Following the Golf Outing on June 6th, there will be an informal gathering to honor Coach Lawless around 6:15pm. If you are not golfing and would like to attend, please fill out the form using the link below and submit a $25.00 donation by May 31st and enjoy some great fun and camaraderie! We hope all who knew Coach Lawless and were coached by him can come congratulate this great mentor to our youth over the years...and still teaching our kids!
Want to download the form and mail it ? Download this form.
*The Golf Outing is open to all to play! It is not required to have graduated from Peoria High School. Just ensure you complete all items and payments prior to attending!
Thank you to all of you who donated in 2024!
We hope you can make 2025 a great year for your Association!
Thanks to the "The Magazine of Bradley University" for allowing us to share this with PHS Alumni!
James E. Shadid, Class of 1975, selected to Lead Bradley University
WELCOME JAMES E. SHADID AS OUR NEW LEADERSHIP
James E. Shadid has been named Bradley University’s 13th president, the university’s Board of Trustees officially announced this on March 14, 2025.
The decision to hire Shadid, a federal judge and 1979 Bradley graduate, to lead the 128-year-old Peoria institution came by unanimous vote at a special afternoon meeting of the Bradley Board of Trustees on March 12.
Shadid succeeds former President Stephen Standifird, who left the university in June, 2024. Jonathan Michael, Bradley Board chairman and retired CEO of RLI Corp., has been serving as interim university president since that time. He will return to the Board when Shadid assumes his duties April 1, 2025.
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Shadid currently serves as a United States District Judge for the Central District of Illinois, appointed to that position by U.S. President Barack Obama and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 7, 2011. Along the way, he ascended to chief judge in his federal stint on the bench. He also was a state judge for 10 years before that, serving in the five- county 10th Judicial Circuit. After graduating from John Marshall Law School (now UIC School of Law) in 1983, he became an attorney in private practice in the Peoria area.
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Shadid has long given back to his alma mater, both as an adjunct professor and as a former university Trustee. His roots at Bradley run deep, from his own experience as a student and baseball player on the Hilltop to other family members who became Braves, including his late brother George, son Jim, niece Lauren and 12 other cousins and their children.
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Shadid and his wife, Jane, are the proud parents of three adult children: Jim, Joe and Maggie. He is the son of the late Lorraine and George Shadid, the latter an Illinois state senator and Peoria County sheriff.
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“Bradley has been a major part of my life for virtually my entire life,” said Shadid. “Few other influences have made a more profound impact on me, and now I hope, with lots of help, to return that favor. I am honored, humbled and grateful for this opportunity. I am thankful for Jon and his leadership in the interim role, and I thank the search committee and the Board of Trustees for their confidence in me.”
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“We don’t think we could have made a better choice at this juncture of the university’s history,” said Matt Vonachen, interim chair of the Bradley Board of Trustees and Co-Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. “Jim really stood out among the finalists for his knowledge of the university and his insights into what the institution’s needs are now and into the future. And, of course, his lifetime commitment to Bradley speaks for itself.”
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“As I prepare to pass the torch, I am delighted to welcome Jim as Bradley University’s President. I have no doubt that under his leadership, Bradley will continue to thrive and build upon its legacy of excellence," said Jonathan Michael, Bradley’s Interim President. "It has been an honor to serve as Bradley’s interim president and to work alongside our dedicated faculty, staff, and students. During my time in this role, I have gained an even deeper appreciation for the passion and commitment that make Bradley such a special place.”
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Shadid said that increasing enrollment and stabilizing Bradley’s financial condition, along with creating a roadmap for the future, will be immediate priorities.
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“Our inheritance from our founder, Lydia Moss Bradley, is something in which we can both take immense pride and use as the foundation for a more prominent and prosperous future for all who are touched by Bradley University in any way,” said Shadid. “We have a rich and storied tradition of cultivating knowledge in our students through professional and dedicated faculty who truly care about them, who help them develop a strong work ethic and versatile skill set that serves them, their families and their communities well. Bradley’s positive influence extends well beyond this immediate area of the country.
