Roodhouse (population 2,214) is located in northern Greene County at the intersection of Illinois Rt. 267 and County Road 2. The Seminary Creek and Illinois Central Gulf Railroad run through the center of town. The town was named after its founder, John Roodhouse, and was at one time, in the late 1800s, one of the most important railroad centers in the midwest. A town of note for reference would be Springfield located 40 miles northeast of Roodhouse.
The Roodhouse school system was probably started in the late 1800s. Roodhouse supported its own school system for many years until consolidation talks with its neighbor to the southwest, White Hall, took place in the early 1960s. This effort was completed in 1963 with the creation of the North Greene School District. The high school was located in White Hall with the junior high school remaining in Roodhouse. The junior high school, in fact, is still based in Roodhouse.
Roodhouse HS Building – 1932
Courtesy of John Strain
Roodhouse HS Front View – 1928
Submitted by John Strain
The photo at the bottom of this page is of the North Greene Junior High School in Roodhouse. Our good friend Louise Rawlings Buhlig tells us:
“There were two High School buildings on that property before the last one was demolished to make way for the newer grade school structure pictured below. The original High School housed not only the high school students, but also grades one through eight, another small grade school (still standing) on the other side of the railroad tracks accomodated grades one through four.”.
Roodhouse High School Quick Facts
Year opened: mid to late 1800s
Year closed: 1963
Consolidated to: North Greene School District
School nickname: The “Railroaders”
School colors: Red & White
School Fight Song: Tune of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”
Roodhouse HS Gymnasium – 1930
Submitted by John Strain
Athletics
The Roodhouse High School Railroaders had many great sesons in boys athletics, competing in the I.V. (Illinois Valley) Conference. IHSA hardware was won in boys basketball and track. It is believed baseball was also offered. Another interesting fact about Roodhouse was the success of their drama, debate, and speech programs. Those areas will be touched on later. The success found on the IHSA web site for athletics are listed below. Roodhouse was a member of the Illinois Valley Conference from 1928-1962.
Roodhouse HS Gym – 1930
Sent to us by John Strain
Boys Basketball
The Roodhouse boys basketball team had a long and sotried history of successful teams. The team brought home four regional titles, one District title, and one sectional title. Their lone Sweet 16 appearance came in the 1938-39 season when the team finished 26 – 2 and lost to Ziegler in the Super Sectional! The best seasons of Roodhouse basketball are listed below.
1928-29 Greenville County Champions
Roodhouse HS Basketball County Champs 1928-29
Submitted by Carol Brock
1929-30 19 – 9 (good record) Coach Foster Keagle
1935-36 20 – 7 Greenfield District Champions Coach’s name needed
Roodhouse had an excellent football program in the 1920s and 1930s. Evidence of the earliest football game can be traced back to as far as 1928, defeating Jerseyville 12-7. Roodhouse competed in the Ivy Conference. The better team records and successes are liste below.
1955 5-4 3rd place Illinois Valley Conference Coach Bill Pauley
1956 6-3 4th place Illinois Valley Conference Coach Jack Jordan
1957 5-4 4th place Illinois Valley Conference Coach Jack Jordan
1958 9-0 Illinois Valley Conference Champs Coach Jack Jordan
1959 9-0 Illinois Valley Conference Champs Coach Jack Jordan
Roodhouse won 19 straight games starting with the last game of the 1957 season
1960 7-2 2nd place Illinois Valley Conference
Boy’s Track & Field
Three athletes brought home seven medals from the state track meet. One male athlete, M. Husted, single handedly led Roodhouse High to consecutive team finishes of 7th and 4th in 1913 and 1914.In 1914 M. Husted brought home two first place finishes and a second place finish in the three weight – field events offered!. In 1911 an athlete simply named Husted (M. Husted’s older brother?) brought home a state championship in the long jump and in 1939 a kid named Wimberly placed 5th in the 100 yard dash. The finishes and results of the State meets are listed below.
1911 E. Lynn Husted Long Jump State Champion!!
1913 Roodhouse Finished 7th Overall at the State Track Meet
Individual Placer
Merle R. Husted Discus State Champion!!
