This article will cover the history of Elmwood Park High School and its time, including information directly from the decade wall and from other sources as well, starting with the…

1950s

In the early 1950s, the people of Elmwood Park sent their children to other communities to get to high school. Residents came together in order to build a high school that was much more convenient.

In 1954, Elmwood Park High School began teaching its first freshman class. While in construction, some students had classes at Elmwood Elementary, and others had to attend nearby high schools.

By the fall of 1955, it opened its doors for the first students. Construction was officially completed in 1956. 

Despite the high school being constructed in such a short period of time, many extracurricular activities, such as athletics, theater, and the school newspaper, were immediately available to students. 

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1960s

The 1960s built onto the high school’s founding, as students’ families and staff members of Elmwood Park continued to settle into their new building. 

Some of the club activities included the student newspaper “The Epic,” the yearbook “The Scroll,” and the “informal Egghead Society.” For many years, Elmwood Park High School sent a team to compete on the show It’s Academic which was broadcast on WMAQ.

In the 1960s, EPHS was heavily involved in the American Field Service (AFS) program, which offered foreign exchange opportunities to students. Some students the high school hosted were from Japan, Iceland, and South African. AFS students from EPHS went to countries including Germany, Peru, and Turkey.

Arts and athletics also grew at EPHS. Musical students performed on the stage, and our band members received state honors in 1961. For athletics, the 1960s saw wrestling, baseball, and the boys track & field win conference titles.

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1970s

In the 1970s, the introduction of Title IX and Section 504 law allowed the right of all students to receive free and appropriate education. For Elmwood Park, this included the expansion of our girls’ athletic programs.

During the 1970s, the EPHS radio class worked with the local channel to host a morning show where students discussed community issues. In association with Triton College, students could sign up for a  education program that taught the necessary skills to acquire jobs after graduating.

In the arts, theater students continued to perform shows like Cheaper by the Dozen, M*A*S*H, and Auntie Mame. Music students qualified for the Illinois Music Education Association for their excellent performances.

Construction saw the completion of the high school’s new library. Other construction projects included a new gym floor and the Large Group Instruction room, which was renovated in the 2020s and now serves as the District Office.

In the 1970s, girls sports expanded and students achieved multiple conference championships, Boys tennis claimed sectional and conference titles, girls basketball, baseball, football, and softball all won conference titles.

Now, onto the…

1980s

In the 1980s, new technological opportunities opened for students at EPHS. The district purchased 11 Apple Macintoshes for students and introduced mandatory computer classes. 

Extracurricular activities expanded, and we had a radio show: Rock ‘n Roll High School on WRRG at Triton College. Classes competed in the Scholastic Bowl, finishing with great results, including a first place finish by the seniors in 1984. A Dungeons & Dragons club found its way into the school’s extracurricular activities, and the athletic competition “Student Olympics” was held throughout the years.

The theater program put on shows like Oklahoma! And Hello, Dolly! Band, Choir and orchestra held regular concerts with musicians selected to perform as IHSA competitions.

Athletics continued to succeed, as several teams claimed conference trophies. The football team for the first time in EPHS history, won a playoff game and advanced to state semi-finals. Girls basketball and baseball both won regional and conference championships, while golf, girls tennis, boys basketball, softball, boys tennis, boys track & field, girls track & field, and boys cross country all won conference championships.

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1990s

The 1990s brought the internet, as students learned to utilize programs, such as Microsoft Office, Geometer’s Sketchpad, and Adobe PageMaker.

For the first time in school history, the Scholastic Bowl Team claimed first place in conference. Also, several students won awards for art pieces, while others were named state scholars throughout the years.

In the 1990s, EPHS athletic facilities were significantly upgraded, with a new tennis court, a track and cross country course, and redesigned baseball and softball fields. 

In addition to the new facilities, athletics teams continued to succeed. Boys track & field won sectional and conference titles, boys cross country won regional and conference titles, girls cross country earned a regional title, while golf and baseball both won conference championships.

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2000s

EPHS expanded, as academic programs provided opportunities to earn college credits while in high school.

In 2003, the theater program earned all state honors for its performance of MacBeth at the Illinois High School Theatre Festival. The band program received the highest rating of Division l Honors in 2008 for its participation in the IHSA Music Sweepstakes.

The softball team won a sectional title, four regionals, and a conference title from 2004 to 2009. Baseball won regional and conference trophies, boys cross country and boys soccer won regional trophies while girls cross country, cheerleading, girls soccer, and girls track & field won conference titles.

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2010s

By the end of the 2010s, every student was issued their own computer, and the school also transitioned from block to traditional scheduling.

DECA and VEI gave students the chance to build professional skills for the 21st-century workplace. Student organizations like Snowball, NHS, Key Club, and many others continued to give students opportunities and improve Elmwood Park.

In 2015, new classrooms created modern learning opportunities for students taking chemistry, biology, physics, and other science courses. The remodel also included the building of the amphitheater.

New band and choir classroom renovations were also made, and the theater program put on shows such as Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and many more.

Boys soccer and softball both won sectional and regional championships, boy cross county won a regional title, girls soccer won regional and conference championships while golf, cheerleading and boys track & field all earned conference titles.

Conclusion

EPHS has come a long way, and overall, we should be proud of all the progress we have made over these decades. This entire article would not have been possible without the decade wall, so all the credit for this article goes to all of the people who contributed to its creation.

Works Cited:

• Britten, Sam. (Aug 15, 2024). Decade Wall