History
The West Central Conference was formed in 1959 [1] by eight small high schools in west central Wisconsin: Alma, Arkansaw, Fairchild, Gilmanton, Hixton, Lincoln in Alma Center, Pepin and Taylor. [2] The conference's eighteen-year history was marked by instability, as they were constantly affected by defections, rural consolidation and school closings. Only two years after it was formed, the West Central Conference lost three member schools. Alma Center Lincoln left to join the Dairyland Conference, [3] Arkansaw became a member of the Dunn-St. Croix Conference, [4] and Hixton was closed after its district consolidated with Black River Falls. [5] Three years after they left the West Central Conference, Arkansaw rejoined to bring membership back up to six schools. [6] Pepin left the West Central in 1966 to join the Dunn-St. Croix Conference, [7] and they were replaced by two private high schools: Immanuel Lutheran [8] in Eau Claire and St. Felix [9] out of Wabasha, Minnesota. Two members left the conference in 1968, as Fairchild merged with Osseo [10] [11] and St. Felix discontinued their high school program. [12] The conference was left with four members in 1971, as Alma left to join the Dairyland Conference. [13] The West Central Conference met its end in 1977, as Gilmanton and Taylor joined the Dairyland Conference, [14] Arkansaw rejoined the Dunn-St. Croix Conference, [15] and Immanuel Lutheran was left to compete as an independent. Two years later, Immanuel Lutheran joined the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association, [16] where they competed before its merger with the WIAA and entry into the Dairyland Conference in 2000. [17]
