HR1203 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1203 LRB095 20792 KXB 49479 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In 1850, the county of DuPage was divided into nine townships, and in 1855, the Illinois legislature passed a law that allowed the State to use tax money to support local public schools; School District 45 was created in April 1857, in the town of York (York Township); in June 1857 the directors purchased two lots (at $10 each) to build the first school, and they borrowed $250.00 at 10% to begin construction; the school was located at the corner of St. Charles Road and Meyers Road and was called Meyers Road School; and

WHEREAS, The total cost of the school, including the furnishings and the coal for the first year, was $872.95; the schoolhouse was completed in December 1857 and school started on December 24, 1857; there were only 19 families in the district when the school opened; the first teacher was N.N. Johnson, who taught and did the janitorial work for the first four-month term for a salary of $33.00 per month; during the early years, the length of District 45 school terms varied from five to 10 months in length, with some school records showing a six-month summer term and a two-month winter term; and

WHEREAS, By 1895 there were still only 29 families in the district; the total expense for the school including teacher's wages, coal, and repairs was $250.00; teachers' salaries ranged from $10 (with room and board) to $33 per month, sometimes with a stipend for kindling the daily schoolroom fires; District 9 became District 45 and new schools were built; and

WHEREAS, By 1902 the district had been renamed District 45; in 1908 a referendum was held for the purpose of expansion, and by a vote of 83 to 5, it was decided to abandon the 50-year-old Meyers Road School and to issue bonds for $7,000 to build a new school in the subdivision of Ardmore; in 1912, the new four-room Ardmore School was opened with 59 pupils; by 1916, the district had 148 pupils and a budget of $5,000 for the education fund and $3,000 for the building fund; in 1916 another referendum approved $18,000 to put the first addition on to Ardmore School, including four new classrooms, a hall, and an office; by this time, there was a full-time principal and eight teachers; and

WHEREAS, By 1922 the enrollment had risen to 322 pupils, making it legally necessary to increase the school board from three members to seven members; in anticipation of further post-World War I growth, the voters approved a series of referenda to approve construction of four more schools: Lincoln and Washington Schools in 1924; Westmore School (Lombard) in 1926; and Franklin School in 1927; by 1925, school enrollment had reached 600 and it was necessary to hire a full-time superintendent of schools; Superintendent H.E. Hinkel came in the 1925-1926 school year and served as superintendent through the 1948-1949 school year; by the time Superintendent Hinkel left in 1948, he had seen the beginnings of a tremendous expansion of the village and the school population; and

WHEREAS, In 1950, the plans were laid so that 95% of the pupils would be within walking distance from their homes; during the years from 1950 to 1971, 10 more schools were opened, including Jackson Junior High (1953) and Jefferson Junior High (1962); neighborhood schools included Edgewood (1955); Madison (1956); North (1956); Schafer (1957); York Center (1958); Iowa (1962); High Ridge (1967); and Stevenson (1971); and

WHEREAS, By 1970, the school population had reached 6,910 students; from 1980 to 1982, eight schools were closed; during the next two years, the community faced the disappointment and upheaval of eight neighborhood schools being closed; and

WHEREAS, During the 1982-1983 school year District 45 celebrated its 125th anniversary; on June 6, 1983, the district buried a time capsule in Veterans Memorial Park (now Cortesi Park) on Kenilworth across from the old post office; the capsule contained memorabilia from the 125th year and items popular with the students in 1983; with assistance from the Villa Park Parks and Recreation Department the capsule was unearthed on March 27, 2008; and

WHEREAS, Many changes have occurred in the last 25 years; in 1995 the school established the District 45 Foundation for Excellence in Education to raise funds for innovative and creative instructional programs that cannot be funded through the normal operations budget; in 2007-2008, the 150th anniversary year, school population stands at 3537 with a staff of 487; and

WHEREAS, The population of District 45 has become much more diverse in terms of ethnic and racial makeup; at least 38 different languages are now spoken by District 45 students; language programs for non-native English speakers and cultural and social programs address the diversity of the district and the village; and

WHEREAS, Today, School District 45 is the home a of 2006 Blue Ribbon School, two Illinois Spotlight Schools, the recipient of an Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity ZERO Waste Grant, as well as the Carol M. White Physical Education Grant; all eight school buildings have been remodeled and additions have been built at seven; all students and staff have Internet access; and all eight schools and the district have shown significant progress in student achievement under the No Child Left Behind Act; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the staff and faculty of School District 45 on a rich history of providing quality education to the many students who have passed through the school doors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to a representative of School District 45 as a symbol of our sincere respect.