Athletics
The Toulon Trojans competed in the Blackhawk and Lincoln Trail Conferences, bringing home many titles. The boys offered football, basketball, and track. The girls competed in volleyball, basketball and track.
An early history of the Toulon Township High School athletic program was provided to us by John Ballentine:
“A high school athletic association was formed (in 1912) starting organized sports at the high school which continues today at Stark County High. In the fall of 1912, a football team was formed and uniforms ordered. Mr. Carl Dille McClenahan [1877-1961], long time local Toulon pharmacist, purchased and donated a football which enabled the players to practice and play games.
The first football game in Toulon Township High’s history was at Wyoming. TTHS won 18-0 over Wyoming High on Oct. 4, 1912. The next week on Oct. 11, TTHS hosted its first home game defeating LaFayette High by a 45-3 decision. Charles E. Griffith [1880-1952] was TTHS’s first coach. He served as an educator and principal at the school and later as Stark County school superintendent from 1922-47.
The first TTHS baseball game was played at Wyoming with Toulon winning 21-6 on April 16, 1913. On April 25, 1913, Kewanee and Toulon held a dual track meet at Toulon with Kewanee winning. This was TTHS’s first track meet. Obviously, these sport facilities pre-existed and were part of the Academy’s property.
Were these sports fields the same TTHS utilized until 1949 ? Historical photos indicate the Academy building was just east and slightly offset north of the high school that was built in 1923. The fact is, there would have been no additional land in which to relocate these sports arenas, so they probably were the same ones.”
John also provided a newpaper article from the Stark County News published on Wednesday, November 18, 1936 which explains how the nickname Trojans came about for Toulon Township High School:
WE are the TROJANS !
” YES TROJANS !”
“That is what football fans will hear Friday at Galva where Toulon and Galva will battle for the Blackhawk Conference championship. The name “TROJANS” was chosen this week by the students of Toulon Township High School to represent all their athletic teams — football, basketball, and track.
One of the largest caravans of football fans ever trailing a local athletic team to another city will follow Coach W. J. Metzger and his Trojans to Galva Friday afternoon. Toulon followers will be pulling not only for the Blackhawk Conference championship trophy, but also for the first undefeated and untied football record in the history of Toulon Township High School.
Opening kick-off will be at 2:30 p.m.”
(Toulon would win the game 26 – 0 to capture the Blackhawk Conference championship.)
Toulon High’s Historic 1930s
by John A. Ballentine
Toulon Township High School instituted many changes during the decade of the 1930s, some of which became traditions. Additionally, improvements at and around the school influenced the progression of events held at the campus. A few of these remain a part of Stark County High.
A need for pavement became apparent as the horse and buggy era fell way to motorized vehicles. The dirt roads surrounding the school became rutted due to increased and repetitive grooving by vehicle tires. Rains transformed the ruts into miry traps, so the city streets were paved at the school in order to alleviate this problem.
In the spring of 1930, the original Academy’s three-sixteenths mile track was expanded to one-quarter mile in conforming to the State sports regulations. Records set on this and other schools’ dirt tracks become more impressive because faster times would have occurred on harder surfaced courses. A complete cindered track was not installed at T.T.H.S. until 1949.
Homecoming at Toulon High premiered on November 17, 1933 with Aledo as the opponent on the field. Toulon won their first homecoming football game with a 14-0 shut out. T.T.H.S. also won its’ final homecoming game October 24, 1969 by a 28-12 score over Walnut. After the Blackhawk Conference became established in 1933, the 5 charter members of Bradford, Galva, Toulon, Wethersfield, and Wyoming commenced league competition during the fall of 1934.
Toulon’s only undefeated teams in school history were the 1936-37 and 1937-38 football squads. These teams achieved identical 9-0 seasons, with 4-0 conference records. In those 2 years, Toulon swept the Blackhawk in football, basketball, and track for 6 championships. Baseball did not become a Blackhawk sport until 1956.
The T.T.H.S. 1936-37 basketball team compiled an 8-0 conference record while finishing at 16-4 for the season. One year prior in 1935-36, the basketball squad had 4-4 Blackhawk standing during their 19-8 season. This team won in the State tournament play, the district tournament, placed second in regional play, and won their first sectional game. At one point that year, Toulon Township High held a 64th State ranking of all Illinois schools.
