1890's
First high schoolers meet jointly with students from Wheaton, but because Wheaton voters do not want to create a joint high school with Glen Ellyn, Wheaton organizes a high school alone.
1892-1895
Glen Ellyn Hotel stood near, but not on, Honeysuckle Hill. In the photo, below, you can see Honeysuckle Hill to the right of the hotel. An imposing four-story Victorian structure, it opens in 1892 on a ridge overlooking Lake Ellyn. Located near five mineral springs, the 135-room hotel draws visitors not only from Chicago but from around the country. Water from the springs is touted as an aid to health, and mud from around the springs is packaged and sold as an aid to complexion. A fire destroys the hotel in 1895.
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1894: First Class of Glen Ellyn High School
The Seeds of a High School
To write the history of Glenbard is to pursue the paths of education in this community as it has developed since the first settlers came Westward, erected their log cabins and schoolhouses, and carved a new home on the prairie. As the new America approached maturity, so did its system of education; as the years passed, the one room, eight-grade schoolhouse was deemed inadequate for the technical, specialized world emerging in the late nineteenth century. In the larger cities first, and then in the smaller villages, like Lombard and Glen Ellyn, the high school rose to supplement the existing schools.
When a large school was erected in Glen Ellyn in the1890's, one of the rooms was devoted to a "course of advanced study." The project was allowed to lapse, however, because national depression caused financial resources to dwindle.
Despite its short existence, the high school course created interest in secondary education (among the villagers) and is definitely a forerunner of Glenbard. Over the years the possibility of a local high school was raised time and again; the voters consistently refused to ratify any union with Wheaton in this endeavor. Finally, Wheaton organized her high school alone, and Glen Ellyn students were sent there on a tuition basis. This did not meet the needs of the village; but for the time being, at least, the situation seemed to be satisfactory.
When a large school was erected in Glen Ellyn in the1890's, one of the rooms was devoted to a "course of advanced study." The project was allowed to lapse, however, because national depression caused financial resources to dwindle.
Despite its short existence, the high school course created interest in secondary education (among the villagers) and is definitely a forerunner of Glenbard. Over the years the possibility of a local high school was raised time and again; the voters consistently refused to ratify any union with Wheaton in this endeavor. Finally, Wheaton organized her high school alone, and Glen Ellyn students were sent there on a tuition basis. This did not meet the needs of the village; but for the time being, at least, the situation seemed to be satisfactory.
1915 to 1919: Honeysuckle Hill and School Board President Louise J. Thiele
When Wheaton raised the tuition rates in the fall of 1915, Glen Ellyn residents, through their grammar school board of education, established their own high school. The increased tuition rates may have been the result of some resentment of having Glen Ellyn students at the Wheaton school.
State Superintendent of Education Francis Blair telephoned his department's recognition of the new school to County Superintendent R. T. Morgan on September 15. A portion of the DuPage County Bank Building was rented for classrooms and on Monday, October 4, over fifty scholars in the freshman and sophomore classes assembled there.
Two teachers Arthur M. Holtzman and Miss Erin McMechan, had been employed to supervise them. Mr. Holtzman was a graduate of North Central College at Naperville and had been teaching at a private school in Dundee.
Once organized, the high school grew rapidly: first report cards - - with grades on a percentage basis - - were issued on November 12, and the new school's football team played its first game with Wheaton's second string on November 19. The result was a 20 - 6 defeat for Glen Ellyn.
At its organization, the Glen Ellyn High School offered a two-year course. It soon became apparent, however, that the grammar school board did not have the taxing power to finance the establishment of a complete, four-year high school. An election was held, and a separate board of education, consisting of Louis J. Thiele, president; Mrs. Ralph Treadway, secretary; and Mrs. Calvin Berger, Sidney Badger, B.E. Curtis, Dan Norman, and W. W. Reed organized the Glen Ellyn Township High School on December 27,1915. Under a 1911 act of the Illinois legislature, the high school could be placed on this basis, and the new board optimistically perfected plans for the future.
No class could graduate the first spring, but the board made arrangements for more classrooms during the summer of 1916 by adding a third floor to the bank building. The following September, seventeen members of the senior class who had been attending Wheaton High School began their last year in Glen Ellyn. This class, the first to be graduated, gave leadership to the school and initiated many extracurricular activities before they graduated. Their graduation was held in the high school’s auditorium on June 7, 1917.
