Ligonier High School - Lance Yearbook (Ligonier, IN)

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5 1 ' :lL fl l Nxxx 4 cl l I i s e w l l U At present Mr. Sol Henoch is presdient, Mr. Jonas Schloss, vice presi- dent, and Fred Ackerman, secretary. The Rabbi is William Stern of South Bend. ' UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH. The United Brethren Church of Ligonier was organized January 1, 1874, in an old school house on the North Side, by Rev. F. Thomas, as part of Indian Village Circuit, St. Jo- seph Annual Conference. In the fall of 1874 Ligonier with Burr Oak was made Ligonier Mission Station. In 1878 with Burr Oak and Solomon's Creek, it was called Ligonier Circuit, but in 1888 under the labors of W. M. Burr, D. D., it became a self-supporting station. In the organization then were forty charter members. - During the second year of the Church there was quite a religious awakening and a great number received into the Church. The present Church building was built in 1874 and was dedicated by Bishop J. Weaver, D. D., February 21, 1875. It was in 1888 that the large and commodious parsonage was built. This Church is now one of the strongest in towng the number of mem- bers is two hundred and fifty. Rev. Risley, formerly a missionary to Africa is pastor at the present time. Connected with the Church are the Sunday School, of which Mrs. H. E. Robinson is Superintendent, a Women's Missionary Society, a Ladies Aid Society, a Christian Endeavor, and an Otterbein Guild, a girls' Missionary Society. l ADVENTIST CHURCH. In May, 1875, Elders I. H. Land and H. M. Kenyon, of Michigan pitched a tent on the same lot on which the Advent- ist Church now stands. Six weeks were devoted to a discussion of the more cardinal points of the faith. At the end of this time there were about forty members. At one time the membership reached one hundred and twenty. The congregation soon built a brick church which cost about three thousand dollars. It was dedicated December 23, 1877. In place of a regular ordained minister in charge of the congregation this people have an ordained elder and depend on ministerial help as the occasion may demand or opportunity present itself. Alexander Stutzman was elected Elder when the congregation was first organized. CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST. A comparatively new religious organiza- tion is that of the Christian Scientists. The first ,meeting was held on De- cember 3 1912 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Plank. Some of those Who attended the meeting were Mrs. Lew Dunning, Mrs. Jack Reese, Mrs Jonah Schloss Mrs. Eli Jacobs Miss Olive Galbreath, Mrs. Bessie Gegg and Mrs. Ashton Sedgwick. For one year the meetings were held at the homes of the members, then above Levy's store. ' time Mrs. Lew Dunning was chosen First Reader, and Mrs. Sheets, Second Reader. At the present time services are held in an apartment in the Wier Block. Mr. Herman Blitz is First Reader and Mrs. Charles Dark Second Reader 2 I WI IW Q ll llllllllllllll . , ' Q In Novmber, 1919, the group was organized into a society. At this : I t I J an Page 26'

