In the fall of 1948, following the final spring graduation ceremonies at Hindsboro High School and the July 1st formation of the new Arcola-Hindsboro Community Unit School District #306, siblings Myra Joy Strader and James Duane Strader became the first of their family to attend Arcola High School. They were the fourth and fifth of nine children born in a thirteen-year span to Hindsboro farming parents Clifford Anthony and Thelma Easter (Allen) Strader.

Their older siblings Allen Clifford (born 1928), Laura June (1929) and Keith Nelson (1930) were Hindsboro High School graduates with the classes of 1946, 1947 and 1948 respectively. Myra later graduated with the Arcola High School Class of 1950 and Duane with the class of 1952. Younger siblings Thelma Dolores (born 1935), Michael Lee (1937), Norman Lealand (1940) and Daniel Ray (1941) were graduates with the Arcola High School Classes of 1953, 1955, 1958 and 1959 respectively.

Myra and Duane’s transition to Arcola High School led the way for generations of Strader family athletes, cheerleaders, beauty queens and honored military personnel at Arcola. Arcola High School Alumni Association recognizes the Strader siblings, who have now joined an elite group of Arcola High School graduates who have reached the age of 90 and beyond.

JD has numerous childhood memories from the Depression and World War II years, including the free outdoor movies in Hindsboro, where he was able to get ice cream or a coke for five cents. He also recalls Sunday mornings when Pa Strader was called on to transport some of the Strader children to the Hindsboro Christian Church because there were too many children for their one family car.

During World War II, JD and his siblings were able to ride “Lady”, a horse they boarded for their Uncle “Monk” Allen during his military service. As he got a little older, JD learned to cut broomcorn with his father and brothers. One summer his father rewarded him with a new bicycle after he had cut broomcorn for his grandfather.

In his early years of grade school, JD contracted rheumatic fever and also suffered a serious neck laceration after he tangled with barbed wire. He missed school and fell behind one year at Hindsboro Grade School. JD reports they walked or were driven to school before the bus service became available around 1940. Even after bus transportation was available, he and his siblings sometimes chose to walk the 1½ miles distance to their home after school as it was quicker than riding the bus with so many stops to deliver all the students.

JD’s three oldest siblings graduated Hindsboro High School prior to the formation of the new Arcola-Hindsboro High School District in 1948. JD completed grade school at Hindsboro and then headed to Arcola High School in the fall of 1948, where athletics were his greatest interest, at least in his early years of high school. By the summer of 1950, JD’s attention turned to a popular young lady in his high school class. Sabina Hayes had attended grade school in Kemp and then also entered Arcola High School in the fall of 1948. JD and Sabina were acquainted with each other as JD’s oldest brother, Allen, had married Sabina’s older sister, Jeanne, in 1947. JD recalls he and Sabina attended a free outdoor movie in Kemp on their first date in August of 1950. Sabina, a popular cheerleader, was later honored to be Homecoming Queen at Arcola High School.

Agriculture and Physical Education were JD’s favorite high school classes and Nelson Roberts, Ag teacher, was his favorite educator. Throughout high school, JD was a member and officer of Future Farmers of America and the 1952 Torch yearbook reported he aspired to be a farmer.

The senior class poem in his yearbook noted Duane was “quite athletic” as he participated in football, basketball and track throughout high school. Although he had missed playing time with an elbow injury his junior year, the November 16, 1950 Arcola Record-Herald reported Duane Strader “won the honor of scoring the first touchdown” as Arcola defeated a previously undefeated Tuscola team to share the title of Okaw Valley co-champions. At their football banquet, Coach Andy Sullivan reported, “Every time I see a No Left Turn sign, I think of Strader, because he made the best turn I ever saw toward Route 133 against Tuscola when he went 68 yards for a touchdown.”

