Schram City School

Posted on by davenanninga in Uncategorized
The History of Schram City School

Schram City (population 653) is located in upper-south-central Illinois about 40 miles south (and a little east) of Springfield.  Schram City sits in the center portion of Montgomery County about 1 mile east of Hillsboro, you could almost say that Schram City was a suburb of Hillsboro. Illinois Route 16 is the main roadway to and from Schram City.  The Union Pacific Railroad parallells Route 16 on its trek through town as well.

The history of the town of Schram City and its former school system is in need of research.  We had believed that Schram City supported its own High School from at least the early 1900s (possibly earlier) through the mid 1950s.  According to the Hillsboro High School website (http://www.hillsboroschools.net/aboutus/demographics/demographics.htm), Schram City joined forces with similar Montgomery County communities including, Donnellson, Taylor Springs, Butler, Irving, Coffeen, and Panama, to create the Hillsboro Community Unit School District in the nearby town of Hillsboro.  This action took place in 1954.

However a former student of the school, Don LeMay, advises that Schram City may have never actually supported a high school.  Don attended Schram City Grade School in the late 1930s and early 1940s.  He does not recall there being any high school courses offered during that time.

We will continue to have this page published.  If you have a photo to share of the Schram City school building or information regarding Schram City schools prior to the consolidation effort with Hillsboro, please contact us at eganann@sbcglobal.net .

Schram City School District Quick Facts

Year opened:                              late 1800s / early 1900s

Year closed:                               1954

Consolidated to:                          Hillsboro Community Unit High School

Unsure if a high school existed.
Athletics

We know that the sport of basketball was offered to the boys of Schram City Grade School. Don LeMay provided the following information on Schram City Grade School athletics:

“Although many of your facts about the Village’s location and the demographics of the nearby Montgomery County communities, including Schram City, are essentially correct, the town’s former school system lacked a High School. As a former student at the Schram City grade school in the late 1930s and early 1940s, I can assure you that all students from Schram City attended the 4-year Hillsboro Community High School during that period before creation of the Hillsboro Community Unit School District in the 1950s.

Schram City Grade School fielded a basketball team for many years. The school’s gym was small with one basket, but there was an outside court for practice during the warm months. Home games and team practice occurred in, not Schram City, but at the Hillsboro Community High School.

I suspect the game between Greenville High School’s “second squad” and the Schram City’s boys basketball team may have been arranged to get playing time and experience, but I have no specific knowledge of the game mentioned in Greenville’s yearbook.”

Boys Basketball

The only evidence we have regarding Schram City High School basketball is an artilce found in the 1934-35 Greenville High School yearbook which states that Greenville High School’s “second squad” beat Schram City 22 – 18 in one contest. However, as Don LeMay states above, this may not have been an actual high school contest.

MEMORIES AND FACTS

From Earl Huston:

“My father went to school in Schram City in the 1930’s and early 1940’s.  The students at that time went from grade school through eighth grade.  I know I have my dads basketball photos and his graduation papers.  At that time the students then went to Hillsboro High School.  My father though never ever mentioned that students went up through the 12th grade at the school.  I also know that their were only a total of 8 rooms in the school and that should be a tell telling mark to judge as to whether or not their really was a high school.  Also, since I went to elementary school their from 1957-1960 when the school closed for good because of declining enrollment, there never was a indoor gym of any sorts on the school grounds.

I actually wish their was a high school but I really think Schram City School always fed its eighth graders into Hillsboro High School.  I can tell you a number of those starters on those early 1900-1950 basketball teams at Hillsboro High School lived in Schram City.”

Seeking More information

If you have any more information you would like to share regarding Schram City High School please complete a School Submission Form or a Guest Commentary Form.  You can also e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago,  Il.   60631

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