At this time, the faculty numbered five teachers and the principal.
The act, under which the high school was organized, was declared unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court in November 1916. The situation thus arising left the school without legal backing, and many moments of anxiety followed. As over one hundred other schools in the state were similarly affected, the State Superintendent of Education advised the local authorities to continue operation of the school. A bill was passed by the State Legislature in early 1917, which gave the school the necessary legal foundation.
As mentioned earlier, Louis J. Thiele served as president of the school board for years. Sadly, his name and efforts are largely forgotten. His name is just not the household name that Fred Biester enjoyed, but Mr. Thiele’s service needs to be mentioned here. First of all, he served on the school board for decades. Not only was he instrumental in the genesis of Glenbard High School, but he also was the person who hired Fred L. Biester.
From Louis J. Thiele’s obituary:
He was born in Chicago, married 16 May 1899 to Miss Anna K. Houge, and came to Glen Ellyn to live in 1902. For a number of years he was a salesman for Sprague Warner and company. Mr. Thiele was an outstanding citizen of Glen Ellyn. He was interested in establishing the early "Glen Ellyan" newspaper He directed the Glen Ellyn Orchestra at its first concert on 1 December 1912, and assisted the Glen Ellyn Musical club through its first season, 1913-14. Mr. Thiele started the high school Glee club and directed it in 1917-18. He was a member of the Mendelssohn club of Chicago. The first president of the high school board, which later became the Glenbard board., he continued in this position for 14 years. He was instrumental in formation of the Illinois State School Board Association, in starting health supervision in the village schools and hiring the first health nurse. Together with William H. Baethke, Mr. Thiele started a survey of the village for the formation of Grace Lutheran church in 1908. For years he directed the church choir. Mr. Thiele always supported betterment and beautification projects for Glen Ellyn during his long residence here.
State Superintendent of Education Francis Blair telephoned his department's recognition of the new school to County Superintendent R. T. Morgan on September 15. A portion of the DuPage County Bank Building was rented for classrooms and on Monday, October 4, over fifty scholars in the freshman and sophomore classes assembled there.
Two teachers Arthur M. Holtzman and Miss Erin McMechan, had been employed to supervise them. Mr. Holtzman was a graduate of North Central College at Naperville and had been teaching at a private school in Dundee.
Once organized, the high school grew rapidly: first report cards - - with grades on a percentage basis - - were issued on November 12, and the new school's football team played its first game with Wheaton's second string on November 19. The result was a 20 - 6 defeat for Glen Ellyn.
At its organization, the Glen Ellyn High School offered a two-year course. It soon became apparent, however, that the grammar school board did not have the taxing power to finance the establishment of a complete, four-year high school. An election was held, and a separate board of education, consisting of Louis J. Thiele, president; Mrs. Ralph Treadway, secretary; and Mrs. Calvin Berger, Sidney Badger, B.E. Curtis, Dan Norman, and W. W. Reed organized the Glen Ellyn Township High School on December 27,1915. Under a 1911 act of the Illinois legislature, the high school could be placed on this basis, and the new board optimistically perfected plans for the future.
No class could graduate the first spring, but the board made arrangements for more classrooms during the summer of 1916 by adding a third floor to the bank building. The following September, seventeen members of the senior class who had been attending Wheaton High School began their last year in Glen Ellyn. This class, the first to be graduated, gave leadership to the school and initiated many extracurricular activities before they graduated. Their graduation was held in the high school’s auditorium on June 7, 1917.
At this time, the faculty numbered five teachers and the principal.
The act, under which the high school was organized, was declared unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court in November 1916. The situation thus arising left the school without legal backing, and many moments of anxiety followed. As over one hundred other schools in the state were similarly affected, the State Superintendent of Education advised the local authorities to continue operation of the school. A bill was passed by the State Legislature in early 1917, which gave the school the necessary legal foundation.
As mentioned earlier, Louis J. Thiele served as president of the school board for years. Sadly, his name and efforts are largely forgotten. His name is just not the household name that Fred Biester enjoyed, but Mr. Thiele’s service needs to be mentioned here. First of all, he served on the school board for decades. Not only was he instrumental in the genesis of Glenbard High School, but he also was the person who hired Fred L. Biester.
