District Trivia Question and Answer:
Q: Oakland School is the only current District 87 elementary school not named after either a famous American or a former District 87 staff /Board member.

But, if the 24 Bloomington residents who signed a petition in 1949 would have gotten their wish, who would the school be named after?

A:
a) Miss Mattie Bishop, former Secretary of the Board who served for over forty years and retired in 1948.
b) the late U.S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt
c) J.K. Stapleton, Superintendent of Schools from 1901 to 1920.
d) Howard Saar, BHS Athletic director, coach and physical eduction teacher.

Stapleton School would have been the name of the current Oakland School had Mr. Jack Sheean and twenty-three representative citizens of Bloomington who signed the petition got their wish.

Also presented at the December 12, 1949 Board of Education meeting, "a letter dated December 14, 1949 from former Board Member, Mr. L.M. Byerly, in which he suggested that the proposed "East Oakland Avenue School" be named after former Board Secretary, Miss Mattie C. Bishop, who served over forty years and retired as of August 16, 1948."

No action regarding the two suggestions were taken at the meeting, and "it was the unanimous decision of the Board that these suggestions whould be filed for later consideration when bids for this new school are received and a contract let, because only then would the Board know that this school could be built with the funds available."

A few months later, the issue again came up… "Secretary Evans advised that the Board had not yet acted upon a petition and a letter in connection with naming the school to be erected on East Oakland Avenue, and that the architect should be given this information. After some discussion by the Board, it was moved that the school be named the "Oakland School."' The Board voted unanimously to accept the motion.

Bent School is named after Horatio G. Bent, former Board of Education member
Irving School is named after writer, Washington Irving
Sheridan School is named after Civil War General, Philip H. Sheridan.
Stevenson School is named after Adlai Stevenson II
Washington School is named after President George Washington
Sarah Raymond School of Early Education is named after former Raymond, former Supt. of Schools.