Mr. Carl Hendrickson, Todd School for Boys Music Teacher, circa 1940s

Mr. Carl Hendrickson, Todd School for Boys Music Teacher, circa 1940s

Music Director Carl Hendrickson joined the Todd School faculty in 1926 after an early career as a violin prodigy and vaudeville performer. A composer as well as violinist, Hendrickson was responsible for many of the arrangements performed by Todd School choral and instrumental groups. The school had a sound studio in the basement of Grace Hall where Todd students recorded their own albums. The school’s Bach to Boogie jazz band performed nationally on stage and on radio.

The Todd School for Boys (1848–1954) was an independent school located in Woodstock, Illinois founded by Reverend Richard Kimball Todd, a Presbyterian pastor. Under the guidance of Headmaster Noble Hill in the 1920s and Hill’s son Roger in the 1930s, it became known as a progressive school that provided students with a creative educational environment that emphasized practical experience over traditional academics. The main Todd School Campus was located on the northeast corner of the Rt. 47 (Seminary Ave) and Rt. 120 (McHenry Ave.) junction.

1940~