Haines Middle School celebrates golden anniversary

Fifty years of tradition at St. Charles Unit District 303's Haines Middle School and there is no record of students ever putting up a fight, at least in song, until Friday.

Students revealed Haines' first-ever fight song at a celebration of their school's golden anniversary. Joining them were students, teachers and administrators from the school's five decades of history.

The origins of the school date back to 1844 and the birth of Charles Haines, for whom the school is named.

Haines would live to become mayor of St. Charles and a 17-year president of the school board. He left a king's ransom to the school of $100,000 and the land to build it on when he died.

In 1957 the original Haines was demolished, making way for a new school with the same name in 1959. Since then, the school has transformed from a junior high to a middle school and from the Junior Saints mascot to the Hurricanes.

Over the years, the school's attendance boundaries have changed several times, and the building itself has expanded. But former school leaders said Friday that the most important things have remained the same.

"Regardless of where the kids lived in this community, the school was still outstanding," former Principal Brian Harris said. "This is a fabulous school, kids. You'll never get any better than this."

Bob Lindahl, principal from 1989 to 1994, said the school probably was the best place he ever worked.

"It's a building that has an excessive amount of pride, a consistency, and you always knew where you were at," Lindahl said. "I don't think I've ever experienced anything else like it in my life."

The school's Illinois Standards Achievement Test scores put it among the best with 96 percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards in science, reading and math.

Students celebrated that achievement and the anniversary over several days, tracking the school through the culture of its five decades of existence. Events included creating an aerial photo with student spelling out "50" on the athletic field, creating an artistic mosaic in tribute to the golden anniversary and writing the first fight song in school history.

The song is expected to be performed Saturday at the 7th and 8th grade football games against in-district rival Thompson Middle School.