” WE ARE THE TROJANS ! ” was the column headline in a 1937 issue of The Stark County News. T.T.H.S. adopted the official team name which the voting student body chose that fall. The copyrighted TROJAN MARCH was soon written and performed as the new school fight song. It remained the song generations of students sang at and for Toulon High and Toulon-Lafayette High through the spring of 1992.
The music department became vastly improved and transformed by Mr. C. P. Patterson, who began his nineteen year tenure at the school in September of 1939. He presented to the public, a uniformed and marching band complete with Majorettes and The (baton) Twirlers. This musical corps first performed under the newly installed football field lights at T.T.H.S. The band competed later in the first Blackhawk conference band festival on April 24, 1940. Mr Patterson’s high school musicians and choruses competed on a State level amassing numerous awards during his years at Toulon.
Toulon’s track and field teams won the Blackhawk conference meet 4 times in a row from 1936-39. Nine Blackhawk championships were won, 7 of those consecutively in 3 sports, during those 4 years. In comparison, the 1970s T.T.H.S. and Toulon-Lafayette High teams captured 8 championships in 4 sports over a 7 year period.
Toulon High’s award cases bristled with medals, silver cups, plaques, and trophies earned during those years between 1929-40. A guideline of measurement which the future Trojan teams and musical bands were inspired to reach, had been established in Toulon High’s historic 1930s.”
For more information on the Blackhawk Conference check out John Ballentine’s article on the GREAT CONFERENCES page of this site.
The better athletic teams at TTHS, according to the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org), are listed below.
Boys Basketball
The following informaton was provided to us by John Ballentine:
Toulon Township High School’s basketball program began on January 17, 1919 in a rented second floor hall of a downtown building. Basketball was a part of the TTHS history for the fifty-two years through 1970. TTHS won 5 Blackhawk Conference championships in 1936-37, ’37-38, ’38-39, ’44-45, and finally in 1960-61.
In 1935-36, Toulon’s team achieved a 19-6 season record, yet oddly finished third in the conference with a 4-4 mark. This team won district in the State tournament, second in regional, and won the first game of sectional against the Blackhawk Conference champions Wethersfield Flying Geese. The Trojans were defeated in the second sectional game by a strong Moline Maroon squad who eventually lost to State runner-up Danville.
In 1945-46, TTHS’ basketball team put together a winning streak without defeat which earned them a 40th ranking in the State during the first week of January 1946. The Trojans managed a State ranking of 34th before losing a few games which removed them from the State’s list. Quite an accomplishment for a small school which averaged about 200 students.
One of the players on this team was Senior Paul Unruh, who continued his playing career at Peoria’s Bradley University helping that team into the national rankings and tournament. Paul eventually acquired the status of All-American in college basketball and is perhaps one of the best known and revered players from Osceola, Illinois and TTHS.
The 1955-56 season produced Toulon Township High School’s only 20 game winning season in its’ history. Six of the nine losses that season were to conference opponents which placed the Trojans in 3rd place in the conference standings. Post season play brought the 19th and 20th wins of the season, but a loss to the Kewanee Boilermakers for the regional championship playoff game ended a brilliant season.
After the 1961 championship season, TTHS experienced a 43 game losing streak during 3 seasons which thankfully ended on a cold January evening in 1964 against the conference rival Bradford Panthers.
TTHS joined the Inter-County Athletic Conference beginning with the 1968-69 school year, which participated in basketball and track only. Members of the conference included the Brimfield Indians, Elmwood Trojans, Glasford Tigers, LaFayette Panthers, Toulon Trojans, Williamsfield Bombers, and Yates City Eagles .
Several postseason scores involving the Toulon HS Trojans participating in the annual IHSA Tournament were located on a website titled “Illinois Postseason Basketball Scorers.” These scores are reprinted below. Also listed below are the Trojan’s coaches and team records who hit the hardwoods each Tuesday and Friday night!!.