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Father Noll who is now Bishop of the Fort Wayne Diocese was priest of the Ligonier Church from 1899 to 1902. Father Marmon, Father Kel- ler and Father Halpan have served since that time. At present Father Stoll leads the congregation which is made up of thirty families. ...MM -f 'W-M' 'H+--Q5 Q .fra was Meetings are held every two weeks except during the summer months when church is held every Sunday. CHRISTIAN CHURCH. The Ligonier Christian Church was organ- ized April 26, 1863, with a membership-of fifteen. During its existence it has wielded,a great influence in the community. The present member- ship is about one hundred. The building in which the congregation worships was erected in 1856 by the Universalists and used by the society for a few years. It was bought from them by Harrison Wood who sold an interest in it to the Christian church in June, 1863. In May, 1867 ,. it was struck by lightning and considerably damaged. It was at once repaired at a cost of 31,200 and a number of changes made. It was moved back twelve feet and placed on a new foundation, the vestibule was changed and the steeple built. Other repairs have been made from time to time as the building needed them. Rev. I. N. G-risso is pastor of the church. The three elders are Baily Ray, Chauncy Bowman, J. C. Kimmellg the deacons are George Brown, John Shell, Ray Wolfe, Charles Cornelius, Howard Helwig, Ralph Smith, and Ed Harper. The property is held by three trustees, J. C. Kimmell, George Brown, and John Shell. Of the Sunday School, Charles Cornelius is Superintendent. The Junior department with Mrs. Baily Ray at its head is a special feature. There are also a Ladies Missionary Society, a Ladies Aid Society, and a Girl's Triangle Club connected with the church. JEWISH CHURCH. The Jewish Church, the Ahavas Sholem, was first organized in September, 1867, when the congregation built a syna- 3 gogue on Main street just south of the residence of Mr. Henry Green. U This building stood there and served its purpose until the new temple was dedicated a few blocks south, in September, 1899, when it was moved and located on the lot at the rear of the new temple and was used for a Sun- . day School and other purposes. Mr. F. W. Straus was the first president u of the congregation, Mr. Solomon Mier, vice president and Jacob Straus 5 and others were the trustees. The first Rabbi was Jacob Baum who of- S ficiated from 1837 to 1871. S - I Feeling the need of newer and better quarters the congregation re- I solved in 1888 to provide a new church home. They secured a lot on South : Main Street just south of the residence of Mr. L. J. Dunning. They put 5 up a fine fine brick structure, with the outside walls of pressed brickg the 5 E roof was of stone slate, and the interior was made beautiful by finishing l E in natural wood and with stained glass windows. The dedicatory exer- 3 cises held on September 5, 1889, were most interesting and imposing, the : sermon being preached by Dr. Rabbi Wise of Cincinnati. Music was fur- : nished by the famous Ligonier Military Band. E u ! 1 S ,I ' A 3 an Page 25

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Wxx 3..,.1, 'r A l Lb 413 amasse- XJ The High School Building as it looked before the wings were added l FIRST SCHOOLS. The first school building erected on the p1'esent site of Lig- onier was a small hewed log structure rudely and hastily put together, in about 1837, by four or five of the early settlers in the vicinity. One of the men was Jacob Wolf from whose land the logs were taken. Miss Ashca Kent was employed to teach the first school: she received her salary by subscriptions and by boarding around. The second teacher was Henry Hostetter, and the third James Miller. The log school- house was used for almost everything until about 1851, when on account of its dilap- idated condition it was succeeded by a small fram building which was known far and near as the Red Schoolhouse . WHEN THE TEACHER FAILED AND FELL. A few years after thi-s school- house was erected, Mr. Eli B. Gerber was employed to teach the young urchins who assembled there. The first morning he fired up his sinking courage, repaired to the ' school, and began vigorously to ring the bell. Miscalculating either on his strength or on the toughness of the bell rope, the cord snapped off just as he began to ring. What in the world was to be done? A happy thought darted through his bewildered mind. He would ascend into the loft through the small uncovered opening in the ceiling, and tie the rope together, The thought was no sooner conceived than up the 3 loft he went. By this time the children began to flock in, anxious for a good squint S at the new teacher. They saw nothing of that functionary until the latter, making : a misstep above, came thundering down through the plaster, tearing off, on the way, : nearly half of the lath on the ceiling. The students stared in terror at the formid- Q able object, thinking, doubtless, that the old Devil himself was after them, and then, g with one accord ran pell-mell out of the room thoroughly frightened. School on : that day was a decided failure. E THE RED SCHOOLHOUSEH. The old red school house was built in the l E ordinary way, by means of funds raised by direct taxation. This was used until E 1865 when the present three storied brick building was constructed at a cost of about S S12,000. Money certificates or orders on the Town Treasurer, for stipulated sums : were issued by the Trustees, and purchased by the citizen-s. The citizens were sadly : U I ! 2 I A 'J an Page 27