From Louis J. Thiele’s obituary:
He was born in Chicago, married 16 May 1899 to Miss Anna K. Houge, and came to Glen Ellyn to live in 1902. For a number of years he was a salesman for Sprague Warner and company. Mr. Thiele was an outstanding citizen of Glen Ellyn. He was interested in establishing the early "Glen Ellyan" newspaper He directed the Glen Ellyn Orchestra at its first concert on 1 December 1912, and assisted the Glen Ellyn Musical club through its first season, 1913-14. Mr. Thiele started the high school Glee club and directed it in 1917-18. He was a member of the Mendelssohn club of Chicago. The first president of the high school board, which later became the Glenbard board., he continued in this position for 14 years. He was instrumental in formation of the Illinois State School Board Association, in starting health supervision in the village schools and hiring the first health nurse. Together with William H. Baethke, Mr. Thiele started a survey of the village for the formation of Grace Lutheran church in 1908. For years he directed the church choir. Mr. Thiele always supported betterment and beautification projects for Glen Ellyn during his long residence here.
The German Incident: WWI and Mr. Holtzman
Louis Thiele also navigated an especially tenuous time in the early life of the high school. America entered World War I on April 2, 1917. In March of 1918, a signed petition was given to the school board demanding that the teaching of German be eliminated from the curriculum. The petition read:
“We the undersigned citizens of Glen Ellyn hereby petition you to discontinue at once the teaching of the German language in Glen Ellyn High School. The world is in a great fight for democracy. The evidence is overwhelming that the German government recognizes that the teaching of German in our schools is a great aid to its cause. Sworn testimony before the senate committee investigating the German-American alliance has been given by German born officers showing that they used their greatest efforts to have their language taught in our school to aid propaganda. Germany and German ideals stand for all that is abhorrent to a democratic people. Let our boys over there know that German propaganda is not encouraged in Glen Ellyn schools.”
“We the undersigned citizens of Glen Ellyn hereby petition you to discontinue at once the teaching of the German language in Glen Ellyn High School. The world is in a great fight for democracy. The evidence is overwhelming that the German government recognizes that the teaching of German in our schools is a great aid to its cause. Sworn testimony before the senate committee investigating the German-American alliance has been given by German born officers showing that they used their greatest efforts to have their language taught in our school to aid propaganda. Germany and German ideals stand for all that is abhorrent to a democratic people. Let our boys over there know that German propaganda is not encouraged in Glen Ellyn schools.”
The School Board Eliminates German from Curriculum
The school board acted on the petition, eliminating German from the curriculum. A German Club would not form at Glenbard West until 1962. What is not known is how Mr. Arthur Holtzman, Glen Ellyn High School’s principal, became a lightning rod for controversy. Somehow, his German last name caused Glen Ellyn citizens to question his patriotism, urging his to prove his patriotism by joining the United States military. Citizens became incensed when they learned, erroneously, that school board requested a military exemption. In several back-and-forth newspaper articles, it was Louis Thiele who finally clarified that the school board did not request a military exemption for Holtzman, but a deferment should his draft number be called.
Incredibly, the March 30, 1918 Tribune printed an article that added to the tense situation. The article stated that not only did the school board eliminate German, but that Holzman was fired. The article even called Arthur Holzman “Prof. Fritz,” a derogatory term for a German man. In a letter to the Glen Ellyn papers, Thiele explained that Holzman was perfectly willing to be called into service, but that the school board had asked that, should his number be called, please allow Holzman to finish out the school year. One interesting fact is that, while Arthur Holtzman was an American Citizen, he was born Canadian. His mother was French, and his father had immigrated to Canada from Germany. |
Holtzman Resigns to Enter U. S. Military
It is unclear why, but Mr. Holtzman resigned in May 1918 to enter military service. Perhaps the patriotic crisis or anti-German sentiment ushered him out. Perhaps he was asked to resign. Neither of these are confirmed.
What is known is that he had given several years of diligent work to the community in the establishment of its high school, and he left his work to the regret of many of the villagers. He suggested that the board select as his successor Mr. Fred L. Biester, with whom he had had contact in Y. M. C. A. work. The new principal, a native of Belvidere, Illinois, was a graduate of North Central College at Naperville. He had taught three years at Naperville and one at East Aurora. Mr. Biester came to the school in the fall of 1918. |