<P> By 1931, Morton had reached its capacity of 3,000 students, and a bond issue was put before the electorate to raise funds for a new school to be built in neighboring Berwyn . The issue was defeated 7751--8035 . </P> <P> In May 1932, the school district closed the school two weeks ahead of schedule because of financial troubles . The school also announced that the autumn opening of school would be pushed back two weeks to further save money . The closing also affected Morton Junior College, which was housed at the school . </P> <P> The 1932--33 school year saw teachers and students join in an unusual revolt against the board of education . In October 1932, the school's football coach was fired without warning, prompting 800 citizens to attend a board meeting to retain him . The coach was reputedly fired for being critical of the board for discounting tax warrants with which teachers had been paid over the past months in lieu of money . About one month later, students began a boycott of the cafeteria, charging that not only had prices gone up, but that workers had been fired to be replaced by more workers with ties to the school board . The board then hired private individuals to patrol the school . </P> <P> The publicity surrounding these actions prompted the accrediting agency for the school, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, to begin an inquiry as to whether the school should remain accredited . This was immediately followed by the North Central Association's assertion that, despite teachers receiving no cash salary for almost a year, and being forced to sell the tax warrants they had been receiving for substantial discounts, the board had hired unnecessary custodial staff, cafeteria workers, and largely under - qualified teachers without consulting the superintendent . </P>

J. sterling morton high school district 201 cicero il 60804