The History of Farmington Schools

Crystal Nader
Chapman Junior High School, Farmington

The first school in what is now Farmington was in a log cabin on Ahira Jones's property, just north of Farmington. Isaac Cutter taught at this school in 1833. The second school was in a log cabin on South Main Street, not far from the old bank corner, facing South Main Street. Next there was a small school building on North West Fort Street. It was known as the White School. This school quickly became overcrowded, and a brick school was built south of the Presbyterian Church facing the park. After that became too crowded, Hill's Academy was built on North Main Street.

The next and probably the most important school to be built was the first Chapman School. Built in 1866, it was a three-story brick building on East Fort Street. Phineas Chapman donated the land on which it was built. The building cost about thirty thousand dollars. The top floor was used for the high school, while the bottom two stories were used for the lower grades.

On December 9, 1890, Chapman School was destroyed by fire. This was because firefighters could not douse the flames on the shingled roof. Loss of the old Chapman School showed the need for a fire department and a water system. Many people thought that if they had had these two things they probably could have saved the school and years of reconstruction.

The next school was the new Chapman School. Built in 1893 at the cost of twenty-five thousand dollars, it was beautifully designed and had a unique ventilation system. For both these reasons it won a World's Fair First Premium Award.

Next, came the Ward School, built in 1908 on West Fort Street. It later became known as Harris School because John Harris had donated the land.

In 1917 the junior high was built. It was added on to the south part of the Chapman grounds, facing East Vernon Street. This school was originally intended to be used as a high school. Also in 1917 the number of high school students was growing so much that a new building was needed. In 1926 the high school was completed. Then the former high school became home to the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, now the junior high.

Many additions have been made to the schools, most importantly the junior high building. In 1969 the second Chapman building was razed, and a modern one-story classroom wing was added. In addition to that a new gymnasium was also added onto the school.

In 1968-1969 Farmington schools became part of Unified District #324, now named Farmington East District. The communities served were Farmington, Trivioli, Hanna City, Logan School, Smithville, and Middle Grove.

The schools currently in Farmington are the old Harris Schoolwing, built in 1908; the junior high school building, built in 1918; the Farmington East High School, built in 1925 and 1926; the new Harris School wing, built in 1959; and the new Chapman School, built in 1969.

Two former students of the Chapman building remember some interesting history about it. Betty Nader remembers that what is now the cafeteria was once a gym. Betty said that the bleachers were high over the floor. She remembers girls going down to the girls locker room between classes to talk privately. This locker room is still used as a storage type of room, but it is locked. What is now divided into two rooms was once a single huge homeroom for students in the morning and afternoon. The children placed their coats, books, and lunches in this room. It is now divided with a wall and used as a science room and a homeroom. The other half is used as a seventh and sixth grade literature room, sixth grade English room, and also a homeroom.

Helen Fornengo best remembers the first class to enter the junior high and the first class to graduate. This happened between 1939 and 1942. Junior high then consisted of mostly seventh and eighth graders. Helen also remembers the study hall in the afternoon. At the time girls had to wear dresses no matter how cold. She remembers the old gym and the secretary who worked there for many years. The secretary's husband was a teacher there for many years also. Eventually he was called to war. She remembers, in the seventh grade about 1941, being sent with her class to the basement/storage room because it was announced that Pearl Harbor had been bombed and that the United States had declared war. Also the big fir tree on the south side of the school was planted by her and the eighth grade class in remembrance of them, being the first class to graduate.—[From Helen Hollandsworth Clark, ed., A History of Fulton County Illinois in Spoon River Country 1818-1968; Farmington Sesquicentennial Committee, Farmington: We Remember Home; Farmington Sesquicentennial, 1834-1984; student historian's interview with Helen Fornengo, Farmington, Illinois, Feb. 25, 1998; "History of Farmington, Illinois: Schools," Vertical File, Chapman Junior High School Library; student historian's interview with Betty Nader, Farmington, Illinois, Feb. 25, 1998.]

20 ILLINOIS HISTORY/ DECEMBER 1998