History of Kinmundy Schools

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The following information was printed in the 1926 Kinmundy School Yearbook.

"The district school was held in 1856 in a rough log house near the spot known as the present home of Tom Phillips, west of the C. & E. I. railroad. The teacher was Miss Annaline Prewett.

The first school house built after the town was founded, was erected in the early fall of 1857. It was a frame building, 36 x 24 with hall. This was built on a lot donated by D.P. Snelling. The lot was on the north side of the residence of C.B. French.

James P. Smith of Hudson, New Hampshire, was the first teacher. Following him were W.R. Hubbard, Dr. L.D. Skilling, N.S. Hubbard and

Miss Carrie Herrick.

The district became so popular early in 60s, the directors rented and arranged the C.P. Church for school, transferring the older pupils there,

and selecting Prof. Pollard as instructor, followed by Prof. Vincent of Farina.

In the fall of 1865, the new four room school house was built on the present site, was opened in October, 1865, and was occupied by the District.

Prof. Simeon Wright, ex-soldier of the Civil War, formerly from Bloomington, was Principal; Permelia Elder, Grammar Dept.; Miss Amelia Woodruff, Intermediate; Miss Matilda Young, Primary.

The contractor for the building was Tilden Raser, with Dr. W.O. Smith as one of the carpenters.

Directors at that time were: Judge D.P. Snelling, Horace Kinnic, and Capt. W.T. Sprouse. One of the early directors who served several terms

was A.W. Songer, who is now in his ninety-fourth year.

The only women who have served on the school board are Mrs. M. Hollister, Mrs. Fanny Simpson Schwartz, Mrs. M.A. Babcock, Mrs. Anna Frost

and Mrs. Mamie S. Brown.

The picture was taken at a school picnic in the spring of 1876 with N.S. Scovell as Supt. There are a number of familiar faces that the older ones might recognize.

The picture was preserved by Mrs. Mamie S. Brown, the cross showing her picture as six years old, now a teacher in the school."

The following information was a compilation between the 1957 Centennial Booklet of Kinmundy, and the 1976 Kinmundy-Alma High School Annual:

"History of Kinmundy-Alma High School"

"The first settlers taught their own children, or one who was more educated than the rest, taught all the neighboring children. The first school in this area was a log house with a dirt floor, large fireplace with stick chimney, and no windows. It was built northwest of Kinmundy in 1837 and was taught by Samuel WHITESIDE. It was later moved to the lot, just west of the C.&E.I. railroad and south of the cemetery turn, and classes were held there until 1857. Miss Annaline PRUETT taught in 1856.

After the town was laid out in 1857, Judge D.P. Snelling donated a lot on Fremont street, just north of the French home, and a new building was erected there. This frame building was 36'x24' in size. Classes were taught by James P. SMITH of Hudson, New Hampshire. Later teachers were W.R. HUBBARD, Dr. L. S. SKILLING, N. S. HUBBARD and Miss Carrie HERRICK.

This building became so crowded in the 60's that the directors rented a hall on lot 64 in the original town, and held classes there for the older pupils. Professor POLLARD was instructor and he was followed by Professor VINCENT of Farina. When the new school was finished. this hall was bought by the Presbyterians who used it as a church and Sunday school.

In the 80's "Select School" was held here. This was a spring term in March and April after the Public school closed in February. Pupils paid $1.00 per month tuition. The hall was later moved down town to the corner of Second and Madison street, where it stood many years.

In the fall of 1865 a new four-room frame building was erected on the site of the present high school. This opened in October, with Prof. Simeon WRIGHT, ex-soldier of the Civil War, as principal. He came from Bloomington, Illinois. Miss Permelia ELDER taught the grammar department, Miss Amelia WOODRUFF the intermediate, and Miss Matilda YOUNG, the primary. The contractor was Tilden RASER; W. C. SMITH was one of the carpenters. In 1883 it was necessary to enlarge this and two rooms were added on the north, making six rooms in all.

This was torn down in 1910, and a two-story brick building was erected (which served both grades and high school until 1955, when a new grade school was built on the Kinmundy-Louisville blacktop east of town. High school and junior high continued in the old building at that time.). Mr. HARWOOD was Superintendent when this new school building was built.

Two years later, during Mr. E.V. LATHAM's term as Superintendent, on Dec. 3, 1912, our school was accredited by the University of Illinois so that our pupils can enter university without entrance examinations.

In 1924 a High School Auditorium was built at the north end of the school grounds and served for athletics, school plays, and activities as well as a community center.

In 1932 Junior Business Training was added.

In 1935 a new Commercial Course, consisting of Typing, Shorthand, and Bookkeeping, was added.

Early rural students walked miles through snow and mud, rode horseback, or stayed during the week with townspeople, and were the baby sitters of that era. After the automobile became standard equipment, country roads were improved and in 1940 school buses were instituted to bring country pupils to school.

The teaching of vocational agriculture and home economics was begun in 1941. Also in 1941, High School district 25 was enlarged into Community High School District 500.

