Rosamond High School

Rosamond High School Building – 2009
A picture containing building, sky, outdoor, road

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Submitted by Dennis Downey
Rosamond HS Building Front View
A brick building with windows

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Courtesy of Dennis Downey

The History of Rosamond High School

Rosamond (population approximately 125) is located in east-central Illinois about 40 miles southeast of Springfield.  Rosamond sits quietly in the southeastern corner of Christian County.  Illinois Route 16 is the main roadway to and from town.  The Missouri & Pacific Railroad runs along the same path as Route 16 and passes through Rosamond as well. Rosamond is about 7 blocks long from the north to the south and 3 blocks wide from east to west.

We need a lot of assistance in researching the history of Rosamond and its former high school.  There was very little information on the internet availalble to us.  An anonymous reader of the site submitted Rosamond and we wish to honor the school and its alumni.  We did read where Rosamond was named after the many wild roses that grew in the immediate area.

We believe the residents of Rosamond began schooling for their children in the late 1800s.  It is probable that Rosamond High School existed for about four decades. It may have been in the late 1940s that Rosamond felt the heat of all small schools in Illinois and was forced to consolidate. The folks of Rosamond chose to send their children to nearby Pana attend school.

A fan of the web site, Brent Bond, had the following information to share about Rosamond High:

“According to my grandmother, Imogene Lehn, Rosamond HS colors were Yellow and Blue. She can’t quite recall the nickname, but promised me to consult the yearbook when she gets a chance. She was part of the last graduating class at the school in the year 1948. She thinks there were 10 people in her class, but wants to verify that. She attended a “country school” (sounds like a one room schoolhouse that feed into Rosamond) named “Grant School.” She says they had a great basketball team in 1946 when they were led by the “3 B’s” as the students said: Barnes, Burch, Barry. They did have a chorus, but no band.

My grandmother also reminded me that my late grandfather, Paul B. Lehn, attended a small country school between Oconne and Pana knows as “Green Valley School.” Green Valley fed into Pana HS. I recall my grandfather telling me how he was a catcher on the Green Valley baseball team!

I love the site, I will pass more info as it comes.”

Sign Above Front Entrance of Rosamond School
A close-up of a sign

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Submitted by Dennis Downey

The original Rosamond High School building is still up and running as we speak.  It is now owned by a small private school titled the First Baptist Christian Academy and school is still in session there in that very same building. Good news for a small town and a unique school building.

Rosamond High School Quick Facts

Year opened:                             late 1800s

Year closed:                              1948

Consolidated to:                         Pana School District

Rosamond HS team nickname:   unavailable

Rosamond School colors:           Yellow and Blue

School Fight Song:                     unavailable

Athletics

Rosamond High School offered athletics to its students. We know of boys basketball being offered. Though there is no mention of any athletics from Rosamond HS on the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org). Were there others?

Other activities such as chorus were also part of the Rosamond experience as well. If you have any information about the athletic program or any other achievements at Rosamond High please contact us via the information below.

Boys Basketball

A great fan of the Glory Days site, Jamie Driskill, offered this bit of IHSA historical information on Rosamond High School boys basketball:

“In doing some tedious checking of the IHSA site, I did find that a game between Rosamond High School and Lakewood High School ranks fifth in Illinois High School history for the fewest points scored in a boys baskerball game.  Rosamond 3 pts and Lakewood 2 pts. The date given was Dec. 18, 1926.”

According to Imogene‘s memories mentioned earlier on the page, Rosamond “had a great basketball team in 1946 when they were led by the “3 B’s” as the students said: Barnes, Burch, Barry.”

Need Your Assistance

We need your assistance in filling in all of the missing information about Rosamond High. If you have this information, especially an earlier photo of the original high school building, please contact us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. 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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