Springfield Southeast High School history

1865: New building opens at Fourth and Madison streets.

The elementary school, named after teacher and school administrator Frederick Feitshans, originally opened in 1886.

In 1893, the community rose to the challenge and completed a three-winged school house for grades 1-12.

4, 1897: Central High School opens.

Phil Shadid discusses the short-lived Converse High School on the Illinois High School Glory Days website (linked above). Springfield High School’s history up to 1916 is covered on that school’s web site (also linked above).

4, 1917: Springfield High School opens at 101 S. Lewis St (the site formerly was Forest Park and, before that, the Hutchinson Cemetery). With a construction cost of $500,000, the new school had capacity for 1,500 students.

By 1921 Holland had a centralized school system with nine teachers and 300 students.

In 1925 a grassroots effort took place to fund a gymnasium.

3, 1929: Feitshans High School opens in a building at 1101 S. 15th St that formerly had been an elementary school.

A swimming pool was built behind Holland Elementary in the mid 1930's.

Springfield High was established in 1931.

Andy Wasilewski on Chinkapin Bridgeeditor on Chinkapin Bridgecvance on Chinkapin BridgeBetty J McAfee on The Kelley (Kelly) familyeditor on Wife poisonings, 1941

In 1947 the Memorial Football Stadium was built at a cost of over $11,000.

In 1960 Holland High School became Springfield High School and changed its mascot from the Holland Blue Zippers to the Springfield Blue Devils.

6, 1967: Southeast High School opens at 2350 E. Ash St, replacing Feitshans.

The district began planning for it circa 2009.

As of 2018 the estimated cost was $130 million.