Wheaton voters wanted their own high school but accepted Glen Ellyn students on a tuition basis.

In the fall of 1915, Wheaton raised the tuition rates and Glen Ellyn residents decided to start their own high school.

Arthur Holzman, an American citizen who was born Canadian, became a controversial topic which put newly elected Glen Ellyn school board president Louis J. Thiele in a difficult predicament, to delegate a successor.

When Fred L. Biester took over this office in 1918 at Mr. Holzman's recommendation to Mr. Thiele, the faculty consisted of five members who instructed 120 students in a basic curriculum.

By 1920, class enrollment quickly outgrew the space and spread between the bank building and local church basements.

[9] In preparation for this growth, the district purchased a site on Honeysuckle Hill from Charles R. Raymond[10] in April 1919—twenty-five acres for the price of US$8,000 ($18.2, accounting for inflation).

Neighboring Lombard residents learned that Honeysuckle Hill was within one-half mile of the geographical center of the proposed district and their unification would enable the towns to establish a school as large as any in the county, with an attendance of about two hundred pupils.

A contest was held among the students to name the districts and the merging of 'Glen' Ellyn and Lom'bard' officially became "Glenbard" on May 15, 1923.

Across the road from Glenbard West is Bill Duchon Field, where football, boys' and girls' soccer, and track are played.

Originally built in 1923, it was renamed in 1980 in honor of a head football coach who led West to several conference championships.

In 2001, Duchon field was named by USA Today as one of the top 10 places to watch high school football.

[16] Glenbard West has been ranked among the top 1500 public schools in the United States six times, according to Newsweek's challenge Index.

The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, boys' lacrosse, and volleyball.