Page 157 - 2023-24 By-Laws

History of IHSAA

Part VII: History of IHSAA

The first attempt to organize the high schools of Indiana in a single organization for the
purpose of handling athletic activities was made in a meeting of the Northern Indiana Teachers’
Association held at Richmond in April, 1903. At this time there was a conference of high school
principals, and the conference ended with a body of suggested rules and regulations, called the
Richmond Agreement. Due to the fact that there was no central organization having executive
power, the Richmond Agreement did little more than point the way toward something better.
Principal J. B. Pearcy, of Anderson, issued a call for a meeting of high school principals
interested in a state athletic organization for December 5, 1903. At this meeting, a provisional
constitution was adopted. At a similar meeting on December 29, 1903, a final constitution
was adopted and a Board of Control of three members was chosen to administer the affairs
of the IHSAA.
The first Board of Control was made up of Principal George W. Benton, Shortridge High
School, Indianapolis; Superintendent Lotus D. Coffman, Salem; and Principal J. T. Giles,
Marion. These men thought and planned well, and we are enjoying the fruits of their vision.
There were fifteen high schools belonging to the IHSAA, March 1, 1904. The membership
had a gradual growth through the years, and now includes almost all of the high schools in
the state. The peak membership of eight hundred twenty (820) was reached in 1942, the year
that private, parochial and institutional schools were admitted to the Association.
In the beginning, one member of the Board of Control served as Secretary but it soon
became very evident that this office furnished enough work for a special man. It was also
seen that the future of the organization demanded that the office of Secretary be made more
permanent than the office of Board Member. Accordingly, at the annual meeting in 1906, the
office of Permanent Secretary was established, and Principal J. T. Giles of Marion was chosen
by the principals to be the first Permanent Secretary. Principal Giles resigned on December
26, 1912 and Principal Isaac E. Neff, South Bend, was chosen by the principals to succeed
him. Principal Neff resigned March 15, 1913, and the Board of Control appointed Principal
Arthur L. Trester from Alexandria to serve as Permanent Secretary until the next annual
meeting in December, 1913. At this meeting, Principal Trester was chosen by the principals
as Permanent Secretary.
The Board of Control consisted of three members, chosen by the principals in their an-
nual meetings, until the annual meeting of October 27, 1916. At this meeting, it was decided
to divide the state into five districts for administrative and representative purposes, and that
each district should have one representative on the Board of Control, chosen by mail ballot
from his own district by the principals of his district.
In September, 1925, by a referendum vote, the principals passed a legislative body proposal
calling for four members from each of the five (5) IHSAA districts. The five members of the
Board of Control, serving ex officio, and the fifteen other members elected by the principals
in a mail vote constituted this legislative body. Prior to this plan, all legislation was done at the
annual meeting or by referendum voting by mail. This Legislative Body of twenty members
passed on all proposals submitted by the high school principals. It was the law making body
of the Association. The plan was considered an advance in state administration and legisla-
tion in athletic activities.
On December 13, 1930, the Legislative Body considered and passed without a dissenting
vote the provisions for an Athletic Council. The plan in full continued the five IHSAA districts
in the state and arranged for five representatives on the Athletic Council from each district by
classes determined by enrollments in the high schools, thus making the Athletic Council a body
of twenty-five members representing all sizes of high schools and all districts of the state at all
times and elected by the high school principals in the membership. A provision was included
for the selection of a 5-man Board of Control from the membership of the Athletic Council by
the members of the Athletic Council. The Athletic Council took over the duties of the former
Legislative Body and was considered the law making body of the Association.
The title “Permanent Secretary,” established in 1906, was changed to “Commissioner of

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