Springfield High School
From Lane Co Oregon
Contents |
History
Foundation
By 1854 Springfield had its first school, probably near 7th Street and B Street, and a teacher, Agnes Stewart. By 1870, the population of Springfield had grown to nearly 650 before the Oregon and California Railroad was persuaded to cross the Willamette near Harrisburg and go through Eugene. River navigators also could not get beyond the Eugene area to Springfield except during floods. The developments were a severe blow to Springfield to the extent that the population dwindled less than 400 by 1890.[1]
Although progress was slowed, Springfield continued to refine its town. In 1885 the two-room school house at Mill Street and D Streets had over 60 students. Eugene with the railroad and a university, was developing much faster as a service and trade center.[1]
For Springfield, change came in 1891 with a rail line and a new steel bridge. By then, Springfield had two schools in addition to three hotels, three churches, two groceries, a meat market, a shoe store, a drug store, two blacksmiths and a couple of general merchandise stores.[1]
Education was limited to the eighth grade, which was a concern for those who sought higher education at the university. It was also a concern for those who taught at the university. Incoming students were rarely prepared for the requirements of a university education and needed extra preparatory help. By the mid 1890s the University of Oregon president was encouraging the establishment of high schools to help serve this need. Eugene was already graduating more than 100 students from its eighth grade. Springfield had barely 10 percent of that number. By 1900, the population of Springfield still languished around 350. However, the milling boom was beginning, and in 1902, a large modern and economical mill was built in Springfield by the Booth-Kelly Company. In less than 10 years the population of Springfield grew to about 2,500.[1]
The earliest records of SHS activities include reports or student performances. In an April 1909 edition of the student publication Nonpariel, Lloyd Emery, an SHS junior at the time, reports that the traditional senior play was expanded to include the entire school population to perform "The Devil in Society." Apparently late rehearsals were as common then as now. The writer went on to say, "it does not seem to agree with the High School pupils to stay up late for a few nights in succession, for the day after the play it kept the teachers busy keeping the pupils awake." He added, though, "but it was worth the time and the sleep lost, just the same."[3]
1910s
By 1912, 70 students had enrolled in the school. Early in the 1913-1914 school year, the students initiated a campaign to encourage prospective pupils to enroll at SHS. They strung a large canvas downtown to advertise the school and even made personal visits to enlist more youths. By February, the student population nearly reached the 100 mark. According to the SHS Annual, "when on February 27, it was discovered that the one-hundredth student was actually in attendance, the enthusiasm of the school knew no bounds and a holiday, to celebrate the occasion, was voted by the students and approved by the Board of Directors." The students then proceeded to parade the main streets of Springfield in the drizzling rain, led by a bugler and an array of banners and placards announcing the holiday.[2]
By all accounts, the student body of that year was a tightly knit group of friends who showed great enthusiasm for their school. Junior Walter Bailey, the President of the Student Body, wrote an essay in the 1914 Annual titled "Why Springfield High Is the School for Me." Bailey, who attended Eugene High School as a freshman, wrote, "I have nothing to say against the Purple and the White, but I have a great deal to say for the Blue and the White. I can say without exaggeration that I never met a more congenial and cordial group of students than I found in Springfield." Bailey notes the lack of cliques at his school and the general spirit of unity among the student body. "We are many in number but one in strength and purpose."[2]
[1] The Millers: History of Springfield High School, editor Pat Albright, 8-9.
[2] Ibid., 12.
[3] Ibid., 24.
Administration
Springfield High School Principals
Flavius Roberts 1906-1907
H.C. Baughman 1907-1912
J.E. Torbert 1923-1924
L.E. Marschatt 1935-1936
Glen Martin 1936-1938
Cecil H. Davis 1938-1944
Owen Sabin 1944-1952
Warne Empey 1952-1956
Dale Parnell 1956-1961
Charles Smith 1961-1964
Ron Schiessl 1985-1994
Gene Heinle 1994-
Springfield High Head Coaches
Football Coaches
"Mack" McFadden 1921
Harold Barto 1922
Walter Finwick 1927
Marion Hall 1933-1937
Eldon Fix 1937-1941
John Young 1943-1944, 1948
Bob Johnson 1946
Paul Evenson 1950-1951
George Zellick 1952-1954
Hal Whitbeck 1958-1959
Shelby Price 1962-1964
Lee Insko 1965
JC Johnson 1966
Jack Morris 1968-1970
Bob Harris 1971-1976
Vern Allers 1977-1979
Chuck Burns 1979-1983
Bob McKenzie 1984-1993
Ron Simmons 1994-1998
Boys Basketball Coaches
PM Stroud 1914-1915
Rex Putnam 1916-
Ben Davidson 1922
Harold Barto 1923
Lester Wilcox 1924
Walter Fenwick 1927
Marion Hall 1933-1934
Robert Chatterson 1935-1936
Harold Santee 1937
Eldon Fix 1938-1942
John Young 1945
Paul Johnston 1946-1947
Kernal Buhloer 1948
Stan Williamson 1949-1953
Roger Wiley 1954
Bill O'Neal 1955-1961
Dave Powell 1963
Ivan Harshbarger 1964-1967
JC Johnson 1968-1974
Gary Morton 1975-1979
Steve Everitt 1980-1981
Jim Fryback 1982-1993
Chuck Roberts 1994
Gene Morgan 1995-1996
Armand Lake 1997-1998
Entertainment
Plays
1908-1909 The Devil in Society
1909-1913 No record available.
1913-1914 Mr. Bob
1914-1915 The Big Four Minstrels
1915-1916 Galliger
1916-1919 No record available
1919-1920 Me An'Otis
1920-1921 Kernel's Maid
Timothy Delano's Courtship
Home Ties
1921-1922 The White Shawl
Frank Gynn's Wife
Engaged By Wednesday
My Irish Rose
Bachelor Hall
1922-1923 When a Man's Single
When a Feller Needs a Friend
1923-1924 Squaring it With the Boss
All a Mistake
1924-1926 No record Available
1926-1927 Eliza Comes to Stay
The Whole Town's Talking
1927-1932 No record available
1932-1933 Nothing But the Truth
Kempy
1933-1934 Adam and Eva
1934-1935 The Whole Town's Talking
Hulda of Holland
Tommy
1935-1936 Peg O' My Heart
Paper Prayers
Once There was a Princess
1936-1937 Sonia, The Girl from Russia
The Patsy
Jonesy
1937-1938 Tune In
Spring Fever
The Heathers at Home
1938-1939 Happy - Go - Lucky
Heart Trouble
1939-1940 Margie Goes Modern
Apron String Revolt
News Publications
Nonpareil (1908-?), Edna Nickerson (editor, 1909)
The Headlight, Walter Bailey (editor, 1915)
SHS Tattler (1918-1924). A column printed weekly in the Springfield News.
1921-1922 Mable Humphrey (editor)
1922-1923 Alfred Townsend (editor)
The Go-Getter (1924-?)
1923-1924 Pauline Jack (editor).
Yearbooks
Nonpariel (Senior Edition) 1910-1911. Olive M. Smith (Editor), D.C. Baughman (Advisor)
High School Annual 1913-1914. Herbert Hansen (Editor)
1914-1915. Walter Bailey (Editor)
1915-1916. Orson Vaughn (Editor), Verna Tagg and Rex Putnam (Advisors).