TOULON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL COACHES
Year Record Head Coach Assistants
season
1912-13 ——— ——— —————
1913-14 ——— ——— —————
1914-15 ——— ——— —————
1915-16 ——— ——— —————
1916-17 ——— ——— —————
1917-18 ——— ——— —————
1918-19 3-8 W. H. Indra L. A. McKean
1919-20 7-6 ” ”
1920-21 6-7 Simon Benson Roy Davis
1921-22 8-5 R. H. Hultgren Robert N. Wilford
Galesburg District Tourney
1st Rd lost to Cambridge 23-14
1922-23 2-10 R. H. Hultgren Robert N. Wilford
(had to wait for new gym)
Postseason scores needed
1923-24 2-9 Edwin L. Myers
Postseason scores needed
1924-25 5-8 Harold Beckman
Postseason scores needed
1925-26 7-9 Vernon B. Askew
Postseason scores needed
1926-27 6-8 Vernon B. Askew
Postseason scores needed
1927-28 8-10 Vernon B. Askew
Postseason scores needed
1928-29 5-13 Vernon B. Askew
Postseason scores needed
1929-30 9-7 Vernon B. Askew
Postseason scores needed
1930-31 6-16 Vernon B. Askew
Postseason scores needed
1931-32 8-12 Vernon B. Askew
Postseason scores needed
1932-33 5-15 Vernon B. Askew
Postseason scores needed
1933-34 5-15 Vernon B. Askew C. H. Martin
Postseason scores needed
__________________________________________________________________
Blackhawk Conference began in 1934-35 ( * = Conference Champion)
season/conference Head Coach Asst Coach(es)
