Frances Whittaker
“Miss Whit” touched a lot of lives during her time at Washington High School. There is no better summation of her career and life than this 1982 article written by Karen Horton-Ghighi, reproduced here with permission of the author.
Lived with Music all her Life: Miss Whit
With music already a way of life, she arrived in Washington 38 years ago in search of a challenge.
Frances Whittaker, who has resided at 109 Burton Street for those 38 years, was born at Bridgeport, in Southeastern Illinois. After graduating from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and receiving her BS in education from Illinois State University, she taught music to grades kindergarten through junior high for 12 years in Bridgeport.
“The principal of the school district had known me from the time I was born so everything was real easy for me. I had no problems with the principal or school board.” Whittaker said.
“My mother had a branch of the conservatory of music at St. Louis. She taught piano and violin at a private music school at Bridgeport and took advanced students to St. Louis to be tested and placed for faculty at the conservatory. I lived with music all my life.” Whittaker added.
Her father, who ran a clothing store in Bridgeport, sang in quartets and choirs in the area.
“A friend, Marjorie Black, who also taught in the school I did, decided to move closer to her home in Moline. I wondered what I could do if I went into a completely foreign community.
“So I decided to leave with Marjorie and we found four schools that needed both a music teacher and a commercial arts teacher. They were Peoria, Springfield, Washington, and Eureka.” Whittaker explained.
“Neither of us cared for the Peoria set-up. When we went to Springfield, a friend of the family, the Democratic chair-woman said to me, Frances, I can open any door for you in Springfield. Well, that was just what I didn’t want because I wanted to make it on my own,” she added with emphasis.
The year was 1944. According to Whittaker, on the way to their Washington interview, as they reached an area in the country about where Hardee’s is now, she suddenly had a feeling for Washington.
“I hadn’t seen the high school, hadn’t talked to anyone, there was just something that told me this is it. I turned to Marjorie and said this is it, and we didn’t go to Eureka to even apply,” Whittaker said.
After teaching two years, Whittaker and Black were told they had war jobs which meant those positions were being held open for the regular teachers when they returned from war. The regular music teacher did not want his job back but because the arts teacher did, Black was given an English position instead.
“When Marjorie and I came to Washington, the enrollment was around 135-185 in the whole high school. There were eight teachers including the principal and six of the eight were new for the year. I had quite a struggle. The first few years the high school didn’t own any instruments except one bass drum. You must remember, music was considered a frill,” she said.
“I made a bargain with Rudy Attig, the new janitor that year that I would clean my own room if he would practice with the band every day to help fill in. There were nine in the band and by the end of the year we had 32. From here it grew,” Whittaker said.
“I had band, chorus, and theory. Then the 60s when the school was growing so rapidly, they wanted to get an assistant for me. I said no, that I can’t imagine that anyone who had gone to college wants to be an assistant. Let’s divide the department so they would be equal. I was given the choice of which I wanted and the board thought I would take instrumental, my first love, which to me was like water off a duck’s back. I took vocal because it was a challenge,” she said.
During the 24 years she taught at Washington Whittaker played violin with the Peoria Symphony and also served on the board of the Central Illinois Youth Symphony from 1964-68.
In 1968 Whittaker retired from Washington High.
“I always hastily add that I retired before age 60,” she explained with a light laugh. “At that time, the curriculum more or less changed. I felt why should I develop a new music department and be there a few years and someone come in and take over and have to redevelop the department. It was a good time to retire,” Whittaker said.”
“I firmly believe there has been no teacher anywhere in the world as blessed as I have been. The students I had were ladies and gentlemen. They showed me a great deal of respect and I think one reason for that is I respected them,” she added.
Most students remember her as Miss Whit. She explained that during her second year at the high school student Bob Roberts told her ‘Whittaker is too long to say so I’ll call you Miss Whit.’
“I didn’t care what you call me just so it to my face what it is to my back,” Whittaker responded.
Remembering Washington High from 1944 to 1968 she remarked, “Like with anything else, when you expand it, it becomes more or less impersonal. When the school got to be large, the students missed something in personal contact they don’t have now. Some get lost in the shuffle who might be a diamond in the rough.”
Whittaker remained active in community projects through the years. During sesquicentennial activities she was in charge of the mural dedication on the square at which time all descendants of pioneers were contacted and invited to be part of the celebration. During the summer of 1976 she was asked to be chairman of the sesquicentennial and was co-grand marshall (with Fred Sweitzer) of the sesquicentennial in 1975.
Whittaker was named Washingtonian of the year for 1963.
In 1978 she helped develop an organization within the Western Illinois Tourism Association which encourages tourists to come to Illinois. She is an active member of the United Methodist Church of Washington where she serves on the Finance Committee.
She is a member of the Masonic Lodges of the Eastern Star of Bridgeport and White Shrine of Jerusalem, also of Bridgeport. Whittaker is also a member of the Washington Historical Society.
“My volunteer work keeps me going now, my church, family, and friends and the joy of living,” Whittaker said. Her brother, Dr. Lorin Whittaker is a surgeon in Peoria.
Speaking softly of her music she replied, “It’s wrapped up in pink ribbon and stored away. I hear the way the music should be but I can’t make the notes come out right anymore.”
Problems with arthritis has kept her from playing the way she wants to play but she dismisses the idea with a wave of her hand saying, “Let’s not dwell in the negative, otherwise my health is perfect.”
“Everyday something nice happens to me,” Whittaker emphasizes. She cited one time in the summer of 1968 after she retired, a reception was held at St. Pat’s Gym through the effort of Bernice Thrailkill.
All her former students through the 24 years were contacted and asked to attend. They came as far away as California and New York. She was presented with a $600 check.
Whittaker is involved in the area schools’ picture lady program for the fourth grade at Lincoln School. The program relies on volunteers to give a monthly talk about artists and their work.
“It is good because it takes a lot of research and in my case it’s good brain therapy. When you get up in front of those kids you better know what you’re saying and not use notes. The kids put you on your toes,” she laughed.
“At this stage in life, there are not many opportunities to conquer new goals. I feel I owe Washington a great debt for the way they have allowed me to live and work here so I do what I can to pay my rent here on Earth,” she said.
Whittaker’s two-story gingerbread trimmed home of a past century is simply furnished with loving tributes from students and friends. The baton she used at Washington High was framed by students after she retired and is proudly hanging on the wall as is her Washington plaque.
An ornate porcelain clock, a gift from her father to her mother upon the birth of brother Lorin, stately rests upon the mantle of her antique fireplace ticking forever on.
Smiling, a twinkle in her eye, Miss Whit explained, “I’m going to live to 100 and just disintegrate.”
Miss Whit didn’t quite make it to 100, passing away February 1, 1998 at the age of 89, and is buried in the City Cemetery in Lawrenceville, Illinois.
In 2019, Washington High School dedicated its new music building the Frances Whittaker Center for Musical Arts.