School

At its founding, Arenzville had no publicly funded education, but its founder, Francis Arenz, believed in the importance of education for the community’s children. He donated a piece of land – the northwest corner of the village park – where a small building was erected in 1839. It became known as the “Union Church” and was available for use by all denominations. It also housed the town’s school. This was a “subscription school,” that is, the hiring of a teacher was supported by donations from the families who wished to enroll children. Other families, i.e., those who had the means, might engage a tutor to teach their children at home. Many children received very little formal education in these early decades.

Private schools flourished in some parts of the country but not so much in agricultural areas. The influx of settlers from New England and Europe -- particularly from Germany with a model system of public education -- slowly turned public opinion in the country in favor of free public education as an essential element in a democracy. In 1855, Illinois passed the School Law, establishing tax-funded public schools across the state.

In 1866, the town built a brick building on the northeast corner of the village park to serve as a public school. When the first two-story brick Zuschka School was built in 1892 (see photo at left), the brick building in the park was sold to the village. As of 2026, this building is still standing and is one of the oldest buildings in the village. Over the years it has served as a school, a village hall and jail, a garage for the town’s fire truck, storage and work area for the village’s annual burgoo, and a library and tutoring center. 

Trinity Lutheran Church in Arenzville established its educational program in 1873 and has continued operation of this private parochial school since that time.

Around 1889, the public school added a two-year high school course to the original eight grades. The first commencement of Arenzville Public School was held in 1890. The ceremony was held at the “M.P. Church,” the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in the southwest corner of the village park. Some referred to this as the Methodist-Presbyterian Church at the time because both denominations used it.

In 1892, with assistance from a bequest from the estate of John Zuschka, the village built a two-story brick building on the east end of town. The first Zuschka School building was used until November 1908, when it was destroyed by a fire. It was replaced in 1910 by the second Zuschka School building, which eventually became more commonly known as "Arenzville High School" until 1959. 

In 1959, Arenzville High School had fewer than 100 students. Athletic teams of the elementary school were known as the Arenzville Eagles, and the high school teams were called the Arenzville Raiders. Their colors were purple and white. Locals still savor the memories of great basketball teams from the late 1940's, led by beloved coach Jack Escorcia (see Kirk Wessler's column from the Peoria Star.) Since the enrollment at the school was very small, early football teams played a special 6-man (later 8-man) style of football with other small schools in the area, such as Meredosia, Chandlerville, and Bluffs. Arenzville was blessed with the leadership of a second legendary coach, Don Kemp, who came to the school in 1953. (For more on Coach Kemp, see related articles on this site.)

In 1959-60, Arenzville became part of the consolidated school district of Concord, Chapin and Arenzville. The consolidation was accomplished to share the limited resources of the three towns and provide the best education possible to the students of the community. The students of the newly formed Community Unit School District No. 27 choose the school’s new name: Triopia High School. “Triopia” was a name created by the students to acknowledge the inclusion of three communities in their school.

The school building at Arenzville (the second Zuschka School) was used until May 1985 as an attendance center for junior high and/or elementary grades from the consolidated district. It was closed at the end of the 1984-85 academic year because the building no longer met the state’s required safety codes to be used as a school. It was demolished in 1989. 

Today, students from Arenzville attend the public school of Triopia Jr.-Sr. and Elementary School, located near Concord. Trinity Lutheran Church continues to provide elementary school instruction for a small number of Arenzville students.

Despite their small enrollment numbers, Triopia schools have a well established reputation of excellent academic quality, a renowned drama and speech program, and athletic teams which have frequently competed in state championship tournaments.

See more photos from Arenzville High School on the John Zuschka page.