Schools

Early Schools

The 1st school in Big Woods was a 1 room log cabin built in 1835. This cabin remained in use until a new one was built at the corner of Fayette and Park Streets and it was not in use for very long. Another east side school was built at Washington Street near Wilson Street in 1860, but in 1893 it burnt down. Another school was rebuilt on the same property and was called the East Side School until the named was changed to the Louise White School. In 1978, a new Louise White School was built at 800 North Prairie Street.

West Side School in black and white

West Side School

From 1846 until 1852, west side students went to school in an old church at 16 North Batavia Avenue. In 1852, a school was built where the Bethany Lutheran Church is today. In 1867, another school was built and it was called Central School but later renamed to the West Side School. The school was torn down in 1950.

Blaine Street School

Blaine Street School was opened in 1906 on the corners of Blaine and Jefferson for the west side students. It was closed down in 1969. Today it is a school for house painters.

Batavia Institute

In 1854 the Batavia Institute was built on Jefferson and Union Avenue. Since not many towns had high schools, the students came from all over Illinois. When the law was passed that towns had to have a high school, the Batavia Institute became a mental hospital. Mary Todd Lincoln was a patient for 3 months after the assassination of her husband President Lincoln. The building is now an apartment house.

Batavia Institute in black and white

West Side High School & Louise White School

After the law stating that all towns were to have a high school, the old church on First Street became the West Side High School and the high school students living on the east side of town went to the Louise White School.

Batavia High School

Rather than having separate east and west side school systems, Batavia voted to unite the school systems. First built was the Batavia High School at the corner of Batavia Avenue and Wilson Street. When a new high school was built at it's current location, the old building became the Junior High School. The building has since been demolished to make way for the Batavia Public Library. The current middle school is on South Raddant.