Miss Sarah E. Raymond was born was born in October 1842 in a portion of LaSalle County, Illinois, that would later become part of Kendall County. After graduating from high school, Raymond attended Illinois State Normal University, graduating in 1866.
She came to Bloomington Public Schools in 1868, where she taught "Second Primary" (now called junior high) at the so-called "Old Barn School." The following year, she was made Principal of that school. The following year, she was appointed principal of a new eight room building, in what became Sheridan School. The principalship at Hawthorne (now Bent) School followed the next year, where she oversaw the inclusion of African-American students. Two years later – in April 1873 – Raymond was named Assistant Principal at Bloomington High School. Raymond became the principal of Bloomington High School in April 1874, when Dr. E.P. March resigned to returned to his medical career.
Four months after she was named Principal of BHS, Raymond was summoned by the Board on August 18 and was asked to accept the position of Superintendent of Schools – at once.
Raymond held the position of Superintendent of Schools for eighteen years.
Courtesy of the McLean County Museum of History
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