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“I am well aware of the high expectations that faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors and the greater Peoria community have for me, and rest assured that I have those same high expectations for myself. I have every confidence that this fine university will continue to be a center of academic excellence and of a superior student experience across the board.
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“I truly believe that Bradley’s best days as a premier institution are ahead of us.”
Images from PHS Crest 1975
PJStar Article on President Shadid- Link to Read
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In Case You Missed It-
PHS Future Alumnus Leshawn Stowers
nominated for Illinois Mr Basketball
PHS Basketball standout LeShawn Stowers in one of 12 individual nominated for Mr Basketball of Illinois. The winner will be announced May 3rd at the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association banquet. Press on the post below to read the article in the PJStar.
Bob Swisher, Class of 1932
One of Peoria High's Outstanding Athletes
Two Championships with Chicago Bears
Peoria High Athletics is filled with some of the finest athletes to ever play on the field. History has captured those stories. As I search Crests, Opinions and any other archived information I come across some that laid the groundwork early on and set the standards. Coach Salen "Doc" Herke is one of those coaches in Peoria High's history who had the opportunity to coach several fine athletes. In 1931-32, he was in his sixteenth year coaching the "Maroons" (later to be Lions). His 1931-32 football team had some notable characters that went on to very successful not only in athletics but also life. On this notable team, they had a manager named Bill Rutherford. Wildlife Prairie Park ring a bell for the younger crowd. He was instrumental in the establishment of the park. He was also an aviator.
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Another great player on the team was Clarence Hinton. Clarence Hinton went on to be a surgeon. The Hinton family has a great history here in Peoria.
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Bob Swisher was a guy who set records in different sports. He had a Pole Vault record that stood until the 70's. As a football player, he wasn't the big halfback at 230 pounds. He was 5'11" and 168 pounds playing for the Bears.
Peoria has had only one athlete ever to play in three National Football League championship games: Bob Swisher of the Chicago Bears.
Swisher, who played college ball at Northwestern at 5-foot-10 and 158 pounds, joined the Chicago Bears in 1938 and played five seasons under legendary coach George Halas.
He appeared in the record-setting 73-0 Bears romp over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL title game, catching one pass for 35 yards, one of only seven passes the Bears, owning a crunching ground game, completed all day.
In the 33-14 win over Green Bay in the 1941 conference championship game, he scored on a nine-yard run and then played in the NFL title game a week later, which was a 37-9 win over the New York Giants. He also played in the 1942 title game, a 14-6 loss to Washington.
Swisher began his athletic career at Peoria Central High School, lettering in football, basketball, and track. He held the school's pole vault record from 1931 to 1970. He later won letters in football and track at Northwestern.
During World II, Swisher, a lieutenant in the Navy, played with the powerful Iowa Pre-Flight Sea Hawks before being sent overseas.
He played one post-war season with the Bears and then turned to coaching, first at Loyola University in Los Angeles and then at the Naval Air Base in Millington, Tenn.
He passed away in 1979.
1932 PHS Crest
Watch Peoria High Alumnus
Victor Solomon
Audition for American Idol- Wow!
Always great to see our Peoria High Alumnus taking on the challenges of maybe the next step in a musical singing career. Victor's voice is stunning. Lionel Richie summed up. You can watch his audition right here. Keep going Victor! We are proud of you!
Click on the "Watch on YouTube " above
PHS alum Victor Soloman stands with American Idol judge Lionel Richie after learning he qualified for American Idol. Solomon also competed on The Voice earlier in his singing career. After his performance, you can hear Richie tell Soloman that he had never heard anyone "preach" this paticular song before and he was blown away by the performance.
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Peoria High School Alumni Association
1615 N North St
Peoria, IL. 61604
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Established in 1856, Peoria High School is the largest oldest high school
in continuous operation West of The Allegheny Mountains
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