As the metropolitan areas of the Big Eight grew, so too did the need for more space for high school students to relieve overcrowding. Madison opened a [[La Follette High School|fourth high school]] on the city's far east side in 1963 named after Wisconsin politician [[Robert M. La Follette|Robert M. LaFollette]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bednarek |first=David |date=10 September 1963 |title=28,000 Give Schools Bustling Start Here |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/400580719/?match=1&terms=%22la%20follette%20high%20school%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Wisconsin State Journal |pages=15}}</ref> They joined the Big Eight in 1964 along with the new [[George Nelson Tremper High School]] on the south side of [[Kenosha, Wisconsin|Kenosha]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 September 1964 |title=Music's in the air, Second high school opens on a clear note |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/596839130/?match=1&terms=%22tremper%20high%20school%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Kenosha News |pages=6}}</ref> The existing high school in Kenosha was also renamed after local educator [[Mary D. Bradford]]. More changes were on the horizon, and three more recently opened high schools joined the conference. Jerome I. Case High School opened on [[Racine, Wisconsin|Racine's]] west side in 1966, and two others joined in 1967: [[Vel Phillips Memorial High School|James Madison Memorial High School]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brautigam |first=Richard |date=22 June 1965 |title=Board, By Secret Vote, Names New High School "Madison" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/519673063/?match=1&terms=%22madison%20memorial%20high%20school%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=The Capital Times |pages=1}}</ref> (renamed after Wisconsin politician [[Vel Phillips]] in 2021<ref>{{Cite news |last=Girard |first=Scott |date=3 November 2021 |title="Vel Phillips Memorial High School", Committee choses Phillips for renaming of James Madison Memorial |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/778190701/?match=1&terms=%22vel%20phillips%20memorial%20high%20school%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=The Capital Times |pages=O16}}</ref>) on Madison's far west side and [[George S. Parker High School]] on [[Janesville, Wisconsin|Janesville's]] west side.<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 May 1966 |title=Big 8 (to 13) Plans Ahead for Football, Basketball |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/11774153/?match=1&terms=%22racine%20case%22%20%22big%20eight%22%20standings |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Janesville Weekly Gazette |pages=12}}</ref> Janesville's current high school was also named after local politician Joseph A. Craig in the process.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 May 1965 |title=2 Senior Highs Are Named For Geo. Parker, J.A. Craig |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/12582982/?match=1&terms=%22parker%20high%20school%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Janesville Weekly Gazette |pages=1}}</ref>
As the metropolitan areas of the Big Eight grew, so too did the need for more space for high school students to relieve overcrowding. Madison opened a [[La Follette High School|fourth high school]] on the city's far east side in 1963 named after Wisconsin politician [[Robert M. La Follette|Robert M. LaFollette]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bednarek |first=David |date=10 September 1963 |title=28,000 Give Schools Bustling Start Here |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/400580719/?match=1&terms=%22la%20follette%20high%20school%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Wisconsin State Journal |pages=15}}</ref> They joined the Big Eight in 1964 along with the new [[George Nelson Tremper High School]] on the south side of [[Kenosha, Wisconsin|Kenosha]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 September 1964 |title=Music's in the air, Second high school opens on a clear note |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/596839130/?match=1&terms=%22tremper%20high%20school%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Kenosha News |pages=6}}</ref> The existing high school in Kenosha was also renamed after local educator [[Mary D. Bradford]]. More changes were on the horizon, and three more recently opened high schools joined the conference. [[Jerome I. Case High School]] opened on [[Racine, Wisconsin|Racine's]] west side in 1966, and two others joined in 1967: [[Vel Phillips Memorial High School|James Madison Memorial High School]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brautigam |first=Richard |date=22 June 1965 |title=Board, By Secret Vote, Names New High School "Madison" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/519673063/?match=1&terms=%22madison%20memorial%20high%20school%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=The Capital Times |pages=1}}</ref> (renamed after Wisconsin politician [[Vel Phillips]] in 2021<ref>{{Cite news |last=Girard |first=Scott |date=3 November 2021 |title="Vel Phillips Memorial High School", Committee choses Phillips for renaming of James Madison Memorial |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/778190701/?match=1&terms=%22vel%20phillips%20memorial%20high%20school%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=The Capital Times |pages=O16}}</ref>) on Madison's far west side and [[George S. Parker High School]] on [[Janesville, Wisconsin|Janesville's]] west side.<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 May 1966 |title=Big 8 (to 13) Plans Ahead for Football, Basketball |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/11774153/?match=1&terms=%22racine%20case%22%20%22big%20eight%22%20standings |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Janesville Weekly Gazette |pages=12}}</ref> Janesville's current high school was also named after local politician Joseph A. Craig in the process.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 May 1965 |title=2 Senior Highs Are Named For Geo. Parker, J.A. Craig |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/12582982/?match=1&terms=%22parker%20high%20school%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Janesville Weekly Gazette |pages=1}}</ref>
