Source: As yet undated photo of the Rockford High School band (formed in 1907) An article in the Rockford Daily Register-Gazette, January 18, 1908 refers to the “natty red uniforms.”
Schools
Page Park School, 5949 Safford Road, land purchased 1960, building opened 1961, demolished December 14, 2021
Sources: Rockford Morning Star, May 5, 1961 and photo from Google.com/maps August 2021
St. Anthony Church, St. Anthony School, and St. Anthony Gymnasium from Sanborn Map
Source: 1917-1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. Portion of Image 47
St. Anthony Gymnasium 1017 Ferguson Street
Source: Golden Jubilee: St. Anthony of Padua Church R 282.9773 ST. ANTHONY
St. Anthony’s School Football Team of 1959

Source: Golden Jubilee: St. Anthony of Padua Church R 282.9773 ST. ANTHONY
Rockford Schools
In August of 1857, Rockford was divided into two school districts. District 1 was
east of the river and had John Quincy Adams School. District 2 was on the west
side and had Abraham Lincoln School. Total enrollment was around 900.
Freeman School also was built in 1857. A new district came into
being in the Kent and Montague area in 1858. Still another was the John Hall
School at 414 North Third, named for Board of Education member John Hall.
This was built in 1866 and rebuilt in 1892.
Colonel E. F. Ellis School was the next school erected in Rockford in 1868 on
West State Street and rebuilt in 1899 on Elm Street. It was named for the Civil
War hero. Present-day Ellis School is the Ellis Arts Academy on Central Ave.
The latter two are shown below.
Hall School (1866)
Ellis Arts Academy
Other early schools are shown below:
Freeman School (1857)
Marsh School (1872)
Nelson School (1881)
:
Montague School (1883)
Garrison School (1887)
Lincoln School (1857)
Wight School (1889)
High School (1885)
Source: Rockford Ill/Photo-Gravure Views and Brief Descriptive Sketch of the Forest City,
Rockford Real Estate Exchange, Rockford Ill, 1893.
Rockford To-Day, Rockford Morning Star, The Clark Company Press, Rockford,
Illinois, 1903.
Rockford Schools–Barbour
Source: E. C. Kropp Co., Milwaukee.
Barour School opened in 1916 and is named after Rockford educator C. F. Barbour. The new Barbour School (Pictured
below) is the home of the Dual Language Immersion Program.
Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=barbour+school+in+rockford
Kinsey Farms Subdivision located within walking distance of Kishwaukee Consolidated School
Source: Rockford Republic February 25, 1920
Source: Kishwaukee School Postcard Ebay Image
Veterans Who Have Passed–Richard Allen Rudey
Source: Rockford Register Star, Sept. 19, 2020.
Veterans Who Have Passed–John Burpee Whitehead
Source: Rockford Register Star, Sept. 19, 2020.