1934-35 11-12/ 3-5 Willis Harms H. J. Green
Galva District Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 41-28
Kewanee beat Alpha for title
1935-36 19-8/ 4-4 William Metzger Calvin Castle, John Oathout
Princeville District Champs
1st Rd Beat Elmwood 38-30
Semi-final Beat Yates City 42-25
Title Game Beat Bradford 24-22
Princeville Regional Runner-Up
1st Rd Beat Dunlap 32-24
Semi-final Beat Peoria Kingman 36-25
Title game lost to Peoria Central 40-29
1936-37 16-4/ 8-0 William Metzger Calvin Castle, John Oathout
Elmwood Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Wyoming 31-23
Wyoming lost to Dunlap in Semi-final
Dunlap lost to Peoria Manual in title game
1937-38 19-4/ 7-1 William Metzger Calvin Castle, John Oathout
Kewanee Regional Tourney
Title Game lost to Galva 29-25
1938-39 9-10/ 6-2 William Metzger Vernon C. Beier
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Annawan 35-25
Annawan lost to Kewanee in semi-final
Kewanee beat Galva for title
1939-40 5-13/ 4-6 William Metzger Vernon C. Beier
Postseason scores needed
1940-41 8-9/ 4-6 William Metzger Vernon C. Beier
Postseason scores needed
1941-42 6-10/ 4-4 William Metzger Vernon C. Beier
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 48-26
Kewanee beat Geneseo in title game
1942-43 1-12/ 0-10 F. E. Chamberlain/ A. R. Wetzel
replaced by C. P. Patterson
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Cambridge 32-13
Cambridge lost to Kewanee in semi-final
Kewanee beat Galva for title
1943-44 12-13/ 5-5 Harold Ferris
Postseason scores needed
1944-45 16-7/ 8-2 * Keith Bare
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 43-36
Kewanee beat Geneseo for title
1945-46 19-6/ 7-3* Keith Bare William Farr
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Wyoming 50-37
Wyoming lost to Kewanee in semi-final
Kewanee beat Wehtersfield for title
1946-47 10-14/ 3-9* Keith Bare Harold Stogsdill
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 90-29
Kewanee beat Galva for title
1947-48 5-20/ 1-11 Keith Bare Harold Stogsdill
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 60-31
Kewanee beat Galva for title
1948-49 6-18/ 1-11 Robert Wallis Harold Stogsdill
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 66-40
Kewanee beat Galva for title
1949-50 14-8/ 6-6 Floyd Stevenson I. F. Large
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 66-30
Kewanee beat Galva for title
1950-51 9-11/ 4-8 Floyd Stevenson I. F. Large
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Galva 72-39
Galva lost to Kewanee for title
1951-52 11-14/ 3-4# Walter G. Rucks I.F. Large
# — Only counted 1 game against conference foes, vice both games.
Princeville Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Princeville 59-53
Princeville lost to Kewanee in semi-final
Kewanee beat Mineral in title game
1952-53 7-15/ 3-11 Marion Wildhagen Robert Watt
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 68-58
Kewanee beat Wyoming for title
1953-54 0-22/ 0-14 Marion Wildhagen Robert Watt
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 66-30
Kewanee beat Wyoming for title
1954-55 6-19/ 2-12 Earl Chism
Princeville Regional Tourney
1st Rd Beat Bradford 60-56
Semi-final lost to Kewanee 63-24
Kewanee beat Buda for title
1955-56 20-9/ 8-6 Earl Chism Fred Vicini
{ only 20-game winning season for TTHS}
Kewanee Regional Runner-Up
1st Rd Beat Dunlap 67-65 (2 O/Ts)
Semi-final Beat Princeville 78-68
Title game lost to Kewanee 65-50
1956-57 15-11/ 7-7 William (Bill) Boyer Fred Vicini
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Princeville 65-53
Princeville lost to Wyoming for title
1957-58 11-12/ 6-8 William (Bill) Boyer Fred Vicini
Princeville Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Wyoming 42-34
Wyoming lost to Wethersfield in semi-final
Wethersfield lost to Kewanee in title game
1958-59 11-11/ 10-8 William (Bill) Boyer Fred Vicini
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Bradford 59-54
Bradford lost to Kewanee in semi-final
Kewanee beat Dunlap in title game
1959-60 5-16/ 5-13 Roger West Fred Vivini
( No home games due to gym construction)
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Bradford 74-61
Bradford beat Princeville in semi-final
Bradford lost to Kewanee in title game
1960-61 17-6/ 16-2 Roger West Fred Vivini
Bradford Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Annawan 50-45
Annawan lost to Bradford in semi-final
Bradford lost to Princeville in title game
1961-62 2-18/ 2-16 Roger West Richard Switzer
Princeville Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Princeville 100-25
Princeville beat Annawan for title
1962-63 0-21/ 0-18 Richard Switzer Richard Pohar
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 67-39
Kewanee lost to Annawan in semi-final
Annawan lost to Princeville in title game
1963-64 2-19/ 2-11# Gary Keefauver Richard Pohar
# — North & South divisions began : Conf. Games=2 against div. members &
1 against non-div. members of the Conference for 13 total.
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 85-57
Kewanee beat Wethersfield for title
1964-65 10-14/ 5-8 Gary Keefauver Al Harland
Postseason scores needed
1965-66 6-7/ 4-9 Wayne Jenkins Del Pruett, Al Harland
Postseason scores needed
1966-67 8-14/ 3-10 Wayne Jenkins Del Pruett, Al Harland
Kewanee Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Dunlap 66-37
Dunlap lost to Wehtersfield in title game
1967-68 13-12/ 6-7 Wayne Jenkins Ken Bourquin, Al Harland
Bradford District Tournament
1st Rd Beat Atkinson 69-58
Semi-final lost to Neponset 72-66
Neponset lost to Buda Western in title game
1968-69 17-9/ 8-5/5-2 # “Wayne Jenkins Cecil Duffy, Al Harland
# First year as a member of the Inter County Athletic Conference.
Kewanee District Champions
1st Rd Beat LaFayette 62-44
Semi-final Beat Aledo Western Military 69-62
Title Game Beat Neponset 63-60
Princeville Regional Tournament
1st Rd lost to Kewanee 74-54
Kewanee beat Annawan for title
1969-70 17-9/ 7-6/ 5-2 “Wayne Jenkins Cecil Duffy, Al Harland
Toulon District Runner-Up
1st Rd Beat Neponset 58-54
Semi-final Beat Atkinson 58-47
**Title Game lost to Bradford 73-63
____________________________________________________________________________
**Final basketball game as Toulon Township High School. Toulon Township and LaFayette high schools merged for 1970-71.
Toulon High School Football / Track Field |
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Football
Toulon High School has a long, storied history of Friday night football games. There is limited information on the IHSA web site that records their successes. The following information was provided to us by ardent Toulon and Stark County schools fan John Ballentine:
“Toulon Township High School’s first football game in its history occurred at Wyoming Highs field on October 4, 1912. TTHS defeated WHS by an 18-0 score. In a unique twist of fate, TTHS’ final football game occurred on November 7, 1969 against WHS in Wyoming. The Trojans won 14-6 over the Indians.
