Riverside High School History

To relieve the growing enrollment at Harvey High School, construction of a new high school "across the river," began in 1948 after delays caused by war shortages of materials and manpower. In September 1949, the new township school opened its first session in the partially completed Riverside building with 15 classrooms and a total of 374 students in grades 7, 8 and 9. School was held in half-day sessions due to construction. Grades 10 and 11 were added in 1950. In the 1951-52 school year, grades 7-12 were on campus. In 1951, building plans continued for a gymnasium, auditorium and cafeteria, followed by the additions of a library, science laboratories and more classrooms. In the Spring of 1952, Riverside held commencement ceremonies for its first graduating class of 54 students.

Mr. Henry LaMuth was the first principal and Mr. John R. Williams was the Superintendent. When Mr. Williams retired, Mr. LaMuth took his place in the county office, and Mr. Harold F. Parsons became the next principal. By 1954, Riverside school was overcrowded and plans were underway for a separate junior high to be built next door. John R. Williams Junior High, named in honor of the man who had dedicated 52 years of his life to education, opened in 1956.

The original Board of Education consisted of Clyde C. Hadden (for whom one of our elementary schools is named), Mrs. Ruth H. Hacker, Mr. Fredric Crellin, Mr. C. Lee Mantle and Mrs. Freda Stumpf. There were 29 RHS faculty members in 1952 including Mr. David Shaner, Mr. Al Porter, Mr. Charles Neal, Miss Martha Goodwin and Mr. R. A. Greig, great-grandfather of recent RHS graduates Matt '01, Eric '02 and Dan '04.