Norris City Schools

1909 Norris City School
Overview
1871 Gum Prairie, First Norris City Grade School
UNK. 1908 Little Red School House
1909 1926 Single Story Brick Building
1926 1948 Norris City High School, District 181
1949 1953 Norris City Community Unit Number 3 High School
1953 1985 Norris City-Omaha (NCO) Community Unit Number 3 High School
1985 Present Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (NCOE) Community Unit Number 3 High School
1871 First grade school built in Norris City was called “Gum Prairie School” in School District 6, located west of the center of Section 28 in Indian Creek Township and west of current high school on land of W. A. Johnson, GPS 37.9736,88.33151
UNK First Grade School in city limits on south side of Third Street between Division and Forrest Streets replacing Gum Prairie.1
UNK "Little Red School House" built north of the Grade School that was built around 1926, where the merry-go-round was. It was torn down around 1908.7
DateEvent
1901Keller & Fuller Map shows school building at Third and Powell Streets.2
1909Norris City School District No. 28, School building bonds issued, assessed valuation at $493,435.3
1926Norris City Township High School District 181 established.4
1934Norris City School District No. 181 requested 17,000 loan received $6,000 for high school.5
1948Bonds issued and new high school construction started.4
1949Norris City Community Unit School District Number 3 created from merger of 19 rural one-room schools with Norris City School System. Eighth through twelfth grades held at new high school building. First through seventh grades housed at Old Grade School Building.4
1950A low cost, high capacity, gym designed by Ralph Legeman of Evansville, IN was completed. The playing floor and nine rows of seating were below ground. Spectators entered the building at the top bleacher. The angled roof was supported by steel trusses bent at an angle, at Norris City approximately 30 degrees.5
1953-54Omaha High School consolidated into Norris City-Omaha (NCO) Community Unit Number 3 High School.4
1985-86Norris City-Omaha-Enfiled (NCOE) Community Unit Number 3 High School created when Enfield High School merged with NCO. District contains 210 square miles from White, Gallatin, and Hamilton Counties.4
1 - Mark Wheeler provided article, no date.
2 - White County, Illinois, Published by Keller & Fuller in 1901
3 - The Commercial and Financial Chronicle, v. 89, Pt. 2, Oct-Dec. 1909
4 - Edward Oliver, Villager’s Voice, May 25, 2016
5 - 1934 Report of Public Works Administration
6 - Remember Roberts Stadium http://remember robertsstadium.blogspot.com/ 2011/05/legend-of- ralph-legeman.html
7 - Edward Oliver Email
Norris City Loyalty
Here’s to the Cardinal and the white,
Here’s to our honor and our might,
Here’s to our love of honesty
And my our courage always be.
Here’s to our Alma mater brave,
And May our colors always wave.
To name a victory for Norris City,
Here’s to the Cardinal and the white.

Norris City School 1931

1931 Cardinal

Norris City's New High School with Gym 1935
General Contractors
D. E. Parker, Carmi
David Sloss, St. Louis

1935 Cardinal

Norris City's New High School North Side

1935 Cardinal

Norris City's New High School South East Side

1935 Cardinal

Norris City School 1946

1946 Cardinal

Norris City School 1947

1947 Cardinal

Legemen Drawing of New High School

1948 Cardinal

On July 1st, 1948, ground was broken for the new Norris City High School building. The facility included a 450-seat auditorium and a gymnasium with a capacity for 3,500 people. Eighth through twelfth grades are housed at the new high school building.

In 1949, Norris City Community Unit Number 3 High School was created by merging 19 rural one-room schools with the Norris City School System.

In 1953, Omaha High School joined Norris City forming the Norris City-Omaha (NCO) Community Unit Number 3 High School.

1949 Cardinal Yearbook
Edward Oliver, Villager’s Voice, May 25, 2016

New Norris City High School Features

1949 Cardinal

Ralph Legeman of Evansville, IN designed the new high school at Norris City including a gym that was first of its kind in southern Illinois. Both the playing floor (70' x 110') and nine rows of bleachers were below ground. Spectators entered the building at the top bleacher. The roof was supported by steel trusses bent at an angle. Mr. Legeman designed 27 other gymnasiums and licensed 10 more including Evansville's Roberts Stadium.

Remember Roberts Stadium
He Dreamed It Up on a Sleepless Night, Evansville Press, September 1, 1949

Public Sale of One Room School Houses

Norris City Library

Norris City High School West Hallway

1950 Cardinal

Norris City Grade School

1969 Cardinal

New Cafeteria Added by Gym
Norris City Grade School

1970 Cardinal

Norris City High School 1972

1972 Cardinal

In 1953, Omaha High School in Gallatin County consolidated into Norris City-Omaha (NCO) Community Unit Number 3 High School.

1957 Cardinal

Norris City High School Gym Floor

AACER Sports Flooring

Norris City High School Gym Floor

AACER Sports Flooring

Former Norris City Grade School West Side, 2019

David Cantrell

Former Norris City Grade School North Side, 2019

David Cantrell

Former Norris City Grade School South Side, 2019

David Cantrell

Norris City Grade School Then and 2019

David Cantrell