TTHS football continued each fall from 1912 to 1969 for a total of fifty-eight seasons until the consolidation of Toulon and LaFayette Highs. In those fifty-eight years, TTHS captured 3 Blackhawk Conference championships in 1936, 1937, and 1957. Each season and conference records are listed below along with the coaches and assistants who directed their teams on those crisp autumn Friday evenings.
TOULON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACHES
Year Record Head Coach Assistant Coaches
Season
1912-13 6-1 Charles E. Griffith
1913-14 4-3-2 Eugene L. Mendenhall Fred Brown
1914-15 7-2-1 L. A. McKean
1915-16 4-4 ” Eugene L. Mendenhall
1916-17 5-3-1 ”
1917-18 4-3 ”
1918-19 1-1 *** ” *** (Influenza epidemic shortened the season)
1919-20 8-2 ”
1920-21 7-1 Simon Benson Roy Davis
1921-22 8-1-1 Robert N. Wilford R. H. Hultgren
1922-23 8-1 ” ”
1923-24 6-1-1 Edwin L. Myers
1924-25 3-5 Harold Beckman
1925-26 6-1-1 Vernon B. Askew
1926-27 7-1 ”
1927-28 4-4-1 ” H. Ray Hartley
1928-29 5-4 ”
1929-30 8-1-1 ”
1930-31 7-1 ”
1931-32 6-1-2 ”
1932-33 2-6-1 ”
1933-34 4-5 ” C. H. Martin
____________________________________________________________________________
Blackhawk Conference began in 1934-35 (* = Conference Champion)
season/conference Head Coach Assistant Coaches
1934-35 1-7-1/ 0-4 Willis Harms H. J. Green
1935-36 4-6/ 2-2 William Metzger Calvin Castle, John Oathout
1936-37 9-0/ 4-0 * ” “
1937-38 9-0/ 4-0 * ” “
1938-39 4-1-3/ 2-1-1 ” Vernon C. Beier
1939-40 2-5-1/ 1-2-1 ” ”
1940-41 0-6-3/ 0-2-3 ” ”
1941-42 2-4-2/ 1-1-2 ”
1942-43 0-7/ 0-5 F. E. Chamberlain
1943-44 1-5-1/ 1-3-1 Harold Ferris
1944-45 3-4-1/ 2-3 Keith Bare
1945-46 4-4/ 2-3 ” William Farr
1946-47 2-6/ 2-4 ” ” , Harry Stogsdill
1947-48 3-5/ 2-4 ” ”
1948-49 6-2/ 5-1 Robert Wallis ”
1949-50 2-6/ 1-5 Floyd Stevenson I. F. Large
The Toulon Torjan Returning Lettermen of 1949-50 |
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Submitted by Jack Winans (left click on photo for larger view) |
1950-51 2-6/ 1-5 ” ”
1951-52 0-7-1/ 0-6-1 Walter G. Rucks ”
1952-53 1-7/ 1-6 Marion Wildhagen Robert Watt
1953-54 2-6/ 2-5 Robert Watt Marion Wildhagen
1954-55 2-6/ 2-5 Earl Chism
1955-56 4-3-1/ 4-2-1 ” Fred Vicini
1956-57 4-3-1/ 3-3-1 William Boyer ”
1957-58 5-1-2/ 5-1-1 * ” ” , Elmer Hampton
season=conference record began:
1958-59 1-7-1 ” ” ”
1959-60 2-6 Roger West ” ”
(1959 Wethersfield game canceled due to winter storm)
1960-61 5-4 ” ” ” , Rev. Joseph Clay
1961-62 1-8 ” Richard Switzer, ”
1962-63 1-8 Richard Switzer Richard Pohar, ”
1963-64 1-8 Gary Keefauver ”
1964-65 3-6 ” ” , Al Harland
1965-66 2-6-1 Del Pruett Wayne Jenkins, ”
1966-67 3-6 ” ” ”
1967-68 6-3 Ken Bourquin ” ”
1968-69 1-7-1 Cecil Duffy ” ” ,Elmer Hampton,
1969-70 2-5-2 ” ” ” ,Darryl Sturgill,
__________________________________________________________________________
Toulon Township High and LaFayette Highs merged for 1970-71
*In 1930, in their second week of play, TTHS defeated soon-to-be-state power Geneseo by the score of 2-0. This is according to a 1931 Geneseo yearbook.