Despite a collarbone injury his senior football season, JD was named halfback on the 1951 all-area offensive team. Following the Arthur game, the October 25, 1951 Arcola Record-Herald reported, “Duane Strader played his second game as offensive halfback since recovery from a collarbone injury early in the season, led his teammates in the ground gaining and scoring department totaling 181 yards and three touchdowns.” On Monday, November 12, 1951, Strader scored two touchdowns, including a 61-yard run on his second score, as Arcola defeated Tuscola 20-6 to win a share of the 1951 Okaw title in their season finale. He was later named halfback on the all-area offensive team.

In basketball, the March 3, 1951 Arcola Record-Herald reported, “Duane Strader, this year’s honorary captain and probably most improved player on the squad, may prove to be one of the best guards in the conference.” In his senior year, the Arcola basketball team went on to share honors as 1951-52 Okaw Valley co-champions. In track, JD competed in the high jump, pole vault and 220-yard dash.

JD recalls Archie Dague, Bill Sargent and John East were good friends in high school. He also remembers he rode the bus to school his freshman and sophomore years and the school provided a private driver to transport JD and Archie Dague back home to Hindsboro following their practices after school. In the summer of 1950, JD purchased a 1933 Chevrolet with yellow spoke wheels for $50.00 and was then able to provide his own transportation.

Following their Tuesday, May 27, 1952 Arcola High School graduation, JD worked on the farm for Raymond Cuppy and John Hemingway and Sabina enrolled at Eastern. After the fall harvest, JD and Archie Dague found work at US Rubber Chemical in Joliet. Within just a week or two, JD realized it was not a good idea for him to be in Joliet while Sabina was in Charleston with all those college boys. While others had told them they were too young to really be in love at ages 18 and 19, they knew they wanted to share their lives together and proceeded with their plans to marry. A front page photo in the February 2, 1953 Arcola Record-Herald pictured “Mr. and Mrs. Duane Strader following their wedding February 1, 1953 in the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carter A. Hayes of Kemp.”

The newlyweds resided in Joliet, where Sabina had found employment with the telephone company. Then in March, JD received his draft notice and by late April he was headed to Camp Crowder and then on to Fort Leonard Wood Army base in Missouri. Although Korean War combat had ended in July 1953, JD received orders in August to go to Korea, where he served from October 1953 to December 1954.

JD returned home to Sabina in the spring of 1955 and worked on the farm again for Raymond Cuppy and John Hemingway before he was employed at USI in 1956. Their daughter Sara was born in 1957. They moved to the family farm southwest of Hindsboro in the fall of 1957 and JD farmed while he continued to work at USI. Their son Ed was then born in 1959 and Cliff in 1966. While they were still living on the farm, the Straders raised and raced quarter horses from 1962-1967. They moved into Hindsboro in 1967 and continued to own horses until 1977.

The 1960s, 70s and 80s were busy, but happy years for the Strader family as Sabina and JD raised Sara, Ed and Cliff and also followed their children’s many games and other school activities. The family attended the Hindsboro Christian Church, where JD served as an elder and chairman of the board. He served eight years as a member of the Hindsboro Village Board of Trustees. Sabina was the Hindsboro Postmaster and Duane continued his work at USI in the chemical department until his January 1, 1992 retirement.

Despite being told they were too young to really be in love when they married, JD and Sabina shared more than 60 years together before her passing on June 23, 2013. JD continues to profess his unwavering love for the young lady he has admired since high school.

Now, more than seven decades after his high school graduation, JD still attends the athletic events he once excelled in at Arcola High School. He can be found in the bleachers at Arcola’s football and basketball games, actively cheering along with the cheerleaders and singing our national anthem in strong voice. He resides in Hindsboro and enjoys time spent with his three children, seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren.

The Strader family “Irish twins” represented their family well as they led the way to Arcola High School more than 76 years ago. As the remaining sister and brother in their family of nine, Myra and JD, at ages 92 and 91, are still leading the Strader family as they join the ranks of Arcola High School’s oldest alumni.