Manchester College - Aurora Yearbook (North Manchester, IN)

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ber of the page of the book that gave the west hail to the Lincoln Literary So- ciety. Twenty-four years later she was again in college and assisted in the dis- solving of the Majestica Society and graduated with the class of 1920. No rec- ords have been found giving the details of the organization of section A. A constitution and by-laws were adopted and R. C. Hollinger was chosen the first president Nov. 28, 1896. His son, Harold, was elected to fill the same position THE LINCOLN LITERARY SOCIETY (1900-1901) in Feb. 1920. Among the charter members were : Adah Baker, Mina Bosserman, Elma Burket, A. J. Blinckenstaff, C. M. Holderman, W. H. Howe, A. E. Kemp, Phoebe King, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Early, E. C. Miller, Ella Ulrey, Maude Wheeler, L. D. Wright. One who later helped to make Manchester College famous was Ollie Miller who was the first lady president chosen by the Society. She was an excellent writer and speaker and much of the early success of the Society was due to her untiring efforts. At present Miss Miller is assistant librarian. Other active and faithful members were : Curtis Hollinger, Lelia Miller Culler, Wealthea Miller Long, C. W. Stutsman, Verna Ulrey, Ida Mae Miller, Ella Miller Brubaker, Wm. Howe, Laura Cripe Smith and G. E. Hamilton. The two sections were organized on the same basis and the procedures re- corded of Section B is representative of section A. Those members belonging to section B passed to the east hall and quickly effected a tem- porary organization. Milo Hale, F. M. Neff and Lucy Buck were appointed as a committee to draft a constitution. The result of their work was presented and adopted the following week and since that date section B has been known as the Adelphian Literary Society. Motto, Lux et Veritas. The charter members were, active : C. W. Bowman, Lucy Buck, J. C. Brower, Owen Cottrell, Cal Forney, Milo F. Hale, Wm. Horner, Nellie Lancaster, Cora A. Miller, F. M. Neff, Edna Puterbaugh, Gertrude Smith, J. H. Werking, G. [Pagre 22

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Mrs. Bowman was one of the charter members and has been closely associated in the work during all these years. She was the founder of the West End Mission. This was first opened in a small rented room where for six years Mrs. Bowman labored faithfully in teaching the Gospel story to the children who were deprived of church and Sunday School privileges. She was ably assisted in this work by Mrs.. Lou Lautzenhizer and others. The programs were held in the Bible room every Monday evening, until 1902 when increased numbers made it necessary to meet in the chapel. These consisted of orations, essays, readings and debates all on Biblical subjects, as well as special missionary addresses. A Ladies ' Quartette com- posed of Una Cripe, Elma Burkett, Gladia Swartz and was an innovation that added much to the interest and enjoyment of the programs. The following is gleaned from the Bible Student July 1897: The most meritorious fea- tures of the Institution are that the various departments are presided over by specialists in their respective lines and who have had a number of years of successful experience in teaching. Such persons attend the school as are in- spired with a brimming zeal to make the world better intellectually, morally and spiritually. In harmony with these ideals the Bible Society was inspired to reach out into practical mission work. On April 18, 1898, at a call meeting the Society decided to creat a fund to assist worthy students in preparing for the mission field and in September, 1902, issued the first scholarships at the beginning of the school year. Later this fund was turned over to the College Management and was the first sum given to what is now known as the Educa- tional Fund for the aid of ministers and missionaries in their preparation for Christian service. Correlated with the Bible Society was the Missionary Read- ing Circle. Books on Mission work were read and discussed every Wednesday evening. On Sunday afternoon a staff of workers was sent out to visit the sick and the aged who were deprived of Church privileges. Literary Societies. The Excelsior Literary Society was organized for the benefit of the Col- lege and preparatory students and met on Saturday evenings for a while in the chapel, and later when the hall was divided by a movable partition the Society moved to the west side of the partition. The Bible Student November 1896 gives perhaps a very fair estimate of the merits of the work of this Society. The Excelsior Literary Society commands the attention and praise of a large audience every Saturday evening. The characteristics of the society — progress- iveness, thoroughness, growth, purity, charity — are to be commended. The pro- grams are spicy. The hall is filled to overflowing each evening by the students and citizens of the town, and all say there must be a sister society. So be it. Next term? Yes. The Excelsior Literary Society held its last meeting Nov. 28, 1896. At that date the society was dissolved. The members had unitedly worked together for one year and one term. As they separated they called themselves societies A and B. After a short program the lists of names for the sections were read. The first named on the lists then came forward and decided by chance the halls to be occupied by the sections in the future. Miss Adah Baker ' s name headed the list of section a. She guessed the exact num- Pag-e 21 J

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E. Wright, C. C. Wright. Inactive : Jerome Iresberger, W. H. Working. Hon- orary : M. R. Myers, M. D. Early, Mrs. Ada Early. The first election resulted in the choice of F. M. Neff, President, Edna Puterbaugh, Vice President, Gertrude Smith, Secretary. The hall had been newly papered during the summer. A few chairs, a lamp, and a stand with a broken leg comprised the furnishings. A purchasing committee was appointed THE ADELPHIAN LITERARY SOCIETY (1900-1901) to provide a carpet for the stage, better lighting and other necessary im- provements. There immediately sprang up a sharp rivalry between the two societies as to numbers and talent. Some excellent talent was developed — poets, essayists, debaters, and silver tongued orators. The first part of each program consisted of literary productions. This was followed by a fifteen or twenty minute intermission in which all enjoyed a purely social time together. Although separated by a movable partition, despite society spirit and rivalry, the same unity of action must have largely prevailed as formerly. Echoes from Lincoln Hall report that evidently the social side of our society is performing remarkable service for some of its members. These observations were verified in the fall of 1899 whn Miss Lucy Buck, an active Adelphian, and E. C. Miller, an active Lincoln, were united in marriage by President E. S. Young in the College Chapel. Following the social period there was either a debate or paliamentary drill. D. 0. Cottrell became noted for his ability in this line of work. No instrumental music was allowed for some years. A committee was appointed by the Society to wait on the President and plead for permission to be granted for its use but after an hours conference in which all of the eloquence at their command had been used, nothing was accomplished. Space does not Page 23]