Boys Track
The following THS thinclads took home IHSA medals from the state track meet. In addition, conference team championship winners are listed as well.
1935-36 Blackhawk Conference Champions
1936-37 Blackhawk Conference Champions
1937-38 Blackhawk Conference Champions
1938-39 Blackhawk Conference Champions
1941-42 Blackhawk Conference Champions
1943-44 Blackhawk Conference Champions
1944-45 Paul Unruh 440 Yard Dash 4th Place @ State Meet
Blackhawk Conference Champions
1945-46 Paul Unruh 440 Yard Dash 3rd Place @ State Meet
1956-57 Blackhawk Conference Champions
1957-58 Blackhawk Conference Champions
1969-70 Blackhawk Conference Champions
In addition to individual accomplishments, the Toulon High School boys won a few Stark County High School Track Meets over the years. The following information regarding this meet was provided to us by John Ballentine:
“The Stark County track/field and declamatory meet was a major event for decades. It was fiercely fought in order to win that particular year and claim county bragging rights. Businesses and schools, even the grade schools, were closed early in order to attend the afternoon meet. Main streets resembled ghost towns because a majority of the county’s population was at the contest.
Records were kept and trophies, plaques, ribbons, etc. were awarded. Yet, in 1990 the county meet could no longer be held. Castleton High no longer existed, Toulon and LaFayette Highs were consolidated, and Bradford began co-opting with Tiskilwa to form a track team. Since Tiskilwa was not part of Stark County, this eliminated Bradford’s participation leaving only Toulon-LaFayette and Wyoming as the competitors from the original 5 schools. Therefore, the meet was permanently discontinued after 1989.”
Toulon High School boys reigned as champions of this once annual event during the following spring seasons:
1919, 1920, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1949, 1950, 1956, 1958, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970
The Toulon High School boys track program won a total of 27 Stark County Track Meet Championships before consolidating with LaFayette to form Toulon-LaFayette High School!
TOULON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD COACHES
Year Record Head Assistants
1912-13 Charles E. Griffith
1913-14 Eugene L. Mendenhall
1914-15 L. A. McKean
1915-16 “
1916-17 “
1917-18 “
1918-19 “
1919-20 “
1920-21 Simon Benson
1921-22 Robert N. Wilford
1922-23 “
1923-24 Edwin L. Myers
1924-25 Harold Beckman
1925-26 Vernon B. Askew
1926-27 “
1927-28 “
1928-29 “
1929-30 “
1930-31 “
1931-32 “
1932-33 “
1933-34 “
____________________________________________________________________________
Blackhawk Conference began in 1934-35 ( * = Conference Champion)
1934-35 Willis Harms
1935-36 * William Metzger
1936-37 * “
1937-38 * “
1938-39 * “
1939-40 “
1940-41 “
1941-42 * ” /replaced by A. R. Wetzel
1942-43 Clarence Powers Patterson, A. R. Wetzel
1943-44 * Harold Ferris
1944-45 * Keith Bare
1945-46 “
1946-47 “
1947-48 “
1948-49 Robert Wallis
1949-50 Floyd Stevenson
1950-51 “
1951-52 Walter G. Rucks
1952-53 Robert Watt
1953-54 “
1954-55 Earl Chism
1955-56 “
1956-57 * William (Bill) Boyer
1957-58 * “
1958-59 “
1959-60 Roger West
1960-61 “
1961-62 “
1962-63 Richard Switzer
1963-64 Gary Keefauver
1964-65 ” , Al Harland
1965-66 Del Pruett , “
1966-67 ” , “
1967-68 Ken Bourquin, “
1968-69 Al Harland
1969-70 * “
____________________________________________________________________________
Toulon Township and LaFayette Highs merged for 1970-71
BOYS BASEBALL
The Trojans had some nice seasons on the ball diamond too. The conferenece championship team of Toulon High School, listed below, is proof of this success. John Ballentine provided the remaining coach’s names for the Toulon HS baseball program.
