EDUCATION

HISTORY OF THE WALNUT HIGH SCHOOL

The Walnut High School started when the tenth and eleventh grades were added to the school in 1884. The first graduating class in 1890 consisted of two members - Minnie Axtell and Viola Clayton.

Minnie Axtell and Viola Clayton, the entire class of 1890

Program at First Graduating Class of Walnut High School, 1890

Of the two hundred fifteen students in 1895, thirty-three of these were high school students with a faculty of two. A four year high school was organized around 1900. To comply with the Community High School law passed in 1917 a board of education was elected. These members were Wallace Bass Sr., Ira White, Foster Black, Howard Keigwin, and Louis Gonigam.

Walnut H.S. Baseball Team, 1907

First Girls Basketball Team, 1908

In 1918 Mr. C.C. Decker was elected principal. The need for larger accommodations soon became apparent. It was proposed to build a new High School and an election that was held to float the $90,000 bond issue was almost unanimously accepted. During this time a new Board of Education was elected. They were Louis Gonigam, George Westphal, G.W. Dahl, Howard Keigwin, and S.W. Hopkins. The school buildng, with a cost of $100,000 was completed in 1922 and was occupied by January 1, 1923. The first principal was Mr. Charles Melton.

Original Present High School Building

1923 Girls Basketball Teams

In 1924 the new Community High School was eligible for membership in the North Central Association. Several changes have been made or added to the original building. In 1934 new tile floors were laid in the gym and Home Economics Departrnent. The principal's home was moved from the lower campus to an area back of the school building. This home was remodeled in 1935.

The memorial fountain was left by the class of 1936 and the memorial gateway to the parking lot was left by the classes of 1937 and 1938. In 1936 the entire heating system was reconstructed and a temperature control was added. The Home Ec. Department was remodeled and the auditoriurn redecorated, the stage enlarged and a modernistic balcony made. A thirty by eighty-three foot farm shop was completed in 1942 and a thirty by forty-five foot addition was made in 1951. During 1958 and 1959 the gymnasiumn was enclosed and fire screens installed. In 1961 a 36 foot addition was added to the farm shop. A new agriculture addition was completed and the music department was moved to the north end of the agriculture building. This move made two additional classrooms available in the main building. In the surnmer of 1963 a new industrial arts department was added. On May 8, 1965 the people of Walnut voted to give the High School Board of Education the authority to (1) construct and equip an addition to and to alter and repair the existing High School building; (2) Issue $250,000 in bonds to finance the building program. The new addition was completed in 1967, and provided space for a large new Business departrnent, a new Library, a new Home Economics Departrnent, a large Science Laboratory, Music and Band roorns, Math, English and Social Studies classrooms.

Present High School Building (1972)

The enrollment of 1971-1972 is 212 students with 14 teachers, two custodians, a secretary, bookkeeper, and the principal, Mr. Stephen LaRussa. In addition to the required subjects the students have many electives which can be found in French, Spanish, Art, Music, Speech, Industrial Arts, Home Economics, and Agriculture. Remedial classes are provided in areas needed and a Guidance Counseller is provided for all students. The High School is now affiliated with the Whiteside Vocational School in Sterling and daily transports students to this school for training in many vocational fields. A complete Athletic program is carried out for the students. The school belongs to the Blackhawk Conference and participates in baseball, basketball, track events and football competition. The philosophy of education of Walnut Community High School recognizes that each student is a unique individual; that he is an active participant in the learning process and program. The educational program is primarily concerned with imparting knowledge and the developrnent of skills, limited in extent only by the student's capacity to learn. The development of interests, appreciations, ideals, values and attitudes, and the functioning of all these elements in a democratic society also is regarded as essential to a sound comprehensive educational program.

Driver Education, 1972 - Marcia Swanson, Jack Kelcher