Merle R. Husted Shot Put 4th Place
Final Team Standings
1.) Oak Park – River Forest – 34
2.) Chicago University HS – 24
3.) Raymond – 12
4.) McLean – 8
Ridge Farm – 8
6.) LaGrange – 7
7.) ROODHOUSE H.S. – 6
Springfield H.S. – 6
9.) Harvey Thornton, Rock Island, Virgina, Oregon
and Sullivan all tied with 5 points
1914B Roodhouse Finished 4th Overall at the State Track Meet
Individual Placer
Merle R. Husted Discus State Champion
Merle R. Husted Shot Put State Champion
Merle R. Husted Hammer 2nd Place
Final Team Standings
1.) LaGrange – 28
2.) Harrisburg – 16
3.) Centralia – 14
4.) ROODHOUSE H.S. – 13
5.) Aurora West – 11
6.) Kewanee – 9
Tuscola – 9
8.) Pittsfield – 8
9.) Momence, Jacksonville, Fair Field, all tied with 7 points.
1938 District Team Champions
1939 District Team Champions
1939 Individual Placer at State Meet
Harold D. Wimberly 100 Yard Dash 5th Place
(Harold Wimberly went on to play football at Illinois Weslyan and serve our country in World War II. He also taught science and coached football and track at Jachsonville HS for many years. He had a great sense of humor and always had a story to tell. Wimberly’s young high school athletes were often impressed with his speed and how he could jump. To his students, he was Coach Wimberly or Mr Wimberly, but to adults he was known as ” Hal “. Thank you to his former student-athlete Bruce Samoore for providing this information)
Great Job Roodhouse Thinclads!!
Drama, Speech, Debate
Truly an incredible job by the Roodhouse english department here! One State Team Championship as well as numerous individual and team IHSA hardware winners. Nice job. Sarah Martin Neely tells us the “coach” of this incredible program was Mrs. Thel Wilkinson. She was assisted by Miss Opal Story. The great success in the above listed categories are listed below.
Drama Team
The Drama Team of Roodhouse High School had great success in the 1940s and early 1950s. In fact, the Drama Team earned Roodhouse High a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP in 1943!!. The Coach’s and team member names are not available. The Drama Team also placed 2nd in 1946 and won their Sectional, qualifying for the state competition in 1951!!!
1943 STATE CHAMPIONS!!! Mrs. Thel Wilkinson
1946 STATE COMPETITION 2ND PLACE!! Mrs. Thel Wilkinson
1951 Sectional Champions Mrs. Thel Wilkinson
Debate Team
The Debate Team at Roodhouse High also had some State Competition success.
1957 Sectional Champions
Speech Sweepstakes Competition
In this category, Speech Sweepstakes, the Roodhouse High School speech team also excelled. The team finished 8th in the State in 1946 and earned District Titles in 1953 and 1955!
1946 Team Finished 8th in State Competition! Mrs. Thel Wilkinson
1953 District Champions
1955 District Champions
Individual Events
Five Roodhouse students brought home individual medals from State Competition. Gordon White was crowned State Champion in one category in 1955! The individual medal winners for Roodhouse are listed below.
1947 Bill Sawyer Original Oratory 2ND PLACE
1951 Philip Smith Original Oratory 5th Place
1952 Sarah Allen Comedy 2ND PLACE
1953 Olga Mayberry Verse 2ND PLACE
1955 Gordon White Extemporary STATE CHAMPION!!
Memories & Items of Interest
From Roodhouse Class of 1951 graduate Louise Rawlins Buhlig:
“My parents were both graduates of just Roodhouse High School, Class of 1924, the first class to publish an Annual, The Legend, and the first class to wear cap & gown (I don’t believe the colors then were red & white, as that came into being with the addition of Community High School, depicting the Railroaders –Roodhouse is a railroad town and at one time the biggest hub between Kansas City & Chicago). The addition of Community would have been because some of the outlying smaller towns had three-year high schools, i.e., Patterson, Manchester, Hillview, necessitating the transfer of those graduates to spend their Senior year at Roodhouse, White Hall, or Murrayville.”
Need your Assistance
If you have any information, including photos, stories, facts, names, ect., regarding the many successes of Roodhouse High School, please e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631
Roodhouse Junior High School
Roodhouse, Illinois
Roodhouse vs. Jerseyville – 1930
1930 Ivy Conference Standings – Railroaders are in FIRST PLACE!
