The History of Sandusky Young High School
Sandusky (population approximately 50) is located in the far southern tip of Illinois about 10 miles north (and a little west) of Cairo. Sandusky is a small, unincorporated village sitting in the east-central portion of Alexander County. Illinois Route 127 is the main roadway traveling to and from Sandusky. Mill Creek flows about a quarter-mile east of town. The Cairo Terminal Railroad line passes through the west side of Sandusky. According to the MapQuest (www.mapquest.com) view of Sandusky, the town is about 2 blocks from east to west and 3 blocks from north to south.
According to the Geneolgy Trails webpage of http://genealogytrails.com/ill/alexander/sandusky_his.htm , Sandusky was first known as Helena and was started along a railroad line and grew because of its location being surrounded by good timber. The town had three sawmills, a store, and a saloon in the 1880s.
Another Geneology Trails webpage (http://genealogytrails.com/ill/alexander/alex_sch.htm) has some limited information on the former Young High School located in Sandusky. Sandusky Young was a school for African-American kids of the town of Sandusky and surrounding area. It first offered grades 1 – 8 only but in later years is believed to have offered high school curriculum of two or three years. We know that Sandusky School was integrated into the Tamms School District (its neighbor to the north) in the early 1950s, possibly 1953.
The fate of the Sandusky Young School building is being sought.
Sandusky Young High School Quick Facts
Year opened: early 1900s
Year closed: 1953?
Consolidated to: Tamms Community School District
Young HS team nickname: unavailable
Young HS team colors: unavailable
Young HS Fight Song: unavailable
| Athletics
Research conducted by Pat Heston revealed that in the early part of the 1900s southern Illinois had several segregated high schools scattered throughout the area. Among these was Sandusky Young. The schools played in a conference called the Southern Illinois Conference of Colored High Schools. Sandusky participated in the furthest south division of the conference which included schools such as Cairo (Sumner), Mound City (Lovejoy), Mounds (Douglass), Brookport (Lincoln), and Metropolis (Dunbar). It is believed that basketball was the main sport competed in by these schools. Baseball and track may also have been offered. Young High School team nickname, uniform colors, fight song, team records, and coach’s names are all items we are anxious to share on this page. Extra-Curricular Activities Students at Sandusky Young High School also may have enjoyed chorus, band, school plays, clubs, and dances while attending school there. If You Have Information You Would Like to Share If you have any information you can share regarding Sandusky Young High School or any similar schools in the area, please contact us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. We are especially interested in a photo of the former school building. You can also contact us via real mail at: IHSGD Website 6439 N. Neva St. Chicago, Il. 60631 |
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