Sadorus High School “Pirates”

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Sadorus High School 1926
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Submitted by Marsha Gepner

The History of Sadorus High School

Sadorus (population 426) is located about six miles south of Champaign in southwestern Champaign County. The first settler was Henry Sadorus who came to the area in 1824. The first house was built on land that is now Sadorus in 1835.   The town was platted in 1837 and was established as the first settlement in Champaign County.  In 1857 the Great Western Railroad was built through town and eventually became the Norfolk & Western Railroad.  More information on the history and current events of Sadorus can be found at the following web address:   http://www.sadorus.com/

Sadorus High School 1945
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Courtesy of Marsha Gepner

Sadorus probably put some form of education into place for its children in the mid to late 1800s.  The townspeople supported their school district into the late 1940s when a consolidation effort took place with its neighbor Tolono.  The effort became a reality when Sadorus High School was consolidated with Tolono High School and other communities in the area to form the Unity School District.  This event took place in 1949. Sadorus High School official closed after the 1949-50 school year.

Below are some interesting items about Sadorus High School provided by Marsha Gepner. She obtained this information from a 1926 yearbook, 1945 yearbook, and old clippings kept by her mother, a Sadorus High School graduate.

*  The first graduating class from Sadorus High School was 1902.  There were 4 people listed as being in that class–Warren Sadorus, Stella Hillman, William Thornton, and Margaret Reat.

*  Sadorus H.S. began as a 3-year high school.  Students who completed the 3 years there could attend another county high school to finish their 4th year.   Sadorus high school became a 4-year high school sometime during the 1930s.

Marsha Gepner also tells us that the Sadorus High School building was razed several years ago, leaving the memories and accomplishments of the students as a lasting tribute.

Sadorus High School Quick Facts

Year opened:            late 1800s

Year closed:             1950

Consolidated to:        Unity School District (Tolono)

School nickname:      the “Pirates”

School colors:           Maroon & Gray

Yearbook name:        “Surodas”

School Fight Song:    “Alma Mater”

Sadorus High School Fight Song
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Submitted by Marsha Gepner
Athletics

Sadorus High School definately offered basketball and track for its boys.  It is believed they also offered baseball.  If you have any information regarding the successful teams and individual accomplishments of the athletic program at Sadorus High please send us an e-mail at eganann@sbcglobal.net. The information below was found on the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org).

The following information regarding Sadorus High School athletics was supplied to us by Marsha Gepner:

Principal / Coach Ralph J. Hales
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Courtesy of Marsha Gepner (Left click on photo for larger version)

*  In 1925 and 1926 Sadorus High School basketball team won the Champaign County championship, and again in 1928.  They came in 2nd in 1927.

*  Ralph Hales was the coach of those teams. He also served as school principal and teacher of math and english.

*  The following wording was found in the 1926 yearbook:

“…Sadorus has one of the largest and best equipped auditorium gynmasiums in the County, providing ample room and stage equipment for any community assembly…”

1924-25   20 – 8   Champaign Cty. Scholastic Ath. Assoc. Champs  Coach RJ Hales

Sadorus HS 1925 County Champions
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Submitted by Marsha Gepner

1925-26   16 – 5    Champaign Cty. Scholastic Ath. Assoc. Champs   Coach RJ Hales

*Regarding the1925 & 1926 county championship teams — Four players of the Sadorus team were named to the Champaign County “all star” teams:  Alfred Holl, forward, Roy Cekander, guard, George Goudie, center, Roy Goudie, forward

1926-27               Champaign Cty. Schol. Ath. Assoc. Runner-up      Coach RJ Hales

1927-28               Champaign Cty. Scholastic Ath. Assoc. Champs    Coach RJ Hales

1940-41               Champaign Cty. Schol. Ath. Assoc. Runner-up      Coach Kenneth Brumm

Courier Photo 1940 County Runner-up
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Submitted by Marsha Gepner
Champaign County Runner-up 1940-41
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Submitted by Marsha Gepner (left click on photo for larger version)

1941-42               District Champions

1944-45               District Champions                                                  Coach Everett Savage

District Champions of 1944-45
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Submitted by Marsha Gepner (left click on photo for larger version)
Virgil Rawlings
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Courtesy of Marsha Gepner

Boys Track & Field

Sadorus High School had one male athlete who excelled on the oval surface.  Virgil Rawlings won three medals at the State Track Meet.  Two of them he won in 1928.  This resulted in Sadorus High School placing 10th overall in the one-class system!  The events for Virgil Rawlings and final team standings of 1928 are listed below.

1926-27   Virgil Rawlings       50 Yard Dash        STATE CHAMPION

1927-28    Sadorus High School Placed 10th Overall at the State Meet!!

                                     Individual Medalist

                   Virgil Rawlings       50 Yard Dash        2nd Place

                   Virgil Rawlings      220 Yard Hurdles   5th Place

                       Final Team Standings 1927-28 State Meet

1.)  Chicago Tilden          –  22

2.)  Urbana                     –  17.5

3.)  Evanston                  –  12

4.)  West Frankfort         –   11

5.)  Carbondale              –     9

Enfield                    –     9

7.)  Chicago Hyde Park  –     8

Oak Park-River Forest    8

9.)  Lostant                   –     6

10.)  SADORUS              –     5

(Eight other schools also scored 5 points)

**The boys shown in the photo below won the Champaign County Championship in a relay event. Members of the group include Vic Klitzing, Walt Schroeder, Vic Holliday and Harold Heffernan.

Champaign County Relay Champs 1944
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Courtesy of Marsha Gepner (left click on photo for enlarged version)

Boys Softball

*  The 1943, 1944 and 1945 Sadorus softball teams were undefeated.

Sadorus Softball Team of 1945
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Thank you to Marsha Gepner

Girls Basketball

* During the 1920s Sadorus High School had a girls basketball team. They divided up into two teams (“red” and “black”) and played one another.  The group also played a girls’ alumni team.

Sadorus Girls Basketball Team of 1926
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Submitted by Marsha Gepner

Interesting People of Sadorus High School

Dorothy (Dottie) Schroeder
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Submitted by Nancy L. Hartman

*  Dorothy “Dottie” Schroeder, known as one of the greatest players in the women’s  baseball league (during the WWII years, as depicted in the motion picture “A League of Their Own”) most likely attended Sadorus High School in 1942 as a Freshman.  The following year she tried out for the baseball league and became the women’s league youngest player at age 15.  You can read the biographical info at this site:  http://www.aagpbl.org/articles/biographies.cfm?ID=1

Veterans of Sadorus High School
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Submitted by Marsha Gepner (Left click on photo for larger version)

Seeking More Information

If you have any information you would like to provide regarding Sadorus High School and its great history we would enjoy adding it to this page so others can enjoy it.  Team photos, team records, great people, other extra-curricular accomplishments are all being sought.  You can e-mail these items to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or you can write us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il  60631

Sadorus High School Fashions of 1926
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Thank you to Marsha Gepner
Sadorus High School
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Sadorus, Illinois (www.sadorus.com/)
Sadorus High School
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http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismdepts/art/sadorus/gallery.html?RollID=6thcdrom&FrameID=576SadorusHi
 


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