With all this growth, new buildings have been added, a cafeteria and home economics building in 1949.

In August, 1953, the Kinmundy-Alma Consolidated District 301 was formed.

This was the death knell for the one-room country school, and now North Fork, Arnold Chapel, Maple Grove, Shanghai, Wilson and other country school pupils ride in to Kinmundy school. The buildings have been sold and are converted into town-houses, community centers or even dwellings.

In 1954 an Ag building was built on the high school campus to benefit the Agricultural Curriculum.

The grade school classes were moved in 1955 to a newly completed building on the Kinmundy-Louisville Road.

In 1956 a fine new gymnasium was completed which, at the time, was the finest in the area and still ranks among the best.

The junior high classes were moved to the Alma Grade School in 1975 after the completion of a new building west of the main building to meet the needs of growing demand for more space and course opportunity. A new Industrial Arts curriculum was then offered for the first time, housed in the new building.

At the present, a new Activities Center is being planned which is to be built at the west side of the present gymnasium to replace the old auditorium built in 1924.

We should be proud of our school as it is one of the best schools its size in the state of Illinois."

KAHS Superitendents

1899-1901: F.D. McKITRICK

1901-1904: F.J. SNAPP

1904-1905: J.A. DAVIS

1905-1909: M.A. THRASHER

1910-1912: F.D. HARWOOD

1912-1915: E.V. LATHAM

1915-1917: Laura E. FISHER

1917-1918: G.A. SPITZE

1918-1919: C.L. EDWARDS

1919-1921: L.E. ETHERTON

1921-1924: J.H. MALLRICK

1924-1939: V.V. BARCROFT

1939-1942: John L. KNIGHT

1942-1945: J. Harley HAYES

1945-1958: Lewis J.T. O'DELL

1958-1961: Virgil F. McKITRICK

1961-1962: Ben F. DAVIS

1962-1964: Robert I. HARTLEY

1964-1970: Harold W. JONES

1970-1978: Ernest L. DONOHO

1978-1982: Richard W. YANDELL

1982-1985: Ted PHILLIPS

1985-1989: Joe ROSS

Principals:

1953-1954: J.C. SPRINGS

1954-1957: Enno LIETZ (Asst. Supt.)

1959-1960: Julian C. MORRISON

1968-1970: Donald W. JONES

1971-1977: Claren HOSSELTON

1977-1979: Donald G. PHILLIPS

1980-1982: Ted PHILLIPS

1982-1987 Angelo COLONA

1987-1989 : Ted PHILLIPS

"History of Kinmundy Schools" - Elwyn Cheatum - 1989

History of Kinmundy Schools

By Pleasant H. Robnett assisted by Karen (Jones) Robnett in July 2007

The history of the Kinmundy Schools should be prefaced with a short description of our community. Kinmundy has a present population of 900. The town was laid out along the Illinois Central Railroad in 1857. Ten years later in 1867 it was incorporated as a City. Situated in NE Marion County, IL, now on State Hwy 37 and Interstate Hwy 57. In 1894, the C&EI Railroad came to town and intersected the IC Railroad in the south part of the city. At one time the population was 2000 and there were numerous stores, 2 banks, 2 restaurants, 2 barber shops, 2 hardware stores, 2 drug stores, 2 blacksmith shops, 5 service stations, an ice plant, mill and weekly newspaper.

The first school was a log cabin erected in 1856 just west of present C&EI RR. The following year after the town was founded, a frame school 36’x 24’ was erected in the SW part of town. Enrollment soon outgrew this building and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was rented to accommodate the older students. In 1865 a new 2-story frame school building was erected on the present school campus, where Middle School is located today.

The first High School graduating class was in 1879 with 3 graduates (For a complete list of graduates from 1879 to 1926 see the 1926 Ki-Hi Annual.)

With the arrival of the coal mine in the late 1800’s, the population grew and the number of students increased rapidly. This required the erection of a new 2 story brick building with basement, in 1910, located on the existing campus on South Madison. This building served as both grade and high school until 1954.

The University of Illinois accredited Kinmundy High School in 1912. The curriculum was enlarged as years went by to better meet the needs of the students. In 1929 our first physical education classes were started. In 1932 a junior business training class was added, and in 1935 a new commercial course consisting of typing, bookkeeping and shorthand was added. Band was added in the early 1940’s. A home economics class with both cooking and sewing was added in 1942.

Throughout the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the schools were administered by one school district, Kinmundy Public School District #25. In 1924 a new auditorium/gymnasium was built on the north side of campus.

In 1941 a new Kinmundy Community High School District #500 was voted for and adopted by the public, to manage the high school. This district encompassed the Alma School district as well as about 12 outlying country school districts. The existing grade school district continued to administer the Kinmundy Grade School. Since the grade school district owned the building, they rented space for the high school and both districts mutually divided the operating expense.