TOULON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES
Year Record Head Assistants
1952-53 Marion Wildhagen
1953-54 “
1954-55 Earl Chism
____________________________________________________________________________
Blackhawk Conference competition started ( * = Conference Champion)
1955-56 Fred Vicini # (Southern Division Champions)
1956-57 William (Bill) Boyer
1957-58 “
1958-59 “
1959-60 Roger West
1960-61 “
1961-62 “
1962-63 Richard Pohar
1963-64 * “
1964-65 “
1965-66 Wayne Jenkins
1966-67 “
Division winners played for championship
————————————————————————————————————————————
Best record determined championship
1967-68 “
1968-69 “
1969-70 “
____________________________________________________________________________
Toulon Township and LaFayette Highs merged for 1970-71
Cross Country
It has been noted that the earliest Cross Country meets took place in halftimes of football games as far back as the 1930s.
Music
There is said to have been some excellent performances and accomplishments by the school’s band program in “sweepstakes” competition. The IHSA website only covers this information beginning in 1973. If you have any items you can share about the Toulon Township High School Band that enjoyed many successes in the 1940s and 1950s, please write to us so we can share them on this page.
Mr. Patterson, the music director at TTHS 19 years, started the marching band and the “Twirlers”.
ACADEMICS
Honor Students of T.T.H.S.
by John A. Ballentine
A total of 80 graduation ceremonies were conducted from 1913 to 1992 for Toulon Township and Toulon-LaFayette high schools. Valedictorians and salutatorians of their class delivered speeches during graduation, as well as the featured speaker. The principal speaker for TTHS’ first and last classes were Dr. Benjamin Otto, pastor of Peoria’s Baptist church, who addressed the class and audience in 1913 and James D. Nowlan, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from Toulon, who spoke to the audience and Class of 1970.
Research has yet to discover if Toulon High recognized honor students between 1879 and 1912, inclusively. Beginning in the spring of 1913, The Stark County News recognized the top 2 students of the graduating class each year with a front page item of interest. In addition to the following lists, Margaret Hazen was the high honor student of the Toulon Academy’s final class in 1912. The Academy merged with Toulon High to form Toulon Township High, beginning with the 1912-13 school year. In 1971, the first class of Toulon-LaFayette High graduated and continued through 1992 until Stark County High was formed for 1992-93.
The 1985 Alumni booklet partially covered the years (1943-1986) and left most years 1913-1942/1987-1992 without the names of the class valedictorian and salutatorian. Maiden names for the ladies are not listed because of possible name changes since 1985, and the dedication of time required involved with collecting/obtaining the corrected last names. If you definitely know someones present last name, please contact Mary and Tim Milroy or The Stark County News office at 309-286-4444 or use email — www.editor@countyenews.com.
TOULON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL
Year Valedictorian Salutatorian
1913 Harold J. Trimmer Pauline Murray
1914 Enolia Worley Miles A. Newton
1915 Jean E. Jackson Elsie Fleming
Helen M. Nicholson
1916 Marilla Dewey Anna Farley
1917 Blanche C. Fuller Sarah A. Chase
1918 Francis B. Kinney Mary L. Sorenson
1919 Miles Hartley Ruth Leigh
1920 Helen Kinney Ruth Oliver
1921 Mary Walker Carolyn Chase
1922 Dorothy Price John R. Jackson
1923 Esther Armstrong Bessie Hankins
1924 Nona D. Miller Melva L. McKee
1925 Florence Bangson Geneva Ham
1926 Alberta Welch Arthur Pierson
1927 Helen Jackson Ruth Schmidt
1928 Lucy Griffith Maude Davis
1929 Ruth Fuller Dorothy McClellan
1930 F. Keith Brown Thelma I. Ward
1931 Elizabeth Tomlinson Eleanor Rist
1932 William McClellan Lucile Fritz
1933 Pauline A. Addis A. Pauline Crow
1934 Marjorie O’Keefe Bernice Heaton
1935 Dorothy Henderson Pauline Durbin
1936 Kathlene Ham Frances Berfield
* Anna Lee Fuller had the highest grade average, but was a transfer student and therefore not allowed to be valedictorian.
