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The Bluebird name was taken by the schools in 1939 IN IN HONOR OF OUR SCHOOLS AND SPORTS THE CHATSWORTH BLUEBIRDS Sugar Beet School This is one of the county schools that the children attended before the building of our first community school. It is now a museum located in the CAPS PARK on the northwest side of town. Thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Stoutemeyer.
CHATSWORTH SCHOOL This school housed both the grade and high school classes. It was built in 1870 and razed in 1960. What a glorious old building! Having attended grades 1 thru 5 in this building, I remember the scary spiraling stair case which led to the second floor and the fun fire escapes that you can see in the second picture. And the teachers ringing the bell at the start of school and signaling the end of recess. And the swings, and the rings and bars, and the merry-go -round, and the slides. And with the restrooms in the basement, and you could take time out to visit Mr. Curtis, the janitor. What a great school it was!
(According to the Blade, consolidation was considered as early as 1949 with Forrest and Strawn. In 1969, consolidation was considered with Cullom, Kempton-Cabery, Forrest-Strawn-Wing, Piper City and Saunemin.Consolidation with Fairbury-Cropsey,Forrest, Strawn and Wing was in 1986 and Chenoa was added in 2007.)
 CHATSWORTH HIGH SCHOOL This is the high school built in 1921/22 and was razed in 1985/86, after the last graduating class of 1985. Another great school! Remember the lunchroom, that was the original gym? And the 6th, 7th and 8th grades attended here too (this is where I spent those years). We were allowed to use the little stage in the lunchroom to put on plays and acts that we made up. And the big stage in the new gym, that was just awesome to the young students. And watching the Sweet Sixteen basket ball tournament on TV in the gym,during school time, no less!!! And attending the Homecoming and last football games each year, in November, sometimes in the snow, wearing my fuzzy white earmuffs! The school was built with brick from the local Walter's Brick Factory and wired by the local Ortman Electic Shop. When the school was razed, the bricks were sold as souveniers.
 Chatsworth Elementry School Today Now part of the Prairie Central School District  St. Peter and Paul's Catholic Acadamy
The Chatsworth Bluebirds
First Football Team 1928 Of course taken a few years later !! Lost to Melvin 6-0.
Historical Calendar Picture
1934 Vermillion Valley Champs
1936 Football
1939 Basketball
1954 Undefeated Team  Historical Calendar Picture
THE BLUEBIRD SONG ********** Oh when those Chatsworth Bluebirds start to fight Our foe will never live to see the light We're gonna roll those fellows off their feet Cause Chatsworth High just simply can't be beat Oh no! We're gonna charge right on to victory No matter who or what the time may be We're gonna fight, fight, fight for varsity Yes sireee For Chatsworth High--------- B-B-blue B-B-irds Bluebirds Bluebirds Yeh !!! **********************************************************************
Note:This is probably the song written by two cheerleaders, Betty Jo Sims and Mildred Finefield, around 1940, as noted by Mrs. Stoutemyer in "Sands of Time, 150 Years Around Chatsworth, Illinois
Thanks to Zoe Pearson and Barbara Black for getting all the words together correctly ! ************************************************************************************************
School Song Chatsworth, thy walls so fair Mean more than brick and stone, And in our heart they''ll always wear A luster all their own. To us they stand for right and truth For conduct that's above reproof And all the best ideals of youth, Which to our lives you've shown.
Chorus So hail ! then to Chatsworth high, The school we hold most dear. To honor her we lift our cry And raise a hearty cheer. Rah! Rah! O Chatsworth, the teams that fight On floor and field for you, Are worthy of they colors bright, The orange and the blue. Note:In 1929 the school Library Club sponsored a contest to get the words for a school song. Adele Raboin won first prize and Carl Kyburz second.
But another set of words was submitted by an alumnus, not for the contest but for the interest.The writer preferred to remain anonymous, but the words were attributed to Willis Parson. Years later, Willis said a group contributed ideas for a composite set of words. Music was written and the song was used for several
years, but few could play it and their weren't many copies.
Source: Sands of Time-150 Years Around Chatsworth, Illinois
OUR PRINCIPLE AND TEACHERS 1959  ********************
Chatsworth -Room 2 Year unknown
 Early class picture taken by C.U.Williams out of Bloomington. Year unknown. Notice blackboard says "Room 2- Chatsworth, Ill."
1890 Classes
 Photo Courtesy of Cindy Baker
CLASS OF 1957 SIXTH GRADE
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Class of 1960 3rd Grade
 Early Parochial School Picture
 Class of 1956 Catholic School
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The Last Graduation Class of 1985
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********* CLASS OF 1932  PHOTO COURTESY OF COLLEEN (EHMAN) BUTLER ***************** CLASS OF 1934  PHOTO COURTESY OF COLLEEN (EHMAN) BUTLER ********* CLASS OF 1936  PHOTO COURTESY OF COLLEEN (EHMAN) BUTLER ********* CLASS OF 1938  PHOTO COURTESY OF COLLEEN (EHMAN) BUTLER ***********
CLASS OF 1944  Bob McKinley File
For a complete list of the Chatsworth graduates go here, then click on the "Alumni" tab.
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