Murphysboro's Carruthers Elementary School, which was a junior high school at one time, proudly takes its name from a man who literally gave his life for the Murphysboro school system.
William H. Carruthers, an acknowledged statewide leader in school legislation and finance, gave the entire 28 years of his teaching career to Murphysboro schools.
His death in the first months of his lifelong dream of a new junior high school and a Unit School District, was a tragic loss to the Illinois school system.
Carruthers graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1929. He joined the Murphysboro school system in 1930 as principal at Lincoln Grade School. He transfered to Logan Junior High School in 1931.
He served as principal at the junior high school until 1950, when he became city superintendent of schools. He was the first superintendent of the new Murphysboro Unit School District 186, which was formed late in the summer of 1957.
Carruthers waged a tireless fight for a new junior high school through three elections to success in 1956.
He was the driving force behind Unit District formation in the Murphysboro area, starting a campaign in 1951 which eventually reached a successful election in 1957.
Carruthers held almost every major office in the field of education in Illinois, and was president of the Illinois Education Association in 1955-56.
Despite his personal objections, the Unit District 186 School Board voted unanimously to name its new school in honor of the one man who gave so much for his chosen life work.
A memorial plaque in his honor was placed in the new school.
The man is gone, but his memory remains in the visual proof of his monument for education.
It should be no other way.
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Murphysboro's Carruthers Elementary School, which was a junior high school at one time, proudly takes its name from a man who literally gave his life for the Murphysboro school system.
William H. Carruthers, an acknowledged statewide leader in school legislation and finance, gave the entire 28 years of his teaching career to Murphysboro schools.
His death in the first months of his lifelong dream of a new junior high school and a Unit School District, was a tragic loss to the Illinois school system.
Carruthers graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1929. He joined the Murphysboro school system in 1930 as principal at Lincoln Grade School. He transfered to Logan Junior High School in 1931.
He served as principal at the junior high school until 1950, when he became city superintendent of schools. He was the first superintendent of the new Murphysboro Unit School District 186, which was formed late in the summer of 1957.
Carruthers waged a tireless fight for a new junior high school through three elections to success in 1956.
He was the driving force behind Unit District formation in the Murphysboro area, starting a campaign in 1951 which eventually reached a successful election in 1957.
Carruthers held almost every major office in the field of education in Illinois, and was president of the Illinois Education Association in 1955-56.
Despite his personal objections, the Unit District 186 School Board voted unanimously to name its new school in honor of the one man who gave so much for his chosen life work.
A memorial plaque in his honor was placed in the new school.
The man is gone, but his memory remains in the visual proof of his monument for education.
It should be no other way.
