District 214 kicks off centennial with Arlington High School event Saturday

Arlington High School has been closed for 30 years, but school spirit for the first high school in Northwest Suburban High School District 214 is still strong.

Former staff, students and community members will celebrate the history of Arlington High School with a day of events on Saturday at the school, which is now Christian Liberty Academy, 502 W. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights. The event also serves as a kickoff to District 214's centennial celebration, said Erin Brooks, assistant director of community engagement and outreach.

Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. and guests will be greeted by the Arlington Heights Community Concert Band playing fight songs from each District 214 high school, including its two closed schools - Arlington and Forest View.

Visitors will be able to take tours of their former school and will be able to look through a hall of memorabilia, including gym bags and letterman jackets from the 1960s and yearbooks dating back to the 1930s, Brooks said.

There will also be a streaming of "Our Lady in Red," a documentary made about Arlington High School and its role in the community, followed by a moderated conversation with former staff and students.

"We're trying to capture the spirit of Arlington and what made it so special," Brooks said.

The day will also include a trivia contest and a video memory booth where former staff and students can share their memories about Arlington High School.

"It was our district's first school and for decades it was the only school in District 214," Brooks said of Arlington High School which opened to students in 1923. The district was established by referendum in 1914, but years of lawsuits over its creation delayed the opening of its first school.

"When we're celebrating something like a centennial, it makes sense to start it where the district really began. We're want to recognize and celebrate our past and Arlington is a big part of that." The open house from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. is free and open to the community.

"Even people who didn't grow up in Arlington Heights can come out and experience this," Brooks said. "It's a fascinating journey though history. It gives you a good appreciation for the work that went into establishing the district we have today."