Madison County 1 Retired Teachers Association
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Superintendents of A.C.U.D. #11
By Ron Mayhew
In this space over the next two years, I will be penning a series of articles about the Alton School District. This first article will be about our superintendents. The list is not long when we consider that we are nearing 100 years as a district. First, here is the list with their terms: R.A. Haight, ?-1918; W.C. Reavis, 1918-1921; Wilber B. Curtis (began teaching at the age of 16), 1921-1942; Parmer L. Ewing, 1942-1947; J.B. Johnson, 1947-1972; Boyd Mitchell, 1972-1975; Robert Lynn, 1975-1984; Mary Blanche Jungers, 1984-1986; David Van Winkle, 1986-1994; Michael Beaber, 1994-2000; James Baiter, 2000-2005; David Elson, 2005-2011; Kenneth Spells, 2011-2016; Mark Cappel, 2016-2020; Kristie Baumgartner, 2020-2024; and Elaine Kane, 2024-. I, like most of you, served under and/or know all most all of these servants of our school district. I don’t believe that anyone alive today knew P.L. Ewing or anyone before him. The remainder of this article will focus on our longest tenured, and, for most of us, our first superintendent, J. B. Johnson. J.B. served for 24 years, the longest of any in the job.
Having been born and raised in Centralia, Illinois, J.B. traveled a short distance north to begin his teaching career of 42 years at East Nation in Salem, Illinois. The next year, he came to Alton as a science teacher and football coach at Roosevelt Junior High School. Since he had not completed his college studies, he returned to Southern Illinois Teachers College to get his degree. While there he starred as a guard on the football team and was named most valuable player in 1931. in the fall of 1932, he returned to Roosevelt and soon joined the administrative team. J.B. served in several administrative posts, including principal of Clara Barton, Horace Mann, Milton, East Junior, and Alton High School. He also served as administrative assistant to the superintendent for one year before becoming superintendent in 1947.
I found J.B.’s obituary from The Telegraph and, in the accompanying picture, he is smiling. I don’t recall that I often saw him smiling At times, he could be an imposing even intimidating presence. I experienced that side of him on one occasion early in my teaching career, but we’re not going there. I remember him behind that mammoth desk at Haskell House with a big old cigar. As with many people in positions of authority, there were stories about J.B. One that circulated when I was in high school was that snow had to reach second floor window sills before school would be canceled. In support of that story, I don’t believe school was canceled once during my years at Alton Senior High School.
Not only was J.B. an exemplary superintendent as evidenced by his tenure and the positive improvements that occurred in the district, but he also belonged to many community organizations of which he was an active contributing member. In recognition of his contributions to the community, the new vocational center was named for him in 1976.
Ron Mayhew, President of the Madison County 1 Retired Teachers Association Unit 73
Superintendents of A.C.U.D. #11
By Ron Mayhew
In this space over the next two years, I will be penning a series of articles about the Alton School District. This first article will be about our superintendents. The list is not long when we consider that we are nearing 100 years as a district. First, here is the list with their terms: R.A. Haight, ?-1918; W.C. Reavis, 1918-1921; Wilber B. Curtis (began teaching at the age of 16), 1921-1942; Parmer L. Ewing, 1942-1947; J.B. Johnson, 1947-1972; Boyd Mitchell, 1972-1975; Robert Lynn, 1975-1984; Mary Blanche Jungers, 1984-1986; David Van Winkle, 1986-1994; Michael Beaber, 1994-2000; James Baiter, 2000-2005; David Elson, 2005-2011; Kenneth Spells, 2011-2016; Mark Cappel, 2016-2020; Kristie Baumgartner, 2020-2024; and Elaine Kane, 2024-. I, like most of you, served under and/or know all most all of these servants of our school district. I don’t believe that anyone alive today knew P.L. Ewing or anyone before him. The remainder of this article will focus on our longest tenured, and, for most of us, our first superintendent, J. B. Johnson. J.B. served for 24 years, the longest of any in the job.
Having been born and raised in Centralia, Illinois, J.B. traveled a short distance north to begin his teaching career of 42 years at East Nation in Salem, Illinois. The next year, he came to Alton as a science teacher and football coach at Roosevelt Junior High School. Since he had not completed his college studies, he returned to Southern Illinois Teachers College to get his degree. While there he starred as a guard on the football team and was named most valuable player in 1931. in the fall of 1932, he returned to Roosevelt and soon joined the administrative team. J.B. served in several administrative posts, including principal of Clara Barton, Horace Mann, Milton, East Junior, and Alton High School. He also served as administrative assistant to the superintendent for one year before becoming superintendent in 1947.
I found J.B.’s obituary from The Telegraph and, in the accompanying picture, he is smiling. I don’t recall that I often saw him smiling At times, he could be an imposing even intimidating presence. I experienced that side of him on one occasion early in my teaching career, but we’re not going there. I remember him behind that mammoth desk at Haskell House with a big old cigar. As with many people in positions of authority, there were stories about J.B. One that circulated when I was in high school was that snow had to reach second floor window sills before school would be canceled. In support of that story, I don’t believe school was canceled once during my years at Alton Senior High School.
Not only was J.B. an exemplary superintendent as evidenced by his tenure and the positive improvements that occurred in the district, but he also belonged to many community organizations of which he was an active contributing member. In recognition of his contributions to the community, the new vocational center was named for him in 1976.
Ron Mayhew, President of the Madison County 1 Retired Teachers Association Unit 73