1937 Mary A. Berfield Alice Bennett
1938 Ruth Shearer Dorothy Appenheimer
1939 Margaret C. McManus Dale Addis
1940 Dorothy Brian Margaret Edlin
1941 Patricia A. Cover Doris Cobb & Velma A. Eckley
1942 Phyllis Nelson Hazel Cobb
1943 Ruth Hedges Lee Turnbull
1944 John McWilliam Winston M. Murray
1945 Gwendolyn Caverly Jane Trimmer
1946 Phyllis Armstrong Doris Hutchens
1947 Joyce Carter Lillian Gingrich
1948 David Fouts Ellen Milburn
1949 Virginia Whitten Donna J. Kidd
1950 Eloise Franklin Charles Howell
1951 Dean Milburn James Briggs
1952 Diane Elliot Marjorie Dunn
1953 Shirley Berfield Mary Dutton
1954 Margery Heaton Shirley Dunn
1955 Alice Nowlan Keith Failon
1956 Karen Field Kerry Newman
1957 Raymond Thompson Leuetta Schmidt
1958 Ronald Schmidt Ted Hocking
1959 James D. Nowlan Wayne Nowlan
1960 Lee Dutton Michael Newman
1961 Donald Schmidt Lynn Shearer
1962 Mary Luckett Richard Colver
1963 Anne Shearer Barry Warren
1964 Sharon Witten Alexis Schmidt
1965 Nancy Streitmatter David Doden
1966 Theresa Ham Roger Whittaker & Larry Williamson
1967 Martha Creasey David Daum
1968 Mary Matson Beth Witte & Gail Witte
1969 William Ebert Kenneth Jackson
1970 Leila Mowers Eldon Ham
Toulon High School Enrollment (Grades 9 – 12) in the Mid-1950s
1954-55 157
1955-56 156
1956-57 166
Seeking Further Information
We are seeking a photo of the old high school building as well as any other information you would like to share. Please write to us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or write to us via USPS at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631
Toulon Township High School Class of 1952 |
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Submitted by John Borto |
Toulon Township HS Football Team of 1914 |
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T.T.H.S. 1914 football team
front Clarence Appenheimer, Traverse Durbin, Roy Walker, coach’s son McKean, Raymond Long, John Walker, Ralph Cover
back Coach L. A. McKean, Williard Eltzroth, Earl Dunlap, Lawrence Foster, Eddis Johnson, Joseph Chase, Harry Lloyd, Neil Leitch, Supt. Eugene L. Mendenhall
Toulon Trojans Basketball 1927-28 |
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T.T.H.S. 1927-28 basketball team
front Paul Bragg, Paul Walker, John Gibson, Charles Hackwith, Gerald Sweat
back Marion Burcham, Keith Brown, Joseph Claybaugh, Coach Vernon ‘John’ Askew
Toulon Track Team of 1915 |
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T.T.H.S. 1915 track & declamatory team
front Victor Armstrong, Williard Eltzroth, Traverse Durbin, Eddis Johnson
back Supt. E. L. Mendenhall, Florence Anderson (declamatory speaker), Ray Porter, Neil Leitch, Raymond Long, Lawrence Foster, Marvin Linker, Milo Nowlan (declamatory speaker)
Toulon HS Class of 1950 Parade Float |
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Courtesy of Jack Winans |
Toulon HS Class of 1950 Reunion |
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Submitted by Jack Winans (Left click on photo for larger version) |
Class of 1950 Reunion September 16, 2000
(Photo is above to the left)
Front row seated left to right:
Bob Turner, David Biba, Jim Eadie, George Eierman, Ann Heaton, Joyce (Behnke) Daehler, Nancy (Chamberlain) Tracy, Mildred Hillard
Second row standing left to right:
Ruth (Egert) Bigham, Joan (Wilson) McMullen, Lois (Elliot) Seger, Eleanor (Peterson) Anderson, Nadene (Porter) Phillips, Martha (Bruning) Finnegan, Gene Webster, Alice King, Juanita (Jackson) Catton, Audrey (Gerard) Stapel
Third row standing left to right:
Jack Winans, Willard Carroll, Eugene Wallace, Joan (Briggs) Gredell, Ardelle (Jones) Giesenhagen
Toulon High School Class of 1958 |
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Photo Taken in 2005 – Submitted by Ruth Talbert |
Toulon HS Class of 1957 |
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Photo Taken in 2005 – Submitted by Ruth Talbert |
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