Two new school buses were purchased in 1941 and students living beyond 1-½ miles from school were transported to and from school. A new building housing lunchroom and classrooms for home economics and commerce was added in 1947, just west of the main building. Hot lunches were available to the students for 25 cents.

The dual system of administration worked well until about 1952, when the state mandated by way of tax distribution, that grade schools and high schools be consolidated in new community unit districts for large areas. There remained only 6 districts in Marion County.

Thus, the public voted Kinmundy-Alma Community Unit District #301 into existence in 1953. The Kinmundy Lions Club deserves much credit for their help in the public relations that was responsible for a favorable vote in the election. Meetings were held at all the country schools as well as schools in Alma, Kinmundy and Omega. This new district encompassed 124 square miles, including Kinmundy, Alma and numerous country school districts, including Booker, Allen, Greenridge, Miletus, Brown, Omega, McHaney and Oak Grove. The hot lunch program and bus transportation for all students were much desired and created the impetus for a positive vote on new unit district #301. Transportation required 8 bus routes to get students to and from school in time allotted. New buses were acquired to accomplish this.

This new district required the addition of several new school buildings. The Board of Education proposed a bond issue of $300,000. (5% of assessed valuation, the maximum allowed by law). The vote carried by a reasonable majority. This money was needed to provide an agriculture shop building at high school, an addition of classrooms and an all-purpose room and kitchen at Alma Grade School, a new grade school site and building at Kinmundy with all-purpose room and kitchen, and a new gymnasium at Kinmundy High School. After much bantering with the architects, they finally agreed to design a modern pit-type gymnasium. The new grade school required the acquisition of a new site by vote of the people. After 3 votes a location was picked on the north side of the Louisville road.

With the completion of this building program, a much broader curriculum was offered in both the high school and grade school. The Ag shop building was opened in April 1954, the Alma Grade School addition was opened in spring 1955, the Kinmundy Grade School was opened in fall 1955, and the new High School Gymnasium was opened in September 1956. Then, hot lunches were available to all students.

In 1971, a new bus garage and shop building was built west of the high school on 4 ½ acres of newly acquired land.

By 1973 increased enrollments and state mandated reduction in class sizes caused a need for more classrooms. In October of that year, voters for additions to Alma and Kinmundy Grade Schools, and a new classroom building at the high school approved a bond issue in the amount of $579,000. These new classrooms made room available for enlarged curriculum. New girls interscholastic athletic programs for baseball, basketball, volleyball and track started in 1974. Kindergarten was also added that year. The first year it was a half-day, but after a few years it went to a full day.

A windstorm in April 1975 demolished the old 1924 gym. A new girl’s gym and all-purpose room was built on south campus adjoining the new gym, with insurance money and a state grant. The old gym was razed and the lot cleared in fall 1975. A new frame structure was erected on the site in 1976 to house unit offices.

In 1977 the state condemned the 2-story high school building, built in 1910, and the old part of Alma Grade School which was added onto in 1955. That same year, a bond issue of $559,000 was approved for classrooms to replace those lost by condemnation. Buildings were completed at the High School and Alma Grade School in 1978. In June of 1978 the old part of Alma Grade School was razed, and in October 1979, Kinmundy High School built in 1910 was razed.

In 1984 Kinmundy-Alma High School and LaGrove High School started sharing a Superintendent; ½ day at each school. Financial difficulties required cutting expenses. By 1985 they were sharing students to better utilize teachers. In 1987 there were 83 LaGrove students coming to K-A in the morning.

Enrollment in September 1985 in Kinmundy, K-6, 346, Jr. High (now at Alma) 67, and High School in Kinmundy 153, for a total of 566 students. Results of Iowa tests given to H.S. students at that time showed us better than average. High School was now offering 2 classes of computer math and 1 class of computer literacy.

In the fall of 1985, the state was putting a lot of pressure on small schools to consolidate. Cuts were made in state aid to promote a sense of urgency. State survey stated our ideal enrollment capacity is 375-400. Farina LaGrove is 420. K-A and LaGrove made a study of curriculum and class in 1987. It showed the advantages of consolidation. Public meetings were held in both districts in 1988, with lots of pros and cons. It became apparent that consolidation was the only solution, if we didn’t want to go to a much larger school.

By 1989 the K-A deficit at the end of the year was projected to be $173,000. That put K-A on the state watch list. The County Judge set the date and polling places for a vote on consolidating K-A and LaGrove districts. A vote was held on 5/23/89 and approved by both districts. (1166 yes and 406 no votes)

The school locations in the new district were decided after a state survey of all buildings. Their recommendation was high school to be at Farina, middle school at Kinmundy and elementary schools at both Farina and Kinmundy.

I have chosen to stop this history with the formation of South Central Community Unit District # 401 in 1989.

Any history of Kinmundy schools is incomplete without the mention of the outstanding school board members, administrators, teachers and other employees throughout these many years. Time and space dictated these be left out of this brief history.

The foregoing facts and figures were gleaned from the school board minutes, old annuals and personal recollections.

"The Kinmundy Express" - July 22, 1948