Wiley High School

Wabash Valley profiles : a series of tributes to hometown heroes who have made a difference

Description:	One typed page including photograph; brief history of Wiley High School in Terre Haute, Indiana. WABASHP R OFIA hometown h heroes who h difference. A seriies of ttributes tto h f ib t t h have made a diff dVALLEYL E SWiley High Schoolounded in 1863, the circa 1906 educational academy that became known as Wiley High School was the first public high school in Terre Haute and one of the first ten in Indiana. Initially named Terre Haute High School, it was located in the four-room County Seminary building on the east side of Sixth St. between Eagle and Mulberry. Principal William M. Crozier was the only teacher. Crozier was replaced by William H. Wiley in 1865. There were four students in the first graduating class in 1867. One of them, Horace Greeley Burt, became president of Union Pacific Railroad 30 years later. John M. Olcott was school superintendent and a member of the three-man committee which convinced the Indiana legislature in 1865 to locate State Normal School, now Indiana State University, in Terre Haute. The seminary was razed just before the college cornerstone was placed on Aug. 9, 1867, and Terre Haute High School was temporarily situated in the First District School building at the southwest corner of Fourth and Mulberry streets. On Dec. 16, 1869, principal Wiley supervised the relocation of the high school to the new State Normal School building. Wiley was named superintendent of the public schools the following year. As the respective enrollments of Terre Haute High School and State Normal School swelled, there was a pressing need for the high school to acquire its own facility. Animosity even surfaced between the two boards. On Dec. 4, 1884, Terre Haute Public Schools agreed to buy a plot of ground at the southwest corner of Seventh and Walnut streets from Sarah C. Deming, widow of Demas Deming Sr., for $20,000. Plans for a state-of-the-art three-story high school devised by Terre Haute architect Josse A. Vrydagh were accepted on July 10, 1885. Bids for construction of the basement were awarded Aug. 7. Other work was bid separately. The cost of the building, not including second-story interior improvements, was $72,446. The school was supposed to be ready on Sept. 13, 1886, but it was Sept. 20 before students were admitted. Even then, only the basement and first floor were finished. Fortunately, the new Terre Haute High School was completed before April 9, 1888, the day State Normal School was destroyed by fire. Superintendent Wiley allowed the college to share the building until the new State Normal School was ready for occupancy in September 1889. When Wiley retired as superintendent in 1906 --100 years ago--Terre Hautes only high school was named in his honor. He served on the school board from 1909 through 1913, offering Garfield as the name of Terre Hautes second high school in 1912 and was chief speaker at Wileys gymnasium dedication on May 24, 1923. The nickname Red Streaks and the bolt of lightning logo were adopted during the 1920s. In June 1971, following the second Vigo County school consolidation, Wiley High School closed its doors for the final time, leaving a 109-year legacy of traditions, academic and athletic excellence and extraordinary community service. The Vigo County Public Library now occupies the Wiley campus.FAlways Close to Homewww.first-online.com MEMBER FDICYoull find First Financial Bank in these and other cities and towns near you: Terre Haute 238-6000 Brazil 443-4481 Rockville 765-569-3171 Clinton 832-3504 Sullivan 268-3331 Marshall, Illinois 217-826-6311 Robinson, Illinois 618-544-8666
Origin:	2006-06-14
Created By:	McCormick, Mike
Publisher:	Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/vchs/id/1356
Collection:	Vigo County Historical Society
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/
Copyright:	Copyright Undetermined
Subjects:	Wiley High School (Terre Haute, Ind.) High schools Students Education Education

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