“Round building” rings a bell doesn’t it? That’s just one of the nicknames of Thornridge High School.
Welcome to Thornridge High School in Dolton Illinois. It is located about 20 miles south of Chicago. Thornridge first opened in 1960.
Imagine onion fields. Thornridge High School was built on them. The school was the second in District 205. Voters approved a referendum. Construction began after a bond issue in 1957.
When Thornridge opened its doors on February 2 1960 only 1025 students entered. There were freshmen sophomores and juniors. The school also had 50 faculty members. Students moved from cramped quarters at Thornton High School. They found a spacious school with brightly painted walls. It had modern equipment. The school would eventually house 3000 students. This was expected when all buildings were complete.
The C building wasn’t built until 1964. The school was U shaped. Windows didn’t initially open. The auditorium was distinctive. Thornridge quickly became known as the school with the round building. Without the C building social studies foreign language speech and English were all housed in the second floor of B Building.
Traveling from the second floor of B Building to D Building often meant using the fire escape. People walked through sawdust or mud. This was due to the unfinished grounds. Landscaping permanent paths and enclosed breezeways eventually came. They gave Thornridge a finished appearance.
Later it was discovered that the air circulation system didn’t function properly. Air conditioning was installed. Thornridge also took on a new look. Most windows were removed for energy conservation.
Enrollment soared through the 60s. It reached a record 5269 students in 1970. Thornridge implemented split shifts in 1968. This accommodated the increasing student population. District 205 saw the need for a third school. Thornwood was completed in 1971.
Boundaries in the district changed in 1967. Thornridge became integrated. Mr Pershing Broome was hired in 1964 as a student counselor. He was the first African American teacher. Boundaries were redrawn after Thornwood opened. The 70s saw a steady decline to an enrollment of 2070 in 1985. This was Thornridge’s 25th anniversary.
The educational philosophy was excellence in education. This was established from the beginning. Pride in Thornridge’s sports and activities began to take shape. An identity needed to be established. SCOT or Student Council of Thornridge was formed. From there the Thornridge mascot was established. It is the Falcon a Scottish hunting bird. An actual Falcon was used for some years. Wing Ding was born in 1963. He is a caricature of the Falcon. For years he has been featured in cartoon strips. These are in the Bagpipe student newspaper. He also appears on the athletic field as a student mascot.
The school’s newspaper was named the Bagpipe. This was in keeping with the Scottish theme. The Yearbook was named the Piper. He is a Bagpipe player. Mr John Pierce wrote the school song in 1960. He was the choral teacher. Thornridge is one of the few schools in the area with an original school song. It wasn’t taken from a college fight song.
Students can visit the Wall of Fame. It is on the first floor of D building. They can see classmates who have contributed to the school’s rich history. They can also see students past and present. These students achieved academic excellence. They also gained sports recognition and fame.
Today Thornridge High School continues its tradition of excellence. It serves the communities of Dolton Harvey South Holland and more. It is known for its success in performing arts and public speaking. The school’s athletic teams compete in the Southland Athletic Conference. They are known as the Falcons. Remember “We are TR”.