By this time, the Big Eight had ballooned to thirteen members (twelve after Madison Central High School closed in 1969), and along with that growth came greater problems with scheduling and travel. In 1967, the five Madison high schools announced their exit from the Big Eight Conference and gave the three high schools in [[Rock County, Wisconsin|Rock County]] the option of joining them in a new conference, which they accepted.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 August 1967 |title=Big Eight is disbanding |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/596866223/?match=1&terms=%22big%20eight%20conference%22%20%22racine%20case%22%20%22janesville%20parker%22%20%22madison%20memorial%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Kenosha News |pages=11}}</ref> The five high schools in Racine and Kenosha formed the [[South Shore Conference (Wisconsin)|South Shore Conference]] after their forced removal from the Big Eight,<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 July 1969 |title=Tremper, Bradford in new conference |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/597456731/?match=1&terms=%22south%20shore%20conference%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Kenosha News |pages=15}}</ref> which had a tumultuous ten-year history before it was finally disbanded in 1980.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 March 1979 |title=Kenosha pays costs of plan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/597436406/?match=1&terms=%22south%20shore%20conference%22%20realignment |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Kenosha News Courier |pages=9}}</ref>
By this time, the Big Eight had ballooned to thirteen members (twelve after Madison Central High School closed in 1969), and along with that growth came greater problems with scheduling and travel. In 1967, the five Madison high schools announced their exit from the Big Eight Conference and gave the three high schools in [[Rock County, Wisconsin|Rock County]] the option of joining them in a new conference, which they accepted.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 August 1967 |title=Big Eight is disbanding |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/596866223/?match=1&terms=%22big%20eight%20conference%22%20%22racine%20case%22%20%22janesville%20parker%22%20%22madison%20memorial%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Kenosha News |pages=11}}</ref> The five high schools in Racine and Kenosha formed the [[South Shore Conference (Wisconsin)|South Shore Conference]] after their forced removal from the Big Eight,<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 July 1969 |title=Tremper, Bradford in new conference |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/597456731/?match=1&terms=%22south%20shore%20conference%22 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Kenosha News |pages=15}}</ref> which had a tumultuous ten-year history before it was finally disbanded in 1980.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 March 1979 |title=Kenosha pays costs of plan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/597436406/?match=1&terms=%22south%20shore%20conference%22%20realignment |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Kenosha News Courier |pages=9}}</ref>
The Big Eight Conference was originally formed in 1925 as the Big Six Conference and its original members were Beloit Memorial, Janesville, Kenosha, Madison Central, Madison East and Racine.[1] It consisted of the largest high schools in southern Wisconsin that were located outside of the greater Milwaukee area and was alternatively known by its official name (the Southern Wisconsin Conference) during its early years.[2] The conference added a seventh high school in 1929, a year after Racine High School split into William Horlick High School on the north side and Washington Park High School on the south side of the city.[3] Park took Racine's place in the conference when it was split in 1928, and Horlick joined the conference a year later.[4] However, it wouldn't be known as the "Big Seven" for long as Madison added a third high school on the west side of the city in 1930,[5] and they immediately became members upon opening.[6] The original Big Eight lineup lasted over thirty years before growth created a rift that changed its membership in the modern era.
Growing Pains and Split (1964-1970)
As the metropolitan areas of the Big Eight grew, so too did the need for more space for high school students to relieve overcrowding. Madison opened a fourth high school on the city's far east side in 1963 named after Wisconsin politician Robert M. LaFollette.[7] They joined the Big Eight in 1964 along with the new George Nelson Tremper High School on the south side of Kenosha.[8] The existing high school in Kenosha was also renamed after local educator Mary D. Bradford. More changes were on the horizon, and three more recently opened high schools joined the conference. Jerome I. Case High School opened on Racine's west side in 1966, and two others joined in 1967: James Madison Memorial High School[9] (renamed after Wisconsin politician Vel Phillips in 2021[10]) on Madison's far west side and George S. Parker High School on Janesville's west side.[11] Janesville's current high school was also named after local politician Joseph A. Craig in the process.[12]
By this time, the Big Eight had ballooned to thirteen members (twelve after Madison Central High School closed in 1969), and along with that growth came greater problems with scheduling and travel. In 1967, the five Madison high schools announced their exit from the Big Eight Conference and gave the three high schools in Rock County the option of joining them in a new conference, which they accepted.[13] The five high schools in Racine and Kenosha formed the South Shore Conference after their forced removal from the Big Eight,[14] which had a tumultuous ten-year history before it was finally disbanded in 1980.[15]
Present Day (1970-present)
With the Madison-area schools having successfully split from those in southeastern Wisconsin, the new-look Big Eight Conference began play in 1970 with seven schools (Beloit Memorial, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Madison East, Madison La Follette, Madison Memorial and Madison West).[16] Membership increased back to eight with the addition of Sun Prairie High School from the Badger Conference in 1977,[17] and in later years the Big Eight added two other large metropolitan Madison high schools: Middleton in 1994[18] and Verona in 2008[19] (both formerly of the Badger Conference). Membership stayed at ten schools until 2022, when Sun Prairie High School completed its split into two schools.[20] Sun Prairie High School became Sun Prairie East and Sun Prairie West High School was completed on the west side of the district. The following year, Beloit Memorial left the Big Eight after nearly a century of membership to join the Southern Lakes Conference.
