

220 – yd dash – D. Perkinson – 22.6 (1967)

440 – yd dash – R. Manahan – 53.6 (1963)

880 – yd dash – W. Manahan – 2:06.1 (1960)

1 Mile run – L. Flessner – 4:47.1 (1963)

2– mile run – W. Kaeding – 11:26.5 (1971)

70 – yd high hurdles – R. Little – 9.4 (1964)

120 – yd high hurdles-15.5

W. Manahan (1960) & E. Stiegman (1970-71)

120 – yd low hurdles – E. Stiegman -14.4 (1971)

180 – yd low hurdles – E Stiegman – 21.6 (1971)

V. 440 – yd relay – 48.8 (1972)

K. Warlow, Jon Harris, R. Sans, D. Smith

F.S. 440- yd relay – 49.2 (1971)

Jeff Bristle, Tom Rock, R. Sans, D. Smith

F. 440- yd relay – 50.5 (1970)

Jeff Bristle, Tom Rock, R. Sans, D. Smith

V. 880 – yd relay – 1:39.3 (1965)

Jerry Sturm, D. Perkinson, E. Houtzel, D. Zick

F.S. 880 – yd relay – 1:42.3

Jerry Sturm, L. Hall, R. Hanna, D. Zick (1963)

Jeff Bristle, Tom Rock, K. Warlow, D. Smith (1971)

V. 1 mile relay – 3:46.0 – (1971)

M. Jordan, Tom Rock, R. Sans, M. Tammen

F.S. 1 mile relay – 4:04.5 – (1970)

Tom Rock, T. Fritchley, W. Kaeding, R. Sans

Shot put – Gene Weber – 47’ 8″- (1960)

Discus throw – Gene Weber – 144’ 6″ – (1960)

High Jump – A. Sans – 6’ 2″ – (1966)

Pole vault – L. Trees – 12’ – (1969)

Long jump – Morris Tammen – 21’ (1971)

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SINCERE GRATITUDE

Thank you to Richard & Carol Long for their excellent contributions to the R-THS page!!

Roberts-Thawville Elementary School

Thawville, Illinois

Need Your Help

If you have any further information regarding Roberts – Thawville High School, especially a photo of the school, teams, or coaches, please complete a School Submission Form or Guest Commentary Form. You can write us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net

IHSA Music Multiple State Champions – 2022 Recognition

The Illinois High School Association hereby recognizes the musical accomplishments of Roberts-Thawville High School for the years 1960-1974. From its 1960 Area Sweepstakes victory to its 1974 Class D State Championship, the Music Department of Roberts-Thawville High School dominated the State of Illinois Class D Music Sweepstakes Contest winning 14 of 15 Area Sweepstakes and winning 12 Class D State Championships. The combination of a committed administration, superior directors, supporting communities and dedicated student-musicians created and maintained a tradition of performance excellence which stands alone in the annals of Illinois Class D State Music competitions.

From Sandra Kay:

“Our high school received the above recognition in February, 2022. This is the culmination of years of historical research by alum, Steve Rock. This honor recognizes the award-winning achievements of the Roberts-Thawville Music Department in State competition over the years. Thank you to Steve Rock for digitalizing the music recorded at competitions and for his work related to former music teachers and for the magnificent display of all plaques on our stage. We were honored to share this event with Mr. Richard Alderman, former band instructor, and his family.”