History of Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl
This academic competition began in the fall of 1982. Frank Conry (Principal of Byron High School), and Kim Schwartz of the Winnebago Masonic Lodge joined forces to organize the first invitational tournament in northern Illinois. The tournament was called the Northern Illinois Academic Bowl.
The first 16-team tournament was hosted by Winnebago High School and held in the spring of 1983. Class A schools from the counties of Boone. Carroll, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago were invited to participate.
During the next four years, the tournament rotated between Byron, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago high schools using the same format; however, other schools outside the original counties were invited. In the spring of 1987, with the active involvement of Richard Beck (Principal of Byron High School) and Charles Spatz (Grand Lodge appointed officer and editor of the Grand Lodge Newsletter) the tournament was expanded.
The 1988 tournament was renamed the Northern Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl, involved all high schools in northern Illinois who desired to participate, was hosted at two sites known as the eastern site and the western site, and was funded entirely by local Masonic Lodges.
The success of the 1988 Northern Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl warranted another organization change into its current format. The tournament became the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl and was a state-wide tournament in 1989, which included four tournament sites - two in northern Illinois, one in central Illinois, and one in southern Illinois.
A Tournament of Champions, matching the top four teams from each of the tournament sites in 1989, was the springboard to the State Tournament Series which determines an Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl State Champion.
The program, as we know it today, has grown to as many as 13 regional sites around the state with approximately 200 teams participating and nearly 190 local Masonic Lodges providing support. No school is refused the right to participate. Expansion is planned to continue until each Masonic Lodge and school within the state can easily participate.
In 2000, the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl competition had 165 high schools registered to participate in the regional competitions held at 11 sites throughout the state. The 11 regional sites were at the high schools for Carbondale, Carlinville, Decatur MacArthur, Fulton, Oregon, Paris, Peoria Woodruff, Peru St. Bede, Rockridge-Taylor Ridge, Stevenson at Lincolnshire, and Streator. The competition concluded with the 17th annual state tournament held at the Masonic Temple in Springfield with Stevenson at Lincolnshire winning the state championship. The other state finishers were Streator Township in 2nd place, Winnetka New Trier in 3rd place, Eureka in 4th place, and Rockford Auburn being the consolation winner. A total of 152 Masonic Lodges and other entities contributed $25,788 to support this academic program This provided $16,500 in scholarship money at the regional level, $5,300 at the state level, and $1,100 in participation awards for a total of $22,900. The remaining $2,888 went toward regional and state tournament expenses, which included salaries for judges, site managers, site honorariums, and purchase of questions, which totaled $6,823.42.
In 2002, the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl competition had 203 schools that participated in the regional competition held at 13 sites throughout the state. The regional 13 sites were held at the high schools for Bloomington Central Catholic, Boylan Catholic in Rockford, Breeze, Carbondale, Carlinville, Galena, Macomb, Moline, Paris, Peru St. Bede, Stevenson at Lincolnshire, Streator and Winchester. The competition concluded with the annual state tournament held at Springfield Southeast High School in Springfield with Springfield Southeast winning the state championship. The other State finishers were Limestone of Bartonsville in 2nd place, Rockford Guilford in 3rd place, Rockford Auburn in 4th place, and Danville being the consolation winner. A total of 164 Masonic Lodges and other groups contributed $24,230 to support this academic program. This provided $19,500 in scholarship money at the regional level, $5,300 at the state level, and $1,100 in participation awards for a total of $25,900. Additional regional and state expenses, which included salaries for judges, site managers, site honorariums, purchase of questions, postage, etc. brought the total expenses to $29,448.
In 2003, the 20th anniversary Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl competition had 203 schools that participated in the regional competition held at 13 sites throughout the state. The regional sites for 2003 were hosted by Boylan Catholic in Rockford, Carbondale, carlinville, Bloomington Central Catholic, Eureka, Fulton, Macomb, Moline, Paris, Peru St. Bede, Rossville-Alvin, Stevenson at Lincolnshire, and Winchester. The competition concluded with the annual state tournment held at springfield Southeast High School in Springfield with Wheeling North High School winning the state championship. The other state finishers were Sterling in 2nd place, Stillman Valley in 3rd place, Pleasant Plaines in 4th place, and Rockford Auburn being the consolation winner. Masonic Lodges and other groups contributed $25,225 to support the academic program. Scholarship prize money awarded to the schools was $19,500 at the regional level, $5,300 at the state level, and $1,100 in participation expenses, which included salaries for judges, site managers, site honorariums, purchase of questions, postage, etc., brought the total expenses to $39,927.59.
The year 2004 marked the 21st year for the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl. A total of 213 high schools registered to participate. Due to the number of schools entered this year, the tournament had to be expanded to 14 regional sites. The regional sites were hosted by, Stevenson at Lincolnshire, Boylan Catholic in Rockford, Fulton, Moline, Streator, Rossville-Alvin, Monticello, Winchester, Carlinville, Paris, Nashville, Macomb, Normal West, and Henry-Senachwine at Henry. First time host schools this year were Henry-Senachwine, Monticello, Nashville, and Normal West. The state champship winner from each of the 14 regional sites advanced to the state competition, plus the two second place teams with the highest number of points for the day at the regional sites.
The sites and dates and times for the regional competitions for the 2010 tournament can be found at: