USA > Illinois > Macon County > Decatur > Past and present of the City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois > Part 21
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The number of classes in each subjeet enables us to require only those to come at eight o'clock who prefer to come at that time.
By beginning earlier and gaining the time of the noon recess, we are enabled to have more time for actual school work and yet dismiss an hour and fifteen minutes sooner than by the old plan.
By the new plan 500 children may be at home before one o'clock, and the other 150 soon after 1:15.
If by your votes you approve of this plan,
Over four hundred voted for it and less than forty against it.
June 18, 1900, Miss Flora B. Smith was elected director of primary methods in the first, second, third and fourth grades.
May 9. 1901, the Athletic Association of the high school asked that Prof. Charles Kent be excused from his class duties on the roth instant so that he might attend and act as judge at the meet in Lincoln, Illinois. "The team will be greatly encour- aged and the chance of winning the pennant increased by his presence." The request was unanimously granted. This is the first time the board formally recognized athletics in the high school.
On the 27th of May, 1901, Mr. M. G. Pat- terson, architect, was directed to prepare plans for an addition of two rooms to be built on the southeast corner of the H. B. Durfee school. On June 13 five bids were received for erecting the same, and the con- tract was awarded to Mr. A. H. Humphrey for $4.694.
January 16, 1902, a contract was made with a company, Chicago, for apparatus and material with which to thoroughly fumigate the school rooms in cases of contagious dis- eases, The cost was $122.50. Such action had never before been taken by the board.
The annual election of teachers was held on the 16th of June, 1902, and the salaries of the grade teachers were advanced $25 cach. Fifty dollars was added to the sal- ary of each janitor upon the understanding that they would cut the grass and look after the yards during the vacations.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
The superintendent was directed, Aug- ust 21, 1902, to post notices in all the school rooms that persons damaging the property of the district would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
On September 9. 1902, the superintend- ent reported that the 6th and 7th grades in the Marietta and the Warren strect schools were greatly crowded and that the same rooms in the H. B. Durfee school were not full. He was ordered to transfer pupils living on or east of Morgan street to the 11. B. Durfee school and to transfer enough pupils living east of North Edward street and north of West Edmond street to the Warren street school to equalize, as nearly as may be, the number of pupils in the sixth and seventh grades of the Mari- etta and the Warren street schools.
Messrs. Goodman and Maynard peti- tioned the circuit court for a writ of man- damus to compel the board to allow their children to remain in the Warren street school. The case never was heard by the court. Something over a year later the petition was dismissed by the complainants.
In December, 1902, a discussion was com- menced as to the desirability of tearing down the Church street school, the oldest public school in the city, and building a larger and better edifice. On January 15. 1903. the following was offered by Mr. James F. Roach and unanimously adopted :
Resolved, That we erect on the present Church street school ground a school house containing ten or eleven rooms. The build- ing to be two stories with a basement, and an attic of sufficient size to be used as an auditorium, to seat not less than 600 per- sons, and that we receive from various ar- chitects sketches for floor plans and eleva- tions to be used as a basis for final plans to be adopted later.
At a meeting January 26, 1903, sketches were received from architects.
Some six or cight meetings were held to
consider these sketches and the discussions were frequently continued until nearly mid- night. Finally the plans of M. G. Patter- son were adopted at 11:40 p. m., February 17, 1903. lle was elected superintendent of construction March 18. On April 14, 1903, by a unanimous vote, it was ordered that the building be named the E. A. Gast- man School.
The contract was awarded to Swisher & Brooks for $42,448.88, but this amount does not include the heating and ventilating, the gas pipes, the electric wiring nor the con- crete floors in the basement. It is estimated that the total cost will be some fifty-five or sixty thousand dollars.
On April 15, 1903, R. O. Rosen was di- rected to prepare plans for an addition of two rooms to be built on the south end of the Jackson street school. He was directed to provide for using as much of the old ma- terial from the Church street house as could be utilized. Bids were invited for tearing down the old Church street school.
At a meeting held April 24, 1903, a con- tract was made with Messrs. Swisher & Brooks to tear down the old building, as no bids had been received to do it. They com- menced the work the next day, and the total cost was $965.98. Old material was sold to the amount of $180.40.
The Church street school building was the oldest public school house in the city. It was erected in 1856-7 by the directors, Ed- ward O. Smith, Jasper J. Pedicord, and Philip B. Shepherd. An addition of two rooms was made to it in 1879. No record of the cost of the original house has been found, but tradition says it was about $6-, 000. The addition cost $2,883.75.
On July 8, 1903, the contract for building an addition of two rooms to the Jackson street school was awarded to Wm. F. Geb- hart for $8,547.
At a meeting held on July 14. 1903. it was ordered that the Ward system of teach-
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ing reading be adopted in the first and scc- ond grades in all the schools, it having been tested in the Warren and Church street schools for the past two years.
It was also ordered that the new Hyde books, one and two, in English, be adopted for use in the fourth, fifth, sixth and sev- enth grades and that the third, fourth and fifth readers of the Graded Literature series be used in the third, fourth and fifth grades. This is the third change of readers in the Decatur schools since 1850.
A LIST OF TEACHERS
employed in the public schools from the or- ganization of the board of education,
April, 1865, to October 1, 1903.
Edward Adams, Carlotta Adams, Louise Adams, Zella F. Adams, Josephine Adams. Kate Aikin, Laura Aikin, Mrs. Ottoria Al- exander, Sarah E. Allen, Blanche Allsop, Harriet M. Amsden, Bettie Anderson, Flor- ence Able, Amanda J. Affleck, Lucy J. Anderson, Della Arthur, Jennie Badenhau- sen. Mattie Beman, David Bigelow, Bessie Baker, Mattie V. Bean, Ardelia A. Beach. A. E. Beardsley, Mabel W. Barrett, Mollie Bear. Ella Bear, Olive Al. Bear, Edith Beamer, Nannie Beamer William O. Betzer, Minnie E. Bigelow, Clara B. Bishop, Adelia N. Bishop, Fannie Bivans, Maggie C. Bol- ler, Clara W. A. Bowles, Mary .A. Bell, Sada Beadles, Hattie Baker, Alice M. Bet- zer, Mary E. Baker, John T. Bowles, Ellen 1. Bond, Clara B. Bothel. Ella D. Boyer. Florence Brand, Sallie Brand, (Leffing- well), Mary R. Brand, Emma M. Beswick, Mrs. Susan A. Brockway, Frank P. Bach- man, 1. Eddie Brown. Fay C. Brown, Mary E. Barth, Katherine Brown, Mary E. Brooks, Frank G. Blair, one month : Eva M. Bixby. Inez Brunton, Frances M. Bruce, (Strain), Anna M. Burnham, Marietta W. Carson, Maude Calhoun, Oka Calvin, An- nette H. Carleton. Nita Clark, Eda Al.
Clark, Mary Jackson Clark, May Cochran, .A. J. Cole, Nancy Coleman, Elizabeth Con- dell, Margaret Connor, Lucy Coolidge, Ella Coltrin, Mrs. S. L. D. Cortright, Nancy Cun- ningham, Emeline E. Crocker, Jacob H. Coonradt, Rachel Cook. (Albeitz), Kate E. Crowley, Bessie N. Cravath, Emily H. Cot- ton. Mrs. Nettie Crosier, Flora .A. Culp, Ruth Culver, Edith Ray Crapo, Evaline L. Cutler. Buel P. Colton, Julia V. Criswell. Robert F. Davidson, Harriet A. Davidson, Jude E. Davis, Mary Davis, Nellie Cole Danely, Minnie E. Davis, A. Alta Dawson, Katherine Dempsey, Ruby T. De Motte, Laura Dempsey, Marianna Deverell, Katie R. Dennis, Elizabeth Dills, Marian Dills, Grace Dills, Inez Dingman, Cora Di- van, Ella Dixon, Sophia MI. Drebisch. C. W. Demmon, Jennie E. Durfee, Lucy Durfee, Helen Dean, Miss L. M. Dur- ham, Mollie Ellis, 2 months; Mattie E. Eaton, Della M. Eaton, Ulric C. East, Mary M. Edwards, Walter A. Edwards, Sherry W. Ehrman, John Eichinger, Ida Elder, N. Olive Enoch, Mary L. English, Tillie Entler, Clara Eyman, Thomas L. Evans, Mattie H. Evans, H. E. Flanagan, Nellie File, Lura File, Ada Ferguson, Irene Ferguson, Marie Z. Fleming, Kitty Fitzpatrick, Ida L. Foss, A. Josephine Freely, Grace Freeman, J. C. Fuller. Mary A. Fuller, Belle Fulton, Laura Fulton, Mary W. French, Priscilla E. Foulke, Etta Foster, Philo S. Fenton, Hat- tie Falconer, E. A. Gastman, Frances Gale, Mabel C. Gale, Blanche Gasaway. Louise .A. Gastman, John W. Gibson. Clara S. Gill- ham, Theda Gildmeister, Frank D. Glover, Ifelen E. Green, A. S. Gordan, Hattie Greer, Nannie R. Gray, Ruby C. Gray, Anna M. Granger, Mary E. Grunendike, Mollie Gru- bel, Mary C. Gregory, Emma Gregory, Sne Gregory, Mary Gregory, B. Wilmah Greene, Mary B. Hall, Nettie Hall. Stella M. Hague, Helen F. Hale, Alida R. Handy, Emma Harpstrite, Mary Hasbrouck. Clara N. ITawkes. Thomas E. Hayward, Mary L.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
Hubbard, Josephine Harwood, Annie W. L. L. Mitchell, Mrs. Jennie Montgom- Hayden. Nellie I. Hendricks, Flora E. Hill, ery, Lucy A. Miles, one month : Edith Montgomery, Hla Moffitt, Laura Montgom- ery. Helen F. Moore, Harriet E. Moore, Emma Muthersbaugh, Mabel Muthers- baugh. George S. Morris, Mary W. Moore, Mary E. Moore, Mrs. Anna E. Mur- phy, Chloe Murphy, C. M. McMahon, Charles W. Mills, Eva T. Myers, Mary Neil, Bertha Norman, Tillie Norman, Vir- ginia N. Odor. Maria Okey, Elizabeth OF- son, Bessie Oshinsky, Bettie Prather, Ed- win Park. Henry P. Page, Mary A. Perry, ( Bradley). W'm. L. Page, Elizabeth 31. Park, Mrs. Mary E. Park, Minnie Parker, Mrs. Bell Porter. Minerva M. Pearce, Ar- thur 1 .. Patton, John A. Peters. Bertha Pillsbury, Edwin Philbrook, Ellen C. Phil- brook, Florence E. Pitts, John H. Powell. Mrs. Sue C. Philips, Catherine E. Peck. 3 months: Calla M. Parker. Mary Powers, Ada S. Pritchett, Helen Perry, Nettie C. Pritchett, Ethel Quinlan, Bertha Reed, Sal- lie Reeme, Susie M. Reddick, G. Anna Ray- mond. Sallie Roe. Lois M. Roberts, Lucre- tia J. Rooker. Neal D. Reardon, Carrie .1. Record. Mrs. Agnes Roddy, Deete Rolfe, Frederick Rust, Anna E. Russell, Mrs. J. 11. Roell, Silva Ross, Elizabeth Sabin. Christina Sanderson, Sarah E. Sanderson. Tillie Schumacher, Carrie Scott, Mrs. Kate 1. Seyfer, Sophia B. Shaffer, Fanny C. Shepard. James J. Sheppard, Elizabeth Sherrick. C. W. Shleppy. Kate Sherrick, Gertrude Shorb, Orrillia Sikes, Margaret Sollars, Anna B. Simms, Frances Simpson, Myra A. Smith, Nellie L. Smith, Oscar F. Smith, Fannie 1 .. Smith, Bruce Smith, J. B. R. Sherrick, Miranda M. Sargent, Kather- me Search, Alice E. Slocumb, Anna Sny- der. Flora B. Smith, Lennie F. Smith. Ber- tha Spencer, Harriet Southwick. Mosetta I. Stafford, Clara Stare, Jessie Spencer. Bell Sterling. Mrs. J. M. Sterrett, Kate Stickel, Lillie W. Stewart, Lurene Seymour, Susie Tucker. Vesta Terrell, Emma Trull. Mary Bertha Hendricks, Elizabeth Hardy, Anna E. Haskell, Herbert C. Hansen, Henry Han- son, George A. Henderson, Grace lite. Belle A. Hobbs, Ida Hockingberry, Emma Hord, Elizabeth L. Howes, Grace K. Hutch- ison, Celeste Hoffman, Clara E. Hoffman, Ruth Hoffman, Eva Humphrey, Jane E. Hammond, Frank Hamsher, Lucy Hollings- worth, (Montgomery), (Nelson), Ethel Hopson, Kate Hamilton, Robert F. Hoxie, Mrs. Stella Hunter. Leta Hughey. Bertha llull. Rachel Hummell, Martha E. Hughes, Idla C. Huffman, Victor Hawthorne. Sarah M. Imboden. Lucy Irwin, Samuel S. Jack, Anna Jack. Lottie A. Jackson, Noah N. Jacobs, Fannie Johns, (Sedgwick), Carrie A. Jamison, George F. James, Alice Jen- nings, Della Johnson, Lucinda .A. Johnson, Martha Johnson, May Johnson. Lena B. Jones, S. Alice Judd. Rosa E. Judson, Mary Jordan, Marcia Kimball. May Keethes. Charles W. Kent. Margaret Kelley, Mrs. Mattie E. Kerr. Margaret G. Kerr. (Col- bert ). Roberta Keyes. Elizabeth Kneiper. Lulu Laughlin, Elizabeth Leeper, Margaret Leeper, Louis B. Lee, Mary E. Lewis, Fan- ny T. Locher, Grace L. Lockett. Clara Long. ( Brown), Nellie H. Love, Elizabeth Lutrell. Mark A. Lukens, Ernest B. Lytle, Samuel M. Lake, Jessie W. Locket, Jolin B. Loeffler. Laura Longenecker, Dora R. Longenecker, Maude A. MacClurg. A. Marie Macpherson, Anna Magee. Carrie Mallory, Eva Malone, Wallace E. Mann, Laura Mar- tin, Lida C. Martin, John Marten, Elizabeth Mathews, Sallie McCall, Mary McCullom. Cora MeGorray, Katherine AleGorray. Mar- garet MeGorray, Lizzie MeGuire, Laura W. Melain, Mrs. Lida A. McMurry, Oscar F. MeKim, Alice Mead. J. H. Metcalf, Mar- garet M. Means. Anna Alead, Martha Mertz. Elvira E. Mark. Priscilla Mill- burn, Mrs. 1 .. 1. Miller, Julia C. Mil- ler, Mary Miller. Maude E. Mills. Miss
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PAST AND PRESENT OF'MACON COUNTY.
Thunnemann, Lillian Tabor, A. Anna Tink- ler, Mary Tolladay, Elmer R. Towl, Eliza- beth Towl, Litta Tobey, John Trainer, Bertha Trautman, Frank L. Traverse, Alice Tuttle, Jeanette L. Tyler, Alice Tyler, Sallie J. Taylor, Lena Ullrich, Luetta Ullrich, Ella VanDeren, 2 months; Mary E. Vaughan, Carl Vertrees, Anna Vetterleit, W'm. L. Westermann, Margaret E. Wallace, Edith M. Wallace, Myra Belle Wallace, Josephine F. Waggoner. Medora E. Waughop, (Yoa- cum), John W. Weston, E. D. Walker, Bes- sie S. Warren, Henrietta Watkins, I month ; Mattie Weaver, Pearl W. Weiennett, Ma- tilda Wells, Frank W. Westhoff, Jasper N. Wilkinson, Nettie Wiley, Mollie E. Will- iams. Frederick C. Willson, Mary W. Wilder. Anna M. Wilson, Blanche Wilson, Minnie E. Wilson, Mabel Wilson, Josepha H. Witte, Alice Witbeck, Mary Wood, An- na E. Woods, J. Edna Worthley, Sarah Wil- son, Edith Yeomans, Bessie I. Young, Jen- nie Young, Ella W. Yeager.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
In 1862, the directors decided to employ a city superintendent of schools and to open a high school. Nothing of the kind had been done before in Decatur. On July 12, 1862, E. A. Gastman was elected principal of all the schools at a salary of $480 for a term of 120 days. At the same meeting Miss Frances A. Peterson was elected assistant in the high school at a salary of $30 per month.
During the summer Mr. Gastman and Miss Peterson were married and the high school was opened under their management, September 22. 1862, in the lower east room of the Church street school. The following pupils were enrolled during the first school year of six months :
Lois Andrews, Laura Cornell. Maggie Ellis, Maggie Flora, Alice Glore. Hattie Greer, Anna Hlargis, Alice Harris, Jane Hammond, Almira Kaufman, Love Kanf-
man, Eliza McClelland, Jane Mcclellan, Mollie Mitchell, Adelia Murray, Kate New- ell, Sadie Phelps, Anna Righter, Alice Shel- labarger, Flora Stuart, Thomas Boyce, Wmn. T. Cussins, W. C. Ellis, Orville B. Gorin, Alonzo Glore, Albert Henkle, Hugh Odor, Edwin Miner. William Powers, Benj. H. Righter, Welburn Hiner, Thomas Henkle, Chas M. Durfee, Carrie Trowbridge, Emma Trull, Mary Hudnot, Winnie Branch, Sarah Frazier, Lizzie Luttrell, Jane Elwood, Mary Fitzpatrick, Marcella Greer, Carrie Jamison, Emma Peddecord, Kate Stickle, Elizabeth Trull, Emmaretta Williams, Lydia A. Smith, Anna Haworth, Jennie E. Durfee, Mary Falconer, Mary Stuart, Thomas Nich- ols, A. Orr, Patrick Keely, J. C. Hostetler, Frank Priest, Edward Goodman, Jay J. Mansfield, George Routh, Edwin Stickle, Robert R. Montgomery, Richard Noble, T. J. Davis.
In the fall of 1863 the school was moved to the basement of the Baptist Church on the northeast corner of William and Water streets. Alrs. Gastman having died just be- fore the close of the previous year, Miss Mary E. Baker became the assistant. The school was carried on in this dark and dingy basement for six years. During that time Misses Miranda MI. Sargent, Helen Dean, and Nancy Cunningham were assistants. At an election held July 8, 1863, the people ordered, by a vote of 129 to 6, that the schools should be continued for nine months in each year.
In the first years of its history, the school had no regular course of study. Such classes were formed as would best suit the wants of the pupils attending the school. Gradually, however, a course of three years was adopted.
There was very little interest in the school among the people. and. probably, less than one hundred citizens attended the first annual exercises and saw this class of four girls receive their diplomas. But these
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
very exercises had a very decided influence in awakening a strong popular sentiment in favor of the school.
The erection of a building for the accom- modation of the school was frequently dis- cussed by the board of education, but no action was taken until August 9, 1866, when Messrs. Durice & Warren and Dr. Thomas 11. Reed sold to the board lots 10, 11 and 12 of the resurvey of block 7, Reed & Co.'s ad- dition, for the sum of $3.400. In May, 1809, lot 9 in the same block was bought of Ab- diel T. Risley, for $820.
Owing to a want of funds nothing was done about a building until April. 1868, when Mr. Geo. P. Randall of Chicago was employed to prepare plans and specifications for a high school house. On the twenty- sixth, the clerk was directed to advertise for bids for erecting the building. On June 13th the following propositions were submitted :
Conn & Underwood, Shelbyville, 111., $25.000: W. F. Bushnell & Co., Mendota, Jll .. $25.000; E. McNabb. Decatur, 111 .. $10.980: N. J. Campbell, Decatur, 111 .. $25 .- 192.58.
Plastering and painting were not included in the bids of Messrs. MeNabb and Shock- ley. The contract was awarded to Mr. Shockley.
On July 4. 1868, the lot was surveyed and leveled by Charles A. Tuttle. The erection of the building was commenced soon after, D. McVey being in charge of the brick work. During the summer and fall the house was enclosed, but the tower was not built until the spring of 1869. The house was plastered in the winter by Sollars & Hanks for $1,- 008.60. It should be said to the credit of these workmen that no repairs have been required on the plastering from that time until now, except under the stairways in the halls. The painting was done by M. A. Myer and .\. C. Corman for $1,046.60. The total cost of the building was $24.577.46.
The first session of the high school was held in the new buikling September 13. 1809, with these teachers in charge of the several classes :
E. A. Gastman, Mary W. French, Mi- randa M. Sargent.
The first story and one-half of the second story of the building were occupied by chil- dren in the lower grades of the ward schools. Misses Martha E. Hughes and Sarah E. Allen taught primary classes in the rooms on the lower floor, and Miss Amanda J. Affleck had an intermediate school in the northeast room on the second floor.
On the 8th of February, 1870. Samuel S. Jack, of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, was unani- mously elected principal of the high school at a salary of $1,500 per annum. The aver- age daily attendance in the school that year was Ho. The following class graduated in June, 1870: Maggie Sollars, Mabel Car- penter, Carrie Elson, Rachael E. Cook, Robert B. Hostetler, Charles M. Barnes, Truman S. Crissey, John L. Ridenour.
It is believed that this is the only class in the history of the school in which the num- ber of boys was equal to the number of girls. On February 10, 1871, Mr. Samuel S. Jack tendered his resignation of the prin- cipalship, which was accepted and E. A. Gastman was directed to take charge of the school until a new principal could be secured.
In 1871 the course of study was extended to four years and no class graduated that year on account of this change.
The growth of the school was slow in those days. In 1875 there were five teach- ers, and the average daily attendance was 155 for the year. In 1880 the number of teachers was the same and the average at- tendance was 152. In 1885 the attendance advanced to 220, and the number of teach- ers remained as before. In 1890 the aver- age daily attendance was 244 and the num-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
ber of teachers increased to seven. At present there are nineteen teachers at work.
The graduating class of 1875 numbered thirteen, two boys and eleven girls. In 1880 there were twenty-two graduates, six boys and sixteen girls. In 1885 the class was composed of eight boys and twenty girls, or twenty-eight in all. In 1800 the class consisted of thirty-six members, thirteen boys and twenty-three girls. In 1894 there were forty-nine members in the class, of whom seventeen were boys and thirty-two girls. The graduating classes since 1894 have been as follows: 95. 76: 96. 80: '97, 87: '98. 55: 99. 70: 1900. 84. The number of pupils enrolled during the year 1899- 1900 was 731.
From the above figures it will be seen that the growth of the school and of the classes annually graduated, commenced about 1885 and has steadily continued until the present time. Another fact shows the same condition of affairs. From 1869 to 1802 the old buikling proved ample for the wants of the school. In the latter year the capacity of the building was substantially doubled by the erection of an addition in front. It was thought that this would make the building adequate for a long time to come, but by 1895 a second addition of six rooms on the rear was required.
The buikling as it now stands has thir- teen session rooms, with a combined ca- pacity for about 800 pupils, three recitation rooms, two large well-equipped labora- tories, a drawing room and a library room. It is one of the largest and best high school buildings in the state.
The expansion of the High School in point of numbers and building accommo- dations has been paralleled in its course of study. It has expanded in two directions ; in the addition of new subjects, and in the more extensive study of subjects already in the course. Pupils today may pursue a
four years course of study in English. mathematics, Latin, German, history and science. Their course of study is deter- mined for the most part by their own in- tellectual tastes, the only subjects particu- larly required being English and a certain amount of mathematics. This freedom of election of studies is of recent introduc- tion, but thus far promises much in making school work a matter of serious purpose.
Our large and well equipped chemical and physical laboratories and our generous supply of microscopes and other biological apparatus put our work in science on a true scientific basis, and enable our pupils to gain real insight into scientific method.
A great deal might be written in descrip- tion of the work in English, mathematics, the languages and various other subjects, but space forbids to say more than that these subjects are taught from the latest and most approved text books by men and women whose training has made them specialists in their department.
There are two subjects now taught in the High School that deserve special men- tion : music and drawing. To those who are acquainted with the aims and results of the work along these lines nothing need be said to show their value. These subjects have won their place in the schools in spite of long opposition, and their possibilities and value are constantly coming to greater appreciation.
When we reflect on the fact that over seven hundred girls and boys were enrolled in the Iligh School during the year, that the four years of the High School life are the formative years of their character, the years when they begin to awake from the dreams of childhood to know the world as it is, the years when many of them are meeting the sterner realities of life, when we think on these facts, we begin to realize what a position of influence in the com- munity the High School holds. We are wont
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
to forget that the children of today are the men and women of tomorrow. But such is the ever recurring fact. The money then, and the time and thought that are expended in maintaining this institution, which re- ceives its pupils as children and graduates them as men and women, is well and wisely spent.
GRADUATES OF THE DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL BY CLASSES.
The High School was organized in Sep- tember, 1862. The following is a complete list of the graduates. In 1871 no class grad- uated, as the course was changed from three to four years.
Class of 1867.
Emma Hummell (Garver), Rachel Hum- mell (Bear), Alice Roberts, Emmaretta Williams (Hopkins).
Class of 1868.
Clara Allison (Imboden), Theodore Cole- man. (Yellow Pine), Ruth Crissey (Cor- nell), Fannie Johns (Sedgwick), Jennie Newell (Wilson).
Class of 1869.
Frank L. Brooks, Hattie Fuller (Krig- baum), Carrie Hubbard (Kinney), Katie Jones ( Aldrich), Emma Reeme (Davidson), Sallie Roe (Baird).
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